George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 132

George W. Bush’s Great America – Episode 131

< Episode 131 >

In stark contrast to the struggling original superpower, the 21st-century superpower was reaching unprecedented heights. Thanks to a consistent influx of substantial funding, improvements were evident across the board, leaving virtually no area untouched. The most notable of these advancements were the enhancements and expansions in welfare programs.

Welfare without tax increases? That’s America. You can have it all.

However, the implementation felt somewhat passive relative to the massive budget. It’s easy to give, but difficult to take back. Wouldn’t the same hold true for welfare? Expanding or creating new programs is simple, but eliminating or reducing them is a challenge. Therefore, indiscriminately increasing everything would be unwise.

Naturally, the Democratic Party would push for the maximum, but the Republican Party would never allow it. Above all, the system of checks and balances was functioning effectively, making it arguably an ideal parliamentary system. Of course, delving into the Federal Assembly’s inner workings might shatter that ideal, but it remained one of the few countries that could genuinely claim its political system was working, at least on the surface.

As things progressed, virtually everyone agreed that America had fully entered its golden age. From lower-class prison inmates enduring lives of crime to gang members ready to shoot over clothing choices, there was a consensus that America was now a good place to live.

However, not *everyone* truly believed America was a good place. For instance, environmentalists consistently ranked America as the worst. As the country expanded, industry grew exponentially, leading to a corresponding increase in pollution.

Recently, shale drilling research and related activities were polluting the environment, infuriating environmental groups. Detailed data remained elusive, shrouded in secrecy, but eternal secrecy is a myth. Eventually, extreme environmental groups, vehemently opposed to pollution, exposed some information.

However, they lacked specific data and could only voice general complaints, such as, “The hydraulic fracturing [fracking] technique used for shale drilling has these and those problems.” The government could simply deny using hydraulic fracturing, but it was a top national secret, preventing easy disclosure.

Imagine:

“We are developing a groundbreaking technology in an environmentally responsible way that will allow us to perfectly control the world situation, so please be quiet.” You can’t say that.

“That’s right.”

Bush had just received a report detailing the escalating environmentalist protests. This was a consequence of people’s improved living standards. Otherwise, environmental concerns wouldn’t surface. It was no accident that the Kyoto Protocol [an international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions] was seen as a ladder kicked away from developing countries by developed nations. When life is a struggle, the environment fades from view. If you’re consumed with survival, will you notice the beauty of nature?

Frankly, even when looking at a tree, the thought isn’t, “That tree is green,” but rather, “That tree is worth about $1,000.” However, the President didn’t intend to make their lives harder; he reassured himself that he was making America a better place to live.

Kim Kap-hwan was a typical example of someone whose life was difficult, so he wasn’t particularly interested in environmental protection, but that didn’t mean he was completely indifferent. If a factory illegally dumped wastewater into the river, he would certainly curse them.

But as the saying goes, the scenery changes when the place changes? Once he became president, environmental protection became an obstacle to national development. The most crucial aspect of national management is the budget, and where does the budget come from? Taxes. For taxes to be collected, businesses must thrive, but if environmental protection hinders business prosperity, the result is a lack of tax revenue. Consequently, national projects cannot proceed due to ‘environmental protection’.

Bush was aware that this line of reasoning was flawed. Neglecting nature might yield short-term gains, but the long-term consequences would be dire. For example, wastewater-polluted water cannot be used for drinking, creating a vicious cycle where more money must be invested to make it potable.

Still, it was a shame. Nevertheless, Bush recognized the importance of environmental protection, so he gathered all the oil refining and drilling companies and, with a veiled military threat, urged them to develop gas fracturing instead of hydraulic fracturing, right?

“Still, isn’t this a bit much?”

“It has definitely increased significantly compared to the previous year.”

Ecology in the 20th century was often extreme. Anti-development sentiments were widespread. How extreme? Some even advocated abandoning civilization and returning to nature. The 21st century has seen some improvement, with development and compromise coexisting.

“…”

“Don’t you have any positive news besides these depressing updates?”

“The Human Genome Project is nearing completion.”

Bush almost blurted out, “Already?” but stopped himself. The Human Genome Project was initially scheduled to conclude in 2003, but additional funding had been allocated mid-project. Investing a substantial budget for a few months was insignificant.

Of course, money isn’t a universal solution, but the Human Genome Project, which began in 1990 and was slated to end in 2004 with support from a private corporation called Celera Genomics, was already benefiting from the dedication of passionate researchers. Injecting more funds into such an environment naturally accelerated its completion.

“This is good news. So, do you have any other news that can make my heart sing even more?”

