The New America
Many of America's problems can be traced back to one source; it's a very large country. Throughout the entirety of United States history the nation has never known of a resources shortage; there always has been 'West.' Once our expansion westward was completed the United States turned its sights to global goods and services. During the industrial revolution great profits were made through domestic industry which propelled the United States into the realm with the wealthiest nations on Earth. There have been some hiccups along the way for example, The Civil War, The Panic of 1893 The Great Depression, World War 2, the Energy Crisis of the 1970s, and now the Bush Administration. However, from the industrial age through the second millennium, times have been relatively prosperous and the American Dream was born. There is nothing wrong with wanting happiness, a home and some land, but the American Dream is based largely on unbridled growth and the assumption of inexhaustible resources.
Times are very different now. It is still a time for dreams, but we must be practical and we must realize that a nation as diverse as the United States has many different versions of the American Dream. The United States was deemed 'The Great Experiment' and throughout its history the United States has evolved in many ways - mostly social ways. Now the time has come for it to evolve at its governmental level. This does not mean the death or the end of America, but simply what was just mentioned, an evolution.
We have reached a point were our Federal Government cannot efficiently or effectively represent the wills and the wishes of its constituents across this vast land. How can Federal policy be received favorably in both the Southeast and the Northwest when both regions are so very different. Each region in America is very distinct despite the steam-roller of suburbia of the past 50 years. The socialization, the values and customs, incomes, and languages vary greatly by region and those elements should be represented with more precision.
At present, States have no incentive to compete with one another. With federal housing programs, farm subsidies, the Department of Education, and other such similar Federal programs and institutions there is a level playing field for all States in the Union. But it is the sameness and the desire for uniformity across the Union that has robbed America of certain nuances that would make it unmatched in the global arena.
There is no reason why each State cannot have at least one urban center of 1 million people. With global resources becoming scarce it is imperative that United States urban development practices densify and diversify. This does not mean the end of the single family home, but it does mean that more people would chose to live in a more dense urban fabric. There will always be individuals who want wide open space, and they shall have it, but with regard to suburban town creation a much greater effort must be made to assess the appropriate density needed and to minimize the amount of resources required to create such a place. With greater investment in public rapid transit infrastructure at all scales, rural to urban, the urban fabric of the United States will form efficiently connected networks of urban centers surrounded by local agricultural operations. This scenario would create a stable economic base within a State so that it can engage in inter-state trade with commodities unique to its geographical location. What stops this? The Federal Government.
There is too much control in the hands of the Federal Government and its blanket policies stymie the ability for States to compete with one another. In this scenario, most definitely there will be states who cannot compete at the level of others. and this will mean some states will remain at the bottom of the barrel. However, with the incentive to excel States must invest in their futures creating niche markets and building upon established industries to muscle their way up the ladder. With regard to health care and education, each state would be responsible for the provision of basic health care and public education to its citizens. The Department of Education is a prime example of an institution that must be dismantled. Since its creation under the Carter administration, national test scores in public schools have been in decline. It has been proved many times that large bureaucratic organizations do not help the problems at hand. The present day Democratic proposals for a national health care plan spell doom on the horizon. The logistical hurdles for such an organization to administrate over 50 territories and 300 million citizens are mind boggling and foolish. The better proposal would be to release the ever increasing grip of the Federal government, and let each State develop its own State-wide basic health care program. Again, states would have to compete with one another to develop the best health care to attract new citizens and further build the State economy.
This is how it works best, and it must start at the bottom. Growing organically like tree, with the proper nutrients the sapling with grow until it is mature and healthy. Beside that tree pops up more trees that share the space, share the light, the water, and the nutrients. In those trees live a diverse selection of fauna which live symbiotically with one another and the trees. This is called a forest. Nature works by building components. There is no be-all Father Tree which stands alone to provide for all. If a disease befalls the Father Tree or its gets struck by lighting there are no redundant components to absorb the localized problem. America is the Father Tree, and our roots are rotting.
This imperfect role of the Federal Government can be witnessed in the cascade of financial crises of 2008. On the heels of a "global war" the monster of a United States financial system began to break apart. The nations top economists and financial leaders have been knocking heads trying to quantify the reasons why the economy has simply stopped working. One solution uproots a slew of new problems, and so on. The truth is, money and monetary policy cannot fix a society that is walking blind in the dark. The society has completely lost sight of why it even exists; it's pure consumption and commodity. And when you have something grounded in no meaning, it rots your mind and your being to the point where you don't know how to save yourself, from, yourself!
The Father Tree must collapse. This does not mean the destruction of America, but a collapse of the markets would purge the disease out of the system and force Americans to reassess who they are, what they are, and what it means to live in this society. And when that grand tree crashes all of the fauna will scurry around and try like hell to put the pieces back together in a manner that makes sense to the needs of a specific location. From this recycling and reappropriation of resources, saplings will sprout and a new forest emerges. America's most iconic symbol is the Eagle, but one could argue in this event that it should be the Phoenix.
There are three options that sit on the table for a restructuring of the United States government. One would be the secession of states from the Union, forming independent sovereign nations resembling a pre-European Union situation. The second would be to create the United States as a confederation, giving member states the benefits of a central government while allowing for the voluntary leave the confederation. This resembles the current European Union. The third would be a break down of the Federal system transforming it into regional governments that unify states together based upon treaties ratified by state governments. States which are likely to form regional governments would do so based upon regional economic and cultural interests. In this scenario these regional bodies can be administered by a confederation, a federation, or act as individual administrative zones in a larger framework.
