Fixing Our Economy - A Few Suggestions

By now I think even the most skeptical and conservative would have to agree that we are in, at the least, a recession here in the U.S. Personally I’m inclined to agree with those that feel this started late last year as that is when my computer consulting business saw the bottom drop out of it.

Because this is an election year there has been much mud and smoke thrown about as both major political parties describe how wonderful their plan is and how bad the other party’s plan would make things. I’m not here to say which side is best, rather I want to point out some [possible] long-term solutions that are not being discussed:

Energy

Currently we import and consume too much oil. Oil is not a sustainable resource and, while we can’t agree on when it will run out, we will eventually run out of it. There are other ways to produce energy. We need to fund, at a national level, research on alternatives. There are a number of, I feel, obvious benefits from this, including:

• We reduce the amount of money flowing from this country and spend it here at home instead.
• Money spent on research should spur an increase in engineering and other related fields. This country desperately needs more high-wage jobs as opposed to our current choices of “paper or plastic?” and “you want fries with that?” opportunities.
• Reduction in air, water, and land pollution.

Check out official energy statistics from the U.S. Government showing how much we import and from which countries.
Read what the Apollo Alliance has to say on clean energy and good jobs.
I have more ideas posted on my alternative forms of energy blog post.

Science

Nations prosper that invest in science and engineering. For many years the U.S. was a leader in new technologies and we prospered because of it. Now, unfortunately, few students are interested in math and science because there are not enough new jobs being created.

I know that a lot of people feel that ‘pure science’ research is just money being thrown away. However, research spurs new ideas and new products. New products lead to new jobs. Have you seen the unemployment numbers lately? This country has been on a net job loss for too long. When people have a job they can spend money on things they need. Spending leads to investment with leads to even more jobs and a way out of this recession.

Check out what the HPC Wire has to say about current science funding.
See a comparison of U.S. to China science funding.

The future of this country

The U.S. is still a superpower, but for how much longer? China is in the process of outpacing us in both scientific funding and space exploration.

So what you say? Why waste money on science and space? Look at some of the spin-off products from our space program are now part of our daily life:

• NASA technology gave us a "cool" laser, which provides thousands of patients with an alternative to heart bypass surgery.
• Hubble Space Telescope technology has made it possible to do certain breast biopsies with a needle instead of a scalpel.
• The foam insulation that covers the shuttle's external tank, developed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and Lockheed-Martin, is used to make molds for fitting artificial limbs.
• Medical personnel can monitor fetal activity inside the womb using a small pill-shaped transmitter developed at NASA's Ames Research Center.
• The same material used for lightweight, durable spacesuits is used as permanent covering for shopping centers and sports stadiums. NASA technology also is used to pad football helmets and baseball and soccer chest protectors and shin guards.
• NASA-driven technology also makes possible satellite TV transmission and telephone signals that are beamed around the world.
• It has led to microcapsules that help clean up oil spills and to satellite remote sensing technology that locates and maps forest fires.

There's a lot more. Read the full list at the NASA Solutions site.
Read about recent developments in China’s space program.
Take a look at China’s overall space program and plans.
Read about some of the medical benefits that have come from space exploration.
Space exploration is important, read more here.
Mining resources from space, read more here.
Take a look at planet Earth as seen from space.

After World War II this country invested in both science and space. Our economy boomed. People from all over the world flocked to this nation because of the availability of high-paying jobs and the many opportunities for all to prosper. If we are going to get out of our current mess we need to look at what worked for us before. We can’t afford to wait.

Will new oil drilling save us?

One way or another we are all feeling the pain because of high prices at the pump. Costs for goods are up, wages down, people aren’t able to buy all the stuff they could last year at this time, sales are down, jobs are being lost. So now that everyone is fixated on the price of gas, a “perfect” solution is being offered: drill everywhere for more oil. Sounds easy, right? Wrong.

Let’s look at a few facts that the oil companies don’t want you to hear about (after all, an informed public is NOT in their best interest):

• On average, of all the land currently under lease for oil production less than 1/3 of that land is being utilized.
• In 2007 there were 7,124 drilling permits approved on public lands, but only 5,343 wells were actually drilled. Did you know that Democrats in the House of Representatives tried to pass legislation to require oil companies to develop their existing leases? Guess what, the Republicans and our current administration (rife with oil men) prevented passage of the bill.
• Everyone has heard of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Have you ever heard of the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA)? This land was originally set aside in 1923 as an oil reserve for the U.S. Navy. Congress transferred management of the land to the Department of the Interior in 1976. Why aren’t we drilling there?
• Still want to drill in ANWR like the oil companies do? After all, how much space could a few oil wells take up? Check out this site for some facts and a great map showing what the true impact on that fragile wilderness would be. Or check out this documentary about ANWR that won an international award.
  
• The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources produced a report in June, 2008, entitled: “The Truth About America’s Energy: Big Oil Stockpiles Supplies and Pockets Profits.” This report starts out by stating: “While the oil industry and some Members of Congress argue that opening more federal lands and waters would lead to lower gasoline prices, the facts prove otherwise. The fact is that the Nation simply cannot drill its way to lower prices at the pump. Other options, from greater energy efficiencies to the development of alternative fuels, are essential to reducing dependency on petroleum fuels and lowering fuel costs.” It is a ten page document in Adobe PDF format. It should be mandatory reading in my opinion. Read it, the facts there are not what you hear on the nightly news shows or read in the papers.

There is an organization called The Apollo Alliance which promotes clean energy, good jobs, and freedom from foreign oil. Here is what they have to say: “Every day, Americans pay more and more at the pump, while oil companies bring in record profits. Now, those same oil companies and their congressional allies are proposing more drilling - even though nearly every energy expert agrees this is one problem America can't drill its way out of. The oil companies say they're doing it to help lower the cost of gas. But scratch the surface, and you'll find it's the oil companies that truly benefit from new offshore drilling. America needs a real, comprehensive solution to America's energy crisis. Let's invest in clean, renewable energy and homegrown fuels, that will create millions of high-quality, green-collar jobs and reduce our dependence on oil.”

And it’s not just ‘green’ organizations like The Apollo Alliance that are promoting a change, even oil men are starting to come out in favor of a change. Have you seen T. Boone Pickens advertisement on TV? Check out his site. I even managed to find a newspaper article from August 2, 2008, in the Star Tribune in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota entitled “Drilling has only tenuous link to lower energy prices.”

During the Cold War the United States and Russia had a space race. That race brought about many advances in science that improved the lives of everyone. Lots of high-paying jobs were created and many new technologies were developed. We need a new race, a race for alternative forms of energy, to spur development, technology, and jobs. We need to get started working on a better future for our children and their children NOW!