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Why Should We Be Glad When the GNP Goes Up?
By Donella Meadows
–March 3, 1988–
With that special, kindly sparkle in his eyes the President said in his news conference that there would be good economic tidings the next day. The tidings turned out to be the GNP figure for the last quarter of 1987, which had been revised upward to a growth rate of 4.5 percent. That is supposed to [...]
Not More Simple, Not More Fair
By Donella Meadows
–February 25, 1988–
Remember how the Great 1986 Tax Reform was going to make taxes more simple and more fair? That’s what the President and Congress told us, as they held press conferences to congratulate themselves for the wonder they had wrought.
Now the 1987 IRS forms have arrived and we can see exactly how all this simplicity and fairness [...]
Problems are Interconnected — And so are Solutions
By Donella Meadows
–February 18, 1988–
One of the favorite maxims of environmentalists is that Everything is Connected to Everything Else. That idea is usually delivered with a heavy charge of negativity — if you do something stupid in one place, it will lead to bigger problems somewhere else, or horrible disasters sometime in the future. Your ecological misdemeanors will come back [...]
What is This Thing Called Leadership?
By Donella Meadows
–February 11, 1988–
“Leadership,” the Presidential candidates are saying again and again and again. “You can count on me for strong leadership.”
Leadership is a perfect word for a campaign. It sounds wonderful, it requires no concrete promises, and no one is quite sure what it means. Whatever it is, we are supposed to want it, and to want it [...]
A Week in the Nation’s Capital – Who Will Win?
By Donella Meadows
–February 4, 1988–
It was six whole days before Superbowl Sunday, but in the capital city of the most powerful nation on earth minds, eyes, and television cameras were already turned toward San Diego. The evening news broadcast was devoted to a rock-video montage of cheerleaders, players, and fans chanting, “Go ‘Skins!”
Downtown the National Geographic Society was celebrating its [...]
