“If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, none other of my race,” returned the Ghost, “will find [Tiny Tim] here. What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
The following scenario is only one of many possibilities, given our present situation. Admittedly, a lot could change, and our future depends on much more than whoever occupies the Oval Office. It seems to me our problems transcend party affiliation or loyalty to certain individuals. So, if we want to alter the shadows, we, like Ebenezer Scrooge, must first understand what they might portend.
Mar-a-Lago: 2225
“…We have now arrived at a part of what was once called, ‘the barrier islands’ of Florida. If you look over our starboard side, you will see Ocean Drive running south under approximately 4.25 meters of water. Our excursion will continue to take us past the remaining great landmarks of the Old West Palm Beach area, concluding with our featured destination, Mar-a-Lago…
…If you look through the transparent aluminum bottom of the Autonomous Solar-Electric Hydrofoil, ASEH, you will see the famous club house where 200 years ago, President Donald Trump met with foreign dignitaries and carved out some of his greatest deals, along with some of the finest roast beef on the planet.”
A young well-dressed woman interjected, “What’s a president?”
The unflappable android tour guide instantly and effortlessly responded, in the flawless inflection of an ancient British professor, “As you all should know, a president was once considered the chief executive in what was then known as The United States of America. And, as you all should know, the old US government had three branches until about 2041, when that antiquated system finally fell apart. To continue our little history lesson: At first, the concept of three branches – Executive, Legislative, and Judicial – arguably functioned adequately, but for reasons that remain unclear, that system began to deteriorate 245 years ago. The old United States hobbled along for a few decades, with a succession of celebrities, media personalities, and billionaires selected as presidents, and with a series of legislatures that increasingly abandoned their constitutional responsibilities. It is apparent that both the Executive and Legislative branches depended on the Judicial branch to keep the country from imploding. But the courts became increasingly partisan in the early 21st century.
Then in 2052, after a decade of political infighting and civil skirmishes, not to mention the effects of climate change – as you all should know – food shortages, pandemics, high fuel prices, resource wars, and a general collapse of the world economy, the people at last voted to do away with the sham that was once Congress and simply be governed by a Judicial Council. The 13 Justices on that esteemed council, selected at random from the official register of corporate attorneys at that time, consolidated the three outmoded branches into one. All other courts must of course report to the Judicial Council. That is how the Corporate States of the Americas came into being. All that remains of the old USA is a rather oblique reference to the thirteen original colonies.”
A middle-aged man jumped in, “Never mind all that stuff about the judges, what’s roast beef?” The rest of the passengers snickered like children.
The android guide continued condescendingly, “As you all should know, roast beef is cooked protein from cattle – meat from cows. According to 21st Century records, many people considered it, and I quote, ‘delicious.’ And, as you all should know, 99% of humans have not consumed animal beef for over 150 years. Practically all meat products are now either entirely synthetic or manufactured from plant-based GMOs. Without synth-meat most of the population would starve. For example, Veg-roast is genetically engineered to resemble roast beef. Has anyone here tasted real roast beef? Your silence indicates the negative. Does anyone here know someone who has tasted real roast beef? Again, negative. Logically, while everyone here can afford this excursion, anyone that wealthy would probably rather remain at home and would probably not associate with mere tourists. No offense intended.”
“OK, I was only kidding, Andy,” the man broke in. “Just tell us why we are taking this tour by boat.”
“Well, my dear guests,” the android resumed, barely concealing his exasperation. “As you all should know, prior to approximately 200 years ago, humans had a chance to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, to create a more sustainable economy, and to prevent sea levels from rising, but they did not. Most people listened to demagogues and media celebrities whose propaganda and wishful thinking told them there was nothing to worry about. Further, because of now obsolescent social media, most people couldn’t even discuss the problem in a civil manner. Meanwhile, the rich systematically retreated from low-lying areas and low latitudes and quietly invested in the same green energy technologies they paid politicians and pundits to ridicule. By the time the general population admitted there was a problem, it was too late to stop the inundation.”
“What about Mar-a-Lago? Why is this decrepit old McMansion on the tour?” a teenage boy asked somewhat petulantly.
“The club house of Mar-a-Lago, now directly below us, is on our tour in memory of the man who made it all possible. Several decades after he was elected, his dream of making America great again came true. You could even say he created my job! As you all should know, he was elected to two terms as president, in 2016 and 2024, by the will of the people, and he did all he could to support the fossil fuel industry and to deny there was any problem with global warming, rising insurance rates notwithstanding. Even the bravery of young activists had no effect. The actions his administration took in fact increased greenhouse gas emissions as well as the amount of toxic chemicals in the environment. He opposed wind turbines and solar panels because he didn’t like the way they looked. He once called climate change, and I quote, ‘a Chinese hoax.’ And many people believed him. In fact, many people believed every word President Trump said. They even believed his successor, President Vance, who finished Trump’s second term and was elected in 2028 and re-elected 2032. But we must not blame these past presidents, although it is probable they knew better. Back then, the fortunes and lifestyles of most people in the so-called developed countries depended on failing to understand the problem or believing solutions could be postponed indefinitely.”
The android guide continued, “Upton Sinclair, at one time a famous author, wrote, ‘It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.’ Many powerful individuals back then were much more interested in profiting from their investments than in coping with global warming. And fossil fuels were simply more profitable than the alternatives. Generally, billionaires feared stranded assets more than the consequences of climate change. And they resisted any regulations that might have reduced their short-term profits and shareholder return on investment. By the time the polar caps were gone, they had made a lot of money, and they continued to make a lot of money for decades after that. They made enough money to exploit renewable energy just in time to make even more money, ensuring their representation in the Corporate Judicial Assembly. And as you all should know, the CJA is the primary advisor to the CSA Judicial Council. Unfortunately, because of delayed action on climate change, nearly 2 billion people were displaced, and more than 3.7 billion people died. But at least we now have renewable energy sources, carbon sequestration technology, autonomous transportation, and we can offer these lovely ASEH tours.”
“What happened to all the fish? Why are they orange?” a little girl asked.
“As you all should know, coastal ecosystems were badly damaged. And chemicals from the old golf course below may have caused the unusual coloring of the fish. Notice the white rings around the eyes. If you look closely, on the port side, right there by the north wall of the clubhouse, you will see Little Trump Reef extending off to the east. Marine biologists noticed it fifty years ago. Feel free to create images…
…In a few minutes, we will start our hydrofoil trip back to New West Palm Beach. Feel free to create as many images as you like. On-line you will find a hologram of President Trump posing in the bow of our ASEH. You may download it at no extra charge and add it to your media collection or simply incorporate it into your holo-selfies. It has been my pleasure to be your tour guide. If you have any more questions, please let me know. And don’t forget to visit the McConnell-Pelosi Museum of Early 21st Century Artifacts. Thank you for sailing with 23rd Century Fox Excursions.”
MurrayWorks 