The World Omnibus Bill: imagine the impact that this would have if was taken up by a progressive political party. Really! That someone might actually ask for our input on how to save the planet and improve the welfare of all!
Here in Canada and elsewhere, large omnibus bills are being extensively used to dismantle environmental initiatives and generations of progressive legislation. This is part of our current “democratic” process and used when the right side of politics gains the upper hand. The left clearly tends to dismantle rightist initiatives, as well, when they are in a position of power. This paper is not about how legislatures act and react, but about how we the people (worldwide) should be reacting to today’s frightful and appalling situation.
Governments are supposed to be representatives of their citizens, but unfortunately it is not the citizenry that offers much direct input for inclusions into acts within omnibus bills. Much of the input into omnibus bills is written by corporations and their financed right-wing policy institutes (think tanks) looking after their interests. Their input is regularly included precisely as written.
Rather than kneejerk reacting to what our politicians do, we should be judicially preparing drafts of what we want in our society’s laws and what we want to leave as a legacy of our being here in this generation and in this pivotal and critical time.
The planet is in great danger of ecological collapse and the welfare of the majority of all earth’s people has declined dramatically as fewer and fewer individuals take charge of our destiny. The danger and decline is so great that it needs to be addressed as a worldwide issue. As a worldwide issue (as no man or no nation is exempt from the present and ever-growing danger) we need to tackle this by asking people everywhere on the planet for input into legislation that promotes corrective actions.
Initially it may appear to be an idealistic idea, but let’s consider that we collectively draw up a world omnibus bill with individual acts to cover anything we feel is a threat to ourselves, to our planet, and to the future. Individuals, groups of individuals, and NGOs could take on any one of the 100 or so potential acts that would be included in our all-encompassing bill. Note – there should be a limited number of acts for inclusion.
Everyone wants a good life for themselves, with wholesome food, access to clean unpolluted drinking water, adequate clothing, a fine warm home, recreation, travel, luxuries, transportation, etcetera. Our proposals should not unduly diminish these objectives, but must lessen the direct and indirect effect that our wants, needs, and activities have on the wellbeing of others and the planet.
As one example, if chemical-leaching plastic, depleted uranium, insecticides, herbicides, hormone mimickers, etcetera are destroying our seas, soil, fresh water, air, and genome, then the answer is deceptively simple; – make laws that stop the manufacture and usage of such materials. Period.
Few would consider something as farfetched as stopping the use of plastic, but it is so destructive that it should be classed as hazardous waste. The 100 year experiment with these unnatural materials has got to end. We need to stop using them and it’s as simple as passing a law that says “nothing shall be made from plastics without approval” by the year 20XX.
Those with the vested interest of short term profit will not advance these restrictive laws. It is up to the people to do it. Making such dramatic laws will obviously be traumatic and resisted by those who profit from the patent disregard for people and planet. Although we can be somewhat flexible on the implementation dates of such laws, we must be steadfast in our resolve and objectives whatever they may ultimately be.
Today’s technology can bring together vastly diverse people to cooperate on a common and single goal. A few determined individuals can enable tens of thousands to share their talents in achieving what previously would have been unimaginable – if not impossible. (ref: Swarmwise by Rick Falkvinge )
We must call on those few knowledgeable individuals to step forward to take up and advance this idea as time is passing and the problem escalates day-to-day. If nothing else transpires, politicians of every stripe, everywhere on the planet, would have access to our collective and evolving concerns and expectations.