Bush's "welcome" in South America signals the rising power of China

■"Bush Faces Tough Time in South America: Protests and Tensions Expected at Summit Talks in Argentina; The president and his policies remain unpopular," by Larry Rohter, New York Times, 2 November 2005, p. A11.

Bush will get an earful in South America this week. We offer the region little but bromides right now about free markets, and we're far too disrespectful of Brazil's wonderful efforts to represent not just New Core's interests, but increasingly those of the Gap as well.

And to the extent that some economies, like Argentina, Brazil and Chile, do well economically now, it's not the U.S. tide that lifts those boats any more. No, it's China's, and that's why Beijing is kicking our diplomatic ass across the region.