What Use Is It to Be A Superpower?
By Donella Meadows
–September 22, 1994–
Were you as dismayed as I was by the public debate about whether, and under what conditions, this nation should invade Haiti? The discussion revealed us in all our nakedness, the world’s one remaining superpower, with no idea, or at least no agreement, about what to use that power for.
Some people said that whatever we do, [...]
Health Care–Let’s Bring In Some New Designers
By Donella Meadows
–May 5, 1994–
While our elected representatives tangle themselves in the health care debate, I go on paying $182 a month for $1500-deductible health insurance.
While my insurance company hires more lobbyists, it doesn’t return my phone calls.
While the Congress tries to devise a plan that will make the Republicans look bad and the Democrats good, or vice versa, the [...]
A Nuclear Power Plant Out of the Old World Order
By Donella Meadows
–March 24, 1994–
On March 10 the Export-Import Bank of the United States pledged $317 million of loan guarantees — backed up by your taxes and mine — to complete two nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic. It did so over the protests of the Austrian government, 32 members of our own Congress, and many Czech citizens, including [...]
The Reagan Revolution Isn’t Over Yet
By Donella Meadows
–August 12, 1993–
Well, yes, I guess it’s true what they’re saying, that the just-completed budget battle does reverse, partially, by a hair, the momentum of Reaganomics. Government spending, especially military spending, will go down some. Taxes on the richest one percent of us will rise to about half of what they were in 1980. The gas tax will [...]
Who Will Tell the People
By Donella Meadows
–June 3, 1993–
Whatever you do, don’t read the book Who Will Tell the People by William Greider. Especially not now, while the powers-that-be are putting up such spectacular resistance to balancing the budget, helping the economy, or reducing their own privileges. You’ll get too mad.
Innocent citizens like me can watch the short-sightedness and greed of our leaders year [...]
