Eric's Beijing Diary

Third and final debate this morning on the big screen at the Bridge Cafe. Brian is a strong supporter of Obama, but he opened it up for everyone. I thought it was a pretty strong performance by McCain, but it does look like Obama has the momentum. Personally, I think that whole business about Bill Ayers was a non-starter. Nobody remembers that. The Weathermen were pretty violent people, but they were active when I was in high school, or maybe even junior high. I can't even remember, and you can be sure no one else can either. But more specifically, it misses the point. Obama is not a terrorist. He is a liberal. I remember when Dukakis was running for president, many Democrats were complaining about being labeled with the "L" word. But they did deserve the label. And so does Obama. He is liberal. And he was not honest about his votes in the Illinois legislature. It is a fact that children born alive (during abortions) were being left to die, and it is also a fact that he steadfastly resisted attempts to provide legal protection for them. Four times. He deserves to be called a liberal. But calling him a terrorist makes him a victim, and generates sympathy. Furthermore, using Sarah Palin to make the case was ill-advised. She was a very small child when that stuff was going on. It couldn't be something she remembered.

But I was also interested in something that most people in America may not relate to, at least in the way I do. I live in China. Obama mentioned China again this morning, as I expected him to. He does not like the fact that American jobs are going to China, and while I do not blame him for that, it is definitely not a good idea to restrict trade in order to compensate for America's overpriced labor. I saw it happen to Japan. America put pressure on them to revise their currency. Japan's relationship with the United States was such that it was not easy for them to refuse. It flattened the Japanese economy. When I mention this issue, many people tell me that the American president cannot have much influence over this, but I'm not so sure. Bush has actually had quite a bit of influence in this area. This is one reason why many Americans are upset with him. Obviously, I don't feel quite the same way. Interesting how our own life situations affect the way we see things. But it isn't just the fact that I live in China. I was a free trader long before I came here. In the short run, free trade does hurt some people. But in the long run, it is good for everyone, including the ones who initially had to take the hit.