To the editor:

This country is in an interesting dilemma. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming a common practice. For example, in modern cars if you are approaching another car too fast, the AI will sound visual and audio alarms, even slow you down automatically in some. That is intelligence that the driver might not be employing because he is too distracted or hurried.

Government could use some AI. Our politicians are distracted because their human intelligence is so popular. In Minneapolis last year there were 650 car jackings. People are reluctant to drive downtown. Crime throughout the area has grown like grass in the rainy season. Why? Human intelligence has decided that the police is to blame for the rising crime rate so why not reduce the police numbers and lessen the punishments for crime. Don’t waste time arresting looters although rolling stops still get some attention. Maybe then the criminals will be good little boys and girls.

Another great piece of human intelligence — why not create a commission to evaluate sentencing and control judges to some extent? That too has been done and not surprisingly, sentencing has become lighter allowing criminals a shorter sabbatical. If you want to create problems, create a bureaucracy to control a situation.

What about education? Under Carter, the Department of Education was created. Since that happened money keeps pouring into that department. This year, the proposed budget is almost 30% greater with the familiar belief that you can solve problems by spending more, much of which winds up in the pocket books of the education community. At the same time Biden is not increasing money to charter schools, just increasing the red tape and cost to start up charter schools that so many parents, especially in minority communities crave. Charter schools don’t have unionized teachers so Biden is job security for the teacher’s union and profits in campaign money. Biden has an abundance of human intelligence. I bet you thought schools were all about students.

Human intelligence is great because the lobbying is much easier. Instead of 50 states and an enormous number of school districts to lobby one can focus on one party, one president and one bureaucracy.

So, crime and education are two good examples of how ineffective our human intelligence is. Our political system is a sponge for taxpayer’s money. Not necessarily one that helps America. Crime is out of control and exceeding all previous numbers. Our educational system shows every year a lack of significant progress. In Chicago the mayor is having a very hard time getting teachers back in the class rooms. But to make it look good many schools are making the standards lower so what once was a B is now an A. Results? Higher cost and less prepared students.

Our goal should be to use artificial intelligence for government since human intelligence has been lost by the temptation of power. Imagine a government not distracted by buying votes, printing trillions of dollars, and a power game for the parties. No doubt our debt would disappear, our taxes diminish and our country soar.

John Benedict

Cape Coral