Making America Great Again

It can be well argued that America didn’t lose its greatness. Far from it. However, many of us are living with reduced means. In my case it is the result of three things: I’m retired and living on reduced, retirement income, something well-expected, so one does not complain about this; second, I suffered financial set backs due to a collapse of my health and that ceased most income, expanded medical costs for a while, and made me think maybe my life was over; third, poor planning and execution on my part of a better retirement plan.

For other good people, they outstayed their careers. Businesses changed, technology changed and products and services were replaced by newer products and services. Workers in the old industries were thus displaced by something for which they were unprepared. Then there are those who were under-prepared but somewhat aware of what was coming toward them!

A lot of people missed out on global economic developments. Not all goods are manufactured in the USA anymore. No, they are made all over the globe and traded across national borders much more freely than in the past. The good news is that allowed companies to reduce prices and costs so the standard of living for customers was boosted. We now live in larger homes, with more amenities, and with more free time to entertain ourselves and travel. That’s the good news.

The bad news is many jobs were lost as companies learned how to outsource supplies and manufacturing. Streamlined companies employ fewer people. Low cost labor in foreign lands reduced wages and salaries in America. So loss of jobs was one result and lower or stagnated household incomes was another result.

The double whammy hitting American consumers was huge. This was not a policy decision. This was not an ideological decision. This was not a political decision. No blame is pointed at anyone. Living in a free market system produces winners and losers all the time. Most of us are lucky and win more often than lose. A growing number of those folks who have refused to adapt to new circumstances, or are unable to understand what is now expected of them, will continue to suffer a decline in their living standards. It is normal. It is a fact of life. It is international competitive economics.

Of course there are ways to address short term imbalances affecting our people. But it takes resolve to do this and an open mind to allocate resources in order to invent solutions to such problems.

American politicians, however, want something of their own – power, money, influence, whatever. And they will do – have done – anything to get those rewards. Trouble is their process only builds a split between the population in an attempt to win votes for themselves. Trump is such an example. You know it. I know it. We should all admit this.

If we truly wish America to return to a more prosperous and buoyant future, there are many things we can do to make that happen. Here’s my list of things to do:

1. Refrain from finding fault with others for the circumstances; focus on the problem at hand and allow creative talents and knowledge to work on solutions.
2. Invest in our people in these critical ways:
1. Remedial education for mid-life career development
2. Education to hone the intellect for critical thinking skills
3. Early childhood education for a proper head start for every kid in the land, or perhaps call it ‘proper start’
4. Excellence in local schools; teach kids to learn, not memorize; reward teachers who excel at their craft and can reach students effectively
5. Reorganize the nation’s approach to all educational activity so it is effective and efficient with our time and resources
6. Provide educational support to all who want it and will work for it based on their abilities; consider making all higher education free
3. Remove private financial support of the political process; no campaign financing from donations; all from set budgets from tax funds; make campaigns a contest of ideas and abilities not mindsets and influence peddling
4. Focus national efforts on major new inventive futures:
1. Energy resources avoiding all fossil fuels
2. Renewable resources used for energy
3. Reduction of energy reliance as completely as possible
4. Invent new transportation methods for mass and personal transport
5. Redesign and reformat housing standards to do more with less; improve stability of and level of standards of living for the masses
6. Integrate technology, entertainment, education into quality of life understanding and attainment
7. Invent health care methods that cure rather than palliate medical conditions
5. Engage in world wide peace initiatives that enable all people everywhere to participate in global governance and benefit from it. Peace is more creative than war. It’s time we lived this reality.

Perhaps you have other ideas to share? Please do so. Anytime. Now would be a good time!

March 30, 2016