It’s easy to get lost in the he-said she said of politics and be dismayed
Timescales
Politicians looking as far as the next election (if you’re lucky). According to various accounts, these days it’s a far-sighted politician who is thinking as far as next week.
(Australian science minister Barry Jones on being no more than two weeks ahead)
Climate generation is a multi-generational problem, and a bargain between us and the very very powerless future generations.
Common goods
Free rider problem.
All this was pretty well understood by the 1970s. Getting politicians to do anything about it a bit harder.
Some of my favourite quotes about politics
“Whose ox is going to get gored”
“The supreme instrument of power is the definition of alternatives”
Politics is show-business for ugly people
“Politics is the shadow cast on society by big business” John Dewey