America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole. Biden's IRA program was effectively a step in the right direction but has been erased. We need our economic incentives to be aligned with long term growth and prosperity for all, not just wealth for those at the top of the dog pile.

Re: America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

#5

Post by AngryData » Fri, Jan 09, 2026, 4:35 PM UTC

Is this just a PR piece for Elon Musk?

As for the title, we already are going to fall behind, the only question is how far are we going to allow ourselves to fall behind before we change our economic policies. Or alternatively, how far can we fall behind before American hegemony becomes impotent and can be completely ignored by the rest of the world?

Unfortunately I think we may just keep blindly worshiping all the worst aspects of capitalism until complete collapse. Gen Y and Z may have changing thoughts about it, but im not sure it will add up enough to change the geriatric political landscape for another 2 decades, by which time the US will have lost all its leverage to do anything but dog everyone else's footsteps trying to pick up scraps.

Re: America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

#6

Post by afavour » Fri, Jan 09, 2026, 4:45 PM UTC

pstuart wrote: post #4

There are many things to criticize about China but they are absolutely to be admired in how they focus on building for the future . The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole. Biden's IRA program was effectively a step in the right direction but has been erased. We need our economic incentives to be aligned with long term growth an…

> The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole

I think it's even worse than that, the country's industrial policy is based on emotional appeal to the past. Gas cars, coal mines, etc etc, they are as much cultural touchpoints as they are economic factors.

Re: America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

#7

Post by pstuart » Fri, Jan 09, 2026, 4:56 PM UTC

afavour wrote: post #6

pstuart wrote: post #4

There are many things to criticize about China but they are absolutely to be admired in how they focus on building for the future . The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole. Biden's IRA program was effectively a step in the right direction but has been erased. We need our economic incentives to be aligned with long term growth an…

> The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole I think it's even worse than that, the country's industrial policy is based on emotional appeal to the past. Gas cars, coal mines, etc etc, they are as much cultural touchpoints as they are economic factors.

That's a technique they use to get away with it. I'm not interested in blaming the populace for being manipulated, I want to call out the leadership directly as they fully know well what they're doing and they should be publicly castigated instead.

Re: America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

#8

Post by howdyhowdy123 » Fri, Jan 09, 2026, 5:03 PM UTC

pstuart wrote: post #4

There are many things to criticize about China but they are absolutely to be admired in how they focus on building for the future . The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole. Biden's IRA program was effectively a step in the right direction but has been erased. We need our economic incentives to be aligned with long term growth an…

No they aren't. F*ck China and its genocidal dictatorship.

Re: America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

#9

Post by immibis » Fri, Jan 09, 2026, 5:32 PM UTC

AngryData wrote: post #5

Is this just a PR piece for Elon Musk? As for the title, we already are going to fall behind, the only question is how far are we going to allow ourselves to fall behind before we change our economic policies. Or alternatively, how far can we fall behind before American hegemony becomes impotent and can be completely ignored by the rest of the world? Unfortunately I think we may just keep blindly worshiping all the w…

American hegemony is already in the process of collapsing. It is not about preventing it any more, only about how quickly America chooses to halt it, or not. I'm betting not.

Re: America must embrace the Electric Age, or fall behind

#10

Post by immibis » Fri, Jan 09, 2026, 5:33 PM UTC

howdyhowdy123 wrote: post #8

pstuart wrote: post #4

There are many things to criticize about China but they are absolutely to be admired in how they focus on building for the future . The problem is that American industrial policy is based on quarterly earnings and not long term health of the republic as a whole. Biden's IRA program was effectively a step in the right direction but has been erased. We need our economic incentives to be aligned with long term growth an…

No they aren't. F*ck China and its genocidal dictatorship.

The fact that a country is doing a holocaust does not negate the fact it's building infrastructure for the future and raising living standards (for non-victims) faster than any other country.