When it became apparent in the 1950's and 1960's that industrial and transportation pollution was harming human health, where was the business community when people demanded cleaner air?
When the Cuyahoga River ignited and the Fox River flowed red and foamy due to absurd levels of pollution from industrial chemicals, where was industry when people demanded cleaner water? When the horrid degradation of slavery was publicized, where was the Southern agricultural industry when people demanded an end to this vile abuse of human beings? When it became apparent in recent years that our nation could no longer afford the massive oil consumption brought on by a complete lack of progress in vehicle fuel efficiency, where (for the most part) was the transportation industry? When lake levels and stream flows were dropping rapidly in Central Wisconsin this summer due to the combined effects of drought and high-capacity well irrigation, where was Wisconsin's agricultural leadership in In all these and hundreds more cases, the business community was kicking and screaming to be left alone, continuing to crank out gas hogs, harmful pesticides, using the same filthy process to make paper and produce electricity, and had to be told to do the right thing, by "we the people," as represented in our government. To claim that industry is the solution to major social and ecological needs is simply absurd. Industry and commerce are good at providing many things, some of them actually entirely beneficial to society, like bicycles, but when it comes to leading the way on major issues of social justice, an equitable economy, and protecting the ecological function of our state and out planet, the private sector too often falls flat, and acts as a major impediment to needed change. The pace at which fossil energy and other companies are finally branching out into renewable, less carbon-intensive energy remains glacial, even though many more jobs can be created, and overall health care costs can be reduced, by shifting capital to that endeavor...and by and large they are only doing so because GOVERNMENT is providing mandates and tax incentives. Jeff Schimpff Bureau of Science Services Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources "Bus, Bike, Walk or Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" (*) phone: (608) 267- 7853 (*) fax: (608) 267-5231 (*) e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Eric Westhagen Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 9:04 PM To: Peter Brinson; BikiesSubmissions Subject: Re: [Bikies] How can government (THE STATE) be the solution? Dear Peter Brinson, Again, that is the point. When the people want something, a "for profit business" forms to fill the need. That is efficient economics. If government simply responds to these bad influences you mention--GM, Ford, etc., and their planners become political prostitutes as you describe---why do you brush off that as blame to business, not the prostitutes? <And as far as I know, streetcar companies weren't burdened with maintaining roads any more than other citizens or companies who pay taxes.> Of course I said that is what happened in Chicago. I would expect that a one sided visual propaganda piece on PBS you cite, didn't bother to mention that. _________________ _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
