Is the Institution of Marriage Becoming Science Fiction?
The public has become used to the political debate concerning the sanctity of marriage. Interracial marriage did not become legal throughout the United States until the Supreme Court ruled that anti-miscegenation laws were unconstitutional in 1967.
As of 2011, same-sex marriages in the U.S. could be performed in Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Coquille nation. Maryland and New York recognize these unions and California does, conditionally.
Although much of society no longer even blinks an eye at interracial marriage as we see it everywhere from www.direct.tv to news and tv shows, many people continue to struggle with same-sex marriage. Because equal opportunity and social justice are integral to the Green Party’s key values, it does not stand against it.
Is a marriage between Locutus of Borg and the Borg Collective on the Horizon?
Since “all people are created equal” society needs to treat them as such. How about when a corporation becomes a person? This concept almost sounds like something the Borg collective, a cybernetic race/life form from the television series Star Trek, would plan with Locutus of Borg as the groom. In reality, this notion a collective marrying an individual will be tested when the marriage of a person and a corporation take place.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations have the same constitutional rights as people in their decision made on January 21, 2010, in the case of Citizens United versus the Federal Election Committee. To commemorate this decision, Sarah “echo” Steiner has begun the search for her perfect corporate mate. She plans to use this marriage to challenge the Supreme Court’s decision.
In a press release issued by Citizens United, some possible corporate grooms have already been identified, including a green corporation. Citizens United also announced that the bridesmaids will be Green Party members from Palm Beach County and Progressive Democrats of America’s Florida branch.
The Haves and the Have Nots: Education as the Great Divide
Education has long been shown to be one of the supports of a successful society. It is frequently the educated who become the leaders of a society – although charisma and perseverance also play a healthy role.
However, education costs money. And if students don’t have money for books, laptops, tuition, etc.; then they struggle to get an education. This often leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy: the Haves can pay for an education; therefore, the Haves get the education. The Have-Nots cannot pay, ergo they cannot get the education they need to get ahead.
Education and the Green Party
As a political party focused on social justice and equal opportunity, it is not surprising that education plays a key role in meeting the goals of its political platform. Two of the Party’s key values – equal opportunity and economic justice – depend on education for all. Because it is essential that communities can offer all people a living wage so that they can obtain an acceptable standard of living, it is necessary for communities to also make a decent education available to all people.
Fair is Worth Fighting For
To that end – making education accessible to all people, Andrew Dobson, professor of politics at Keele University in England, has included it in the Green Party Manifesto he penned, Fair is Worth Fighting For. The document is a pledge to abolish higher education student-tuition fees.
Fighting for Fair Leads to Increased Green Party Membership in England
Following a tuition fee vote in the British Parliament in November 2010, student demonstrations against the rising costs of higher education in London were controlled by police “kettling” the protesters. The youth branch of the Green Party, the Young Greens, started a petition to ban kettling, a questionable crowd control technique used by police. The tuition quickly garnered more than 1,000 signatures. Within a month of the vote, the Young Greens membership grew by 25%.
Which Household Appliances are the Least Energy Efficient?
When attempting to save energy and improve the environment, its a good idea to look at the types of appliances that are in your home. Gas and electric appliances, along with heating and cooling systems, use the largest part of energy in nearly every home.
One appliance that is notorious for using a lot of energy is the refrigerator. Most refrigerators run nearly constantly. If you have a household that has more then one or two family members, it’s also one that gets opened and closed quite often, which in turn, makes it run even more! Older refrigerators tend to use much more energy then the newer types that have been designed in recent years. If at all possible, try to purchase the latest, most energy saving model available. Not only will it cut down on your electric bill, but you’ll be using a greener type of appliance that can help the environment.
Another high energy using appliance is a clothes dryer. It uses no energy at all to hang the clothes outside on a clothesline to dry, but that’s not always a feasible plan. If it is impossible for you to dry your laundry outdoors, the best way to save energy with a clothes dryer is to be careful that it isn’t overfilled, which can cause you to have to run it two or three times to get a large load dry. By cutting down on the amount of heavy clothes you put in for a cycle, they will dry more quickly and use less energy.
