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Agreed, but my point was that citizen passion-- citizen "giving", if you like-- is the lever that moves public policy. The "state" is in the end a collection of people whose motives and procedures are limited by a corporate-like structure they imnmerse themselves in-- a machine WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO FEEL, AND THEREFORE WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO SEE THE VALUE IN POLICY BASED ON "FEELINGS". Individually, these people may be as kind as Tom Cratchett, but when buried in the bosom of the "company"--- they may just get out the board and the bucket.
Unless it can be shown to be "valuable" in terms the state understands--like power-- there will bec no movement, and no good policy. Ignore these issues, and lose power. The machine can see that.
 

"There is mysterious music in democracy, when people decide to believe in themselves." ---Bill Greider, The Nation.
by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Fri Dec 21st, 2007 at 02:13:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]
There is a fair amount of citizen sentiments going straight to the other way.

It might be better to focus on creating homes for the homeless, but right now most of the developed world spends  fair amount of time making sure they can't sleep on benches... Oxford, for example, has spent dozens of thousands of pounds on benches  with such an anti-homeless design, they can't even be used for sitting... Near my home, they was a small space in front of a door, just large enough for a man who was regularly sleeping there (he left in the day) ; now there's a metal rod built specifically to prevent him staying there.

The public's feelings aren't only to help the homeless, and the state machine answers to that.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Dec 21st, 2007 at 04:41:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Sadly, this also is true.
That metal bar is a testimony to the zero-sum world view--

Living on a boat, this is a common problem: when you anchor off, if you anchor off in front of an expensive housing area or ritzy beach "community", the cops will be there in an hour- even though the law says you can anchor off anywhere as long as you don't obstruct navigation.
Oick a poorer place, and --no pproblems will occur.
Or, --a poorer country.

The key, for me, is to understand the multifaceted nature of man--and how each aspect emerges.

The inherent bureaucratic inertia effect---once set in motion, a good idea has as much (or more) life as a bad idea.

Keeps us alive, this.  

"There is mysterious music in democracy, when people decide to believe in themselves." ---Bill Greider, The Nation.

by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Fri Dec 21st, 2007 at 02:06:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
That's a great find, linca.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. --Charu Saxena.
by metavision on Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 at 07:22:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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