The Need For A Sliding Scale Fee On Goods and Services

Eating healthy food. Access to safe drinking water. Owning a home. Land. Access to health care. Education. And freedom to live as one pleases without hassle (without impeding on others). All are basic human rights. And of course in the monetary system, they're privileges. Money will buy you healthy food, water, a home, land, health care, education and often times, freedom.

I won't tolerate anymore hearing people say "that's just how it is". Most people who say that either don't realize how negatively affected they are by such a system or else they haven't been severely impacted by the system. Or perhaps they simply don't care because they are, currently, safe and financially secure. (I know people like that, many residing in my own family, which makes me shudder sometimes in the wee hours of the morning). Sometimes I feel like tossing a grain of corn their way, pat them on the head and say "go back to sleep sweet little lamb".

"The world isn't fair."

"That's just how things are."

Such statements are nothing more than lazy excuses. Instead of actually doing something, instead of embracing the notion that we're all connected and as such, have SOME amount of accountability to one another, not to mention future generations, such statements have become mainstream. The system smiles when such statements are tossed about.

In my neck of the woods we have a local co-op store. It's a smaller store, home to healthy, organic, local foods. If I could afford to, I would do all of my shopping there. But I can't. When you are living on a very fixed income and have the choice of buying organic chicken for $10/lb or non-organic for $4/lb, you opt for the non-organic kind. A gallon of organic milk can run upwards of $5 while the non-organic milk goes for $2.30. At least I buy hormone-free dairy products and meat and poultry when I can and I am very grateful I can afford to do so. The management and staff wear the "buy organic/buy local" hat proudly. And while they do offer a 5% discount for low income folks, they simply don't go far enough.

I'm under no illusion the monetary system is going away anytime soon, although in spite of that, I will continue to be a staunch, outspoken supporter of a system based on human need and the responsible, fair and just utilization and distribution of resources. Accepting this, we can begin to impart some fairness into the monetary system by encouraging a sliding scale fee on all goods and services. We've insisted upon and supported a system of sliding scale incomes. It's only fair, just and right (remember, those are American values) to create a sliding scale fee system.

No excuses either. It would be a hassle at first. And yes, some would take advantage of such a system. But I believe, perhaps naively, in the goodness and honesty of people. Certainly I believe in the decency of the human heart and soul. And as such, I believe most would do the right thing.

There is nothing...no thing...that can not be created and put into place. Anything is possible. Always has been, always will be. When it comes to how we live/work/eat etc. etc. we've been conditioned there is one way and one way only. Bullshit. Do not ever listen to anyone who preaches such crap. The road to change is often long. Travelers often become battle weary. Persistance and a refusal to budge from ones goal, beliefs, values is necessary.

As in the words of that wonderful saying by George Bernard Shaw: "The reasonable person adapts to his or her environment. The unreasonable person expects his or her environment to adapt to them. Therefore, all change is dependent upon the unreasonable person."

Embrace that inner unreasonable self! The planet and the people need more of you!