> Baker (whose imperialism seems to be cleverly camouflaged by his constant
> calls to cut the defense budget) explains a few paragraphs later that the
> idea behind this proposal is to induce China to agree to a negotiated
> currency realignment. His real point in writing this column is to show that
> the US pose of helplessness is just a pose:
I don't know whether to call Baker's proposal imperialism or not -- though in no way is cutting the defense budget dissonant with imperialism -- but it certainly is nationalism, of a pretty extreme variety too, I'd say. In his fantasy, the only players are the Chinese and U.S. states. Does he really think such a move by the U.S. would have no effect on Chinese and Asian workers, particularly migrants and other precarious laborers? Likely it'd be violent and bloody, and all for the betterment of the U.S. state and its workforce. Scratch a progressive and find an ugly nationalist.