--- Jim Elwell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > At 3 09 04, 07:49 AM, David King wrote: ... > Your understanding of 501(c)3 organizations is the > same as mine. However, > your question presumes that the most valuable thing > the USMA could do is > lobby Congress... > While lobbying Congress could be beneficial..., an organization > like the USMA doesn't > have a fraction of the resources of a single large > company that wants to > fight metric, and I think would be largely throwing > money away in any > direct lobbying effort. > > I have some experience in this area... > > This points out the reason that large institutions ...spend MILLIONS of dollars lobbying > -- that is the kind of > money necessary to have any impact via such a > method. > Jim seems to bring an interesting and perhaps quite valid point. IF this is the kind of situation that exists in the US when it comes to lobbying then one more reason why we should just forget about the whole thing.
It's very unfortunate and a reality check (or shock!) to most of us to recognize that it's indeed ONLY ELITES who have any significant say on matters that require changes of this magnitude. Where is the hope, eh? If all we're left with is "market forces" or the good will of a few, once again, NOTHING WILL EVER *MEANINGFULLY* HAPPEN in this area! Now as for the paragraph below (and more), please see my input right after it. > The value of the USMA... is in providing a > forum for discussion, True, no argument here. BUT how *effective* can this be (yes, Jim, I'm back to the old old discussion about how useful to the issue of *metrication* USMA can ever be!) > monitoring and reporting metrication progress at > private, federal, and > state levels, providing a range of educational > materials, helping guide > companies that are trying to metricate, > participating in various > governmental and private forums regarding > metrication (e.g., FPLA > meetings), providing a "focal point" for metric > resources via the web page, > and so forth. > Again, all true stuff. Then what??? > What frustrates me with the USMA is the same thing > that frustrates me with > in my Libertarian activities: there are lots of > people out there motivated > enough to complain that things should change, but > only a fraction of them > are willing to put their own time and money on the > line. > Aside from the fact that many of us do, the truth is it's simply NOT ENOUGH that we continue 'putting... time and money on the line' if we work *ALONE*! Now, having said the above here is the thing. Then what? How can one really make ANY impact on something that has so far reaching consequences like metrication? An issue that impacts the WHOLE society and a significant part of economic activities? How can one find true solutions that MUST involve *cooperative/collective effort*? These are million-dollar questions? Which brings us to the subject of lobbying. Many of us are tired of hearing encouraging testimonies of ordinary people who even welcome the whole idea thing. It's nice to hear people "all for it". Yet, again, the very nagging question: THEN WHAT??? Where does one go from here? True, things like Christianism did turn the world upside down by "one soul at a time", but we're talking *religion* here, NOT some monumental scientific endeavor that simply cannot be implemented without the *collective*! What I mean is simple, so what, even if the overwhelming majority ends up agreeing, ok metric is the way to go, then what? How can one pull this one off? One must understand that it's simply unworkable for ONE to simply go ahead and 'put their money where their mouth is and do it'! Suffice it for one to see the dilemma with the DOT fiasco. Honestly, deep inside how can one blame Caltrans and others to backpedal after all? I know... this is tough for me to do, but we're faced with an idealistic side fighting the realistic one. Bottom line? Well... Without *collective* initiatives metrication will NOT work, *P-E-R-I-O-D*! Now, if someone can come up with another strategy other than 'lobbying' to fulfill such critical requirement I'm all ears! Till then we'll continue hearing seemingly contradictory statements of folks who on one side are all for it, but who on the other hand cannot support the very things that would make it happen; i.e. a real catch 22 situation... Marcus ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
