Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Hard times for the American Republic?
In Democracy in America (1835, 1840) Alexis de Toqueville wrote that 'The American Republic will endure, until politicians realize they can bribe the people with their own money.' To me, his prescient analysis seems to be on the mark except that we are now being bribed not with our own money but, even more insidiously, with the money of our grandchildren. We don't need an 'economic stimulus' based on inter-generational theft. If our grand American experiment is to flourish we need a fundamental rethinking of the nature and purpose of economic activity (see e.g., Russell Roberts' "Radical Re-Imagining of the Tax System").
The nonsensical belief, championed by the rhetoric and policies of an almost entirely malignant Reagan administration and its ideological successors, that unbridled selfish and greed are somehow good for America has run its inevitable course. Reaganomics has been an abject failure. It is time to move on to something wiser, more humane, more equitable and just. What we need is truly progressive tax policies where the wealthy, who have reaped more than their share of economic benefits, pay more than their share of taxes. As Marx, influenced by Jefferson, succinctly put it, "From each according to ability, to each according to need."
But, the neo-con trickler-downers will certainly splutter, this is a redistribution of wealth! It smacks of socialism! Guess what? We redistribute wealth now but in a reverse-Robin-Hood fashion, with regressive taxes stealing from the poor and giving to the rich in the form of corporate welfare and tax subsidies. Wealth inequalities in the United States continue to increase (see comparative Gini coefficients graphic). The resulting social, health, and enviornmental costs are well documented.
Our current economic situation is not some mere and routine down phase of a benign business cycle. It is a symptom of tragically broken system based on fundamentally flawed premises. There will be no recovery until we align our economic rules with ecological realities. There is no free lunch. We will soon exhaust the fossil fuels that drive our agricultural and economic engines. Human population has reach, and indeed far surpassed, sustainable levels. Put this point somewhat crassly, our prevailing global economic system is relentlessly converting earth's diverse and life sustaining biomass to babies. Why? Simply because a growing global population serves the short-term self-interest of those with the most by assuring a ready supply cheap labor and an expanding market for 'cheap-but-profitable plastic crap that no one needs.'
Labels: Introspection, Politics
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Crisis = Danger + Opportunity?
In an earlier post, I had briefly advocated reorganizing Minnesota governance along watershed lines. Given our looming budget crisis, it seemed that it might be timely to expand a bit on this idea so I drafted a 10-page 'white paper' and (perhaps a bit presumptuously) sent it along to Governor Pawlenty and the leadership of relevant committees in both houses. My goal in writing this piece was to broaden our dialogue a bit and to use the 'opportunity' provided by our current financial woes to catalyze a transition to a truly sustainable Green Economy.
Curious? Here is an Adobe pdf copy of my proposal entitled "Creating Opportunity in a Financial Crisis: Simplifying Natural Resource Management in Minnesota." Please download it and pass it along to anyone you think might be interested. [Cross posted to Waterblog].
Curious? Here is an Adobe pdf copy of my proposal entitled "Creating Opportunity in a Financial Crisis: Simplifying Natural Resource Management in Minnesota." Please download it and pass it along to anyone you think might be interested. [Cross posted to Waterblog].
Labels: Biocentrism, Politics
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Election Maps
Check this out for a very cool geographical analysis of presidential election results -- I remember this site from previous elections and it is very interesting to compare the 2004 map (upper) with the 2008 image (lower). These images show results by county on a spectrum the bluest of Democratic counties to the reddest of Republicans. What is most interesting however are the various intermediate shades of purple -- the subtlety of the purpling and the overall stability of the pattern.
Labels: Politics
I suppose it is simply gloating...
...but I couldn't resist the temptation to post the following over at Worldnet Daily (aka Wingnut Daily):
My sincere condolences: GOP RIP
I truly feel sorry for all of you willfully ignorant folks out there who somehow believed that a majority of Americans would fall for more fear-mongering by venom spewing neo-cons and the theocrats they have so thoroughly duped. Have you learned nothing from the last eight years?
McCain might have had a prayer by playing to the center, but when he desperately picked culture-warrior Palin from the far right fringe he was DONE! The American people have spoken convincingly and it will take your beloved GOP decades to regain any shred of credibility.
President-elect Obama has graciously invited you to paricipate a in civil dialogue directed toward addressing the serious challenges facing this nation and the world. Whether you choose to join in or to splutter more delusional absurdities is up to each of you individually (though it appears FAUX NEWS and many of your your other "spokespeople" have already selected the second option).
