If Mao Could See Us Now

NPR All Things Considered did a radio story about new slogans for the 60th anniversary celebrations in China:

"Warmly celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China!"

That's one of 50 slogans put out by the Chinese Communist Party to get people in the mood for the big celebration that started this month.

Other slogans on the list are much less straightforward, like this one:

"Adhering to and improving the system of regional autonomy by ethnic minorities, so as to consolidate and develop socialist relations among different ethnic groups based on equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and harmony."

OK, let's put a little American style into that:

Give me an A. . . give me a D. . . give me an H. . . give me an E. . . give me an R. . . give me an I. . . ah, just give up!

Jeffrey Wasserstrom, professor of history at the University of California at Irvine, and China Beat blogger, came up with a few slogans of his own for the radio story:

"From a third-world economy to the world's third economy in just 30 years."

and my favorite:

"If Mao Could See Us Now!"