Democracy: Part V

HONESTLY, I HAVE GRAVE DOUBTS THAT THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THE DOME HOME WILL BECOME THE HOUSING OF CHOICE.

(I cannot believe I am writing this.)

After more than twenty years in the trenches, with the focus directly on the promotion of the design, manufacturing and marketing of the geodesic dome as a primary residence, I am convinced that the American people are not interested in safe, economical and environmentally conscious buildings to call home. They (we) are being manipulated and jerked around by the corporacy at a rate unheard of in past history.

If you have any questions as to why the dome is being hidden, let’s take a look at what is going on in our country.

We are being manipulated by the big corporations and we are standing still, like sheep, and allowing it to happen. I believe the phrase is being “dumbed down.”

Though domes stand at the head of the list of safe, environmentally sound and economical housing, they are not the only objects spurned by the populace in favor of items that cause more pollution and cost lots more money. And many of these items severely infringe on a most important feature of democracy, and that is freedom. Why, then, should we believe that after all these years a change will occur that will give the dome consideration for an equal share of the housing market? Let’s look at some other areas that are being ignored and the reasons why.

1. The automobile is perhaps the foremost contaminator of the air we have to breathe. What do we have to do to make the necessary changes that will go a long way to eliminating that problem? Those changes are well within the limits of present day design. It is the hybrid car that requires nothing new to invent. It will eliminate 75 to 80 percent of the noxious gases that are polluting our planet, and significantly cut down our dependence on petroleum products. Why is not this product in full sale production today? You guessed it. It is the multi-national corporations that have only one aim, and that is the bottom line – they can make more money producing gas hogs.

What does General Motors do? Sort of toss us a bone. They give us an electric car that sells for $33,000 and will only run about 75 miles without recharging the batteries. Big deal. While there is a market for the full electric vehicle, GM is pricing it right out of the market. I am angry. A car body, $1,500 worth of batteries and an electric motor cannot have more than $5,000 costs. If the car manufacturers had a real concern for our environment, that automobile could be in full production in a matter of months. Nothing to invent! Just the will, and a desire to clean up our atmosphere.

I don’t believe it ever will happen, as long as the corporations can maintain their freedom from the consequences of their actions.

2. The real trouble began back in 1876 when the Supreme Court decreed that corporations are persons. “That gave corporations the same constitutional protection as people,” writes David Morris in a recent article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He goes on to say, “People pursue personal goals without pursuing personal gain. Corporations cannot. Courts have ruled that corporate directors must act to maximize the wealth and power of their corporations.” He likens it to a powerful car whose driver is required to keep his foot pressed to the floor. Does this explanation go toward the understanding that generally most corporations have no conscience, only the bottom line?

The present political climate leaves little difference to be found between the two major political parties. There is no doubt in the minds of the American people that our political leaders are unduly influenced by the money provided by the large corporations. A little known fact regarding the influence of these corporations is one that may surprise you. If a corporation is found guilty of breaking the law and is fined, that fine is deducted from their tax statement as an expense. That has to be one of the major reasons why corporations don’t mind too much being fined for major crimes. It really is not much of a penalty if it can be added to an already long list of taxable deductions.

I do not understand what happened to the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. Was its purpose to keep the corporations from banding together and fixing prices? If that is true, how can we be faced with the possibility of only five or six telecommunications companies and the chances of the electric power industries shrinking to one in each state?

Mergers are on a rampage. During this year alone, there have been about 80 mergers for more than $1 billion for a total price tag of $280 billion.

We are already seeing price fixing and corporate control over our lives at an unheard of rate. Check your heating oil prices and be ready for price increases in all forms of supplied energy.

3. Alternative Energy Systems. Extensive work has been done in the past 25 years on the development of non-polluting energy products. With the full knowledge that the crude oil that is powering our system is finite, as well as its destructive effect on the atmosphere, nothing really significant is being done by the major corporations to make solar, wind and biotechnology available and affordable.

Bucky made a statement back when he first received his patent for the geodesic dome, that it would probably take 50 years for the dome to become the housing of choice. I can now imagine how he must have felt in the later years of his life when his remarkable invention was being regarded generally as another “strange” idea.

I am normally an optimistic person. Sometimes miracles occur. If that’s what it takes to bring the dome to the forefront of the housing industry, let the miracles begin.