I Didn't Go to the March for Science

Instead, I worked on an illustration for Sustainable Wellesley

Here it is:

Sustainable Wellesley is a group that advocates for a clean, sustainable environment.  They are hosting a forum on Eco friendly landscaping at the Wellesley, MA Free Library on May 13.  I've always wanted a lawn that is safe for all of God's creatures, so I am attending.

We cannot always make every march, protest or event.  We can do what our time, mood, and energy levels allow.  Let's remember when we are close to despair - keep doing, keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Own It

WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO WIN IN 2018

After the electoral gut punch in November, the exhilaration of the Womens' March in January, and the thrill of staging raucous town halls throughout the late winter and early spring, it is time to come to grips with what it will take to win in 2018.  I am talking about putting up with a long, slow slog.

I live a block away from mile 15 of the Boston Marathon.  This point is after the "Scream Tunnel" of Wellesley College, and before the brutal Newton hills - most notably Heartbreak Hill.  People are starting to look not too happy around this area.  They have to dig in, because they have another 11.5 miles to go.

We are entering the really tough part of the journey to take back the House in 2018.  It's time to own  this marathon.  The exhilaration will be back when we cross the finish line.

Listening to Ohio

Ohio Democrats Take Action

I recently had the pleasure of talking to David Pepper, Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party.  Here are the major takeaways from our conversation:

• Ohio has not felt the benefits of the recovery from the Great Recession that most of the nation has enjoyed.
• Democrats can get themselves into a bubble - they did in 2016, believing that Trump's liabilities would hurt him more than it did.
• Every time Trump talked trade, Democrats knew that they were losing voters to him.
• The Ohio Democratic Party is making a serious, sustained effort to listen to voters across all 88   Ohio counties.

I have been hoping that Democrats would undertake serious, brutally honest listening tours among all voters.  The Democrats in Ohio are doing that.  These are taking place through KITCHEN TABLE CONVERSATION throughout the state.  The goal is not only to listen, but to develop messages that resonate  throughout the entire state, not just the blue sections.

Let Renewable Energy Power the Democrats' Strategy

"China poised to take lead on climate after Trump's move to undo policies" reads the headline from the March 29, 2017 New York Times article written by Edward Wong.

"China wants to take over the role of the U.S. as a climate leader, and they've baked it into their five year plans." said Barbara Finamore, senior lawyer and Asia director at the Natural Resources Defense Council

From the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA.org), PacRim is pulling out of its Alaska Coal Project because of a lack of customers.

"The contributions of sustainable energy to the country's economic competitiveness are direct, dramatic and dynamic."  Lisa Jacobson, president of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy.

It seems to me that the Democrats have a ready made strategy, screaming to be adopted.  Push sustainable energy.  It doesn't have to mean a loss of jobs; indeed, I believe that it is a nascent economic sector that is only going to get bigger, and employ more people. The cost of sustainables continue to drop - Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported that investment fell 18% from 2015 to 2016 because of the dramatic drop in cost, not demand.

Engineering and building storage capacity should be a big part of the economy.  Not only does the grid need upgrading and expanding, storage capacity has to be increased as well.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has implemented a program to get most of its energy from renewable energy sources (there have been some hiccups, largely because the grid and storage capacity cannot accommodate the supply.)  Germany has day where close to 100% of its power comes from renewable energy.

If Germany and China take the lead in the renewable energy market, is the US crippling our future economy?  I think so.