Jim Elwell wrote: "I cannot speak for the USMA, but do not think any of the officers of the organization are naive enough to think metrication could happen overnight."
You're not kidding! We in Britain have been trying to metricate since before the Napoleonic wars and we STILL have not fully metricated. However, in our case, it has been more about political expediency to keep certain interest groups happy rather than it being unpopular with the general public. We have accepted petrol in litres, total metrication of packaged goods and DIY products being sold in metric measurements without complaint. It has usually been businesses worried (with little foundation) that a change to metric will affect their profits that has stymied full metrication in the UK as much as anything else. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Elwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 6:41 PM Subject: [USMA:35034] Re: The pitfalls of double conversion. > At 28 October 2005, 02:44 AM, Stephen Humphreys wrote: > >If the USMA policy is to change the whole of the USA overnight, > >state, people, newspapers, TV, to metric then that would be a > >first. It would also be a miracle. > > I cannot speak for the USMA, but do not think any of the officers of > the organization are naive enough to think metrication could happen overnight. > > However, I think the reason for this is important to remember: the > USA is a country where the government does NOT have the power to > control every minute affair, particularly in an economic arena. Even > if enough representatives and congressmen decided to metricate "the > country," they could only do so where they have legal influence. For > example, the could require that Interstate highway signs be changed > to metric, and they could amend the FPLA to require metric first (or > metric only) labels. > > But, there are lots of areas where the Feds have no authority, and > thus could not mandate metrication. Some of these include: any areas > where state governments have authority (e.g., K-12 schools, state > universities an colleges, state roads), any areas not subject to ATF, > FDA or USDA regulation (which leaves a huge segment of the economy), > most of business-to-business activity, etc. > > I am not saying the Feds cannot have a huge impact -- they certainly > can, through two means: (a) as I have often pointed out, the US > Federal Government is the single largest purchaser of goods and > services in the country, and simply metricating itself would provide > a tremendous impetus to the rest of the economy, and (b) Through > fiscal arm-twisting, particularly in areas like schools ("we'll give > you this funding if you agree to metricate"). > > However (and as Stephen points out), on the whole, it is > inconceivable that the USA will metricate overnight. We will continue > to do so in different areas at different rates. I do believe, > however, that we are close to a tipping point here, where metrication > will greatly accelerate. > > Jim > > > > > > Jim Elwell, CAMS > Electrical Engineer > Industrial manufacturing manager > Salt Lake City, Utah, USA > www.qsicorp.com >
