A Fair Deal
Like many observers of the chaos in Washington DC, I am disheartened, disillusioned, disappointed, and discouraged. Why would people run for elected office if they do not want to build up the country? Instead we are seeing people acting according the maxims spelled out by Jared Diamond in his book, Collapse, who explains why societies choose to fail or survive: individuals act in their own interest, which most often leads to destruction and decline. For instance, if you use trees for fuel, it is in your best interest to cut down the forests and use them, even if it results in the destruction of the forest, because if you don't do it, someone else will. The only way to counter destructive practices for the society as a whole is to have enlightened leadership that can see the big picture and understand how and why it is important to save the forests.
It seems that the American political system, namely the Republican Party, has been overtaken by destructive individualists who want to cut down the whole forest now, believing that if they don't, someone else will. Ultimately this will lead to the collapse, or at the very least decline, of American society.
To counter this we need a means and message for promoting what is best for society as a whole. Looking back in American history, we see leaders who did this. Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, had the "square deal" that broke destructive monopolies and degradation of the environment. FDR, a democrat, had the "new deal" that rescued the US from the Great Depression. Even Ronald Reagan, a Republican, when faced with exploding deficits, pushed through tax increases that put the country on the right track. Today we need a "fair deal": end corporate welfare, raise taxes to sustainable and fair levels, protect the social safety net, invest in growth, education, the environment, and the welfare of future generations. We should ask politicians of all parties, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, Greens, etc., to make a "pledge" to support a "fair deal" and move us away from collapse toward success.
It seems that the American political system, namely the Republican Party, has been overtaken by destructive individualists who want to cut down the whole forest now, believing that if they don't, someone else will. Ultimately this will lead to the collapse, or at the very least decline, of American society.
To counter this we need a means and message for promoting what is best for society as a whole. Looking back in American history, we see leaders who did this. Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, had the "square deal" that broke destructive monopolies and degradation of the environment. FDR, a democrat, had the "new deal" that rescued the US from the Great Depression. Even Ronald Reagan, a Republican, when faced with exploding deficits, pushed through tax increases that put the country on the right track. Today we need a "fair deal": end corporate welfare, raise taxes to sustainable and fair levels, protect the social safety net, invest in growth, education, the environment, and the welfare of future generations. We should ask politicians of all parties, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, Greens, etc., to make a "pledge" to support a "fair deal" and move us away from collapse toward success.
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