“The electromagnetic catapult you ordered last time is almost finished.”

“That’s too fast?”

This was genuinely too fast. The electromagnetic catapult was a cutting-edge system intended for the General R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, scheduled to begin construction 10 years later. He couldn’t help but be taken aback, expecting to see it around the midpoint of his term.

“Well, isn’t it natural that it will be completed if you pour tens of billions of dollars into developing new weapons? It seems it can be installed for the first time on the George H.W. Bush, a Nimitz-class carrier currently being designed.”

The George H.W. Bush, initially planned for laying down in 2003, was now scheduled to begin in October 2002, slightly ahead of schedule. Originally, there was a plan to build another carrier in addition to the George H.W. Bush-class, but Bush changed his mind midway.

Instead of using the existing, older Nimitz-class design, he decided to adopt the next-generation design with the George H.W. Bush-class as the last. To put it bluntly, it was a patch; to put it nicely, it was the final Nimitz-class. Above all, budget allocation was uneven due to the Arsenal Ship [a proposed heavily armed missile platform], which was currently being designed with Bush’s strong support.

You might wonder how the budget could be unevenly distributed despite being overflowing, but it was because he was investing an enormous amount of money in the Arsenal Ship. This led to numerous complaints. “That missile pig will be the only stain on the Bush administration.” Or, “Does our country really need a firepower platform? Rather, build another Aegis ship [a guided missile destroyer/cruiser] or carrier fleet.” Experts voiced all sorts of concerns.

This single issue caused significant complications within the Navy. From simple internal power struggles to serious debates about future strategies, discussions of all kinds were taking place. Problems that would normally be resolved through simple political maneuvering had escalated, with the Arsenal Ship becoming a major dividing line.

Even within the Navy, though still in the design phase like in the 20th century, the Arsenal Ship already had a nickname: Discord. True to its name, it possessed the uncanny ability to turn 20-year friends into enemies overnight.

The Navy’s view of the Arsenal Ship was largely split. Those with a negative view saw it as a complete white elephant. It was an outdated concept from an era when missile omnipotence was believed, yet it cost a fortune to build. Furthermore, it required operational support similar to an aircraft carrier, but if it exploded, it would sink the surrounding fleet.

Those with a positive view argued that it wasn’t particularly dangerous because, once battle commenced, all the missiles would be launched at once, making it no different from a supply ship. Bush shared this perception, which greatly strengthened the positive side’s argument. Above all, the President held military power, and the Arsenal Ship’s introduction was virtually guaranteed, so they had to quickly adapt the current strategy to accommodate it.

“The defense side is still worth listening to.”

Unlike other areas, he felt good because the defense side largely aligned with Bush’s intentions. Other policies required significant manipulation to achieve the desired results, but in defense, everything flowed in the direction Bush wanted.

‘Is it because the results are intuitive?’

Bush was human, so he appreciated the sense of accomplishment. Seeing results motivated him further. Of course, excessive motivation leading to poor outcomes would be problematic.

“Speaking of which, how are the other weapons programs progressing?”

“First of all, we focused on reviving the M8 Buford, a project that had already been canceled once.”

Since it was canceled in 1997, restarting it took time. It required recalling the original developers, refreshing their memories, and consolidating the relevant data. The most challenging aspect was recalling the people, as they wouldn’t simply return upon request. Some had even retired from active service.

“As you know, the RAH-66 Comanche [a stealth armed reconnaissance helicopter] development is nearly complete. However, there’s an opinion that the reconnaissance operation method should be slightly modified. Drones are cheaper and safer.”

However, even if drones were considered, the Comanche helicopter’s stealth capabilities were exceptional. Even if the Comanche project were canceled, the stealth technology would remain. To put it bluntly, unmanned equipment could replace people in the Comanche, leading to the development of an unmanned Comanche helicopter.

“There’s a problem with the XM2001 Crusader [a self-propelled howitzer].”

“Why?”

“It’s not a technical problem, but an operational one, similar to the Arsenal Ship. As you know, with our battlefield expanding globally, it’s a bit heavy to load this onto a C-130 [a military transport aircraft] or C-17 [another military transport aircraft]. Even if you do, it’s only about one unit.”

“Then just make more C-17s.”

The Secretary-General was momentarily speechless at the seemingly obvious answer.

“To be honest, I hadn’t considered that.”

“We’re not some other country. Just make them. Anyway, the C-130 is a very old design from right after World War II. Isn’t it time for the C-17 to replace the C-130?”

On this day, all employees working at the C-17 production plant began working overtime without leaving.