The End of the Industrial Revolution

One might say that the purpose of the industrial revolution was to relieve humanity of the need for labor by introducing machines. The epitome of the revolution then will come when robots replace all humans in whatever jobs they might do.

Looking at thr rapid improvements in the state of artificial intelligence and robotics, I believe that we are very near the end of the industrial age. Probably within the next 10 to 15 years, robotic androids will be able to do everything than humans might do. it is estimated that by 2036 there will be more robots in total number than humans. Robots to cook meals, clean the house, baby sit the kids, plough the fields and reap the harvest... The list is endless. Robots will even be able to replicate themselves. In a limited way, they already can.

So what will us humans do?

If I were 25 years old today, I would be terrified. Huge obstacles are in their way such as global warming, devaluing of the dollar, real imcome being diminished, real expenses being inflated, jobs replaced by robots, etc. It's rerally scary!

Fixing these thing require leadership that has view for the future; not the past, despite how "great" our country may have been. After all, the future is created by the actions and choices we make today. However, I do not see any leaders (anywhere in the world) who are actually trying to focus on the results of their actions upon  the future of mankind. Rather, they continue to look backward saying things like "We'll make America great again". In actuality, America cannot ever again be "great" in the way it was in previous years.

Going into the future without competant leadership means that the future will be chaos and humanity will pay the price. We might even become extinct.

Do We Love Our Children

I would say that we probably don't. We have left them an environment destined for disaster.

Looking at the past several generations, I am seeing some alarming trends. Looking back several generations at age 25 and adjusted for inflation, we see 

There is a widening gap from one generation to the next in these and other dimensions. 

Basically the younger the person, the more they lack opportunity and prosperity. Today's 30-year-old is no longer doing as well as his or her parents did when they were 30. This is a fundamental breakdown in a society that should be making things better for the next generation.

People over the age of 55 feel pretty good about America. But 

less than one in five people under the age of 34 

feel good about America. Young people are pissed off and angry because they aren't receiving the same opportunity and prosperity that was available to their parents.. Many feel despondent and hopeless because they know they aren't getting anything near what their parents got. Some give up and become complacent while others turn to resistence, outbreak and even violence.

How much do we value youth labor when we've kept the minimum wage very low? If adjusted by inflation, it should be almost $25 per hour. 

Housing costs have skyrocketed when compared with the avertage personal income. Mortgages have risen from aroung $1000 to over $2500 due to rising interest rates and the inflated costs of the dwellings themselves. An average $250,000 home has risen to well over $500,000.

In only a few short years wealth has been transfered from young to old. In 1989 people under the age of 40 controlled over 12% of the household wealth. In 2023 that share was nearly cut in half to a mere 7% while those over the age of 70 nearly doubled their wealth. 

Every year botaining higher education becomes more difficult. Generally it has become more difficult to gain admission and , once admitted, the costs have increased dramatically. In 1987 The Ivy league schools on average admitted between 16 and 20 percent of the applicatants. Today the average is less thn 10%. According to the College Board the costs have skyrocketed for both Sate and Ivy League institutions.

Todays students are at a definiate disadvantage both in gaining admittance and payimg significantly higher costs.

More to come...

King Donald

 Donald Trump's behavior often reminds me of King George back in colonial days. As the Declaration of Independence outlined the wrongs committed by The King which led to the founding of our nation, so Mr Trump could be accused of similar wrongs.

The Declaration of Independencs says, "He [King George] has endeavoured to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass otherds to encourage their migration hither; and raising the conditions of new Appropriation of Lands". That sounds to me how Mr Trump has tried to obstruct immigration; especially over our Southern border.

The Declaration also says, "He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries". Mt Trump fired the inspector general who was responsible for the oversight and accountability of ther congress. Her fired several attorney's general who disagreed with him. He also failed to appoint any members to the Federal Merit Systems Protection Board; thus denying employees and whistelblowers the protection under the laws. He has loaded the Supreme Court with justices that hold his ultra-conservative views.

The Declaration says.'...for cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world". Mr Trump has turned US trade policy upside down. He has engaged in trade wars between the United States and China, Europe, South Korea, Japan and even Britain itself as well as other random nations. He has railed against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement. He has broken alliances with other nations and withdrawn from numerous treaties.

The Declaration goes on to say, "He has excited domestic insurrection amongst us". Mr Trump supported (if not ordered) the January 6th rebellion and has suggested that he would use federal troops to quell demonstrations. He has made statements and remarks that have actually inflammed said demonstrations.