As to gloating, I really won't be able to celebrate fully unless:
(57) Merkley edges Smith in Oregon -- (10 pm 5 Nov update: one down!)
(58) Begich wins in Alaska and/or Stevens resigns! (13 November update: two down!)
(59) Martin ousts Chambliss in a Georgia run-off -- (coming to GA 2 December!)
(60) Franken beats Coleman in a Minnesota recount -- (and here's a twist as of 6 Nov!)
I figure the full celebration really begins in December (or January)!
My sincere condolences: GOP RIP
I truly feel sorry for all of you willfully ignorant folks out there who somehow believed that a majority of Americans would fall for more fear-mongering by venom spewing neo-cons and the theocrats they have so thoroughly duped. Have you learned nothing from the last eight years?
McCain might have had a prayer by playing to the center, but when he desperately picked culture-warrior Palin from the far right fringe he was DONE! The American people have spoken convincingly and it will take your beloved GOP decades to regain any shred of credibility.
President-elect Obama has graciously invited you to paricipate a in civil dialogue directed toward addressing the serious challenges facing this nation and the world. Whether you choose to join in or to splutter more delusional absurdities is up to each of you individually (though it appears FAUX NEWS and many of your your other "spokespeople" have already selected the second option).
As to gloating, I really won't be able to celebrate fully unless:
(57) Merkley edges Smith in Oregon -- (10 pm 5 Nov update: one down!)
(58) Begich wins in Alaska and/or Stevens resigns! (13 November update: two down!)
(59) Martin ousts Chambliss in a Georgia run-off -- (coming to GA 2 December!)
(60) Franken beats Coleman in a Minnesota recount -- (and here's a twist as of 6 Nov!)
I figure the full celebration really begins in December (or January)!
Labels: Politics
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Obama's Birth Certificate
The Swift-Boating wingnuts are at it again, claiming Barak Obama's is not an American citizen. He is.
Labels: Politics
Monday, October 06, 2008
McCain in March 2008: "I am always against more regulation"
Old enough to remember John McCain's role in the Keating 5 and the S & L bailout? If not, this "documentary" (admittedly from the Obama campaign) provides an overview. If Americans have any sense of history and couple it with a bit of intellectual integrity this reminder of "business as usual" should pretty much finish off those desperate McCain-Palin pseudo-mavericks.
Labels: Politics
Pro-life? Catholic?
Read this...finally some well-intended but ideologically constrained folks are beginning to understand that the best way to reduce the number of abortions is to reduce the need for abortions. Obama and Biden understand this, McCain and Palin clearly do not...
Labels: Politics
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Palin Crams for Exams
As a teacher, I am always a bit bemused by students who attempt to cram for an exam. They come to my door a day before wondering "what is on the test" and how they should prepare. Because they have not made the effort needed to develop a coherent understanding of the material, they are justifiably afraid that they will not be able to regurgitate the requisite disconnected factoids Most often these are students who seldom show up for class and/or stare blankly into space when they do. Finally, when the scores are posted they complain that they were up all night studying and still only managed a charitable D. When they come to wheedle and whine, it usually becomes painfully apparent that they are lazy pretenders with a strong sense of entitlement.
On the other end of the spectrum are the legitimate students -- those who actually read the assigned material, show up every day, ask pertinent questions in class. With minimal anxiety they typically get As and Bs without all night study session. More importantly, they have a real understanding of the material and can evaluate evidence and even extend plausible conjectures in the face of uncertainty and complexity. They can think and speak for themselves. They can participate in an unscripted dialogue. Such students are a great joy to be around and frankly are the one's that make teaching worthwhile.
Watching Palin try to "cram" over the past few weeks makes it painfully apparent that she is, and apparently alway has been, that first kind of pseudo-student. She believes she doesn't need to learn because in her experience she has always been able to fake her way along the path of least reistance. She can read from a teleprompter. She 'knows what she knows' even in the face of overwhelming counter-evidence (as evidenced by her take on evolution) and when called on her willful ignorance (or flat-out lying) she claims she is being persecuted by a maliciously liberal media. Rick Davis, lobbyist-turned-McCain-campaign-manager thinks Sarah is entitled to deference and she apparently agrees. Sorry Sarah, but this has nothing to do with liberal or conservative and everything to do with a lack of real preparation on your part.
