WHERE IS AMERICA HEADED?

     This is a question that many people are asking.  With the increase in school shootings, the stock market falling, the problems with energies, and the increased separation between Conservatives and Liberals, many are searching for solutions.  Why are these things happening?  What is causing them to occur?  How can we stop it?  Where is America headed?
     Although I'm not quite as pessimistic as George Orwell in his novel 1984, I do believe that things drastically need to change or else we are headed into a dismal future.  First, America's national defense will become weakened because we will no longer be self-sufficient.  Second, there will be an extreme separation of the classes.  Capitalism works provided that businesses are competing and keeping prices low for consumers.  However, I believe in many industries, we are nearing a peak in capitalism, where monopolies exist and technology is so advanced that a new business cannot compete with the multi-billion dollar corporation.  The new business will simply be bought out right away by the larger corporation.  Because of these monopolies, we will see tremendous price hikes in the future and an increase of public transportation because people will not be able to afford private transportation.  Third, we are entering a state where health care is not affordable.  Technology is so advanced in the health care industry that we have extended past our means.  Yet, it seems inhumane to let a loved one die if we have the technology to keep them alive a little longer.  Finally, we no longer have privacy.  Once again, thanks to technology, we can be traced anywhere in the world.  If you disagree with me on these points, let me offer some facts and ideas.

FOOD--  Since 1996, some politicians claim that food prices have decreased dramatically.  They credit this phenomenon to the 1996 Farm Bill, which allowed deregulation in agriculture.  Farmers could produce as much as they wanted of the crop of their choice, hence, increasing supply and lowering prices.  But if this Farm Bill was so successful, why did food prices increase this last year.  Commodity prices as a whole are at or near 30-year record lows!!!  Therefore, the politicians' logic should tell us that food prices should also be near record lows.  Where is that extra money going?  Read on to "Agriculture".

AGRICULTURE--  According to Economists, agriculture's infrastructure is purely competitive.  This means that producers (farmers) will make no profits and no losses in the long run.  The prices of commodities will equal the cost of production.  As supplies become less, such as farmland due to city growth and industry growth, the cost of production will go up slightly.  As technology advances, the cost of production per unit will decrease.  Any given year, agriculture can be broken down into three parts: inputs, production, and outputs.  The input sector contains the items used to produce the commodity, such as fertilizer, water, and seed.  The output sector uses the commodity that was produced, and they may manufacture something from that commodity, such as ethanol or food.  The input and output sectors are both classified as monopolistic competition, similar to retail.  They are considered to make some profit, but not as great as monopolies.  However, as these companies have been buying out smaller companies, they decrease their competition and increase their profits slightly.  They have more money to spend on research and development for the advancement of technology.  A fundamental principle of economics states that technology will advance exponentially as companies become fewer and fewer.  In the Clinton Era, we saw technology advance and the economy boom like we had never seen it before.  What does that tell you possibly about not only agriculture, but all industries?  Monopolies.  To answer the question in "Food", the extra money from food is going into the pockets of these few companies in the input and output sectors of agriculture which is being used largely for research and development.

HEALTH CARE--I expect to see socialism within the medical field in the near future.  We have reached the point where many people cannot afford health care, yet they have just as much right to live as a millionaire.  They receive the attention needed, and someone else is supposed to pick up the tab.  This is an inefficient method, but our technology grew faster than our economy, so in many cases, we have no choice.  Health care expenses have increased approximately tenfold in the last 30 years.  That is an annual rate of approximately 8% increase per year, but it is increasing exponentially.  It costs many people their entire life's savings to pay their medical bills when they become elderly.  Where does this money go?  Technology-- in other words, Research and Development.  Similar to the agricultural industry, only a few companies exist in the pharmaceutical industry.  Eventually, technology will be so advanced that new companies will be devoured by the multi-billion dollar corporations, and monopolies will exist.  Without government regulations, these monopolies will be able to set their own price on medicines, and we will see the separation of classes grow.  Hopefully, if we do have socialistic medicine, we will find a more efficient method than other countries so that we don't have waiting lists for surgeries. 

