Making Democracy Work For The Entire World

There is an old saying:  think globally, act locally.  I try to do that, because that is ALL I am able to do about global issues.

When it comes to national issues, like health care, there is something else I can do: I can vote.  Just imagine for a second that we were all denied the right to vote in national elections. We would be angry, and there would be massive protests.

As a citizen of the world, I am concerned about the fact that I have no say in matters which affect the entire planet.  The human race could destroy itself, and everything on this planet, without me even having a vote in the matter.

I voted for President Obama in the last election, hoping that he would take a leadership role in ending war, reducing the threat of terrorism, controlling global warming, and ridding the world of nuclear weapons.  Inevitably, I have been disappointed.  There’s only so much he can do.

Consider climate change, for example.  President Obama cannot compel other nations to accept or meet any omissions targets.  He cannot even make a firm commitment that the United States itself will meet any targets.  All he can really do is exhort and plead.  World climate change is not his responsibility, anyway.  He is President of the United States, not of the world.

Genocide is also not his responsibility.  Years ago, an episode of genocide occurred in Rwanda, while the world stood around and watched.  The U.N. had troops in the country, but those troops were not permitted to act to prevent the killings.  The U.N. has no real authority over nations. That has been made painfully clear over the years.

 Today, genocide is happening in Sudan and in other places around the world. I would like to write to the President of the World and demand action to prevent all this killing and bring assistance to the victims.  I wish it were against the law for nations to brutalize their people, or to attack other nations.

I would like to write to my representative in the world parliament, and request that he or she support strict global emissions standards so that we don’t destroy our planet.

 As it is,I feel disenfranchised.  Poor decisions about global issues could literally end my life, and the lives of my children and grandchildren.  I have nothing to say about those issues, and the nations of the world have failed to act together to do anything meaningful about them. It’s time for a change and we need it soon. That’s what I think. How about you?