Summary 3

Micheal D. Lemonick, author of Are We Losing Our Edge?, begins his argument that the United States of America is starting to decline, with a story about a scientist, who moves to a different country for better job experiences. Lemonick claims that America is losing ground to other countries, because businesses and the government are cutting back on research and knowledge to focus on short term goals, while other countries are working on improving their studies.
He presses this point, by discussing how the government downplayed the importance of improving science and technology, in the Bush administration. However, he also points out that after a five hundred five page report assessing the United States’ eroding superiority in science and technology, the government began taking steps to improve funding and support for scientific research. He names specific individuals and their actions, such as Nancy Pelosi and Donald Evens, who actively spoke out for science and technology.
Then, Lemonick addresses businesses and how they’re affecting this decline. By focusing on short term advances, they are losing their advanced research and updated information. In turn, this affects students and what career path they decide to study. With businesses showing a lack of interest in scientific research, students stopped studying science and technology in hopes of gaining a career that will be more profitable for them.
Lastly Lemonick portrays the effects of other countries to improve their economies by investing in research. After seeing how successful the United States is, they are beginning to copy America. By improving their research labs with updated equipment, proper funding for research projects, large salaries for scientists, and a free reign on the research projects, not only do they lure top scientists away from the United States, but they are enticing their students to stay.
Micheal Lemonick concludes by pointing out that the government may be listening to the warning signs. Laws and grants look like they will be pushed through, to once again keep science and technology a priority in America.

Summary 2

Fareed Zakaria quotes Andy Grove the founder of Intel, who says that America is declining the same way that Europe did, as a start to his article titled The Last Superpower. Fareed Zacaria responds to Andy Grove, as well as to many other observers and commentators, by pointing out that despite worrisome trends in America, which have been around for quite some time, “America's growth rate has averaged just over 3 percent,” which is higher than the other leading countries of today's global market. He continues to argue that America is only experiencing a setback because of the growth of other countries. He makes that point, by discussing the balance of world powers, America's past foreign policy, and how globalization will effect the various countries.
Fareed Zacaria describes the United States of America as a superpower, because of America's unipolarity relationship with other countries. “Since 1989, the power of the United States has defined the international order.” As other countries try to increase their own power, America grows suspicious of losing hers. In the past, the United States has always had the influence. Thus, America was able to feel isolated and protected. However, the growth and global expansion of other countries, such as Germany and India, takes away some of America's power. With new resources available to them, other countries are becoming less dependent on America. Compromise is becoming the popular foreign policy, which may be difficult for America. Zakaria concludes with the idea that America is strong and has survived in the past, because she adapted. As long as America adapts to the new challenges of globalization, the setbacks she is currently facing will not be consequential.

Summary 1

Bob Herbert begins his writing, A Fire in the Basement, with an effort to unify his readers and himself against a common enemy, the government. Herbert begins at a grassroots level by describing a scene from an interrogation room. He then continues with a list of other atrocities, caused by government officials. After a few stories, he stops to compare modern day America with America from the 1950's and the 60's, where he claims that America was better back then, because individuals tried to right the wrongs in our country. Herbert uses the remaining stories to emphasize that point.
After milking as much sympathy from his readers as he can, Herbert begins to describe his own philosophy relating to the decline of our country. He addresses many of our countries' current controversies; such as the good ole American ideals, and the politicians who claim to believe in them, while working for their own agendas. He assaults the morality of the war in Iraq and the “abuse” of war prisoners. He also addresses the economic problems of the day, starting with divisions among the classes and ending with the underpaid and the jobless. During these discussions, he quotes a few of the great leaders in our country's past, and compares their actions with those of the politicians in our era.
These brief quotes lead into the final portion of his writing, which is about leadership. He begins with Harry Truman and his attempts as president to rebuild our country. Herbert wishes for such leadership today, to wake up American citizens to the wrongs all around them. He closes with an analogy of a building, symbolizing America, whose basement is on fire. He points out that "we're behaving as if we cannot even smell the smoke." However there is more to it than that. We not only kmow that there is a problem, we know who started it. We can't wait for the fire-starters, who claim to be firemen, to put out the fire. We will lose too much. So, why not stop it ourselves?