Survey: Who is Responsible for Change?
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11. 5.07
The farm bill. The energy bill. People in Washington are making laws that will profoundly affect the future of our cities, our health and our climate, and yet we see so little interest in them. One codger I know says of people today: "few of them grew up in the generation we did where empowerment to change governance was a common ideal." But whose responsibility is it to affect change, to make things happen?
It is really a triangle between "the people", "the government" and "business". Business and Government do what the majority of the people want. As long as the majority of the people aren't paying attention, they have no reason to change the way they operate. Quick change can be made through legislation and "voting with your money". People started buying organic food in their local supermarkets and Wal-Mart realized their was money to be made, so they put organic food in Sames clubs. When an interest group appears to be a large part of a politicians constituency (or looks like it can influence a large part of that constituency) they start paying attention to it and its issues. Sometimes I feel left out of the national environmental debate because I live in Vermont and Bernie Sanders, Pat Leahy and Peter Welch don't need a lot of encouragement to do the right thing. It sometimes makes me wish I lived in a swing state
As long as we have the vote, we are in charge. The one thing politicians fear more than corporate executives, is losing an election. Unfortunately for us, they have set up the system so it is almost impossible for them to lose an election. We need to unelect people who have made badv votes. That will get their attention and remind them who they work for.
There are some big issues at stake right now. One big one is control of the content of the internet (net neutrality) Should your DSL or cable company be allowed to serve you some content (corporate) faster than other content (nonprofit and competitors)? If the cable companies have their way, your current tv video will come in to your computer looking crappy (if it doesn't time out completely.) Cable companies want you watching THEIR content! As for anti-corporate websites? They will be served so slow, they might as well not exist. TreeHugger video? Only if they pay the cable companies extortion fees. Otherwise it will be slow it will be unwatchable and you will just switch over to the pablum on MTV. Baaa Baaaa
Just because you haven't been hearing about net neutrality lately, that doesn't mean there's nothing going on. Your politicians are hearing plenty about it. Media companies NEED this marketplace limited. They are willing to FUND political parties and campaigns to make it happen. The are NOT going to tell you about it on their tv channel!
WAKE UP, let you politician know that a vote against net neutrality is a career ending move! Or go back to sleep. Whatever.
Of course the majority of people reading Treehugger think that consumers are ultimately responsible for change. But the better question is, "Who has the power to change or keep the status quo in the US?" The answer to that would be big business, because they have designed for themselves a system in which only the wealthy (whether individuals or businesses) can succeed.
There is a little Keanu Reeves in all of us.
Great survey, but you're polling the converted by having it on this site, I'm afraid. I voted just to see the results and I'm frankly disappointed only 68% of the converted at this point of voting (409 votes) thought we were the ones making the difference and driving the bus. Seems like the devil also wears green on some days. :-)