Truth and Traditions

From the introduction to over a dozen proposals to get these Unsteady States of America turned around and facing forward:

Both parties are locked in small-minded brawls, unable to think creatively or even to tell the truth about our historic economic crisis. Republicans are lost in preposterous nostalgia for small, simple government. Democrats have their own delusions: they insist that regulation will somehow fix whatever is broken, ignoring that the failure of regulation was a principal cause of catastrophic breakdown.

Amen and Halleluja! We’ve got to change

both rules and operating values. It involves democratizing reforms that will compel business and finance to share decision-making and distribute rewards more fairly.

Sing it, brother, sing it!

The old language of left-liberal politics—“cooperation” and “collective action,” “human sympathy” and the “common good”—has been suppressed, even ridiculed, for thirty years. We must reintroduce and explain these concepts to younger generations who are thirsty for hope and substantive commitments. And we should be receptive to what they, in turn, can teach us.

Sounds like transition thinking to me.

In other words, the new politics does not start in Washington. Trying to persuade policy elites and incumbent politicians to take these ideas seriously is a waste of time. Reform politics has to start on the other end, with the experiments and experiences of ordinary people.

Let’s repeat that last line: Reform politics has to start on the other end, with the experiments and experiences of ordinary people. That’s you and me, that’s TNT. Truth and Traditions!

via Reimagining Capitalism: Bold Ideas for a New Economy | The Nation.

Along with 69 other sites, Jack London State Historic Park will be shuttered, gates locked, and left to meth labs, garbage outlaws and assorted feral predators. Nearly 50 percent of all of California’s historic parks are on the closure list. This is not a scare tactic from the state. Parks go dark starting in September.

via California’s Disappearing State Parks – NYTimes.com.

We are a visual species. Bright, colourful blooms attract gardeners the way aromatic hydrocarbons attract bees. Over the last few generations flower breeders have selected plants for their visual characteristics – colour, size, contrast – at the expense of scent.

via Scents and sensibility | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk.

Not just yet, but in a couple of days.

After thinking about it and talking with some folks, Charlie and I decided that the Transition Party USA needs a new name. As we’ve already explained, our basic idea has been to build on the already flourishing Transition movement, which is intensely local, and to been knitting it into a national party. It has become apparent, however, that these thriving local initiatives flourish best without the stress and strain of a national political conversation. Given that, we felt that our use of the name “Transition Party USA” would led to unhelpful confusion and cross-talk as we grew.

So we have decided on a new name: Truth and Traditions Party. Notice the “s” in “traditions.” The mission and message remain the same, to move forward while conserving what is best in our many legacies. We want sustainable energy and economic policies; local growth, control, and initiative; an end to the wastefulness of war; and an end to corporate profiteering.

In a few days we’ll be relocating to a new blog. We’ll post the move on this blog and this blog will remain on the web, but will be inactive. All new material will go on the blog for the Truth and Traditions Party.

See you there.

Bill and Charlie