OldIHC

It is hard to get people to think a year ahead, never mind decades. I am old enough that if we do nothing on the climate front, I will be dead and buried before it gets nasty. That is no excuse to let the next generation handle it! Easier to do incrementally over a long period than face the challenges all at once.

Years ago I was traveling in northern Canada and noticed a lot of homes had 2 or three vehicles, one econo box that got good mileage for local trips one big long-haul vehicle capable of long range- high speed travel and may be a 4x4 to get around in the winter.
Electric vehicles are not emission free as so many like to say, they just move the emissions to the powerplant, same with hydrogen vehicles. That being said, I would take one in a heart-beat if I could afford to have one. 99% of our car use is under 50 miles a day. We would still need a longer distance capable vehicle for medical appointments and the like, but most here own two vehicles.
I Think all of us regardless of what country we live in are dealing with politicians un willing to take steps to help their county and will view everything through the lens of will this help me in the next election cycle?
I have been watching Breixt from this side of the pond, and I don't see a workable solution. Not taking a stand on if it is good or bad, but the Ireland issue is the deal-breaker. A split Ireland has proved to be a bad thing, and I don't see how you can have part in and part out of the EU?

I will take all this a step further and say that I believe the system we all live work and vote in is an oligarchy. The democracy our founding fathers created has been gone for a long time now and replaced by a system where corporations both national and international and the wealthy one percent control things. Elections? A distraction, a dog and pony show for the masses while their own agendas move steadily forward. Yes a few bones are thrown to placate the people, Conservatives get their guns and bathroom laws while the liberals get their wind farms and health care depending who's in office and holds the majority but the bigger picture never changes and the divisiveness grows and the distractions from our real needs and important issues continue. Follow the money is the old saying and holds true till this day. We have the best politicians and government that money can buy. Vote and you either get oligarchy light or you get the full bore version but make no mistake as to who is at the tiller.

I have not arrived at this point of view overnight, sad to say in a way but it took me decades to become politically aware and follow the goings on in DC and no longer pull the lever on election day based on the candidates best sound bite or who waves the flag the hardest. Solutions? Really I think at this point we're screwed, voting isn't the solution and the masses are too stupid or just scrambling too **** hard to put food on the table and a roof over their heads (all by design) to pause, look up and see what is really going on. I will not speak for other countries as I do not know their political workings to the degree I do here in the US but I strongly suspect they fall under the same shadow

^^^^^ I see no one here is touching that with a ten foot pole.

Was not a Democracy the founding fathers established, it was a Republic. Will agree, that it does not operate that way anymore. Was never "planned" for folks to make a living as a Representative or Senator. Too much "power" has also been given to "appointed" persons. Our system is broken.

An old bad habit of mine, thanks for the correction. Here's an interesting article on the subject:




https://www.aei.org/publication/democra ... gI21PD_BwE

Very good read.

While I was not the greatest student and history wasn't my strongest subject, I do know there were no airports in the American revolution and that the fight for Ft McHenry that "inspired" the national anthem was in the war of 1812. an I don't have a teleprompter to help me remember. For shame!

I promised ibesq I would take a break. I thought CB89 was losing it until I heard the news. Omg. How embarrassing.

and to seize on one thing and Run it into the ground, really? Do you want to go to the archives for other presidents and leaders of other countries. And none of the commenters on the news ever misspoke, GIVE ME A BREAK. Still count you two as friends.

Our current president has a real hard time with facts, ( I will agree others do also) but these facts have been around for over 200 years and were required in knowledge history class, makes it hard to excuse the gaff.