Zero G.

This would be a platform for the Party and eventually the Senate would be made up of people who would support the idea. Which ever party would ascribe to the idea would, with an educated electorate, soon rise to power w/o the need for huge donations from the corporate world

The World Watch Institute has now attributed 51% of all greenhouse gases to the production, distribution and transportation of the meat and dairy industry. This is in large part because 1) factory farms concentrate an overload of methane into a small area 2) methane, they claim is 70 times a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide 3) the clearing of forests upon which to graze the livestock primarily in the rainforest belt, let alone 4) 200 tons of carbon/ hectare rain forest is released into the atmosphere after being cleared, chewed or burned.

Jan,

Not the worst Christmas card in history, however. That distinction belongs to Col. George S. Patton III.

@Jan get your neigbhor to watch this: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/

Right on @Roger. I have much experience in what I am about to call as the first task. Our food.

The advantages of local organic, 4 season farming. In Detroit. where there is a 50% unemployment rate, vacant homes are being transitioned to greenhouses and food grown in them for small business and survival.

The World Watch Institute has now attributed 51% of all greenhouse gases to the production, distribution and transportation of the meat and dairy industry. This is in large part because 1) factory farms concentrate an overload of methane into a small area 2) methane, they claim is 70 times a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide 3) the clearing of forests upon which to graze the livestock primarily in the rainforest belt, let alone 4) 200 tons of carbon/ hectare rain forest is released into the atmosphere after being cleared, chewed or burned.

Rainforests are being destroyed at a staggering rate. According to the National Academy of Science, at least 50 million acres a year are lost, an area the size of England, Wales and Scotland combined. According to a report by Friends of the Earth, as much as 80 percent of global deforestation is caused by conversion of forests into agricultural land.

Aside from the mere cold calculation of free carbon and methane combined into the atmosphere to absorb and trap heat, there is what the people who are sensitive to humane treatment of animals are appalled at would consider the horrors and lack of hygiene in the processed meat industry. Environmental science does include how we treat each other on the planet, be it sex, species, or inanimate resource.

For participation, feel free to add to this thread as you would like - taking it in one of many possible directions.

Turkey/ Tofurkey Special - , if you listen to the Bob Linden Go Vegan Radio podcast below and write a critique factual enough to convince me you listened to it, you will receive one full day of participation for doing so.

California State University Pomona, Ag 101 http://www.csupomona.edu/~admckettrick/projects/ag101_project/html/destr...

Bob Linden Go Vegan Radio http://www.goveganradio.com/veg/1003/Listen_to_Past_Shows.htm

Al Gore recommends eating less meat http://www.suprememastertv.com/save-our-planet/Al-Gore-recommends-reduci...

World Watch Institute http://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Livestock%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf

There are several things that need to be done to return this country to a community of the people, by the people, for the people. The real task is to determine which of the problems need to be addressed first so that the others may follow. I liken it to the problems of a farmer. In order to plant the crops the tractor needs to be running, to get the tractor running you need to clean out the shop, to clean the shop you need to make a run to the dump, to make the run to the dump you need to get the truck running, to get the truck running you need the tractor to get the truck out of the ditch, but the tractor isn’t running. Which task to you attempt in the circle?

To my mind the first task that should be undertaken is one of tax reform. We have a system that is so biased against labor it should be a simple task to frame the issue of reform so that every working person in the country would be able to get on board. First income from ANY source is taxed at the same rate in a progressive structure. Eliminate the special rates that deal with capital gains, dividend income, etc. Also eliminate the SS and Medicare caps and tax ALL income to these categories. As it stands now dividend and cap gain income is not subject to SS and Medicare taxes. Increase the personal exemption to some factor of the federal poverty level (say 5 times). This in 2009 would be $54,150. Slightly less than the median income of Mississippi, which is $55,759, the lowest of any state. Then graduate the rates to those that were in existence prior to Ronald Reagan so that the top tax rate is somewhere between 75% to 90% on income over, some factor of the poverty level (say 50 times), which would be $541,500. These tax brackets could also be tied to the Federal Poverty Level.

This system would do several things at once. Everybody would be vested in seeing that the Federal Poverty Level income rates would be raised, Social Security and Medicare would be fully funded and the rates could be brought back down to where they were prior to the massive increases that were made to “cover” the baby boomers who have paid not only their parents benefits but pre funded their own. The incentive for the higher income people to increase their wages would be reduced and free up money to increase the work force, invest in their companies or provide healthcare.

I’ll save the Federal Sales Tax proposal for a future post.

I've used GOPhers and rethuglicans.

I prefer GOOPers, but only in print

From Bob Kincaid of the HeadOnRadio Network, I've learned to use his term: Re-PIG-lican.

The Coalition for Alternatives to Militarism in our Schools:
http://www.militaryfreeschools.org/

I understand the feeling of having to hold your nose to vote for a Democrat. I don't really look at it that way though, I think of it as voting against the Republican, and then the air seems a bit more refreshing at the polls.

Guest request re World watch report and becoming a vegan: Green960 radio host Saturdays at 9AM PST Bob Linden, who is trying to ban meat in San Francisco!

The World Watch Institute has now attributed 51% of all greenhouse gases to the production, distribution and transportation of the meat and dairy industry. This is in large part because:

1) factory farms concentrate an overload of methane into a small area
2) methane, they claim is 70 times a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide
3) the clearing of forests upon which to graze the livestock primarily in the rainforest belt, let alone
4) 200 tons of carbon/ hectare rain forest is released into the atmosphere after being cleared, chewed or burned.

Rainforests are being destroyed at a staggering rate. According to the National Academy of Science, at least 50 million acres a year are lost, an area the size of England, Wales and Scotland combined. According to a report by Friends of the Earth, as much as 80 percent of global deforestation is caused by conversion of forests into agricultural land.

Aside from the mere cold calculation of free carbon and methane combined into the atmosphere to absorb and trap heat, there is what the people who are sensitive to humane treatment of animals are appalled at would consider the horrors and lack of hygiene in the processed meat industry. Environmental science does include how we treat each other on the planet, be it sex, species, or inanimate resource.

For participation, feel free to add to this thread as you would like - taking it in one of many possible directions.

Turkey/ Tofurkey Special - , if you listen to the Bob Linden Go Vegan Radio podcast below and write a critique factual enough to convince me you listened to it, you will receive one full day of participation for doing so.

California State University Pomona, Ag 101 http://www.csupomona.edu/~admckettrick/projects/ag101_project/html/destr...

Bob Linden Go Vegan Radio http://www.goveganradio.com/veg/1003/Listen_to_Past_Shows.htm

Al Gore recommends eating less meat http://www.suprememastertv.com/save-our-planet/Al-Gore-recommends-reduci...

World Watch Institute http://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Livestock%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf