But is he electable? Well, they say Bush got votes because people perceived him as a guy they could relax and have a beer with:

I’d say he’s got it in the bag.

Behold, Seattle. Somehow this isn’t as much light-hearted fun as Sim Earth.

One especially useful application for this sort of imagery: showing the extent of the havoc wrought by companies doing mountaintop-removal mining. Recently a coalition of Appalachian grassroots organizations, ILoveMountains.org, released a series of overlays for Google Earth showing "before" and "after" landscapes in several heavily-mined regions.

What really boggles my brain is that some of the mine footprints are visible in a view of the entire eastern half of the United States.

The Google Earth file is available here. A tutorial on how to download and use Google Earth to view the overlays is here.

(Grist featured Phil Brick, the professor in the story, as an InterActivist back in October 2005.)

I myself am an alumni of the program, and I’d say the audio clip is quite well done. It provides a good snapshot of what life is like during the semester and the kind of intellectual challenges students confront. As the narrator explains, students are “put face to face with people on all sides of complex issues. Students ask their own questions, and draw their own conclusions.”

Meeting people in their own context and discussing their viewpoints respectfully tends to de-polarize an issue. It’s easy to think of cattle grazing abstractly as a destructive activity when you’re reading a flyer from a conservation group, and objectify the people who do it as ignorant of the harm they cause the environment. But try this: Sit in a rancher’s living room, fresh in from a tour of the acreage, eat homemade cinnamon rolls, and discuss their perspective on the issue. Listen to them talk about their lifestyle, the struggles they face, and how much they love the land, and you’ll probably find it difficult to keep thinking they’re completely wrong. Most likely you won’t have a complete reversal on cattle grazing, but you may start thinking in terms of changing the system, rather than railing against it.

The result of such experiences, in my view, is an education rich in diverse perspectives, passion bred through personal experience, and the notion that true progress manifests not through forcing your will upon “the other side” but by collaborating with it and finding common ground. The slogan for Semester in the West the year I participated, which we all thought would make an excellent bumper sticker, was “Hippies and Rednecks, Unite!” (inspired by a conversation with the folks at High Country News)

In this age of extreme polarization and partisan one-upmanship, the world needs more people who approach topics expecting to find shades of gray rather than black and white. True citizens are those willing to challenge their own assumptions in the effort to build and strengthen community.

Everyone has a story and a context. Politics plays off of these contexts, for better or worse. Going to the polls is often an act of partisanship, and if we want to effect real change, we’ll have to find more ways to move beyond that and engage people’s contexts, direct and unfiltered.

What’s next? Serpents that infest a jet airliner and viciously attack the passengers with poison fangs? (Woops, didn’t mean to spoil any movie plots …)

In other news, a Celebrity Cruises ship arrived in Seward, Alaska, last weekend with a dead humpback whale pinned to the bow.

For economic growth, it proposes a head tax on all cruise passengers coming into the state, the revenue of which will be used for services and infrastructure related to the cruise industry. Further, it will tax income from onboard gambling and force companies to pay corporate income tax. And it will require onboard tour sellers to disclose how much they mark up tours from the price offered directly from the tour operators on shore.

The Anchorage Daily News has a good piece about it here. Full text of the measure here (it’s not that long). More below the fold.

Essentially, this ballot measure seeks to diminish or eliminate many perverse subsidies, environmental and economic, that the cruise industry currently enjoys. For example, besides the fact that Alaskans are the ones suffering the consequences of cruise-ship pollution, most tourism-related infrastructure, the benefits of which are mostly for the cruise lines and their passengers, is funded by Alaskan taxpayers. Taxing the companies themselves to pay for such improvements begins to “close the loop” in an industry that has reached such a scale that it might be described as “extractive.” It also frees up tax dollars for other projects that benefit local residents, and, inevitably, makes Alaska a more desirable destination. Further, it encourages visitors to spend their money directly with local businesses, rather than giving another cut to the cruise lines.

As the ADN article describes, the cruise industry is vehemently opposed to this measure, calling it “anti-tourism” and “bad for local business.” In fact, it is neither of these. Trying to capitalize on fear, arguments against the ballot measure claim that the extra $50 will reduce passenger numbers and hurt local businesses. I have not seen any evidence that this would occur, and I can’t imagine that anyone buying a cruise tour would even notice the extra cost, assuming it wasn’t internalized or incorporated into hidden expenditures. And it certainly doesn’t have “anti-tourism” intentions, since more passengers means more tax income for Alaska.

