“We are accustomed to look for the gross and immediate effects and to ignore all else. Unless this appears promptly and in such obvious form that it cannot be ignored, we deny the existence of hazard. We urgently need an end to these false assurances, to the sugar coating of unpalatable facts. It is the public that is being asked to assume the risks. The public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road, and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts. We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost's familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road — the one less traveled by — offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth." ― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring (Excerpted)

We stand now where two roads diverge. They are not equally fair. One is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other, the one less traveled, offers our last, only chance to reach a destination that assures preservation.

"At first when someone says, 'let's impose tariffs on foreign imports,' it looks like they're doing the patriotic thing by protecting American products and jobs. And sometimes, for a short while, it works. But only for a short time. What eventually occurs is, at first, home grown industries start relying on government protection in the form of high tariffs. They stop competing and stop making the innovative management and technological changes they need to succeed in world markets. And then, while all this is going on, something even worse occurs. High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. The result is more and more tariffs, higher and higher trade barriers, and less and less competition. So soon, because of the prices made artificially high by tariffs that subsidize inefficiency and poor management, people stop buying. Then the worst happens. Markets shrink and collapse, businesses and industries shut down, and millions of people lose their jobs. There are those in this Congress, just as there were back in the thirties, who want to go for the quick political advantage, who will risk America's prosperity for the sake of a short-term appeal to some special interest group, who forget that more than 5 million American jobs are directly tied to the foreign export business and additional millions are tied to imports.” President Ronald Reagan October 30, 1984 on Signing the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984

At first tariffs look patriotic. But industries stop making innovative changes. Then trade wars with foreign countries result in higher trade barriers and less competition. Prices made artificially high cause people to stop buying. Markets collapse, businesses shut down, and millions lose jobs.

Rep. John Larson, D-Conn calling out colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee about a "Very sad morning," March 12. "When this committee, the oldest and most continuous in the Congress, neglects its responsibility. I do not understand why you would relegate this committee to no longer being of significance and resort to saying, 'You will do whatever Elon Musk and Donald Trump tell you to do.' Where's the independence of the committee? Where's the legislature? We're an equal branch of government. Where is Elon Musk?! (His success) does not put him above the law or the responsibility to come before this committee, in this Congress. If he's so great, if these plans and all the fraud and abuse that he found are so eminent, why isn't he here explaining it? You know why. He's been on television talking about Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and what he intends to do to privatize it. The world's richest man, fresh off selling Teslas on the South Lawn of the White House, is also trying to juggle a business empire which is getting hammered on the stock market. Now he's setting his sights on Social Security." (excerpted)

Where's the independence of this committee? Where is Elon Musk? If he's so great, why isn't he here explaining? The world's richest man selling Teslas at the White House while his empire is getting hammered on the stock market. Now setting his sights on Social Security. #johnlarson #socialsecurity

Whether or not you (still?) practice: "If in the ashes the fire of love burns, we will discover we're called to love. To love brothers and sisters all around us, be considerate, feel compassion, show mercy, share with those in need lead to the core of moral life." (il Papa Francis, Ash Wed 24)

Great article Peter. My view: we need to organize "flood the zone" (or many zone-flooding efforts) that make our message(s) and efforts as unavoidable as the firehose of theirs. And, yes, legislators aren't who we want leading it!

Also known (in the US) as Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

Photo overlooking a bridge over blue waters lined by a small beach with small boats and historical Italian buildings with terra cotta roofs, some with bright pastel facades and smatterings of Tuscanesque trees, in sun-kissed small town Ollolai, located on the Island of Sardinia between France, Spain and Italy.

I give. I Googled Ollolai, Sardinia. Soaked in sun, cradled in mountains, couple hours to beach, 1/2 day to Florence & Rome < day to Barcelona & French Riviera; Good Wifi, Good Wine, Good Italian food all day, every day, Blue Zone & Universal Healthcare for $1 - 100K US bucks?! *Old World Charm ;)

Goodreads: Bezos company. StoryGraph: Nadia Odunayo company like Goodreads, but instead of run by a white billionaire who accelerates democracy's death (in broad daylight no less) at a whiff of whatshisnames ire, StoryGraph, is run by a Black woman who doesn't bow to the money boys.