Sustainability - No Nukes is Good Nukes
August 27, 2008
by Robert A. Letcher , 27 August 2008
Utah Phillips died this past May. Fortunately, a lot his insights were written down long before then. I recently recalled one of them in a most unusual setting, which I will describe below, after giving his insight at least the pedigree that it deserves, even if Phillips himself might object to that word appearing in the same sentence as his name. I had heard Charlie King attribute this insight to him more than twenty-five years ago. And, Amy Goodman mentioned it in her memorial commentary: “The long memory is the most radical idea in America.” [For Goodman’s full memorial, see democracynow.org] I recalled it a bit differently, as: a good memory is the best weapon a radical can carry.
I mentioned Phillips’ insight in at a meeting of people who were discussing sustainability after having watched “The Story of Stuff, with Annie Leonard”. After some of the business-types had gone through a few back-and-forths, mentioning recent efforts undertaken by boards they worked with. I think they described some companies moving toward sustainable business practices faster, others moving more slowly, and some hardly moving. Not being very familiar with business-speak, I couldn’t say with confidence, but it seemed that they were empathizing with those boardmembers, agreeing between themselves that those boardmembers faced substantial challenges. Read more
Pendulum or Wrecking Ball - Which is the more apt image for the United States as the 2008 election approaches?
August 20, 2008
by Robert A. Letcher , 20 August 2008
As the U.S. elections draw near, I hear a lot of people optimistically speaking of the current problems manifest in the U.S. (not to mention, the global) political economy as if they were merely annoying perturbations perpetrated upon a set of institutions that are believed, by those who run them, to be largely self-righting. Whether hoping for reasons, or hoping against hope, I often hear people espousing a kind of noble passivity, a waiting until “the pendulum” self-rights, and swings back to “normal”—a state of affairs not equally comfortable for everyone. But, what if the current problems perturb institutions beyond their capacity for self-righting? Then, we would have to re-examine the basic premises upon which those institutions were built. We’d have to challenge the ossified interests reflected in them. And we’d have to re-learn how to have civic dialog on such matters.
Fortunately, as I have been arguing for months in my We! essays, Obama has just the right skills—especially his capacity to inspire—that are most crucial to working on this most difficult challenge. And I wish he would refocus his campaign accordingly. Read more
What has Obama done? - A constructive response to an Obama skeptic’s question posed as if no constructive response were possible
August 13, 2008
by Robert A. Letcher, 13 August 2008
In a brief discussion earlier today, I mentioned to an acquaintance that I was writing an essay about Obama. She asked me a few questions that I read as libertarian leaning. Then I asked her what she thought about Obama, and she replied with that same question I’ve heard and, I suppose, we’ve all heard, so many times: what has Obama done? You know, the kind of question that is really an assertion, in effect, a declaration that Obama hasn’t done enough to qualify for being President.
How does one even begin to reply? Now please don’t let me give you a false impression here. I am completely supportive of Obama’s candidacy. Indeed, I think Obama is the best candidate I’ve ever had opportunity to vote for. Read more
-
Bob's Bail Out Plan by bobl-tlm
-
How Do You Like Deregulation Now? graphic politics by Dicky Neely