Regardless of the course, something must be done to release the grip of Federal government. America must be brave as it used to be, and take the steps to evolve. Fascism sits menacingly on the horizon and we must not fall prey; if we do, there must be revolution.
Times are very different now. It is still a time for dreams, but we must be practical and we must realize that a nation as diverse as the United States has many different versions of the American Dream. The United States was deemed 'The Great Experiment' and throughout its history the United States has evolved in many ways - mostly social ways. Now the time has come for it to evolve at its governmental level. This does not mean the death or the end of America, but simply what was just mentioned, an evolution.
We have reached a point were our Federal Government cannot efficiently or effectively represent the wills and the wishes of its constituents across this vast land. How can Federal policy be received favorably in both the Southeast and the Northwest when both regions are so very different. Each region in America is very distinct despite the steam-roller of suburbia of the past 50 years. The socialization, the values and customs, incomes, and languages vary greatly by region and those elements should be represented with more precision.
At present, States have no incentive to compete with one another. With federal housing programs, farm subsidies, the Department of Education, and other such similar Federal programs and institutions there is a level playing field for all States in the Union. But it is the sameness and the desire for uniformity across the Union that has robbed America of certain nuances that would make it unmatched in the global arena.
There is no reason why each State cannot have at least one urban center of 1 million people. With global resources becoming scarce it is imperative that United States urban development practices densify and diversify. This does not mean the end of the single family home, but it does mean that more people would chose to live in a more dense urban fabric. There will always be individuals who want wide open space, and they shall have it, but with regard to suburban town creation a much greater effort must be made to assess the appropriate density needed and to minimize the amount of resources required to create such a place. With greater investment in public rapid transit infrastructure at all scales, rural to urban, the urban fabric of the United States will form efficiently connected networks of urban centers surrounded by local agricultural operations. This scenario would create a stable economic base within a State so that it can engage in inter-state trade with commodities unique to its geographical location. What stops this? The Federal Government.
There is too much control in the hands of the Federal Government and its blanket policies stymie the ability for States to compete with one another. In this scenario, most definitely there will be states who cannot compete at the level of others. and this will mean some states will remain at the bottom of the barrel. However, with the incentive to excel States must invest in their futures creating niche markets and building upon established industries to muscle their way up the ladder. With regard to health care and education, each state would be responsible for the provision of basic health care and public education to its citizens. The Department of Education is a prime example of an institution that must be dismantled. Since its creation under the Carter administration, national test scores in public schools have been in decline. It has been proved many times that large bureaucratic organizations do not help the problems at hand. The present day Democratic proposals for a national health care plan spell doom on the horizon. The logistical hurdles for such an organization to administrate over 50 territories and 300 million citizens are mind boggling and foolish. The better proposal would be to release the ever increasing grip of the Federal government, and let each State develop its own State-wide basic health care program. Again, states would have to compete with one another to develop the best health care to attract new citizens and further build the State economy.
This is how it works best, and it must start at the bottom. Growing organically like tree, with the proper nutrients the sapling with grow until it is mature and healthy. Beside that tree pops up more trees that share the space, share the light, the water, and the nutrients. In those trees live a diverse selection of fauna which live symbiotically with one another and the trees. This is called a forest. Nature works by building components. There is no be-all Father Tree which stands alone to provide for all. If a disease befalls the Father Tree or its gets struck by lighting there are no redundant components to absorb the localized problem. America is the Father Tree, and our roots are rotting.
This imperfect role of the Federal Government can be witnessed in the cascade of financial crises of 2008. On the heels of a "global war" the monster of a United States financial system began to break apart. The nations top economists and financial leaders have been knocking heads trying to quantify the reasons why the economy has simply stopped working. One solution uproots a slew of new problems, and so on. The truth is, money and monetary policy cannot fix a society that is walking blind in the dark. The society has completely lost sight of why it even exists; it's pure consumption and commodity. And when you have something grounded in no meaning, it rots your mind and your being to the point where you don't know how to save yourself, from, yourself!
The Father Tree must collapse. This does not mean the destruction of America, but a collapse of the markets would purge the disease out of the system and force Americans to reassess who they are, what they are, and what it means to live in this society. And when that grand tree crashes all of the fauna will scurry around and try like hell to put the pieces back together in a manner that makes sense to the needs of a specific location. From this recycling and reappropriation of resources, saplings will sprout and a new forest emerges. America's most iconic symbol is the Eagle, but one could argue in this event that it should be the Phoenix.
There are three options that sit on the table for a restructuring of the United States government. One would be the secession of states from the Union, forming independent sovereign nations resembling a pre-European Union situation. The second would be to create the United States as a confederation, giving member states the benefits of a central government while allowing for the voluntary leave the confederation. This resembles the current European Union. The third would be a break down of the Federal system transforming it into regional governments that unify states together based upon treaties ratified by state governments. States which are likely to form regional governments would do so based upon regional economic and cultural interests. In this scenario these regional bodies can be administered by a confederation, a federation, or act as individual administrative zones in a larger framework.
Regardless of the course, something must be done to release the grip of Federal government. America must be brave as it used to be, and take the steps to evolve. Fascism sits menacingly on the horizon and we must not fall prey; if we do, there must be revolution.