Issue:The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Columnist: A Tale of 2 Systems:

Specific: "The question is: Will we leave our children a system as flexible, dynamic and productive as the one that was, fortunately, left to us? Or, by doing nothing, will we succumb to the same ineluctable pressures that now afflict Europe, and find that we are immobilized at the exact moment China and India are passing us by? "

Comment:I read this piece and saw that it was informed and presents some decent logic and reason - enough to make me thinking.

Then the tag line - the final summarization - "the exact moment China and India are passing us by" - I'm now confused - passing us by in what? Their cultures have always had more respect for their elders and seniors than do American. And those models operate under communist systems and a social cast system.

Am I to understand that Mr Brooks is advocating that our national economic output is more important than the standards of living for the people? Is he advocating Communism for taking care of retirees?

The lack of a mention of China and India in this preceeding logic, leads to the notion that economic output is the thing, Mr Brooks feels that US is lacking.

So can it be said that reaching the global finish line first in terms of economic output is more important than support our retirees? It is better to be ahead of China and India than to have a lower economic output and also taking care of folks who need to be caring.

So then why donate to Tsunami Relief?