So growth based self regulating capitalism got us to the top of the economic ladder in the 20th century but then world changes, namely globalization and automation, have turn the tables on us. Now other countries are quite able to beat us at our own game. Like a Monopoly game, we are not being allowed to be both the Banker and a Player in the game at the same time anymore. Now we’re just a player. When we ran the show we rigged the game so “just a player” could not possible win. Now we can’t possibly win. I think it’s time we suggest a new game to all the players before we land on boardwalk, as we sold that to another player who has a hotel on it….

Mr. Ludwig points out how SpaceX “leveraged software to reduce its time-to-manufacture by 80 percent.” It likely ALSO reduced the people heretofore necessary to do what it will do by 80 percent. So, in the “good news/bad news” trade-off once again an American company is doing some amazing things BECAUSE they have found a way to do it for 80% less.

Ford “improved alignment while reducing errors and waste…to save more than $100 million in warranty costs for in-vehicle software services.” OK, but once again much of that $100 million was “good job” wages that were eliminated.

“As demonstrated by NASA, software can reduce or eliminate physical prototypes, saving enormous resources while further improving speed.” Those who built and worked with those “physical prototypes” were paid very well, and were highly skilled. Now many are redundant, and may NEVER find another decent job.

What good is it if America leads “the next industrial revolution” but it’s citizens are less and less able to afford the goods and services thus made available? “America’s future” in terms of innovation, production, etc. appears to be a death spiral of it’s “middle-class” consumers, and economists are wringing their hands still looking at dregs of the tea of “growth” and economic cycles long past? No one seems to have a clue.