A new haven of wonder
From The Chicago Tribune
resident Donald Trump went to Asia for nearly two weeks, an unusually long time away from Washington for an American leader. Was it worth the effort and aviation fuel? No, especially for us in the Midwest. He returns to the White House with the United States in weaker economic and diplomatic positions in the Pacific because of his blind spot on trade.
One of Trump’s first actions as president was to quit TPP, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a broad trade agreement with 11 other nations. Trump is a trade skeptic. Actually, he’s phobic, believing the United States usually gets the bad end of these major deals, which is quantifiably not true.
In the case of TPP, his hang-up did nothing to dissuade America’s economic partners from continuing to pursue the agreement without the U.S. So during his visit to Vietnam for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Trump hung loose while the rest of the TPP gang made progress on their negotiations. The pact will create an integrated marketplace among Japan, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, Vietnam and Brunei. The U.S. would have been the 12th member.
Being left out is bad news for agricultural and industrial states such as Illinois — heavy exporters that sell corn, soybeans, pork, machinery and plenty of other products around the world. The point of TPP is the same as other agreements, such as NAFTA: to break down trade barriers and encourage interdependence in ways that help all sides, buyers and sellers. TPP would have slashed high taxes on U.S. exports to member countries and helped small and midsized American businesses by reducing paperwork burdens. With the U.S. on the outside looking in, those other countries are more likely to trade among themselves.
Beyond the specifics of who sells corn, pork or industrial refrigerators to whom, there is a crucial geopolitical component to TPP and other trade deals: Either countries bind themselves together for mutual benefit or they drift about, looking for friends. TPP would have been a key point of U.S. collaboration with a group of countries on both sides of the Pacific at a time when China is sharpening its elbows in the region.
What happens now? The U.S. misses an easy chance to strengthen its ties to Japan, an important defense ally, and Vietnam, a growing economy, among other benefits. Meanwhile, China gets an extra opportunity to ingratiate itself with Pacific neighbors through its own arrangements. That’s fine as far as trade goes (every country has the right to do as it sees fit), but corn and machinery exports are only part of the picture.
The bigger issue is Chinese political influence and power projection in the Pacific, where the U.S. role is to maintain peace and security. China looks for every opportunity to expand its orbit. The U.S. withdrawal from TPP creates “a large vacuum in its economic diplomacy,” one expert in Singapore told CNNMoney.com.
Trump says he will replace TPP with individual trade agreements with other countries because he believes such pacts are fairer to U.S. interests and protect more jobs. It’s not clear other countries will prioritize more negotiations solely with the U.S., just as it’s uncertain Trump would get unique concessions. The Trump administration already has reopened talks with Mexico and Canada on a revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Trade isn’t free money. Both sides get something, and there are individual winners and losers along the way. In large deals, however, all sides get more because reducing barriers leads to increased economic activity.
You are spending your day off at Ridge Ferry Park, taking in the scenery while walking to burn off that doughnut you ate downtown. It’s a quiet, cold afternoon. A perfect setting for you to collect your thoughts and ponder all of life’s questions. The sun’s reflection off the river to your right is subtle, but intense enough to make the river hint a sparkle occasionally. The birds are chirping, adding a beat to the soft melody of the river. You continue to walk past your usual stopping point. You pass the hill leading to the plaza to your left and carry on the path less traveled. The end of this path is no mystery, but you choose to visit with the hope for a small hint of nostalgia.
As you approach the end of the trail, you see the Rome-Floyd County Library, but just before that you see a small assemblage of people quietly congregating near the large tree that sits at the edge of the natural dip. You walk over to see what the purpose is. You walk up to a small amphitheater. It contains artwork from local artists and other similar pieces. You stay longer than you expected in admiration and astonishment. You look at the art and feel a new sense of wonder and deep thought. Time has escaped you. You walk away, astonished that your small town had individuals with such skill and talent, skill and talent that reawakened your intellectual curiosity.
Floyd County has approved an addition to our local library, an amphitheater. This amphitheater is in dedication to a Mr. Charles Sennett III. The amphitheater will be a prominent place for local artists to display their own artwork, and will be a haven of wonder that will promote appreciation of the arts and intellectual curiosity.
Are the fine arts a necessary element of human affairs in a contemporary sense? I scream that they most certainly are! Before I continue, I do promote the increase in trade-specific jobs such as welding, carpentry, and the like, however the arts must be promoted for those who show an interest or inclination to such. As for myself, I thoroughly enjoy literature, enough so to engage in the art. I also enjoy being a spectator of music and theater. Others will have none of it. More practical men will not indulge in the philosophical and the arts. One may ask what benefits come with the promotion of the fine arts? A number of benefits are readily observed! To select one because of my limited allowance of space, I would elaborate on the benefit of critical thinking. A painting or pamphlet is not solely created to please the eye, there is generally a significance behind it. Observers are tasked with the duty of interpreting the work. Whether they are right or wrong is of no importance, what is important is one’s own emotional inspiration and satisfaction that comes about through interpretive critical thinking.
Intellectual curiosity is very much awakened through the fine arts. It creates a sense of wonder. When looking at a painting of a large vast landscape, I am humbled. When I hear music, my mind travels to how that song is applicable to myself, my surroundings, or life’s questions. Watching a play or listening to an oration can give me insight into the life of others and a new lens or perspective in which to view and assess a question or problem. Also, art that references history causes me to ask many questions and place myself in their shoes. I see the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, and I feel a sense of pride, pity and curiosity. Pride that our country was built on grit and ambition; pity because many soldiers were barely clothed and fed, yet they ventured through the near impossible; and curiosity fills me because I want to learn more about the event I am only witnessing a snapshot of.
There is ample opportunity for local artists to showcase their work and rise above their station to chase their dreams. Future playwrights will have a stage to showcase their dramas in front of a local audience. Orators will have an attendant audience to vocalize their concerns and praises. Artists will have a setting for spectators to freely view their work. The people of Rome, Georgia, are smart and will remember those who continuously display satisfactory work. Their name will be more than a word on a plaque, it has the potential to be a part of common conversation. In this, the artist, orator or playwright will have the capability to network with officials and others who engage in the same. This gives our local artists a stage in which they can fly above their current situation and launch their career in a larger, more popular platform.
Overall, the amphitheater will be a positive, beneficial and culture-building addition to the Rome-Floyd County Library and our beautiful city. Romans will benefit by being exposed to the fine arts, something that seems to have evaporated from everyday America. This will increase intellectual curiosity, creativity and critical and cultural thinking in our city. Artists, orators, and playwrights will benefit by having an additional, local platform in which to show their work to the public. This will provide networking for the better artists so that they may advance in their careers, chasing their dreams. We must not only promote the utility of science and mathematics, however practical they are in our modern day and age, we must also promote the finer arts, because they provide benefits to society just as much as STEM professions. Once construction is complete sometime in 2018, I hope you can take a walk down to the library and view the new haven of wonder that is will be the amphitheater! GREYSON OSWALT-SMITH Jim Powell of Young Harris