This ballot measure gives Alaskans the chance to begin leveling the playing field and get their fair share from an industry that has been running roughshod over the environment and local communities for decades. And it could set a precedent for other states and countries who face similar exploitation.

“Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the State becomes lawless or, which is the same thing, corrupt.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Dear friends, family, and loved ones,

On Monday, August 7 I was arrested for protesting logging in the largest wild, undeveloped forest on the west coast. I would like to explain what compelled such drastic action and share some reflections from my 24 hours in jail.

In 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule set aside 59 million acres of the most pristine forests in our country. These public lands, lands owned by every American, were to be protected for recreation values, wildlife habitat, and future generations. Roadless areas represent our natural heritage, with towering forests and wild rivers that support unique and cherished wildlife. Over two million Americans wrote letters in support of the roadless policy, more than any other policy in history.

Late last year, the Bush administration overturned the rule and replaced it with a weaker one that allows state governors to petition for roadless forest protection in their states. Oregon, Washington, California, and New Mexico sued the federal government for the repeal and their disregard of public opinion. The Bush administration guaranteed protection for roadless areas until governors completed their petitions, but quickly dropped this promise and announced two clearcutting projects in southern Oregon roadless areas. Our governor wrote a letter to the administration demanding that they keep their promise, but the administration looked the other way and continued with their plans. This is blatant disrespect for our state’s rights. This also sets a precedent for logging roadless forests across the country.

In June, the federal government auctioned off these majestic old-growth forests to the timber industry for less than the price of firewood. Even the conservative Oregonian newspaper called these logging projects “a total waste of time, money and public trust in the Forest Service [. . .] This sale makes no economic or environmental sense. It is only the Bush administration forcing its way into a roadless Oregon forest, just to prove that it can” (June 10).

As an American, I am outraged at the deceit and corruption represented in these clearcutting projects. As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I am devastated to see our legacy forests fall for the sake of a quick profit.

For two years, I have worked to renew protection for these wild forests. I have organized communities, called elected officials, worked with the media, written letters to the editor, and more. Alas, none of this could stop the greed of a few wealthy, powerful individuals. I decided to take things a step further.

On Monday, logging began in a roadless area for the first time in over a decade. I joined over 100 protestors in southern Oregon to demonstrate opposition to the destruction of an American legacy. I also joined 11 others in an act of civil disobedience.

In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “As in so many past experiences, our hopes bad been blasted, and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us. We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community.”

Seeking to draw media attention and raise public awareness on the values of roadless areas and the precedent being set, we formed a peaceful blockade in front of the Siskiyou National Forest office. We then sat down in Medford’s main street with potted trees and a banner that read “Roadless is Priceless.” The police quickly moved in and arrested us, charging us with disorderly conduct. Our arrest made national press. I was featured being interviewed and cuffed on southern Oregon’s three TV stations.

Jail is hardly a vacation. After being in a holding cell with my fellow female protestors for four hours, we had to strip and change into jail clothes (which, despite being hideous, are surprisingly comfortable). Along with two other women from our group, I was assigned a jail cell that already held four other women (mostly there on drug-related charges). The women were surprisingly welcoming, friendly, and supportive of our cause.

The cell was cold, bright with fluorescent lights, and rank with despair. Dinner looked and smelled worse than dog food. Most of the cops were respectful, but some were cruel. They yelled, told us we had no rights, made condescending remarks. One “perk”: our cell had cable TV. I never imagined I’d spend a night in jail watching the Princess Bride.

Sleep was slow to come that night, but when it did my dreams were vivid and frightening. At 4 am, two officers hauled the girl in the bunk below me off to prison. She was pregnant and battered by her boyfriend.

Being locked away is a strange and disgruntling experience, but it allowed me time to reflect on the current predicaments of our society. Henry David Thoreau wrote, in his essay On the Duty of Civil Disobedience, “Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.”

As I gazed at the concrete walls around me, I thought back on other great social leaders of the past … Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Rosa Parks… people who affected massive social change by rejecting the status quo and using civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to relay their message for change. Rosa Parks, referring to her refusal to give up her bus seat, said “at the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this … It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of people joined in.”

