Politics and Big Business

L.W. Nicholson

Judging from the present state of the nation, and the world, after careful consideration of existing conditions,  one can only conclude that politics is a method based on beliefs, opinions, prejudice, folklore, tradition, superstition, and corporate “campaign” contributions.

If we can reasonably assume that the above is correct, (and how else could it be?) what must we assume about the corporations who “contribute”  and the people who vote for more of the same?

It has often been said that  “ignorance is no excuse.”  If that be so, then how else can one explain the above state of affairs?

Ignorance today is the only possible explanation for the present worldwide inability to select an intelligent leadership.  There is no physical reason for mankind to be a temporary species, it is a “human” responsibility to use the world’s resources in a sustainable manner so that our species can continue to exist on this little planet. Why should we demonstrate our stupidity by refusing to accept the fact that an ever increasing population can’t be maintained by the continued increase in the waste of the earth’s limited physical resources.  An intelligent leadership would be seriously concerned about these things.

Even if the entire Pacific Ocean were oil, rather than water, and we continued burning oil at more that a cubic mile per year, sooner, or later, we would have used it all.  And, in the process so contaminated the atmosphere until it couldn’t sustain life.  No one could expect that so much oil exists, however we are using it at more that a cubic mile per year, AND, the amount we are using is increasing, as the population increases.  Oil is our example here, other natural resources face the same problems.  Only 200 years ago the earth had only one billion people to support, now it has 6 time that many people and the increase per year would populate several cities the size of New York.

Is it so difficult to understand that present trends can’t continue?  What is the matter with us, We can’t be so dumb that we can believe there are no environmental problems, or that we are a temporary species if we can’t, or won’t solve them. Surely we are smarter than that, aren’t we?