Many look at China's Rise (economically) and suggest that their state-run capitalism is a superior model. I completely disagree, such methodologies and strategies will never be as efficient long-term as free-enterprise and free markets - short term however, it may look good on paper or economic statistics granted. We need not copy China to compete with them, they did not find a better model than our so-called free-market model. The reality is that we've been messing with our own free market fundamentals for a long time, and they are not currently running at optimal.

Unfortunately, this has gone on so long - "the fix is in" so to speak - and with all the collusion between big business and an ever growing big government where lobbyists get to buy the best regulations money can buy - our system has been manipulated beyond recognition. State-run capitalism is not better than 18moa free market capitalism, not in the least, and having our State Department work for our largest corporations of our Legislative Branch running block for their biggest campaign donors is ruining all we are and all we have built.

There was an interesting article in the New York Times on July 24, 2015 titled; "Ted Cruz Attacks Mitch McConnell in Clash Over an Agency," by Jonathan Weisman which stated: "Business - powered by some of the nation's biggest corporations, like Boeing, General Electric and Caterpillar - have been pressing to reopen it, arguing that the conservative war on the agency is costing American jobs in the service of a purely ideological fight. On the other side of the money fight, Delta Air Lines, the Koch Brothers, Club for Growth and the Heritage Foundation are fueling the opposition.

Look, Ted Cruz has a point and is indeed correct, we need more accountability with the Import-Export Bank and we shouldn't turn it into a corporate gift for only selective, albeit very important, American Corporations - Yes, like Boeing, GE, etc. The bank needs to be fair, and all transactions weighed equally and on merit, further our State Department, although it must work with the Import-Export Bank, should not completely rule the day, nor should the need to drive shareholder's equity and quarterly profits for a few big international conglomerates drive our Foreign Policy - remember it's the tax-payers money.

We can do better than this, we are better than this, so maybe it is time we stopped the status quo manipulation and go back to our free market principals. Please consider it all.