Written and published on 6 December 2019
Dear Ones,
I have some thoughts on the state of the nation. Intuitively, I sense economic stressors that may gradually lead to our Federal government taking a lesser role in the governance of the United States, compared to regional alliances of states. I see the Federal government continuing to provide military defense, social security payments, and leadership in foreign affairs. I also see states taking more initiative in economics for their regions.
As to trade, I see future reliance on established railroad routes and water routes such as the Mississippi river. I anticipate that, should there be a gradual lessening of Federal power, then there might be more trade within an economic region, and less trade globally and nationally.
As to finance, I see potential reliance on barter, with care no to place our financial assets in overseas locations. Local-employment based credit unions may come into favor as regional savings repositories.
There may be more reliance on those economic sectors that hold strong during recessions … such as locally grown food, locally obtainable building materials, and water supplies not piped in over long distances.
As to economic stressors, I suggest the economic impact of the HIV pandemic, stress of regional aridity due to long-distance water transport costs,
A socially disruptive stressor is handheld psychosis, which may lead to chaotic events such as mass murders and actions by public utilities and military regarding perceived dangers that do not truly exist. This might precipitate social unrest in regions of the United States pinpointed by the Jade Helm exercises.
In United States cities, the high cost of housing and the increasing phenomenon of homelessness may lead to social unrest and attempted land grabs through anarchist behavior; this is something for which, I feel, every large city mayor and every state government ought to have on hand emergency action plans. For states in arid regions, emergency anti-anarchist plans ought, I feel, to highlight security of water transport systems. Electrical grids, I feel, might also be an anarchist target.
We people in large United States cities can be of big help in creating peaceful environments for our children by offering our law enforcement departments volunteer help through neighborhood watch programs.
It seems unlikely to me that anything would happen in a moment; rather I feel that the United States might very slowly tend towards a model of government more akin to the state by state model of our early years as a nation. We may find, in future, that traveling from one state to the next is a refreshingly new experience. Not everyone may be watching the same thing on television every night anymore; there may be less airline flights from here to there; and so the natural flavor and local color of each region of the United States may become more striking to the casual tourist.
In addition, it may be that some regions of the United States may be more perilous for tourist travel, as was the case for travelers in the early years of our nation.
I realize the prospect of change can be unsettling. It is good to keep in mind that changes such as those spoken of above … if, indeed, change there be … would in all likelihood take place by slow stages, over the course of the next century or two. Thus I feel certain there would be plenty of time to make our plans and find our footing in the new.
Below are some maps I have adapted to show possible United States economic regions and trade regions of centuries to come. I would be interested on your comments regarding this intriguing topic of the eventual possibility that the United States government might become less centralized, and more imbued with local flavor and with the strong spirit of our local communities.
Image: HIV Pandemic Economic Stressor 1,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: To the right of the white line, One Eastern Economic Region including the Southern states and the Eastern Seaboard … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Image: HIV Pandemic Economic Stressor 2,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: To the right of the white line, the earlier Eastern Economic Region divided by the yellow line into two smaller regions: an Eastern Seaboard Region and a Southern Region, … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Image: Western Economic and Cultural Stressors,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: Along the Pacific Coast, two regions delineated by white lines. To the north is the Northwest Economic Region, including the parts of Washington state and Oregon with good rainfall. To the South is the California Central Valley Economic Region (also with good rainfall) … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Image: Jade Helm Stressors,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: Circled in yellow are two possible regions that might secede from the Union, but with which reciprocal trade agreements might be negotiated. Topmost is a Utah-Colorado Trade Region (which might be divided into two separate areas based on dominant religion). Lower and to the right is a Texas Trade Region comprising what is now eastern, central, and northern Texas. Then there are two southern regions delineated in white These are regions that might lean favorably towards alliance with Mexico, but with which we might anticipate establishing reciprocal trade agreements. To the left is a Mexican Trade Corridor comprising California from Los Angeles and to the south; the lower halves of Arizona and New Mexico, and the southwestern part of Texas. To the right is the state of Florida, which might lean favorably toward the Caribbean countries, but with which we might anticipate establishing reciprocal trade agreements … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Image: Southwestern Arid Region,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: Circled in white is the large Southwestern Arid Region, which might move to more local forms of small town government … as well as continuing with Native American Reservation governments … should the nation become less centralized. These include the Great Basin, the Great Rocky Mountains, and the western portion of the Great Plains … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Image: Central Breadbasket Region,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: Circled in green is a Central Breadbasket Region, with plentiful rainfall and good river transportation. This includes the eastern portion of the Great Plains, as well as the area south of the Great Lakes, west of the Appalachians, and north of the Southernmost states … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
Image: Future Capital Cities of the United States,” adapted by Alice B. Clagett, 6 December 2019, CC BY-SA 4.0 … DESCRIPTION: The current capital of the United States is Washington DC (numbered ‘0’ on the map). Because of the AIDs crisis in Washington DC, and because our nation’s capital was once Lancaster PA, I suggest eventual relocation of the Capital back to Lancaster (numbered ‘1’ on the map). Farther out in time, it may be that Saint Louis, MO (labeled ‘2’) would prove a good location for our nation’s capital … CREDIT: The topographic map is “USA topo en.jpg [USA Topographical Map], from Wikimedia Commons … https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_topo_en.jpg … CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported
In love, light and joy,
I Am of the Stars
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United States, government, economics, travels in the United States, history, geography, politics, social unrest, Jade Helm, community health, HIV pandemic, AIDS pandemic, homelessness,
