Do You Know?

John C. Darvill

1992

Published in:

The Northwest Technocrat, 2nd quarter 1992, No. 327

... As the year 1992 commences, the economic outlook in North America is far from encouraging; deficits in both the United States and Canada continue to increase beyond the forecasts of the economic "experts", adding substantially to the overall debt of both countries. As the productive capacity increases without any offsetting increase in consumption, the economic woes increase: unemployment mounts -- eroding the buying power of the economy, lowering the tax base, and further undermining the ability of the Price System to take care of the needs of the populace. The number of U.S. citizens living below the poverty line has increased from 11% in 1975 to approximately 15% today. New York City officials admit to a homeless population of 25,000, but this figure relates to people seeking shelter. Those working with the homeless think it is closer to 90,000, of these 13,000 are mentally ill, and probably 30,000 are HIV-positive or are actual AIDS cases. TB is once again becoming a scourge in New York; it has seen an alarming increase in the last ten years. As the TB caseload grows, the funds available to fight this infection remain scarce. New York City applied for $15 million from the Federal Government to fight TB last year and received $600,000.

... The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the federal agency that insures the pensions of some 40 million workers, is $2 billion in the red. Its liabilities affect all workers relying on a company pension to ease them through their retirement years. If this was the extent of the liability, it would probably be manageable, but it is only the beginning. When Pan American World Airways declared bankruptcy last year, its biggest debt was a $914 million gap in pension plans -- now to be assumed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. LTV Corp., now five years in bankruptcy court, has a shortfall of $3 billion in three LTV pension plans. Chrysler Corp., with six retirement plans, holds less than two-thirds of the $8.7 billion they need to pay future benefits. Bethlehem Steel's benefit plans are short by $1.3 billion, and General Motors $7.2 billion. In a robust and expanding economy this might not be a cause for alarm, aside from the ethical considerations, but, in the light of the present predicaments of major U.S. companies, it should be the cause of considerable concern for those people looking forward to a reasonably secure retirement. Rest assured that the situation will not improve.

... In January of 1991, the Iraq war was started. In this case, whatever the official reason, it was over access to oil; or as President Bush said, ``JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.'' The fighting in that particular battle has ended; and, at the moment, lip service is being paid to peace in that area. However, a far more basic problem exists in the region,, one that is far more important than oil and, thence more potentially explosive, and that is water. The Israeli-occupied Golan Heights is the richest watershed in the area. Under its steep slopes, underground springs emerge as a roaring river at Banyas. From there the Dan River carries the water southward into the Jordan River, which flows into Israel's national irrigation system. In all, the Golan yields 25% of Israel's water supply, a definite sticking point in any attempt to return the Golan to Syria. Adding to Syria's woes, is the five year drought and the exploding population in Damascus that has sucked the Barada River nearly dry, creating a water crisis in the Syrian capital. The Euphrates River provides about 60% of Syria's water supply. But, up-river, Turkey has been building reservoirs, cutting the Euphrates' flow into Syria by about 50% over the past five years. As with all other Price System problems, all of this is being allowed to ferment while the pretense of a peace conference sponsored by the ``big powers'' rambles on. It will take more than political machinations to overcome the problems. The technical problem of allocating the waters of the Middle East, can be solved, but sectarian zealots, over-population,and the hubris of know-nothing meddling by outsiders will probably prevent it.

... The problems continue to grow more serious and life threatening, and still we allow our attentions to be diverted in pointless and futile attempts to maintain an obsolescent monetary system that has not only outlived its usefulness, but is now threatening our very existence. The problem is the control of technology, so that its benefits can be applied to everyone. The longer we pursue this self defeating objective, the greater the turmoil we will eventually have to face. Take a look at the alternative, Technocracy; it has the design concept to cope with the problems of a technological age.

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