The bottom line is that Mr Trump is not a King, but he has behaved much like one. He has actively supported division amongst the people. He has violated the Constitution by writing Presidential Orders which are not sanction by the Constitution. Writing laws is the job of the Congress (albeit currently horribly divided). His job is merely to execute them. He cannot have it "his" way. He does not own the country like he owned his businesses. He cannot simply say "you're fired" when thing don't go his way.

Debt Ceiling

 There really is no debt ceiling if it constantly be raised!

Consider your own credit card. It has a limit (a debt ceiling). Can you raise it? NO the authority which granted you the card may or may not raise your limit debending on several factors; most importantly your ability to pay your debts.

We The People have (in the 16th amendment) granted the government the right to incur debt. But congress seems to think that they can continually raise the limit themselves. Shouldn't We The People be the ones to authorize any increase? After all We're the granting authority and congress is the recipient of the credit?

The current national debt is OUTRAGEOUS! It should be a national embarressment. If any individual incurred a debt of such relative proportion we would be forced into bankruptcy.

The national debt  is currently more than $94,800 per citizen and $247,000 per taxpayer. The national debt is a House Of Cards that is ready to collapse. And it is climbing at an exponential rate.

Isn't it time for them to BALANCE the budget and stop overspending? Should we continue to allow congress to continue driving the nation into further debt? I say NO!

I've asked my congressman to stop raising the debt ceiling and become fiscally responsible. Why don't you ask your representative to do the same?

The Meaning of Democracy

Democracy Definition

a. Government by the people; that form of government in which the sovereign power resides in the people as a whole, and is exercised either directly by them.

b. A state or community in which the government is vested in the people as a whole.

Oxford English Dictionary

Are we losing our democracy in the United States? 

I believe that we are losing it! We The People as a body are no longer the governing power. Instead, money interests, lobbiests, corporations and the elite rich are the ones who actually control the government. They control who can run for office and then dictate what they should vote for or against. 

This is a very sad state of affairs. And the Supreme Court's decision re: Citizens United as actually made things even worse. IMHO no "artificial person" like a corporation should be able to have any influence over the government. Yet, the court says that corporations may pour infinite money into swaying the government towards their advantage.

It is time that We The People regain control! Everyone who is eligible should vote to remove those who do not act in the public interest.

The addage "Divide and conquer" is quite true. The politicians and the media are currently working overtime to do just that. This country has never been more divided. And if we remain divided, we shall fall!

Clean Energy

The situation with global warming requires humanity to find a way to have abundant energy without destroying the environment. The problem with wind and solar energy sources is that they are not constant. Nuclear energy (though fision) creates radioactive byproducts that take centuries to become safe. The only source that seems to be both constant and safe is geothermal.

Heretofore, geothermal energy has been expensive when compared to coal, wind and solar. However, breakthrough technology promises to reduce the cost of geothermal significantly. Several companies (Gyroton Technologies, Quaise Energy, AltaRock, and others) are developing Gyroton-powered drilling devices that will blast through rock by vaporizing it. These technologies promise to deliver boreholes deep into the Earth's core in a matter of days instead of years.

Many existing electric generators depend upon superheated steam produced by boilers fired by coal or natural gas. Injecting water into boreholes located next to these existing generators could produce the superheated steam needed to run the generator turbines making coal or natural gas unnecessary. This would also bypass the need to build new and expensive power plants, wind farms and solar arrays.

I believe that deep geothermal offers tremendous advantages over solar, wind and nuclear approaches. It warrants significant government support and investment.

If you have any comments, ideas or suggestions, please send me an email at alan.doering@gmail.com 

Divided Nation

 Divisa et Imperator (Divide and Conquer).
This addage is in full operation today.

It is sad to see the United States in such a state of divisiveness and polarization. It should be obvious that this divisiveness only serves to keep a clearly broken government in power. I believe the media and the politicians are working overtime to keep it that way. For so long as the population remains divided, it cannot amass the strength to oppose those who are in power. 

In his book 1984, George Orwell predicted a situation much like today. The Ministry of Truth (the Media) rewriting history and distorting the facts. Big Brother (the government) watching the citizens every move, etc. I believe that if the current trends continue, Democracy itself will be lost and a revolution will be likely within the next 20 years.

A sad, sad state of affairs!