The new wave
The longer you are in the tooth, the more you become aware of ocean wave-like tendencies of political and economic movements. The wind blows, the wave builds and crashes against the shore. Then the wind falls and the waves subside.
Each wave leaves behind a memento of its passing.
Communism, fascism, ultra-conservatism were the extremes in the political arena. Small ‘l’ liberalism, small ‘c’ conservatism and small ‘s’ socialism were more reasoned answers to the extremes.The latter three now are so close to the middle that they often dent each other’s fenders.
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Agriculture needs to prepare for government spending cuts
As government makes necessary cuts to spending, what can be reduced or restructured in the budgets for agriculture?
In the economic area, a populist movement with roots 200 years old was co-operation. A mistake it made was to become a big enough factor in Canada, the United States and elsewhere that it threatened the establishment.
“Mr. Big” is a heavy label to carry. At one time, untimely rain, grasshoppers, drought and high taxes were all blamed on the CPR. Now that the railways have abandoned most communities they used to serve, complainers have lost sight of them.
If you deal with any business long enough, inevitably there will be dissatisfactions, an example of poor quality goods or inadequate service. The wind comes and a new wave of business offers a different approach. If a new player has a glitzy image it must be good. Right?
It has become fashionable with some people to criticize co-operatives in the same unreasonable fashion we put down the CPR. It will take some major renewal to deal with this.
Remember, when the tide retreats from the new wave, we will be left with sand and seagulls scavenging the stranded clams.
