May 31, 2021
President John F Kennedy was the last great U.S. President. He had a vision for developing the U.S. As a student of President Franklin Roosevelt, President Kennedy understood how to create a more prosperous economic future by using the most advanced form of energy; nuclear. (see below). It is no coincident that the U.S. experienced its greatest technologically driven increase in productivity as a result of of his “Man on the Moon” space exploration initiative. President Kennedy was also the last U.S. president who enthusiastically supported the development of Africa. His partnership with Ghanaian President, Kwame Nkrumah, to build the Volta Dam energy and industrial complex, stands out as the high point in U.S.-Africa relations. It is the lack of a U.S. development perspective for Africa over the last six decades that has led to the failures of U.S. to respond to Africa’s vital needs for energy infrastructure.
Consider this optimistic outlook for the people living in Africa. To industrialize African nations, eliminate poverty and hunger, the continent needs a minimum of an additional 1,000 gigawatts of electricity. Why not build. one thousand nuclear power plants, each generating 1,000 megawatts of electricity.
President Kennedy: “All this means that we put science to work, science to work in improving our environment and making this country a better place in which to live. I want us to stay ahead. Do you know that in the next 10 years, I hope the people of the United States realize it – we double the need for electric power every 10 years? We need the equivalent of a new Grand Coulee Dam every 60 days. In the next 20 years we are going to have to put in the electric industry $125 billion of investment, and when we do that, this country will be richer, and our children will enjoy a higher standard of living.” (emphasis. added)
Read my earlier post: Nuclearize Africa: It Is Necessary To End Poverty and Hunger
Lawrence Freeman is a Political-Economic Analyst for Africa, who has been involved in economic development policies for Africa for over 30 years. He is the creator of the blog: lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld.com. Mr. Freeman’s stated personal mission is; to eliminate poverty and hunger in Africa by applying the scientific economic principles of Alexander Hamilton
Lawrence is once again challenging us to be daring and humanistic. We are living at a time when the great statesmen of yesteryears are being replaced by shortsighted political strategists.
Following the Chernobyl & Japanese nuclear reactor accidents, like a lot of people I too have been pretty nervous about nuclear power. But as an old Ethiopian proverb clarifies “One can’t avoid going to bed fearful of nightmares” we can’t afford to utilize nuclear power because of our past experiences. Lessons learned and technological and safety related advances made since should alleviate our worst fears.
In order to translate the hopes, dreams & intellects of many American humanists, statesmen and entrepreneurs in to reality our current decision makers need to seriously consider Lawrence’s proposal. It is such ideas that will put American business interest mightily competitive with China not twisting the arms of small nations aspiring to champion American political and business ideals.
We are living at a time when we should cherish the triumph of economic and political liberalism. The problem is the lack of great statesmen who can help translate this victory into bread and butter. Remember the Kissinger China strategy! That was a game changer in a difficult time. It planted the seeds not only to neutralize China politically but also transform it into economic liberalism that eventually made her our world’s giant factory. How come the country that transformed the political and economic world in this manner now hesitates to lead the world it created. This is without doubt America’s century if there was one. It is time for the mutual development political philosophers like Lawrence and great political strategists and entrepreneurs of our recent past make their voices herd. They owe it to America.
I was incredibly overjoyed and reassured about the safety of America when I watched the recent impeachment hearings on tv. The articulate, confident, iron willed and smart national security professionals are good indicators that America also has equally able, gifted and dedicated strategic thinkers to change America and the world it has sacrificed so much to transform.