Bob Morris @ May 11th 2007 19:25 - Category: Climate change ;
Meanwhile, the US and Canadian governments want to dilute a declaration about global warming at the upcoming G8 conference so they don’t actually have to do anything. None are so blind as those who refuse to see.
Bob Morris @ May 11th 2007 08:08 - Category: Anti-war ;
Bush will be speaking at the commencement ceremony of the Coast Guard Academy at Tampa St. & Mohegan Ave. in New London on Wednesday May 23rd. Join students, soldiers and veterans, military families, impeachment and antiwar activists outside the main gate of the US Coast Guard Academy to protest Bush’s visit.
Initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition. Co-sponsors include: Cape Cod and Island Peace Communities; Colombia Action - CT; Connecticut Coalition for Peace/New Haven; Danbury Peace Coalition; Efficacy; Kennebunk PEACE Department; National Lawyers Guild - CT; Veterans for Peace - Ridgefield; People of Faith CT; Queers Without Borders; Unidad Latina en Acción.
Visit ANSWERCT.org for flyers, logistical info, map, and updates.
Bob Morris @ May 11th 2007 00:23 - Category: Brave New War ;
In Brave New War, John Robb details how nation-states are becoming “hollowed out”, with their resources, money and energy being diverted into unwinnable conflicts and turmoil. He sees nation-states becoming vastly more decentralized as they are forced to adapt to cope with open source warfare attacks, transnational gangs, as well as the vast and unstoppable spread of technology and ideas by the Internet. To cope and thrive in a decentralized world, you need to become decentralized yourself.
There’s another decentralization of power happening too and that’s in electrical power generation. Global warming is forcing a switch to renewable sources, and that will mean a multitude of smaller generating sites using a variety of methods; solar, geothermal, wave, whatever. If a township (or Wal-Mart) is generating all their power renewably, they then become way less beholden to a central government.
So where does this leave the Left? Much of the political philosophy of the Left, whether it be liberal or socialist, posits a strong central government that can mandate and enforce control over the markets. In a decentralized world, much of that state power will be eroded. So, if you’re communist you presumably want a government that controls and manages the economy. But that can’t happen in a decentralized world.
Nor will such a world lead to increased predatory capitalism, because much of the power of the ruling class comes from their collusion with and power over the central government. If the power of the central government slips so will their power. Controlling one central entity is far easier than controlling a multitude of smaller ones.
This hollowing out doesn’t just happen in capitalist countries either. China is having severe problems managing their country. Worker revolts are on the rise, the pollution in some cities is beyond toxic, corruption is rampant. Their elite class used to completely control the economy, and it’s obvious that they no longer do. (That this at least nominally communist government now has a ruling class is a subject for another post.)
The US government response to Hurricane Katrina and the recent Kansas tornadoes definitively shows that this hollowed out government can no longer help its own citizens. That racism was certainly part of the lack of response to Katrina, it certainly wasn’t a factor in Kansas, which is overwhelmingly White. The sad truth is, the US government is so bogged down with foreign wars that it is unable to assist its own citizens in need.
So what will the response of the Left be to a newly decentralized world? We need to start thinking about it now.
Bob Morris @ May 11th 2007 00:15 - Category: Unfiled ;
From Wil b’s listserv comes news of an important new movie, The Hip Hop Project.
“The Hip Hop Project” is just one example of how young people can be completely empowered by expressing their pain in their own incredible stories broadcast through music and poetry. Once these young people saw a bleak life with no opportunity or outlets to be heard.
Now…Let the voices be heard. “The Hip Hop Project”
Executive produced by both Queen Latifah and Bruce Willis, 100% of the proceeds will go right back into The Hip Hop Project and their continued outreach to help inspire young people to stand up and be heard.
This is Hiphop giving back and showing the world a new direction…
It opens today.
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