I do not advocate anything radical, only moral. Our government has deceived us. It is abusing its power within our country and around the world. What is happening right now in southern Oregon is a manifestation of the corruption and destructiveness of this administration. They aggressively promote clearcutting forests, polluting rivers, killing wildlife, lowering fuel efficiency and emission standards, modifying crop genetics, drilling in refuges, and much more. It is an outrage. Again I quote Thoreau: “How does it become a man to behave toward this American government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it.”

I refer back to MLK’s Birmingham letter: “You may well ask: ‘Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn’t negotiation a better path?’ You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored … The purpose of our direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation.”

I will continue to use every means I know to protect our forests, rivers, and wildlife. I am fortunate to know so many talented and compassionate people who will work alongside me. The community response I have received from this week’s events have been uplifting and inspiring.

In a quiet, scratchy voice, the 80-year-old man sitting with us in the blockade he shared a story of Henry David Thoreau: After Thoreau was arrested for civil disobedience and protesting unjust taxes, his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson came to visit him in jail. Emerson asked, “Henry, what are you doing in there?” Thoreau replied, “Why, Ralph, what are you doing out there?”

I would be happy to share more or answer any questions you have. Thank you for your love and support.

With love,

Kate

The conservative vision for government is to shrink it – to “starve the beast” in Conservative Grover Norquist’s words. The conservative tagline for this rationale is that “you can spend your money better than the government can.” Social programs are considered unnecessary or “discretionary” since the primary role of government is to defend the country’s border and police its interior. Stewardship of the commons, such as allocation of healthcare or energy policy, is left to people’s own initiative within the free market. Where profits cannot be made — conservation, healthcare for the poor — charity is meant to replace justice and the government should not be involved.

So the federal response to Katrina was actually a success:

One of the goals of Conservatives is to keep people from relying on the federal government. Under Bush, FEMA was reorganized to no longer be a first responder in major natural disasters, but to provide support for local agencies. This led to the disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina. Now citizens, as well as local and state governments, have become distrustful of the federal government’s capacity to help ordinary citizens. Though Bush’s popularity may have suffered, enhancing the perception of federal government as inept turned out to be a conservative victory.

And here’s why Bush skipped straight from global warming denialism to “let’s get beyond the debate and start implementing technologies“:

Conservatives continue to deny the validity of global warming, because it runs contrary to their moral system. Recognizing global warming would call for environmental regulation and governmental efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Regulation is a perceived interference with the free-market, Conservatives’ golden calf.

Finally, why it’s counterproductive to call Bush incompetent (or any other more vulgar synonym):

The incompetence frame assumes that there was a sound plan, and that the trouble has been in the execution. It turns public debate into a referendum on Bush’s management capabilities, and deflects a critique of the impact of his guiding philosophy. It also leaves open the possibility that voters will opt for another radically conservative president in 2008, so long as he or she can manage better. Bush will not be running again, so thinking, talking and joking about him being incompetent offers no lessons to draw from his presidency.

According to Vint Cerf, one of the “founding fathers” of the internet, this is bad:

My fear is that, as written, this bill would do great damage to the Internet as we know it. Enshrining a rule that broadly permits network operators to discriminate in favor of certain kinds of services and to potentially interfere with others would place broadband operators in control of online activity. Allowing broadband providers to segment their IP offerings and reserve huge amounts of bandwidth for their own services will not give consumers the broadband Internet our country and economy need. Many people will have little or no choice among broadband operators for the foreseeable future, implying that such operators will have the power to exercise a great deal of control over any applications placed on the network.

A grassroots organization supporting net neutrality, Save the Internet, has many more details.

So why is this on Gristmill? Because your access to “leafy green commentary” and “gloom and doom with a sense of humor” could very well be at stake, my friends.

“We have been told for decades that nuclear dumpsites will not leak and that the best standards are being applied. In reality the dumpsite in Normandy is a disaster, and radioactivity is already leaking from the dumpsite in Champagne,” said Shaun Burnie nuclear campaigner at Greenpeace International. “The authorities know they have a problem in Champagne already, with mistakes in the design. This is only the beginning of the problem, the bigger picture is that France has a nuclear waste crisis out of control that is threatening not only the environment and public health but also the economy of the Champagne region.”

Clearly, there are some promises that just can’t be kept. I wonder if Champagne is iconic enough to influence public opinion about nuclear power. In the meantime, bringing a Geiger counter to the next New Year’s bash would be a cool party trick …