Towards A New Sustainable Economy And Politics
Eight years after an economic meltdown caused by financial hucksters buying a friendly set of rules that turned the American Dream into foreclosure, and 6 years after watching divide and conquer in Wisconsin turn into 135 non-fiscal policy changes in a budget that is not balanced, we find our selves speeding down a six lane highway burning fossil fuels towards a cliff that has no bridge. It’s time to build an off-ramp.
There is no irony that the political forces
- That want to remove science from the classroom, political discourse, and regulations
- That think external costs, collateral damage, and “side effects” don’t matter
- That want to strip living wages, the 40 hour week, and the right to organize from taxpaying workers and
- To hollow out the middle class in favor of the super rich
Are the same ones
- Pushing the dirtiest fossil fuels at an accelerating pace
- Legislating restrictions on alternative fuels and systems
- Supporting fracking and its sand mining, chemical soups, and water usage
- Denying human involvement in Climate Change and are
- Pushing a globalization that is turning us into a colony where we as low paid workers export commodities and import finished products.
There is no irony because these “co-incidents” are intentional, and unnecessary.
We have the means around us to build a sustainable economic system that can provide prosperity while we glide to a soft landing regarding climate change. We can sequester carbon by adjusting our methods for providing fuel and food, and preserve our clean water while doubling our economy. The technology exists already and there is plenty of room for entrepreneurial activity. A small business friendly, locally focused sustainable food and fuel matrix can be established building on existing efforts. Immediate support from local government budgets who switch to bio fuels and locally grown food for their operations can increase the tax base while maintaining their budgets. An emphasis on stealing industries from other locations in economic development efforts can transition to growing our own economy using wasted resources (bio mass, oil seed fuels, GEO, wind, and solar).
As a father who can’t find peace while leaving a broken world to my kids,
As a blue collar guy who understands what a living wage is,
As a technically educated person who appreciates understanding the science and engineering of systems,
As student of history who seeks understanding of the failures of past societies (what was the guy who cut the last tree, completing the deforestation on Easter Island, thinking?)
As a spirit who seeks peace in this often evil world
I can not stand still.
At this time I have officially declared as a Democratic candidate for the 50th Assembly district race for 2016
For those sick of politics and the failures of liberal efforts in the past, I am with you.
For those thinking a third party can get you to the table, good luck.
For those concerned about getting co-opted by the process, that’s only possible if you forget who you are and where you come from (I can’t and won’t)
Personally I need a vision and a sense that I’m working on it to become real.
That vision is a peaceful, prosperous society where we have time to work, time to play, good food to eat, smart healthy kids, and the ability to make dreams come true.
A strategy to attain this vision is sustainable economic development.
A tactic to attain the strategy is to develop a politics that working folks can support and engage in.
The path to victory in rural politics is create a grassroots, salt of the earth, neighbor to neighbor approach, with lots of shoe leather and chances to break bread together.
I’m reaching out to similar souls in adjacent districts to combine efforts and messages and build a majority at the table.
Let’s win
Tom Crofton