The next energy guzzler in most home’s is the central air conditioning and heating unit. It is wise to have it checked for leaks in the ventilation system at least once a year, so the unit doesn’t have to run as hard. Cooling and heating the great outdoors can become quite expensive.
Simple Ways to Save Energy
One way to save energy is to walk to as many destinations as possible. Although this isn’t always a feasible option, especially if you live in a very cold winter climate, even a few trips by foot can help. Another great way to get around that doesn’t use gas or oil is to use a bicycle. Not only is bicycling a very healthy way to exercise, but it’s clean and green. It is a cheap form of transportation, since you don’t have to make frequent stops at the gas station to refill your tank. If walking or bicycling isn’t an option, you can always participate in car pooling or using a local bus system.
Saving energy inside your home can be done even on a fixed income or small budget. Although you may not be able to afford the latest energy saving appliances, you can do small things to the house such as caulking leaky windows and making sure the doors have weather stripping to prevent air from entering from the outside, or air from the inside going out. Extra insulation is always a big help when trying to conserve energy also. If you are a do-it-yourself type, you can install the insulation yourself and it’s not overly expensive. Using heavy drapes in the winter can cut down on energy use, as they will help block out cold drafts. Using cold water to do your laundry is a great way to save energy, and it is proven that cold water works as well on almost all fabrics as using hot water.
Dangers to Our Environment and How to Help Clean it Up
Going green can be described on a personal basis as simply doing whatever is in your power to help the environment. Most of us think that we can’t even begin to scratch the surface when it comes to cleaning up the air , water pollution or environment, but we can, by simply taking a few extra steps and learning how to help.
One of the biggest environmental pollution problems lies in our drinking water. Everyone can help cut down on pollutants entering the water. For instance, the next time you fertilize your garden, check the weather forecast first. If rain is called for, wait a day to fertilize so that the excess doesn’t wash into the waterways. Another small step is to pick up trash that you see, even if it’s just a small bit of paper or plastic, as these items can hurt water fowl. Being careful to properly dispose of used oil, paint or any other chemicals can help clean up the soil, so that when it does rain, the chemicals won’t wash into lakes, ponds, rivers and steams. Most water pollution comes from large factories and businesses, but if everyone does their part, we may be able to improve some of the bad water conditions.
Secondly is air pollution. This too, is normally caused by large businesses that are more focused on making money then they are the environment. The smoke that often bellows from these large plants can be carried for miles, causing the air to become dirty and very unhealthy. Conditions have gotten so bad in some areas, that state leaders have placed burning bans on land that is even privately owned.
Although it is a major problem, regular citizens can do their part in controlling environmental pollution. There are online courses through accredited online colleges which teaches how to use caution when disposing of chemicals, plant a tree, pick up a stray piece of trash and use organic products if at all possible.
Medical Care With No Health Insurance
Finding ways to receive medical care when you are not covered by a health insurance plan is almost impossible. No longer are the days when one doctor takes care of every health problem an entire family might come down with. Now there are specialists for each and every ache and pain, and general practitioners basically take care of you if you have a very miner condition such as a simple bad cold. If you are unfortunate enough to have a more serious condition, and you don’t possess some kind of health insurance policy, you may find that you are unable to receive any care at all.
These types of clinics can be very helpful unless you have a serious condition that needs immediate attention. The wait time to get an appointment to become an established patient can take months. Due to this, many uninsured patients are going to the emergency rooms of their local hospitals where they will end up paying many times more then what they would have spent if they were able to see a physician that could advise on and provide their care. Often time patients seeking help at emergency rooms are unable to pay the bill, even if they are given the option of making monthly payments.
