State of the Union, April 1870
Congressmen, our standings in the World:
- No country has more approval among its citizens as the US
- No country has a higher GNP then the US
- The US is the wealthiest country in the World
- We are amongst the countries with the highest Literacy-rate
- The US citizens have the highest income per capita
- Productivity is the highest in the World
- The US is only second to Britain in Population. Currently a million immigrants arrive each month
- Immigration will make up for the fact we have the second lowest birth-rate in the World
- The US is only second to Britain in total production. More efforts must be made to close this gap
- The US is only second to Britain in territory.
- Pollution in the US is very low, only the unindustrialized nations of the independents and Japan do better
- Our health-care system is just a complete mess! Disease is at the worst level possible.
- Life expectancy is therefore the lowest in the World.
- We need to increase our militairy budget, a nation as big as ours cannot rank 4th in the World!
A trade embargo is declared for all German goods to enter the US. This follows the insulting attitude of the Germans: they have not answered to the US trade-commision, and the German captain has fled the Port of Washington without paying his fine. US army has therefor seized two freights with cargo. The senate has endorsed this action, and several senators have expressed their support for the Grant-administration if a full scale war will be the result of these economic restrictions. This after reports of German merchants driving the trucks shouting agrily that Germany has declared war on the US. Evidence of German vessels carrying militairy equipment was found by US-navy vessels.
The US however stresses once again that this dispute could be settled if Germany will comply with talks on the fine for the German Captain. The US trusts that Germany will see this conflict only hurts Germany itself. The seizure of the two freights has allready cost Germany an estimated 3000-5000 Dollars. To allow de-escalation of this trade-war, US-navy vessels have not seized German steamers of the US coast, but will do so if no agreement can be reached, and Germany must instruct its embassador to issue an official peace-agreement with the US.
Due to the tensions between Germany and the US, talks with France and Russia on a trade alliance has been postponed to give both countries to asses the new situation. Nonetheless two Freights reached French and Russian destinations. Strangely enough Russian envoys declared WAR on the US when freighters reached the gates of Russian cities?!? The US believes this must be a mistake, and that relations will be improved next turn.
U.S. Grant, Prez.
N.B.: the us has now knowledge of economics, and is willing to share this knowledge with any interested country.