Opinions

Today, in the spirit of sweeping, pessimistic, unprovable assertions, let me say that as of now, May 25, 2012, it feels like it is all over.

The US of A has irretrievably passed out of the era of economic equality into a world where our best/only hope is low low prices. The ability of workers to get significant wage increases is long gone. The ability of a small fraction of people to finagle a jackpot for themselves, and keep it, is welded firmly into place. The political system is beyond the self-correcting stage. Welcome to now.

The post-1980 period had it’s ups and downs, but throughout it all the quiet little-noticed phenomenon was that the rich were back, and getting richer, and then VASTLY richer, and then UNFATHOMABLY richer. This was bound to lead, as it always does, to an economic crisis, which it did. But when the smoke cleared, there was no reckoning. The wealthy, instead of feeling a tiny amount of responsibility and remorse, instead felt THEMSELVES to be the aggrieved party! People didn’t WORSHIP them quite as much as they had come to enjoy and expect. REGULATION, the tiniest amount of it, on their reckless ways was seen as an affront on the order of a beheading, which in prior eras might have been their literal fate.

And the political system? They have their man, Mr. Romney, all queued up to seal the deal. And if he should lose to Obama? Let’s face it, as much as they hate him, which is a lot, there’s not much Obama can do, or even WANTS to do, to touch them. They’ve got the economy and the government by the balloons, and everyone knows it. The distribution of wealth and power has tipped to a new, untouchable point. The Senate has been reconfigured to be a political body where 60 votes is required to do anything at all, and therefore anything at all will not change. The Supreme Court? They’re just getting started.

The middle class is a basket case. At best, the economics of this system will lower prices for the hapless, meaning you. So settle back and “add to basket.”

Maybe I’ll feel different next week.

I’m sorry, but I can’t stop thinking about self-driving cars. This is more than just another bit of technology. I’m going to declare that The Future, at long last, IS HERE.

Cars without drivers will change things a LOT, and they’re already here. It started when those ads for self-parallel-parking cars showed up. Wait, cars can DO THAT? Most PEOPLE can’t even do that. Then came the cars that apply the brakes when you’re too slow or stupid or careless to notice the kid on the tricycle. Then Nevada LICENSED a driverless car. That did it. Game on. Or game over, depending on your point of view. The tally: they’re here, they work, they’re legal, and they’re BETTER than you. The rest of the story writes itself. And will shortly do so.

The amazing thing is how in this car-crazed country, so little is being said about this. It won’t just be no more parallel parking. It will be no more parking AT ALL. Get out at curb, just like a movie star in a limo, and send your car off to find a space on it’s own! If it’s even your car. The world may just be a lot of driverless taxis! Who knows? But we’re about to find out. Unless...wait. Maybe the reason this is a non-story is that all time is now spent doing what we are currently doing. Sitting indoors living life online!