6,947 votes
Complete the job on metrication that Ronald Reagan defunded
The government has failed to take the lead on completing the task of moving the country completely to the SI metric system. George H.W. Bush tried to do something about it, but gave the bureaucrats an easy out. Failure to follow the same measurement standards as the rest of the world is costing US industry something like $1 trillion per year.
GiGaBiTe
This country has been using SI since the country was formed. Switching over from SI to metric overnight would cause mass confusion. There's nothing wrong with the current system, and if this passes, then the next thing would be "those damn Americans are driving on the wrong side of the road" We don't need to fix what isn't broken.
about 1 year ago
arrakis
One good way to start would be for the new commander-in-chief to order the supply arms of the armed forces to procure, say, milk in 2 L containers rather than the usual 1/2 gallon types (they take up the same shelf space). In no time these would be all over the country. There are dozens of other small but far-reaching methods.
about 1 year ago
RichardBronosky
This entire change over could be funded by placing a 12 month moratorium on the renaming of roads, bridges, airports, etc. after politicians. Case in point, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
about 1 year ago
jetli626
Many US engineers would love the chance to jump on the metric bandwagon. It would greatly streamline their work especially when dealing with international customers.
about 1 year ago
rjhancock
I would love the change. Maybe then I could actually figure out distance calculations without working about conversion errors.
about 1 year ago
Totakeke
I agree as well. We need to go metric and we need to do it now. We will be better off as a nation and as a work force.
about 1 year ago
TomFromSeattle
I agree. Of course, Obama risks coming across as another Jimmy Carter, who was such an earnest and thoughtful engineer that people scoffed at him. Is there some way to make metric badass?
about 1 year ago
BillPotts
I'd like to acknowledge the following two rhetorical questions posed by metrication expert Pat Naughtin:
How many businesses have lost orders or contracts because they could not do the job in metric?
How many businesses have not even been approached for quotations or estimates because international businesses automatically assume that businesses in the USA cannot do metric work?
about 1 year ago
usma
The goal of U.S. changeover to the SI metric system of measurement is not new. It was set down at the founding of our Republic, but often delayed due to lack of leadership in Congress, the executive, and industry. The U.S. is now the only nation without a plan to go metric . The time is now for our CTO to advance the process. Neglecting this goal costs the U.S. money and competitiveness.
about 1 year ago