To all who had a part in presenting the greatest show on earth, Thank you so very much.

What a great show. In fact unbelievable. Magnificent does not even attempt to accurately describe the knowledge, talent, creativity, size, dimension, scope, and advancements garnered from the various vendors, manufactures and participants of the show. As a first time attendee, from outside the construction and related equipment industry, I was all eyes and ears. It reminded me of my childhood years when first seeing the 1964 New York World's fair. The Worlds Fair was different however in that it displayed America at its best. An attitude that we can do anything.

We can achieve anything. Everything good was yet to come. It was all ahead of us. Our dreams as Americans were all coming true. We had the best of everything. The latest, the greatest, and simply stated,... the best of everything. At the ConExpo I felt a personal sense of bitter sweet. All the new greatest technology, innovation, ideas, is nothing short of an 8th wonder of the world. A testament to how far human kind has progressed as measured by the achievements we have attained and the exciting ideas spawned at achievement shows like the ConEXpo 2011.

This part is oh so very sweet. The pride of achievement, and the satisfaction of accomplishment. The bitter however was also apparent as much of the benefits from these great achievements in technology coupled with the advances in equipment and knowhow is being exported to lands beyond the shores of the United States. I sensed that it was slipping away. That the sun was shining somewhere else. All the knowledge and talent was being exported to foreign lands. Putzmeister senior personnel were so proud of their foreign sales to places like Brazil, Peru, India, the Arab States, and China.

To their credit, they sold a fair amount of equipment, but NONE however were sales to US buyers. Putzmeister Corporation is representative of so many of the other construction related manufacturers. As a self indulged student of history, and an adult life as a lawyer/MBA in mergers and acquisitions, I see, feel and read "it" slipping away. All great societies from the beginning of time have all had their turn at greatness and world leadership.

I would like to see America continue to have theirs. Regardless of one's politics, our infrastructure is crumbling, but yet, we continue to obligation of policing the world. Regardless of one's thoughts regarding Libya, and the cruel torture of its people by its tyrant leader, our involvement is costing America $100 million dollars per day. A very tatty sum that could repair and rebuild a lot of roads, schools, highways, airports, and other civil buildings like Universities, and a world class rail system.

This is only one front, we have other more costly battles going on in three other countries. I hope that the elected powers take the opportunity to see a show like ConExpo and begin to question their wisdom and elected responsibility. Thank you all again for providing such a wonderful eye opening display of advancements in the construction industry.

I hope to contribute to the awareness of our elected officials and see that they too experience directly as I did, as merely one person in a crowd viewing each of the pavilions. The sight and sound of money and prosperity rapidly leaving our country on route to foreign shores is not what I expected to see and hear. The bitter sweet emotions felt after studying and reflecting upon the entirety of my version of "the world’s greatest show on earth."

Thank you again,

Sincerely,

John