If Palin had any significant understanding of foreign policy, economic policy, science policy, energy policy, educational policy, tax policy, fiscal policy, environmental policy...something, anything...you would think it might be evidenced by an ability to talk about 'it' -- whatever 'it' might be. Her continued silence and deer-in-the-headlights look is exactly that of the ill-prepared student facing a big exam. Her handlers are hoping that cramming can get her through her big exam (VP debate) but it is clear that she is a complete sham. She will not talk about her ideas precisely because does not have any (Her fallacious "I stopped the bridge to nowhere" and her vacuous "drill, baby, drill" chants don't count). Note: for her neo-con handlers and backers, her vacuity is apparently a virtue.
We all know many of these pseudo-students (indeed, to varying degrees, most of us were these pseudo-students) and in truth they can be fun to be around most of the time. They're the folks who encouraged everyone to knock off the studying and head to the game, to check out the new band down at the pub, to watch a favorite re-run of some silly sitcom. Just regular guys and gals -- somebody with whom you would happily have a beer or two. But...not someone you would want as your surgeon, your pilot, or your president.
Think of your best friends, the people you most enjoy hanging out with...nice folks undoubtedly but probably not presidential material. Effective leadership in a complex and dynamic world demands a level of intellectual acumen and uncompromising integrity that few among us possess and that Palin clearly lacks. One would hope that we would select our leaders from the best and brightest among us rather than seeing Bubbahood (or Bubbette-hood?) as a somehow desirable leadership trait.
On the other end of the spectrum are the legitimate students -- those who actually read the assigned material, show up every day, ask pertinent questions in class. With minimal anxiety they typically get As and Bs without all night study session. More importantly, they have a real understanding of the material and can evaluate evidence and even extend plausible conjectures in the face of uncertainty and complexity. They can think and speak for themselves. They can participate in an unscripted dialogue. Such students are a great joy to be around and frankly are the one's that make teaching worthwhile.
Watching Palin try to "cram" over the past few weeks makes it painfully apparent that she is, and apparently alway has been, that first kind of pseudo-student. She believes she doesn't need to learn because in her experience she has always been able to fake her way along the path of least reistance. She can read from a teleprompter. She 'knows what she knows' even in the face of overwhelming counter-evidence (as evidenced by her take on evolution) and when called on her willful ignorance (or flat-out lying) she claims she is being persecuted by a maliciously liberal media. Rick Davis, lobbyist-turned-McCain-campaign-manager thinks Sarah is entitled to deference and she apparently agrees. Sorry Sarah, but this has nothing to do with liberal or conservative and everything to do with a lack of real preparation on your part.
If Palin had any significant understanding of foreign policy, economic policy, science policy, energy policy, educational policy, tax policy, fiscal policy, environmental policy...something, anything...you would think it might be evidenced by an ability to talk about 'it' -- whatever 'it' might be. Her continued silence and deer-in-the-headlights look is exactly that of the ill-prepared student facing a big exam. Her handlers are hoping that cramming can get her through her big exam (VP debate) but it is clear that she is a complete sham. She will not talk about her ideas precisely because does not have any (Her fallacious "I stopped the bridge to nowhere" and her vacuous "drill, baby, drill" chants don't count). Note: for her neo-con handlers and backers, her vacuity is apparently a virtue.
We all know many of these pseudo-students (indeed, to varying degrees, most of us were these pseudo-students) and in truth they can be fun to be around most of the time. They're the folks who encouraged everyone to knock off the studying and head to the game, to check out the new band down at the pub, to watch a favorite re-run of some silly sitcom. Just regular guys and gals -- somebody with whom you would happily have a beer or two. But...not someone you would want as your surgeon, your pilot, or your president.
Think of your best friends, the people you most enjoy hanging out with...nice folks undoubtedly but probably not presidential material. Effective leadership in a complex and dynamic world demands a level of intellectual acumen and uncompromising integrity that few among us possess and that Palin clearly lacks. One would hope that we would select our leaders from the best and brightest among us rather than seeing Bubbahood (or Bubbette-hood?) as a somehow desirable leadership trait.
Labels: Politics
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Women Against Sarah Palin
If you haven't seen this site, you should have a look. Pass the link along and encourage other women to add their take on Palin as well.
Labels: Politics
Friday, September 12, 2008
Two Candidates of Change?
