The same people (including BIG Business and the Koch Brothers) who are trying to crush environmental programs and regulations are also trying to cut education, social programs and many others, plus crush unions and other usually liberal causes.
Someone needs to unite the political arms of all liberal groups. At least a BIG UMBRELLA coordinating committee. There are far too many environmental and other liberal organizations to have much impact individually with their splintered efforts, individual messages, multiple bureaucracies, competitiveness and many other inefficiencies. Liberals need to take lessons from the handlers of the Tea Party, and in previous political cycles, the Evangelicals. (Tea Party organizers did a lot of research to find the most exploitable people and attitudes of the time.)
We need to unite with labor, political, and even “good corporations” to make a change. There is far more strength in unity.

The points about closer collaboration among the fragmented leftist organizations, if not actual unification (dream on!) are well taken. It is very difficult to deal rationally and constructively with daily solicitations from 10-20 groups all doing significant work, some overlapping, some partly at odds with each other, all focused on their little piece of the elephant.

The smart people I talk with -- from heterodox economists (Yes, Virginia, . . .) to thoughtful and informed people from many walks of life -- are increasingly of a mind that one or another of the dozen or more related but distinct crises facing the planetary system will break suddenly, within perhaps 5 years at the outside. When that occurs, collapse in all of the other over-stressed areas will follow rapidly.

We focus on development of local infrastructure, and the communities to utilize it, for food, water, shelter, communication, and other necessities.

One could consider electoral politics, in the U.S. and elsewhere, to be the sub-system that has already failed, and that will soon precipitate major failures elsewhere.

Naomi and Bill,

I so appreciate your intent, but fear the absence of backbones and other essentials--so many these days appear to have been gelded--spell the opposite outcome. American courage is shallow at best, most often displayed in the arrogat, faux macho swagger we see among the tailgaters and haters but almost never when confronted by workplace and governmental bullying.

Some studies have questioned why slaves so often submitted for several hundred years. There were occasional uprisings, but most accepted the dominance. Today we need more Nat Turners, more souls willing to stand up, to leave foul corporate enslavement, and to speak out.

Unless, of course, one enjoys the sense of "poor me" roll-over-and-take-it martyrdom they envision. That, my friends, is but a myth: you are just too lazy, frightened, and dependent to leave or argue with your masters. Admit it and shut up, or stand up and do something about it.

LET'S CALL IT WHAT IT REALLY IS:

Its an attempted 'Legalized' Secession now underway and driving forward towards a National Coup d'etat by the extreme Ideological Fringe with the help of Conservative Global Corporate Media and financing from Global Corporations.
They effort to 'secede' group by ideological group, first by District, then by State, then by seeking Federal Dominion over the entire country and the hundreds of millions of AMERICANS these people openly despise.
Their process is by way of 'Legal' Economic, Financial, De-Regulatory, De-Taxation and Budgetary Warfare.
Their agenda is to dismiss hundreds of millions of Americans as somehow 'unworthy'.. 'inferior'.. 'un-American'.., etc.., or just as out right 'Wastes-of-Space' they want nothing to do with as they seek control of everything in an America free of Corporate Regulation and Taxation and any kind of Government Funded Social Access to Anything which benefits ALL, including any kind of EPA, FDA, Social Security, Medicare, Universal Basic Education. You name it.
They seek Government by Corporate Contract, where Corporations Contract to perform ALL Government functions.
This is 'CLASS Warfare' being waged in earnest with EVERYTHING on the line.
Its the Corporate sponsored fringe TEA-PLE CLASS + the 2% Wealthy Global Corporate Class Vs. ALL OTHER AMERICANS.

Bipartsy's end the corporate rule is where we need to unite first and foremost. The "We Are One" banner says it all,& if we all start there and make corporations subordinate to we the people, start to rebuild the middle class,with a job that pays enough to raise a family .The politicians are elected with corporate funds,& Citizens United gave corporations cover and unlimited use of their wealth .The largest banks are 20% bigger now then before we bailed them out .The 1927 comment is so true today ,as they foreclose on millions of American's .Last week 60 minutes aired a piece on how the foreclosure documents are all fraudulent and they do not have standing to foreclose .The Mortgage Backed Security lacks the mortgage .They did not record the transfer of the note required by law, 1 to prove wnership,and 2 to stiff every county in the country the fee's, saving banks billions .Our individual issue ,global warming,ending the wars,gay rights are all important , but first we need to end corporate rule .We need to come out in huge numbers supporting each other and demanding the taxes these huge company's do not pay,in GE's case they received a 2 billion tax refund .This solidarity requires people power replacing corporate power,we are 98% of power. Under We Are One its time to storm the Capital,& move in like Wisconsin & keep the lobbyist out .The military & police are on our side!

McKibben/Klein: "any chance requires people power (power of powerless) replacing corporate power. In the year of Tunisia and Egypt and Wisconsin, it's worth a try."
Let's do IT - there is no other option NOW.

The fairness in broadcasting act's demise at the hands of Reagan put the nation's media in the hand's of the corporatists - most notably, Rupert Murdoch.

The result has been a major portion of our population voting against their own interests. How those people are so easily propagandized should be the cause of a major study.

The Internet alone, is not going to counter the weight of TV and AM radio. If a means of leveling this playing field can be found, the final positive result would be greatly enhanced.

This is where the revolution must start.