My America 1931-2031

Where Art Thou, Dwight Eisenhower? In 2012, it’s clear that neither America’s political left or right knows or cares the first thing about dealing with the nation’s challenges and ills, starting with its sick economy. It’s hard to imagine even a small room filled with politicians who know how and are determined to do right by their country and planet Earth. Informed and visionary leaders, I’m guessing, can be far more easily found in universities, research labs, and foundation think tanks than among the incompetents in America’s House and Senate, the self-serving lobbyists, the sneak thieves on Wall Street, and our thieving bankers. More People, Fewer Jobs Dazzling technological breakthroughs should make it easier for us to believe the 21st century will bring an end to cancer and heart disease by 2020 or 2030 and perhaps all other diseases by 2040 or 2050. Trouble is, such remarkable gains carry with them a need for ways to deal with the graying of America and a rapidly growing population of poor and needy people while automated systems are taking over more and more jobs. By 2030 or 2040, humanoid robots will be far smarter than humans and will be designing and making still smarter robots. In America’s present political environment, it’s hard to feel good about either the left or right or much of anything other than expatriation to a relatively civil place like Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.