Wednesday, April 25, 2007
How did we lose our Greatness?
I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention, or maybe I just wasn't old enough to realize it happened, but can someone tell me when the United States of America lost it's greatness?? No point dwelling on when can someone explain how??
This would be the same United States of America that:
- Defeated the British in a revolutionary war, a war in which they were out gunned and out manned.
- managed to hold itself together through a bloody civil war and come out stronger
- Developed and used one of the most powerful weapons ever conceived (OK, OK, not a moral high point but it still was a technological marvel at the time ... just work with me here)
- Sent 2 men to walk on the surface of the moon in 1969 .... a time when there was no Internet, cell phones, satellite TV, ipods, DVRs. Computers took up large rooms and didn't have the processing power of my wrist watch.
Now it seems ... collectively we couldn’t solve a crossword puzzle.
We are faced with a global climate crisis coupled with an impending energy crisis. Yet it seems the people that need to be interested aren't nor do they even seem capable of handling the job. Compared to some of the technological challenges from the past we have VASTLY superior technical resources compared to when we set foot on the moon and compared to that the climate-energy problem looks like a walk in the park.
I'm a big believer in economics (and greed). The Manhattan Project surely made a bunch of Military contractors rich ... and Executives in the Aerospace industry were lighting cigars with $100 bills during the space race. There is plenty of money to be made with GREEN products and alternative fuels. There are lots of independent entrepreneurs trying ... and making some money ... but you will never see any traction till our Chief Executive sets and audacious goal.
A suggested goal:
In 10 years, prohibit the sale or import of any petroleum fueled land
transportation. This prohibition shall include all passenger cars, buses,
trucks, rail locomotives, inland waterway vessels. Air transportation and ocean
going vessels are exempt.
It has all the makings of a good goal, it’s measured, time bound, specific and I feel, attainable.
Lets see if there is anyone with the guts to do it.
#posted by Rob Roschewsk @ 8:11 PM