local politics
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This rising lawmaker wants a Green New Deal for Boston
Boundary-busting mayoral candidate Michelle Wu hopes to usher in an era of diverse, bottom-up leadership.
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Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic: Still rocking the vote
Nirvana's Krist Novoselic transformed from rock star to wonky election reformist. As we head into a polarized 2012 election, his championing of ranked choice voting could help give marginalized environmental issues serious political clout.
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‘Ag-gag’ rules choke off supply of livestock snuff films
Rather than deal with the inhumane, superbug-spawning conditions in factory farms, the Iowa state legislature would prefer to stifle one of activists' primary weapons of dissent.
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A new documentary about the real wealth of nations — happiness
Money can’t make you happy, they say. Maybe a new kind of economy can?What if GDP stood for Great Domestic Pleasantness? How about an economy whose success is not determined by growth for growth’s sake? A new documentary, The Economics of Happiness, explores this rich territory. The film makes a connection between the economic crisis, […]
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With food-system reform slowed to a crawl, local initiatives come to fore
Food-policy reform at the national level isn't getting anywhere fast. But don't get depressed; organize at the local level!
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As end times near, Glenn Beck peddles ‘food insurance’ kits
Glenn Beck's make-a-buck survivalism is crass and designed to keep fear alive. There are better ways for societies to prepare for hard times.
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Is drunk biking better than drunk driving?
Courtesy blurofinsanity.comEric DePlace at the Northwest policy shop Sightline responds to my question about why we mandate parking at bars if driving in general and drunk driving in particular both harm the public good: One thing that does work as an alternative to drinking and driving — and I can vouch for this — is […]
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Tea Party helps pass carbon tax
Maryland’s Montgomery County Council passed the nation’s first county-level carbon tax on Wednesday thanks in part to a little heckling from a group of rowdy Tea Party protesters. It would be hard to dream up a more delightful twist to cap off a campaign that was about as dramatic as they come in the world […]
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Building a Green Tea Party
A leading thinker on the left recently wrote that elite authorities have failed us and require grassroots input to become accountable. A leading thinker on the right recently wrote that centralized authorities have failed us and should be balanced by stronger local economic, political, and social networks. Now Woody Tasch of the Slow Money Alliance […]