The recent affirmation of the realism of nuclear fusion energy promises a limitless energy future for mankind.  However, according to a recent article in the NYT, the electric power grids of the world are apparently woefully inadequate for delivering the megawatts that could ultimately relieve us of climate-changing reliance on carbon-generating power sources like coal, gas and oil.  Rural transmission lines are even now too weak to keep up with the rapidly growing supply of power generated by other sources of green power, like wind, solar, and hydro.

It will be necessary substantially to invest in raising their capacity and reliability if our energy future will be marked by greater dependence on electricity because of cheaper fusion generation and shifting from reliance on traditional polluting fuels.  The anticipated thirty-year wait for commercial viability of this non-polluting and virtually inexhaustible energy source may actually be needed to allow enough time for the transmission grid to grow strong enough to handle it.

The unrest in Iran and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are similarly leaderless insurrections. Therefore, neither of them has or had any chance of accomplishment.

Consequently, while Trump may be chargeable with inciting a riot, he was not capable or guilty of fomenting an insurrection. He was only a cheerleader, not a serious rebel. What he did was surely a crime, but not a threat to the American republic.

Furthermore, the attack on the Capitol building, like many other of Trump’s stunts, was an ineffectual, though scary, outburst of childish rage. Its perpetrators need to be punished; but trying them for insurrection gives them and their plotters undeserved credit for the goal-directed and thoughtful planning that would actually threaten to upset a 230-year-old democracy.  Similarly in the absence of sustainable leadership, the demonstrations in Iran will not change political order there either.   

Such tantrums will not be permitted by a repressive regime, like the Islamic Republic of Iran   A viable liberal democratic system of governmental rule like the U.S. can usually tamp them down, as well, without violent oppression. The challenge will be to prevent recurrences.

The howling laughter of media personalities about Trump’s latest scam--his sale of photo-shopped pictures of him on “NFT trading cards”--is embarrassing to watch.  The commentators seem to be engaging in schadenfreude like children making fun of someone with autism,

The truth in their gloating is that the cards display both Trump’s cluelessness and his total disdain of the intelligence of any of his supporters who would buy those patently ridiculous electronic mementos.  Moreover, continued gloating may only anger the voters in Trump’s corner as well as permit him to keep his name in the news. 

The latter result is the only real objective he has for his continued antiestablishmentarian antics.  Trump has given critical thinkers, the left-leaning press and repentant Republicans a golden opportunity to undertake an educational campaign that could rescue the reasonable members of the Republican party from having sacrificed their good statesmanship in the pursuit of successful electoral careers. 

The Biden administration’s guarantee of certain union members’ pensions on 12/9/2022 recognizes that the economy’s ability to reward high earners in professional, financial and other fields depends on the competent performance of underlying basic functions. These activities are not typically paid for at a very high level, although they require the day-to-day effort of the majority of the population. Without their work, the functions that require higher intellectual capability could not take place.

Therefore, those high earners must contribute the resources needed by ordinary sectors of society to live well. This sharing of resources is needed to “grease the skids” for the “elites” who generate the information and wealth that drives progress in the economy. Thus, their fair share of that cost is larger than might be considered equitable by the “elites.”

Many billionaires realize that they should give away to society a large part of their monetary wealth.  Resentment of an uncorrected societal structure like this led the Congress to deprive college graduates of the protection of bankruptcy due to the cost of their education. Congress's majority at that time during the Clinton Administration was saying that just because college graduates are smart enough to qualify for college enrollment and related federal student loans shouldn’t allow them to get educated virtually for free.

Reform of this provision of the tax code will have to include a special tax on the wealth of these “elites” that allows the redistribution of certain lifestyle benefits in favor of society’s working class.  The allocation of these redistributed benefits could be based on income level; but must also be accompanied by access to special privileges that are scaled to the amount of special taxes paid.  This will be a very difficult balance to strike; but its goal will be to diminish the societal strife that leads to personal discomfort and to violent upheaval.

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