“In this report, is a section on the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), which transformed the U.S. farm sector in a revolutionary manner. In 1935 only 10 percent of the farms in the nation were electrified. By 1951, as a result of the REA, 90 percent then had electricity. The leap in farm productivity completely transformed not only the farm sector of the economy, but provided the food necessary to fight World War II, while freeing up farm youth for work in the war industries and the manpower for the military.”
A Note To Readers
The quote above introduces our Feature this week, “The Fight to Build the Grand Coulee Dam and the Economic Revolution that Transformed the Nation.” I wish to focus attention on the section in that report on the creation by President Franklin Roosevelt’s program in 1935 of the Rural Electrification Administration (REA).
That program exemplifies how the U.S. credit system works to build the necessary infrastructure the nation requires. For at that period of time only 10 percent of the farms in the nation were electrified. With the REA, by 1951, 90 percent had electricity.
How was that done. This was the middle of the Depression and the government was broke, as was much of the population. While other nations, especially in Europe had already electrified much of their agricultural sector, why had not the U.S?
And how, with the average farm income of less than $1,000 per year, could the farmer afford to pay the private utilities the thousands of dollars they demanded to run electric lines to his farm?
The REA helped the farmers create coops that then received government loans to be paid back over years or decades, thus providing the ability of entire farm communities to be electrified. Was it successful? Yes! And the default rate by the coops was between 1 and 3 percent of the millions of dollars extended by the federal government.
The leap in farm productivity created by the electrification of the farm sector, completely transformed not only the farm sector of the economy, but provided the food necessary to fight World War II, while freeing up farm youth for work in the war industries and the manpower for the military.
The Rest of This Week’s Report
First a weather report for California. Rain in the south, winds in the north (and more electricity shut downs) continues the pattern of a generally very dry Autumn.
The U.S. Drought Monitor for this week shows just a slight increase in drought throughout the state.
Next, while the Oroville dam and its new spillway has been out of the news for some time, we do have this report: “Oroville Dam rebuilt recognized for international engineering award.”
Then some further reports on PG&E, including a new cutoff of electricity to about 150,000 customers yesterday and today, which should be read in conjunction with my article, published in Executive Intelligence Review on November 15. If you have not seen or read it, here is the link:
AS HALF OF THE STATE GOES DARK: Green Insanity and Electricity Dereg Set California on Fire
https://larouchepub.com/eiw/public/2019/2019_40-49/2019-45/48-56_4645.pdf
The image of Nero fiddling while Rome burned may not be literally true, yet it is an appropriate image one should have in mind when considering the Congress’s ignoring of a new, and much worse than that of 2008, breakdown of the financial system. The LaRouche PAC Fireside Chat last Thursday included an extensive discussion of this developing crisis. A link to the video is provided with the report.
Then what follows is a short piece, “Putin Blasts Abandoning Hydrocarbons as Going Back to the Caves,” showing that at least some world leaders have some sense.
Under the title, “Another Warning,” is this article: “The US needs to copy China’s tech strategy to remain the top economy in the world.” It reports on how the U.S. unlike China, is not investing in the most advanced technologies and will fall behind, permanently, if the U.S. policy does not change, and soon.
The final item this week is the “Feature,” introduced above.
