The world is in its best place ever, we have the ability to
solve all of our problems globally, if we would only agree that peace offers
power, and that the meek have the same rights as the powerful.
Fat chance, huh.
Then let’s answer this…are humans interested in continuing
for millions of years into the future, or are we set on creating short term
success and profit for a few, with our world ending in rubble and waste, dying
because of our greed and avarice? Ok, time to cut to the chase… Humans are
capable of brilliant things, and if we work together we can make the world much
more peaceful, and much more successful for all of us. But it will require
change and sacrifice for it to work.
And if we don’t, if we follow the angry lead of power
seeking administrations…we will fail.
Here are a few ideas that we need to consider, and perhaps
take up as our challenge.
1.
Is it more important to solve short term or long
term problems?
a.
What is short term?
i.
Short term is the immediate future…tomorrow out
to say…25 years. This is the range that would affect the current generation as
they grow to adulthood. It would also include the process of infrastructure
renewal. Roads, airports, city centers…maintained and renewed.
b.
What is long term?
i.
Long term is about future generations. Planting
trees to shade those 100 years from now.
ii.
Long term means creating a plan for the
engagement of 100% renewable resources to fuel and drive our planet. Not a
foolish plan calling for mysterious new tools, though those will be invented,
but strong solution sets for bringing Solar, Wind, and Geothermal online in a
way that will meet our needs, while engaging Green-building plans that will
reduce our expenditure of energy.
iii.
It means reclaiming wasted resources from scrap
and trash piles the world over, and engaging manpower and technology planet
wide in a process that will make a safe and meaningful existence for all.
2.
Do power politics need to exist?
a.
Power and force have been at the heart of our
civilizations since we first banded together. Humanistic society is a new thing…but
its roots can be found in every religion. We like to say that power is “Human Nature”
… but that isn’t the fact…the fact is that social pressure can change the very
nature of society…and we can push the power thing back for the betterment of
mankind.
b.
Greed is part of this power thing…it is also
part of us, but it is also part that we can separate as well. What if we
reestablished the concept of tithing? Each of us would give 10% of his or her
earnings to the community…a flat tax given willingly to run the nation around
us. That would be everyone, all Americans kicking in to make our nation work.
And then, on top of that we place state and local taxes to keep those
communities running…say a total of 15% for each of us…from the 1%ers on down.
c.
The power and greed would be reduced, those with
fortunes would still have fortunes but they would be paying their fair part,
and the American Dream would expand to become a Global Dream…with healthy living
conditions being realized everywhere, and good jobs…even careers being offered
for all to engage in as each modeled their future in their own way.
Do Power Politics need to exist, no…rational politics need
to exist…and reasonable regulations and laws need to be approved, engaged, and
enforced. And equality needs to be a
part of our future, just as freedom and liberty are promoted today. Liberty,
Equality, and Freedom must be made the Standard for us all.
3.
Who should control our nation?
a.
Just as we view it today, our citizens should be
the driving force in success of our nation, and that should be a proven model
for all nations to strive for…and one day our planet may achieve this type of
governance as well.
b.
Money needs to be removed from our politics. The
USA needs to be citizen driven, not corporate driven…and the rights of massive
international organizations should always be subordinate to those of our
citizens…the individual men and women who make up this great society.
c.
All ‘men’ should have an even voice. Oh, I
realize that there are those who are smarter, true genius material…and they may
see the future with a clearer understanding than most. But they should be
allowed to rise to provide public service and to guide our civilization to a
better place, not Rule us with their iron will…and crush us with their iron
fist. We need leaders who can solve problems, engage in debate, and engage compromise
to realize growth.
Our nation should be controlled by women and men who have
the ability to see the big picture, and to craft laws that will offer us all
meaningful lives within a good, stable society. Our model should set an example
for other nations to approve of, and adopt, as it fits their culture and needs.
If our compass is true, then others will follow in our steps.
Have we ever solved a global issue without war?
Yes, we have…but we have not done it on a regular basis…and the
power and greed that runs rampant in our economic structures today are
preventing us from acting to solve the long term issues ahead.
Globally we addressed a major issue as recently as the 1970s when we discovered a hole in the Ozone Layer above Antarctica. This discovery provoked an unprecedented international response and was the catalyst for the Montreal Protocol (MP), the most successful environmental convention yet held. We were dumping chlorofluorocarbons
(CFC) into the atmosphere, along with a host of other pollutants,
that were destroying our atmosphere. Global action to stop the release of CFCs was taken and we eliminated this industrial waste in a way that solved the problem.
Had we failed the world would have suffered massive
casualties, and our way of life would have been altered...all because man was
polluting and the earth was suffering. This modern age plague was all by our
hands, and we had to stop using a full range of CFC chemicals to restore health
to the ozone layer. And recent research has demonstrated that the fix provided
for a global success.
The work of Susan Solomon at MIT has
found multiple lines of evidence for the healing of the ozone hole above
Antarctica. By collecting data to measure the size and depth of the layer (or
lack of one) Solomon’s team has demonstrated that the hole, beginning in August
and generally peaking in October is not eclipsing the
12-million-square-kilometer threshold (reference set) until later in the
southern spring, which indicates that the September hole is shrinking. In fact,
the researchers believe the ozone hole has shrunk by more than 4 million square
kilometers. Furthermore, the hole is not as deep as it used to be.
There is a direct correlation here…human pollution damaged the
ozone layer and was placing millions of lives in danger. Today we know that our
GHG emissions are placing the planet in danger…with hundreds of millions of
lives on the line. We have the ability to solve this human made issue…and
others, like clean water and air, healthy agricultural programs that will
increase our food supply…a supply that could be distributed to feed the world
now…not if the future, but now if it were not for power and greed.
If it is our goal, as a planetary society, to continue for
millions of years…improving as we go…then we need to put power and greed aside.
We need to harness man’s ability to find solutions and to spread the wealth out
to all in a truly sustainable way, meeting short term needs through meaningful
local programs, but also planning for and implementing long term programs that
will heal the planet today and make our world even more amazing for future
generations.
The first step… sideline power and greed for the good of all of
us. Create governments that properly govern for the people that they serve, not
for themselves. Take money out of the government process…by eliminating
bribe-based funding and corporate influence.
