Tuning in to NAFTA
By Donella Meadows
–September 29, 1993–
“I have to admit, I’ve tuned out the whole discussion about NAFTA,” said my neighbor, who is not in the habit of tuning out discussions. “It all seems so complicated.”
“Here’s a good introduction,” I said, handing her Ross Perot’s book Save Your Job, Save Our Country. She looked at me as if I’d gone crazy. “I [...]
Free Trade Can Work Against the Environment – Or For It
By Donella Meadows
–September 16, 1993–
Environmentalists who worry about NAFTA and other trade agreements like to tell the tuna-dolphin story — though the moral of that story is far from clear.
Schools of yellowfin tuna off the Pacific coast often swim below groups of dolphin. Fishermen look for the dolphin to find the tuna. With their powerful purse-seine nets, they used to [...]
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 [...]
We Need Change, In Spite of the Upset
By Donella Meadows
–May 13, 1993–
A friend of mine has a favorite saying: “Change is upset.” You can see what she means by watching Washington these days. The people voted for change. Bill Clinton is trying to produce it. He’s going in the directions favored by popular fussbudget Ross Perot — cut the deficit, create jobs, reduce the power of special [...]
