One Man, One Vote

The electoral College of the United States was one of the compromises made to protect the small States from the large ones when our country was being created.  The electoral college provides one vote for each Senator and one for each Congressman. Thus a very low population State has 3 electoral college votes with under 200,000 people per vote, while a very populous State like California has over 700,000 people per vote. 

This is clearly unfair, and violates the principle of one man one vote, but it was also part of the grand compromise that created the United States. The smaller States of the union will not voluntarily give up their extra clout.  So don't hold your breath waiting for fairness.

States that have only 3 electoral votes, and thus far more influence than their population indicates include: Alaska, Vermont, North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, Wyoming, and Washinton, DC.

It would be an interesting court challenge, demanding fairness with a system that provides one vote per voter, but also very unlikely to succeed, especially with the current compromised Supreme Court.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College

Sometimes, Thing Just Are Not Fair, and  you have to put up with it.

Process to amend the US Consitution
The United States Constitution can be amended through a process outlined in Article V of the Constitution:


Proposing an amendment
Congress can propose an amendment with a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Alternatively, two-thirds of state legislatures can request a convention to propose amendments.


Ratifying an amendment
Three-fourths of state legislatures or three-fourths of state ratifying conventions must ratify the amendment. Congress determines which method the states must follow.


The amendment process is designed to be difficult and time-consuming to prevent arbitrary changes. The Founding Fathers believed that the Constitution's principles and founding document should not be easy to amend.


The Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the first 10 amendments making up the Bill of Rights. The most recent amendment was ratified in 1992.

Annual GDP Growth Rate By Presdent

 

Presidential candidates always tell us how great the economy was or will be under his or her administration. The true numbers above. 

Covid hurt the last year of Trump and the first year of Biden. But neither administration was Economic Nervana.

https://www.investopedia.com/gdp-growth-by-president-8604042

The truth, of course, is that Presidents have minimal impact on the economy. But they don't tell you that, and low information voters believe the guy they like, never mind the facts.

CRISPER - Genetic Engineering

 

CRISPR: Revolutionizing Genetic Engineering

Introduction

CRISPR, short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is a groundbreaking technology that has transformed the field of genetic engineering. Originally discovered in the genomes of bacteria and archaea, CRISPR sequences are part of a natural defense mechanism against viruses. Today, CRISPR-Cas9, a specific application of this technology, is widely used for gene editing, offering unprecedented precision and versatility.

How CRISPR Works

At its core, CRISPR is a method for locating specific sequences of DNA within a cell. The CRISPR-Cas9 system uses a guide RNA to direct the Cas9 enzyme to a precise location on the DNA strand. Once there, Cas9 makes a cut at the targeted site. This cut can then be repaired by the cell’s natural repair mechanisms, often resulting in the introduction of mutations or the insertion of new genetic material12.

Applications of CRISPR

The potential applications of CRISPR are vast and varied:

1. Medical Research and Treatment: CRISPR is being used to develop treatments for genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. It also holds promise for cancer therapy and the prevention of viral infections2.

2. Agriculture: CRISPR can be used to create genetically modified crops that are more resistant to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. This could lead to higher yields and more sustainable farming practices2.

3. Environmental Conservation: Scientists are exploring the use of CRISPR to protect endangered species and control invasive species. For example, gene drives could be used to reduce populations of disease-carrying mosquitoes2.

4. Basic Research: CRISPR is a powerful tool for studying gene function and regulation. By enabling precise modifications to the genome, researchers can better understand the roles of specific genes in health and disease1.

Ethical Considerations

While CRISPR offers tremendous potential, it also raises significant ethical questions. The possibility of editing human embryos, for instance, has sparked debates about the implications for future generations and the potential for unintended consequences. The scientific community is actively discussing guidelines and regulations to ensure responsible use of this technology2.

Conclusion

CRISPR is a revolutionary tool that has opened new frontiers in genetic engineering. Its applications in medicine, agriculture, and environmental conservation hold great promise for improving human health and the world around us. However, as with any powerful technology, it must be used with caution and ethical consideration to ensure that its benefits are realized without unintended harm.

1: Wikipedia 2: New Scientist

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If you have any specific questions about CRISPR or need more details on a particular aspect, feel free to ask!

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This article and illustration was created by the AI program https://copilot.microsoft.com/. Took about a minute.  Took me longer to read it than AI took to write it. And it is taking me far longer to understand it.