ENERGIES-- Once again, the energy industry consists of only a few corporations.  These corporations possess all of the oil, which makes them extremely powerful worldwide.  They can potentially manipulate the price of oil by adjusting the supply, and in turn, cause a worldwide shortage or surplus which affects the world economies and world peace.  From March 2000 to March 2001 during recession time, America saw record highs for the price of gasoline.  The high prices were primarily blamed on OPEC.  During the same time period, Exxon-Mobil, the largest petroleum corporation in America, experienced record profits with their earnings per share increasing 50% in less than one year.  In fact, I heard on television that Exxon-Mobil made more money in nine months, from March to December 2000, than any other petroleum company has ever made in its history adding all its years together.  This tells me that a few corporations have a little too much power.  Similarly, we saw the same in natural gas, propane, and all the other energy utilities that also at least doubled in price in 2000.  I expect in the future, we will see an increase of alternative fuels and energies, such as solar and wind, but I will not be surprised if these few companies buy out the smaller companies that own the alternative energies.

TRANSPORTATION-- The transportation industry is going to face some major difficulties in the future.  Similar to other industries, we are seeing monopolies forming in transportations.  Only have a few corporations are left in the airline industry, such as American Airlines and United Airlines.  These corporations are parent companies to many smaller airlines.  The only public transportation by train that I'm aware of is Amtrak.  Only a few corporations own the automobile industry, and the cost of automobiles are increasingly higher.  For instance, in the 1950s, a new automobile cost approximately $2500.  In the 1970s, a new car cost about $3500, which is less than 2% increase per year since 1950s.  In 2000, a new car costs around $25,000, or approximately 7% per year increase since 1970s.  In other words, the cost of automobiles in the last 50 years have been increasing exponentially.  At this rate of 7% per year increase, the cost of a used beat up college car in 2030 may cost as much as $30,000!!!  If that is the case, only the wealthy will be able to afford private automobiles because the average salary only increases about the same as inflation which is 3% per year.  Perhaps if America goes into a recession, prices will not increase at that high rate because technology growth will be slowed.  

EDUCATION--  Higher education is becoming more costly each year also.  College costs approximately double the rate a decade ago.  This computes to approximately 7% increase per year, or over twice the rate of inflation.  In fact, Edward Jones Investments estimates that by the time today's babies graduate, a four-year college will have cost them anywhere from $80,000 to $200,000.  Eventually education will become so expensive that either college will be avoided or else the government will intervene.  My guess is the latter of the two.  

COMMUNICATIONS--  Technology has made it a lot easier for us to communicate with others.  As the phone companies like to claim, it has brought people together.  But isn't it ironic that the technologies to bring us together require us to be alone to use them--  phones, cell phones, email, online chat programs, and the internet.  Another common thread, all of these technologies can trace your very location on earth.  Phones can be tapped.  Cell phones can be located by Global Positioning with the use of satellites.  Email, chat programs, and use of the internet can all trace people, and may be monitored by others.  In fact, George Orwell's claim in 1984 that "Big Brother is Watching" may not be too far fetched.  The Feds certainly have the technology to monitor us.  A positive aspect of communication technologies is that the economy booms when a new product is introduced.  In the 1920s, the radio became common and boosted the economy because it was a new way to do business and advertise.  In the 1990s, the internet became common and we saw the boom during the Clinton years.  

RELIGION--  The morals in this country are progressively getting worse and worse.  I don't think too many people will argue with me on this point.  School shootings, crime and murders, abortions, cloning--- they are all becoming increasingly more common.  Most everyone is searching for the answer why, but few know the answer... and many don't want to admit it.  America is losing God.  America is no longer "...One Nation, Under God, Indivisible..." as our Pledge of Allegiance suggests.  Political parties are becoming farther apart and the separation between Christians and non-Christians is increasing.  The separation between Church and State is growing also.  Contrary to popular belief, Thomas Jefferson had NO INTENTION to separate Christianity from government!!!  His words were taken COMPLETELY out of context!  In his 1784 book, Notes on Virginia, Jefferson writes the following:

"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep for ever...”

