Coming Full Circle

My citizen activism started in the early 70’s when I became involved in battles (yes, battles) to stop housing developments on prime agricultural land and an Army Corps dam in Sonoma County, California.

After a couple of decades devoted to getting a legal education, starting a solo law practice, and some “side trips” that taught me who I’m not, in 2003 I focused on public funding of campaigns. In 2004, I added problems with vote counting machines to my “to do” list of activities. As our country has continued to head in the wrong direction, in 2006 I added impeachment of Bush and Cheney to the previous two activities.

My premise in getting involved in the political process was that needed reforms, including environmental, would occur if we could just change the decision makers. Obviously, it hasn’t been that easy.

Around two years ago I joined the Green Party since I decided no amount of effort on my part would change the Democratic Party from within. With a few exceptions, the Democrats are as beholden to corporate interests as the Republicans are and show next to no interest in freeing themselves from corporate influence by supporting public funding of campaigns.

For at least the last decade, it's been apparent to me that the biggest threat of all is climate change. I’ve collected all the horror stories, including the Pentagon’s
An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for U.S. National Strategy, published in the fall of 2003.

Because I’ve been so active as a citizen for the past few years, I’ve jeopardized my health. To restore it and to support work on the climate change issue, I’ve started training for a marathon and am using my training and race miles to raise money for climate change projects. At pledges of 5 cents a mile, I’m going to need to run a lot of miles in order to make a difference!

Today I have to thank John Nichols, The Nation magazine’s Washington correspondent, for helping me pull it all together.

First, Nichols' talk in Corte Madera on November 2 of last year, along with his excellent book, "The Genius of Impeachment," have convinced me that we must make an effort to impeach Bush and Cheney.

Second, yesterday Nichols posted Holding Bush to Account for Climate Lies, Neglect. He pointed out that the Green Party is supporting impeachment of Bush for, among other impeachable offenses, tampering with studies on global warming and other scientific research.

I am now perfectly positioned to throw myself into working with the Green Party on climate change in conjunction with impeaching Bush and Cheney. Additionally, I have a wonderful friend here in Healdsburg, Tod Brilliant, who has been working tirelessly on the climate change issue for a long time now. His blog is well worth frequent visits.