The Small Things

When it comes to elections, many of us focus on so-called "big issues". The war on Iraq (if it can be called that). Abortion. Equal rights. Universal health care.

I'd love someone who would focus on small things that could help individuals. For example, think about how I find out what my gas bill is or what my electric bill. They get some guy to go around and look up a meter once in a month. Why can't I go on the Internet and find out what my bill is at any moment of the month. Like the minutes in my cell plan, I want to know minute-to-minute what I'm spending on stuff.

And why is my heating so inefficient? Or AC? If buildings were built inside of another, I suspect it would save me even more money.

For any appliance, you can imagine it running more efficiently. We have cars with as good gas mileage as they do because California required it, and this forced the car industry to deal with it. Otherwise, many companies seem pretty happy being wasteful, doing what is profitable rather than what is right.

Look at how much we have to spend to stay connected: cell phones, Internet, television, and so forth.

There's a bunch of small things that would impact us more directly, empower the citizenry, but these issues strike at the oldest companies who enjoy profits, but don't necessarily see the benefit of making it better for us all.

Things might be better if we'd only care to make it better.