Conservatives always say they are trying to reduce our taxes, so they always want to invest in the short term tax reduction, ensuring we pay even more later.
2. Saying no to expanding our road network.
Now, there is an example of an expensive inneficient tax funded way to move people.
3. What I want the electorate to understand. (see topic #1)
4. How the current municipal tax system works against us.
The most regressive tax we know. The amount paid has no relationship to the cost of providing the service nor to the individual's ability to pay. No wonder people get upset and demand a tax freeze! If only they could realize that a tax freeze is the best way to guarantee that we pay higher taxes in the long term.
5. Has capitalism has served its purpose? Is it time to move on to something better?
Yes, it has fostered competition, which can encourage efficiency. However, these benefits are being outweighed by the relentless pursuit of thoughtless over-consumption. We are drowning in our own excess. Such consumption is unsustainable.
6. How to explain that caring for others in society is in our collective best interest.
Do I really have to explain this?
7. Why we need to aspire to enjoy life with less, not more.
I am finding that as I have less, I appreciate what I do have more.
8. For the last time, let’s debunk the climate change skeptics.
Why are their virtually no peer reviewed articles published by the "skeptics"? Yes, there is debate about aspects of climate change intensity, and possible effects, but to suggest that humans have nothing to do with it? How can one possibly argue that it is worth risking taking no action?
9. An introduction to the articles. What they are and why I want to write them.
I guess I am doing that now.
10. Climate Change – The consequences of getting our response wrong.
In a word - Disastrous.
11. Unnecessary greed, consumption and waste.
The consumption of those in the developed nations is staggering.
12. How Personal greed narrows our focus and reduces our sense of vision.
You fail to appreciate what is right in front of you if all you are focused on is consuming and acquiring more.
13. When we can’t see the big picture, we can’t connect the dots.
So often we fail to recognize that there are consequences for every decision we make. We nickel and dime our social services to save a few bucks and wonder why our police budgets keep escalating. Having to call the police is a symptom of the failure of our social system. They are the high priced help who come in to clean up our mess.
14. A failure to invest in prevention leads to the need to spend more on the higher priced solutions.
For now, as above.
15. Capitalism: How it has served us well. Why it is time to move on.
I guess I already touched on this in #5
16. We know how to do things better. Why don’t we?
Once I again, because of our failure to think and act long term. It is one of the deficiencies of democracy. (Nothing against democracy, it isn't perfect, but so far it is the best we have come up with.) However, if this is a democracy, I want to do what I can to convince more and more people to THINK LONG TERM!
17. Am I dreaming to think that we can fix this?
I hope not.
18. A relentless pursuit of a greed driven market focused belief in the ability of our economy to continually expand is leading to the destruction of civilization.
Now, there is an angry rant. However, even with quiet reflection, I believe it to be true. If capitalism does "suceed" in getting all of us to consume more, and more, it will collapse.
19. Is it possible to persuade someone who believes that only capitalism can solve our problems to believe otherwise? If so, what are ways that have been discovered that work?
I don't know, but I'm going to try.
20. Perjorative bombast in political writing turns me off. I don’t like to be insulted. Explain it to me and own your bias. Don’t preach to me.
I wrote that and then thought, "But, am I preaching?"
21. My life as my vocation.
Nice thought. I'm doing what I can to do my bit this time around.
22. Am I alone in these thoughts, or do others have similar concerns?
Writing and publishing is one way to find out.
23. How does society truly capture the full cost of its consumption?
That is something I want to learn a lot more about. Capitalism is all about getting someone else to pay for your external costs. We need to put a stop to it.
24. A conversation with my Mother – The Merits of multiculturalism.
25. A province wide transit card. An idea worth exploring.
26. What impact are the climate change skeptics having on the debate?
27. Driving to a community meeting to complain about traffic congestion: and other stories.
This is a funny story. I meet over 500 people at a community meeting who drove to complain about traffic congestion. Go figure!
28. What I do not like about car advertisements.
Zoom Zoom. What a mentality.
29. The need for every person, organization, and level of government to have a strong environmental vision.
30. Why we must challenge any increase in transit fares.
I thought transit was the most efficient way to move large numbers of people?
31. What I do not like about blockbuster movies.
Billions of dollars spent for an adrenalin rush? There must be a better way to invest our resources!
32. What I do not like about marketing
Consume more, don't contemplate the consequences.
.
33. Every public meeting should be required to plan for and provide details of transit access.
Such a simple step. Why don't they?
34. What is the true extent of the subsidy of our road network? What does society pay for roads versus the revenue collected?
I really want to know the answer to this one.
35. The vision of every social service organization should be to put itself out of business.
36. If we recognize that travel by automobile is the least efficient way to travel, why do we continue to invest in expanding the road network?
37. The western world is over compensated for what it does. It leads to over consumption.
38. We need limits on air travel.
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