"I find it very interesting that not one of the Presidential candidates, on either side of the aisle, mentions our EMP vulnerability. The myth of climate change? Constantly."
First off, let me clear the air on one thing. I have little or no time for this kid which knows nothing about anything. Yes, I am talking about Greta. I know, I know - HOW DARE I say anything bad about this new darling of the Wacky Left. But I did, I am now done talking about her. Besides, this article is NOT about this kid from Europe - it is about the ticking time bomb this nation STILL has within it.
If I sound frustrated when I write this, it is because I am. Back in the 1980's, when I was still serving in the Navy, I learned the Soviets had an EMP bomb to take out our electric grid. Oh, that is bad, I would think. The projections were that up to 90% of our population would die a slow death should this happen. Thirst, hunger, exposure, disease. What did the United States do to prevent this from happening? How did they fix our vulnerable electric grid? They did nothing in the 1980's. Nothing in the 1990's. Nothing in the 2000's. Nothing in the 2010's. If an EMP event happened today, natural or man made, it is still estimated that we would lose 90% of our population.
I was going to write an article about some of the improvements which have been made to harden our electric grid against such an event. But there were none. Do we know how to do it? Sure do. Can we do it? Sure can. Then why don't we? Is an EMP event not a clear and present danger to our country? Sure is. We can replace our current grid with a smart and hardened grid which will fix this issue forever. But it will cost $6T and take about ten years to do so.
Wow! $6T is a lot of money! You bet. However, if we suffer an EMP event, climate change, our national debt, exploring space, finding a cure for cancer, ANYTHING - will become irrelevant. It will be survival, day by day, for the majority of us. All because we chose for decades to do NOTHING about this problem. And how bad is this problem? Even the most prepared of the preppers, will not be prepared enough. Plus, if you think our government will save you - just remember Katrina.
What keeps me up at night? That is, besides my growing list of aches and pains. An EMP event. To me, it is right up there with getting hit by an asteroid. The difference is, with an asteroid, there is very little we can do about it. With an EMP event, we could have taken this threat right off the table if we wanted too. But we lacked the national will to do so. Now Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos think we need to find a new home among the stars, just in case of an EMP, asteroid strike, or some other horrible thing.
On final thing. I find it very interesting that not one of the Presidential candidates, on either side of the aisle, mentions our EMP vulnerability. The myth of climate change? Constantly. Meanwhile, all we can hope for, is the spit and bubble gum we are using to hold together our grid, can withstand constant cyber attacks, as well as an EMP event, no matter the size.
If you are worried about this, you should be. If you are not, you should start. Talk to your Congressman man or woman. I will, next month. Yes, but $6T? That is a lot of cheddar. Not to Elizabeth Warren. That is chump change compared to what she wants to spend. And not one penny of that money is for our grid.
"Even the most prepared of the preppers, will not be prepared enough."
ReplyDeleteSome preppers are taking EMP into account--hence you may see references to Faraday cages.
How such an attack might affect the whole country is uncertain/variable. Could stand more research.