The Living Wage Concept
The idea of a living wage is key to creating the society that the Green Party wishes to see. A living wage is enough money that someone who is working a full-time job – 40 hours in Kentucky – can afford decent housing that is properly heated and cooled, clothing, food, and other basic necessities. In most places, the living wage is
significantly higher than the legal minimum wage.
In Frankfort, Kentucky’s capital city, the legal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. According to Penn State University’s living wage calculator, the living wage for one adult is $7.29 per hour while that number increases to $14.49 for one adult and one child. That means that anyone with one child making less than $14.49 an hour won’t be able to afford basic care items without assistance.
The basic idea of living wage campaigns is to use these numbers to demonstrate to local and state leaders that the current minimum wage being required simply isn’t enough to allow families to support themselves.
One of the keys to the living wage project that make it a player in politics is that the living wage is based on working adults. The people who do not make a living wage are working, which makes them more sympathetic to folks who may oppose government “handouts” in other arenas. The living wage issue isn’t about welfare or having extra money to spend at an online casino; it’s about equality.
A University of California study of workers at the San Francisco Airport showed that turnover dropped by almost 70 percent when the administration there enacted a living wage because pay rates rose by an average of 22 percent. That meant that employees were less likely to leave, saving the airport significant money in hiring and training new employees. Overall the living wage concept is beneficial to communities, business owners, and workers.
Personal Responsibility for the Planet
A key political issue for the Kentucky Green Party, and Greens around the country, is to promote a sustainable lifestyle. In addition to using politics to get legislative changes, there are ways to benefit the environment by making good economic choices as well.
Choose Restaurants Wisely
When you are planning a night out, don’t just go to any old restaurant. Instead choose somewhere with good environmental practices. Avoid places that serve with mostly paper goods. Try to pick restaurants with as little waste as possible. By choosing these restaurants, you are using your money to share your political values.
Shop Locally
The benefit of local goods is that the items don’t travel across the country- or even across the ocean – to get to you. Instead they are made by someone in your community. By making a commitment to purchase items from these places, you are supporting local business owners and also reducing the environmental impact of your purchases.
Felled Wood Furnishings
Felled wood companies are cropping up in many areas. These companies use only wood that has already fallen, rather than cutting down new trees. Felled wood furniture is handmade and has as little environmental impact as possible for furniture.
Pass on the Plastic
Many items come in plastic or wood. While plastic may be cheaper, the cost to the environment is tremendous. Plastic is a synthetic material that will take an unknown amount of time to degrade in our landfills. Many plastic items, such as toys, can be used very long either, which means that you will need to replace these items more often. Opt for natural products made with quality fibers, wood, or even metal for a better environmental impact.
While you should continue to push your politicians to vote for climate change, you can speak with your personal financial choices in the meantime.
The Media’s Role in an Election Year
- Image via Wikipedia
Why The Green Party Matters
- Image via Wikipedia
21st Century Insurance is a leader in their field, but they aren’t the only insurance company around. While they may be the best, there are plenty of other companies out there to choose from and you know that. However, what if you weren’t allowed to know about the best companies, or even the other lesser companies? What if you were only always given two companies to choose from no matter how good or bad they were? You wouldn’t like to be limited, now would you?
In the political system, we have the unfortunate time of being given only two parties to choose from. The Green Party is often not one of those big parties. It’s a shame because the world needs the Green Party and other parties just like it, but try telling that to the boys in Washington.
The simple thing is that the more ideas there are in Washington, the more we can find the path to positive change. With only two parties working for change, we are really losing out on a lot of interesting and helpful ideas.
What the Green Party provides is a platform for the sharing of ideas that are a little off the beaten path. They believe that there shouldn’t be the acceptance of money from big corporations and they are against the idea of a government that doesn’t work tirelessly for the people. We all agree that they should be working hard for the American people, but the Green Party is the only party that seems to base their entire political system around it.
The Green Party gives the American people another option. Another option is what will keep the rest of the political system honest. Without honesty, we are going to be staring at the same old broken system we have had in place for years.
