This kind of stuff is the biggest reason I’m mad at the left. I’d be perfectly fine calling myself a far leftist (ask me my views on immigration, lol) if it weren’t for leftists insisting that tradeoffs don’t really exist. Sometimes not even as a bow to political reality but as an active ideological principle! I’ll be mad forever that environmental justice activists didn’t like former California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols, because she designed emissions reduction programs to maximize for *emissions reductions* rather than for “equity”. Climate change is inequitable and will harm the world’s poorest people - maximizing for emissions reductions in California *is* maximizing for equity! If you’re worried that only rich people are installing rooftop solar and want to design a subsidy program to help poorer households install rooftop solar, be my guest, but don’t insist in the name of “justice” that ACKSHYEWALLY the way to maximize for progressive priority A is to fully endorse progressive priorities B-Z and so we can’t have any rooftop solar until everybody can have some, or whatever.
Good points. I really appreciate your willingness to call out both left and right.
A great many of the barriers to employment, affordable housing etc. are erected by those who claim to be acting in the public interest, but are really only feathering this own nests.
And speaking of self serving, whenever I see the word “longtermism” I want to follow Mark Twain’s example and substitute “bullshit.”
This kind of stuff is the biggest reason I’m mad at the left. I’d be perfectly fine calling myself a far leftist (ask me my views on immigration, lol) if it weren’t for leftists insisting that tradeoffs don’t really exist. Sometimes not even as a bow to political reality but as an active ideological principle! I’ll be mad forever that environmental justice activists didn’t like former California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols, because she designed emissions reduction programs to maximize for *emissions reductions* rather than for “equity”. Climate change is inequitable and will harm the world’s poorest people - maximizing for emissions reductions in California *is* maximizing for equity! If you’re worried that only rich people are installing rooftop solar and want to design a subsidy program to help poorer households install rooftop solar, be my guest, but don’t insist in the name of “justice” that ACKSHYEWALLY the way to maximize for progressive priority A is to fully endorse progressive priorities B-Z and so we can’t have any rooftop solar until everybody can have some, or whatever.
I didn’t know that but I am 0% surprised
Good points. I really appreciate your willingness to call out both left and right.
A great many of the barriers to employment, affordable housing etc. are erected by those who claim to be acting in the public interest, but are really only feathering this own nests.
And speaking of self serving, whenever I see the word “longtermism” I want to follow Mark Twain’s example and substitute “bullshit.”
Totally, and ty!