To read more about Jefferson's words and beliefs on Church versus State in full context from Focus On the Family's "Citizen Magazine", click on: http://www.family.org/cforum/citizenmag/features/a0012355.html.  
     You may be asking, "What do school shootings have to do with religion, besides the obvious that the 'Ten Commandments' clearly states 'Do Not Commit Murder'?"  Mr. Ron Brown, one of the coaches for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, spoke to a group of people.  He said he was in Colorado the week after the Columbine High School Shooting on an airplane.  The girl that sat beside him on the plane was a friend to one of the girls that was shot.  She explained to Mr. Brown what happened:
        When her friend was 15, she was into Witchcraft and other things.  One weekend, her parents' grounded her
        and she had to stay in her room.  During that weekend, she found Jesus and prayed and started reading her
        Bible.  For the next two years, she prayed and read her Bible every day, and even dared to take her Bible to
        school with her.  Her peers made fun of her, but she didn't care.  On the day of the shooting, the two
        murderers, Eric and Dylan, were searching for two types of people.  The first group of people they were
        looking for was athletes because athletes in America are put on man-made pedestals.  The second group of 
        people they were hunting for was Christians.  They stormed into the classroom, and they asked if anyone in the
        room claimed to be a Christian.  Immediately this young girl stood up unashamed and proclaimed, "I do!"  They
        turned to her and instantly shot her.
"She's a fool!" you are probably thinking.  She should have kept quiet and hid under desks.  No she shouldn't have.  Everything happens for a reason, and through her death, thousands of people have accepted Christ into their hearts!  Most people will not have that kind of influence on others even if they live to be 100... and she was only 17 years old.  Shortly after this incident, Darrell Scott, father of victim Rachel Scott, spoke to Congress.  To read excerpts of his speech, click here.
     Who is to blame for the increasing lack of morality?  It is easy to point fingers.  We can blame the government, schools, parents, or organizations such as the National Rifle Association (NRA).  However, nothing will change unless we first look into our own hearts and change ourselves.  Once we become Godly men and women, the world around us changes naturally because iron sharpens iron.  If I may borrow the words of former President FDR in a different context, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."  The only true fear in this world is the fear of death, which comes from the fear of not going to Heaven, which comes from not knowing Jesus.  Once we know Jesus, the fears of the world fade into the background.  Similarly, if/when our country will return to Godly principles, the fears of the world will disappear.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that if we have nothing for which to die, we have nothing for which to live.

     In short, technology has inarguably transformed America, there is no question about it.  Technology has provided better ways of growing crops, allowed us to live longer and travel farther, and enabled us to communicate with others worldwide.  Technology also in many cases is causing the predicament that we are entering.  Ironically, technology and capitalism are potentially causing our national defense to weaken by becoming reliant on other countries.  Technology and capitalism are also causing an increasing separation of classes which may lead to increasing violence.  As Orwell states in 1984, "The aim of the High is to remain where they are.  The aim of the Middle is to exchange places with the High.  The aim of the Low, when they have an aim-for it is an abiding characteristic of the Low that they are too much crushed by drudgery to be more than intermittently conscious of anything outside their daily lives-is to abolish all distinctions and create a society in which all men shall be equal.  Thus throughout history a struggle which is the same in its main outlines recurs over and over again."  To add, health care is aiding in the separation of classes.  With health care costs and costs in other industries increasing at over twice the rate of inflation, the separation of classes may become excessively large because of technology and capitalism.  Finally, technology has taken away our privacy from others.  
     Unless conditions change, I believe the Feds will have their noses in every industry, without choice.  A few corporations will own the entire industry and therefore be regulated by government out of necessity.  A larger separation of classes will exist.  Public transportation will be common because individuals will not be able to afford private transportation.  Food production will be regulated.  Health care will be socialistic.  Energies, transportation, and education will all be regulated.  Communications may be monitored, even if we are unaware of it.  I doubt religion will be touched by government.  Unfortunately, I would guess that the government and the people will become more extreme than they are currently.  That could be potentially a terrible situation because historically, when a nation or empire loses its Godly principles, it sees its destruction.  If you don't believe me, do your homework and discover it for yourself.  Big Brother could be watching, but regardless of our technology, God is watching and God has the last word.  Where is America Headed?  Only God knows.

Written in March 2001