Naive? You tell me.

Last week's column was naive. That's according to a reader who weighed in online. What he actually said was "As with all government policies, the devil is in the details. Agreeing on ends doesn't mean agreeing on means. Golden's 'vision' of an army of like-minded citizens wielding a 'big stick' is naive at best."
At best, yet. I actually think there's some good thinking there, especially in the ends-versus-means business. "Naive?" Well, he made me think harder about it, never a terrible thing.
So here's what I think.

On Big Sticks

I have a pretty simple view -- and the line between simple and simplistic can be thin -- on what it will take for the so-called Voice of the People to matter in this country. It's about sticks, and has three parts, beginning with this week's column. One reader thought it was naive, which turned out to be a good launching pad for a second column, soon to be released.
Naive?

Priming the pump

In Ashland there's a lot of chatter about whether the pushing innovative sustainability projects should be the business of government or private people and interests. The answer is 'yes.'
There are some intriguing possibilities waiting to be borne out there . Seems to me city government could provide the nudge it takes to turn ideas into reality, all for what's sometimes called "decimal dust" in the annual budget. This week's column describes how.

Are we making any progress

It all looks so dumb to me, this snarling at other folks who care about the future and the planet as much as you and I do, because... well, that's where I get stuck. How come we take our eye off the ball so easily whenever we get dinged? It's a mystery--until I'm the one who gets dinged.
"Take nothing personally-- least of all ourselves!" You remember where that's from? And what do you suppose could happen if we all took that advice?
It's a stunning thought.