Na zdrowie! The recession of 2008 is official. President-elect Barack Obama, along with those in his administration-to-be, seems prepared to spend billions -- trillions, if necessary -- on lifelines for the nation's ailing industries, effectively bailing out America. These measures might strike some as extreme, but extraordinary times call for extraordinary action. If done right, the anticipated deluge of federal dollars will eventually be seen as a wise and necessary investment.
Opportunity knocks: Tech can save us
Well-considered spending can, and must, do more than simply defibrillate the economy in the short term. Any bailout of the auto industry must come with the understanding that the Big Three have to develop new engine and fuel technology within four years. If they say they can't do it, give the money to start-ups who are willing to try.
There are many other areas, neglected for the better part of a decade, where technology can point the way out of destructive cycles, though immediate attention and money is required in each case. Infrastructure, energy and security have fallen inexcusably short of what we need them to be. Obama's planned corrective spending spree will present an opportunity to make America far greater and more independent. At any rate, it will allow us the chance to give up the gas-sucking, smoke-belching habits we've been mired in for so long.
Renewable, green energy
Wind - According to a recent report from the US Department of Energy, if we can generate 20 per cent of our electrical power from wind by 2030, we'll be able to reduce gas emissions by 20 per cent or more, natural-gas use for electricity by 50 per cent, and coal use for electricity by 18 per cent. We'd also be able to reduce water use for electricity by 17 per cent, and save about four trillion gallons of water between now and 2030 -- mostly in the West, where the human need for water is greatest.
The government should meet these efficiency numbers, at minimum, but it can aspire to double or even triple them -- and by 2015, not 2030. Wind turbines are in use today, and we can put up millions of them: in the prairies, in the coastal waters and anywhere the wind blows constantly. A number of people will object to this, vehemently and at great length, but we should do it anyway. Distributing the collected energy will take some doing, but we'll manage.
Solar - The potential of solar power is virtually unlimited. New technologies are already available to make solar panels more efficient and less expensive. With the government's support, energy collection and storage technologies could soon be improved to the point where we'd significantly reduce our dependence on oil and gas for light, heating and automobiles.
Water - It's not widely appreciated, but an enormous amount of kinetic energy is expended in the sea every day, and if we were able to harness it for our own use, it could be a game-changer. Naturally occurring waves, currents and tides could, some experts suggest, provide enough energy to meet the world's power demands many times over. Companies working to realize this goal deserve the government's support, and ours.
The jump-start
The bailout, in whatever form it eventually takes, can and should be used to fund more than just the next wave of energy solutions. Obama has promised to earmark billions for improving and modernizing the country's infrastructure, which includes roads, bridges, railways, harbors, ports and docks; mass transit terminals, including airports and rail and bus terminals; gas pipelines; the national electricity grid; water supply and wastewater treatment; urban stormwater management; dam and levy inspection, reinforcement, maintenance and replacement; and waterway maintenance.
These projects, which together represent something like a complete tune-up of the American machine, will cost a lot of money. But those funds will wash through every sector of the economy, from construction and labor to research and development, manufacturing, agriculture, and into seemingly unrelated areas like public transportation -- those workers will have to get to their jobs somehow. This kind of major, nationwide endeavor is what's needed to rev the economic engine.
Security issues
Technology is increasingly central to national security, as both protection and threat. The new administration will have to consider a number of scientific and technological concerns as it strives to keep American society safe and free.
Cybersecurity - Computers are responsible, in a thousand ways, for our national defense systems, corporate networks, and basic communications infrastructure. Any computer with an Internet connection will never be totally invulnerable, but it's not an exaggeration to say that our society depends on keeping these networks as secure as possible.
Cyberterrorism is to be taken seriously, because it's already in practice. In recent months, hackers compromised the networks of the Lithuanian and Georgian governments, and Chinese operatives allegedly attacked Australian state computers. It's crucial that the Department of Homeland Security recognizes and responds to the possibility of cyberaggression. The extent to which Obama can encourage this is unclear, but it should be acknowledged as a priority by both the government and the public.
Border, port and container security - The recent horror in Mumbai is likely to galvanize Indian security forces the way the September 11 attacks did in America. India is almost certain to adopt a number of technological measures to enable better port inspection, and America would do well to follow suit. RFID tags, currently used to track shipping containers, can be easily circumvented by those who'd rather remain invisible, so a better system must be devised. A 2005 Congressional Research Service report for Congress stated, "The last line of defense against a terrorist nuclear attack is the ability to detect nuclear weapons or material entering the United States."
A new line of vehicles, called RadTrucks, can detect a speck of radioactive material the size of a grain of sand from 12 feet away, and determine whether it's of bomb grade. RadTrucks are a big step in the right direction, but more is needed, and that means an investment in technology.
The recession has caused a decrease in port activity, which may make inspections easier. The time to invest in better methods is now, while the ports are quiet. As the recession eases, having the new technologies in place will allow officials to maintain strong levels of security as activity increases again.
Privacy - Ours is a surveilled world. Security cameras and phone records preserve our movements and words for posterity, at least posterity with a certain security clearance. Maintaining the privacy of individual citizens has never been more important or more difficult, as Obama recently learned when his cell phone records were accessed illegally by Verizon employees. Citizens can be profiled and monitored for any reason, or for no reason.
One hopes that most of the people with the ability to scrutinize the private lives of ordinary citizens will have the decency not to abuse their power, or simply lack the time to do so. Still, it's hardly a secret that such abuses do occur. The responsibility rests with our elected officials to make sure that the records and information of innocent citizens are never used by any party for any purpose other than keeping us all free and secure.
Change we can support
Barack Obama, no fool, ran a campaign promising change because he grasped how critical it is at this moment in American history that change occur. There are few better ways to make this happen than an immediate infusion of cash into the economy, particularly the tech sector. If our national future is to include adequate security and energy production, this item cannot fall off the agenda. Our role as citizens is not insignificant: we must hold the new administration to its promises. The times demand action. The age of the American spectator is over.
