Friday, October 7, 2011

My Idea

   I like the clash of ideas, you already know that about me.  I like Truth and Consequences, presenting what seems like a great idea only to discover the consequences are not so great.  With a discussion the idea is to iron out these problems.  It is not an issue of who is right and who is wrong, but what happens if we did this and what happens if we did that?
   Here is a great example:  Bio-fuel.  Making fuel for our cars from corn oil.  Gosh, it sounds great!  Helps get us away from foreign oil, reduces the need for fossil fuels and we have tons of land upon which to grow corn!  Nice, green corn!  Well, it sounded like a good idea and we did this.  Made it a law even and 10% of our gasoline is now corn based.
   Here is what wasn't considered.  The corn-gas mixture is deadly to lawn mowers and all small gas engines.
Most of our corn for this is grown along the Mississippi River Basin eventually dumping into the Gulf of Mexico.  It takes a huge amount of fossil fuel fertilizer to grow corn and the excess is drained into the river.
This is killing the water in the Gulf, creating a "Dead Zone" where fish cannot live.
It is now more profitable to grow corn for its fuel than for food and this has caused food prices to soar,  adding to world-wide hunger. 
   Gee, why couldn't anyone think this out?  Somewhere in the scheme of this discussion was a lobbyist for the corn industry.  I will bet on that.
   A discussion that is going on now is about the EPA.  Environmental Protection Agency.  I notice ads on television trying to persuade me, telling me that these "Government Regulations" are the source of our economic plight.  I wonder whether anybody takes this seriously?  "They" want to give us the pollution of Mexico, the air of China, the waste dumps of Russia in return for jobs?  You have got to be kidding!
Maybe I should be investing in face masks?  Or pharmaceuticals, an investment in "Happy Pills" to make us stomach the b.s. they are throwing at us?
   I am a skeptic and as in any good murder mystery I want to know motive, who profits?  I follow the money.  Why does someone want my vote?
   My "idea for government" would be anonymous.  All Bills before Congress would be without a name.
All speeches would be without a speaker.  Ideas would be presented without tags or labels.  We wouldn't know.  We wouldn't know whether it be a Republican Idea nor one from a Democrat, not even a "Teabagger" nor an Independent.  We wouldn't know who gave the speech, could be Obama, could be Sarah Palin?  Could be anybody?
   That would cause more work for us.  We would have to listen.  We might have to read!  But the article would not have an author!  Anonymous.  We might have to actually think!

4 comments:

Autumn Leaves said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Following the money is one sad but time immemorial foundation of the human plight. I'll never believe that EPA isn't a necessary and just organization. If we don't slow down, there will be nothing left for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Sometimes I envy those that have gone before us, Jer. They didn't live to see the levels we have "risen" (sunk, to my mind) to.

Yes, I hear your point on the slavery issues, etc. I wasn't thinking that way when I talked about the good things of the founding fathers, truly. Of course, enslaving humans is awful! Fortunately people live and learn. But then maybe not so much? I think we still have a slave population. People trying to live on minimum wage.

Never could understand why anyone wouldn't try to make the most of their education so they could try to keep their heads above the water, at least a little. Of course, like all things, I would guess there is more to that issue than I'll ever get.

T. said...

Great Idea on the anonymous bills. Parties are one of the biggest reasons for what's going on these days.

Timaree said...

I think this is the best idea since sliced toast! Really. It removes the prejudices so an idea is out there all by itself. Yep, it's a good one so the congress would never pass it.