Our objective is to speed the clean energy transition INSIDE OF the capitalist system, because capitalism IS the operating system of the global economy. That objective is, unfortunately, diametrically opposed to the objectives of the present US government. We’re quite confident we’re right on curtailing/slowing fossil fuels and the federal government is wrong. We’ll continue to make that case.
However, we’d like to foster a discussion about a political path forward that embraces a broad set of symbiotic policies many of us could get excited about: for if Trumpism persists, climate is one of the most obvious victims.
We aren’t arguing for traditional Democratic vs. Republican policies. Indeed, we are underwhelmed by the Democrat’s policy alternatives to Trump. And we are hopeful that Republicans will come up with smart policies as Trump ages out.
Here you go:
HOUSING: Forget rent control. Whether enacted or threatened, capitalists will stop investing in new housing in that geography. Less supply means higher costs. Implement local and federal tax credits, public/private partnerships, and give people the ability to do more units of living in less space and get rid of rules like minimum parking and so on.
IMMIGRATION: Open our country to intelligent, hard working immigrants. They help build innovative companies that spur economic growth and our country’s ability to compete in the world — especially in our economic race with China. Control the border but bring in hard working laborers. There’d be no “Texas Miracle” without its massive white and blue collar immigrant population.
DEFICIT: Cut federal spending: only make medicare and social security benefits available to the people who really need them. Let’s find a way to cut defense spending: make a smart, technology driven 21st century defense for less than our 20th century defense. Make the rich pay taxes because many of them, like our oligarch billionaires, DON’T. There has to be a good way to make the top 1% of Americans pay more taxes. They possess 1/3 of America’s wealth at around $50 Trillion of total US net worth of about $150 Trillion.
GOVERNMENT: We are a big country with challenges far more complex than 50 years ago and the government needs to be part of finding smart solutions, whether on climate, AI, smarter education, etc. Like it or not, the Chinese state government’s policies jump started various industries that now are world dominating. We Americans need to embrace each other as friends and accomplices in our so very successful union. We are also a rich enough Country that we can protect our children, elderly and needy at a basic level.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND DEMOCRACY: The lessons of history are that dictators gravitate to absolute and ruthless power: Stalin, Hitler, Xi Jin-Ping, Kim Jong Un, Ayatollah Khamenei and now Putin of course. That’s why we have democracy — we can throw out the thug at least every four years. America needs to stand with our partners to protect the world from the thugs.
ENVIRONMENT: Air, water and climate pollution, plastic waste etc., are sharply rising. Americans want clean water and clean air and they want to get out into the natural world to recreate and hunt and fish and the government needs to help make it happen.
EDUCATION: We can make education smart and less expensive with digital and AI technology. We do need technical training but we also need civics classes. Perhaps a year or two of mandatory public service to bring our kids together for a common and beneficial purpose — and off their video games.
LEADERSHIP: we need to find charismatic and talented people to inspire and execute smart policies. How about a national contest to find leaders, whether they identify as Democrat or Republican?
