This is brilliant but there is one conceivably fatal flaw - that it completely trashes Biden and the Democrats for 3 paragraphs before finally stating "Obviously the Republicans would be worse—they are arsonists on a burning planet... Obviously Biden’s team includes wonderful people. Obviously they are getting good things done, every day, for which we should be thankful."
There IS an election in November and there are 2 choices and anything that does not encourage people to a. vote and b. vote for Democrats is risking just the very environmental hell we all want to avoid. I'm not saying we can't point out where Biden can do better, but minimizing (or not even acknowledging) the great things the Dems have done, and making them sound incompetent, lazy, weak or blind is shooting ourselves and the planet in the foot. There have been scorching articles all over the press (WAPO, NYT, Heather Cox Richardson, John Boelbert) about this phenomenon of the press, including the progressive press, "rooting against Biden". Bill, you are brilliant and care so much (and apparently we were at HU together?) - I hope you can be part of the solution.
I lived on the Sunshine Coast of BC for 24 years and Earth Day acquired a formalism that turned me off: same t-shirts were up for sale, same Permaculture courses, same hawking to join this or that organization, same tired Earth Day Everyday slogans. It reminded me of the time when, as a kid, we had to make up suitable sins for confession so that we could be absolved without much damage. Usually, two or three Hail Marys were prescribed to wash away these made-up sins, along with a promise to be good the following week.
I'm not advocating being flippant about the state of the planet. No: I am saying that we have to recognize when a good thing has served its purpose and be prepared to retire it, instead of dragging it out into meaninglessness. Every good thing should celebrate its beginning as well as its end.
This is brilliant but there is one conceivably fatal flaw - that it completely trashes Biden and the Democrats for 3 paragraphs before finally stating "Obviously the Republicans would be worse—they are arsonists on a burning planet... Obviously Biden’s team includes wonderful people. Obviously they are getting good things done, every day, for which we should be thankful."
There IS an election in November and there are 2 choices and anything that does not encourage people to a. vote and b. vote for Democrats is risking just the very environmental hell we all want to avoid. I'm not saying we can't point out where Biden can do better, but minimizing (or not even acknowledging) the great things the Dems have done, and making them sound incompetent, lazy, weak or blind is shooting ourselves and the planet in the foot. There have been scorching articles all over the press (WAPO, NYT, Heather Cox Richardson, John Boelbert) about this phenomenon of the press, including the progressive press, "rooting against Biden". Bill, you are brilliant and care so much (and apparently we were at HU together?) - I hope you can be part of the solution.
I lived on the Sunshine Coast of BC for 24 years and Earth Day acquired a formalism that turned me off: same t-shirts were up for sale, same Permaculture courses, same hawking to join this or that organization, same tired Earth Day Everyday slogans. It reminded me of the time when, as a kid, we had to make up suitable sins for confession so that we could be absolved without much damage. Usually, two or three Hail Marys were prescribed to wash away these made-up sins, along with a promise to be good the following week.
I'm not advocating being flippant about the state of the planet. No: I am saying that we have to recognize when a good thing has served its purpose and be prepared to retire it, instead of dragging it out into meaninglessness. Every good thing should celebrate its beginning as well as its end.