Thursday 20 April 2017

Be Ye Transformed - Rich but not Wealthy...


This is a quick Part Two from my post yesterday as we still consider the ramifications of the forthcoming snap election whilst in the throes of challenging for the local county council elections.

The religious folk will appreciate the first part of the title above comes from the Bible (Romans chapter 12) and the section I refer to is "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind". Generally a lot of religious activity is perceived as 'mindless', whether that be repeating the same words week on week or in a violent response. Yet what this is saying is contrary, start thinking differently, don't go with the status quo, refresh the grey matter...

The second half of the title is a comment I heard from a First Nation Indigenous Native Tribal Chief living in what we call North America. The context was an interview with a tribal chief about the financial prospects within his reservation where a restriction was about to be lifted which would yield an exclusive revenue stream. The interviewer suggested that these folk would now 'become rich' and the wise response was "we've always been rich, just not wealthy". The reason it stuck with me is because of equating both the word "rich" and "wealthy" with money was a narrow perception. We can now also see to be rich can actually have a much wider meaning to do with history, culture and knowledge.

So where am I going with this?

I very much see the Green Party is able to fulfil and match these points because it thinks differently:

  • Whilst employment figures are needed, contentment in employment is more important.
  • National security should not be defended by an out of date (and probably faulty) nuclear deterrent but rather by, as a minimum, equipping our armed forces with appropriate protective wear and by recruiting more police.
  • Our Benefits system could be completely overhauled by implementing a Citizen's Income model.
  • Our public transport systems can be revitalised by cancelling the ridiculous HS2 project and returning services to public ownership where we can share the profits.
  • Instead of planning for more traffic we need to switch to zero emission vehicles and reduce car ownership. This will protect urban and rural air quality.
  • Our investment into the NHS has to increase massively, even if it means a tiny, negligible increase in taxation along with marrying both health and social care.
  • Scrap plans for Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C and Bradwell B. Within the renewable energy sector invest in energy reduction, community energy and energy storage systems... creates plenty of jobs!
(watch this space - I will probably add to this!)

P

Promoted by Robbie Spence on behalf of Peter Banks, both of 124 Morant Road, Colchester CO1 2JD

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