I have been bemused (though not surprised) by John McCain's sudden if seemingly oxymoronic attempt to re-cast himself as a "conservative candidate of change." Check any poll -- there is little doubt that the vast majority of Americans concur that the neo-con Bush years have been a disaster economically, a travesty environmentally, and an embarassment internationally. Yes, change is urgently needed. However, McCain's cynical selection of culture warrior Palin as his running mate reminds us that any change necessarily implies a change of direction.
Obama's progressive agenda moves us toward a safer and more just world. His tax reforms appropriately ask those most fortunate among us to bear a larger burden in providing for the common good. His spending plans encourage strategic local investment in the transformative ideas and technologies that promise to revitalize our economy. His social agenda fosters tolerance and mutual respect. Internationally, his emphasis on dialogue among world citizens restores the great American ideal of democracy. His plans for education call for expanded opportunity and emphasize innovation and the value of diverse perspectives. Obama's proposed energy policies mark a real and needed shift away from continued dependence on diminishing and ecologically damaging fossil fuels.
McCain, in stark contrast, adocates 'changes' that are almost entirely regressive and move us away from both justice and security. McCain and Palin call for (1) continued Bushite tax "reform" in which the rich the get richer at an ever faster rate, (2) spending priorities dictated by industry lobbyists and characterized by subsidies to the wealthiest among us, (3) a social agenda that seeks to impose the narrow and ignorant bigotry of a loud religious minority on a pluralistic secular culture, (4) a more belligerently unilateral and bellicose foreign policy in which the capacity to impose our will by force substitutes for the justness of our cause, (4) a move toward voucher-based education in which reality denying theo-con religious extremists use tax money to impose self-righteous certainty in madrasa-style Christian schools, (5) a drill-baby-drill energy plan that can only serve to delay a badly needed shift toward more sustainable sources and technologies.
So perhaps McCain's notion of 'conservative change' is not entirely oxymoronic. Indeed, one is tempted to say that it is merely moronic in the sense that it represents a call to shift back toward 'traditions' of ignorance and superstition, to shift away from richer understanding and higher aspirations. The changes McCain and Palin advocate appeal to all that is worst in us -- to our fears, our selfishness, our insecurities, and our xenophobia. If that is what motivates you, vote McCain-Palin. If you are motivated instead by hope and compassion, if you are part of the reality-based community that finds wonder in new discoveries and celebrates the rich and diverse tapestry of life on earth, then vote Obama-Biden and join in working toward the change we need.
Obama's progressive agenda moves us toward a safer and more just world. His tax reforms appropriately ask those most fortunate among us to bear a larger burden in providing for the common good. His spending plans encourage strategic local investment in the transformative ideas and technologies that promise to revitalize our economy. His social agenda fosters tolerance and mutual respect. Internationally, his emphasis on dialogue among world citizens restores the great American ideal of democracy. His plans for education call for expanded opportunity and emphasize innovation and the value of diverse perspectives. Obama's proposed energy policies mark a real and needed shift away from continued dependence on diminishing and ecologically damaging fossil fuels.
McCain, in stark contrast, adocates 'changes' that are almost entirely regressive and move us away from both justice and security. McCain and Palin call for (1) continued Bushite tax "reform" in which the rich the get richer at an ever faster rate, (2) spending priorities dictated by industry lobbyists and characterized by subsidies to the wealthiest among us, (3) a social agenda that seeks to impose the narrow and ignorant bigotry of a loud religious minority on a pluralistic secular culture, (4) a more belligerently unilateral and bellicose foreign policy in which the capacity to impose our will by force substitutes for the justness of our cause, (4) a move toward voucher-based education in which reality denying theo-con religious extremists use tax money to impose self-righteous certainty in madrasa-style Christian schools, (5) a drill-baby-drill energy plan that can only serve to delay a badly needed shift toward more sustainable sources and technologies.
So perhaps McCain's notion of 'conservative change' is not entirely oxymoronic. Indeed, one is tempted to say that it is merely moronic in the sense that it represents a call to shift back toward 'traditions' of ignorance and superstition, to shift away from richer understanding and higher aspirations. The changes McCain and Palin advocate appeal to all that is worst in us -- to our fears, our selfishness, our insecurities, and our xenophobia. If that is what motivates you, vote McCain-Palin. If you are motivated instead by hope and compassion, if you are part of the reality-based community that finds wonder in new discoveries and celebrates the rich and diverse tapestry of life on earth, then vote Obama-Biden and join in working toward the change we need.
Labels: Politics
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