I Think We Can! I Think We Can!

The Little Engine That Could

This morning I woke thinking about a cartoon scene from the past. Maybe it was the snow falling around the lake and trees outside the bedroom window. Or, Carli’s reassuring snoring. (Carli, our beloved K-9 gift from above.) I’m not exactly sure why — but it was lingering in my mind nonetheless. It went like this:

“I think I can! I think I can!”, the little engine that could kept saying. On it puffed and pulled. On and on, until it climbed all the mountains, crossed all the rivers, and pulled the little train to its destination. “I knew I could! I knew I could!”, the little engine that could finally said. (Please see below.)

That scene kept replaying in my mind.

Why? Is there some esoteric reason for my subconscious to pull up the child’s story?

“Well, yes… maybe,” I thought. The day before I stumbled upon a Robert Reich video about war economy spending and his thoughts about a better use of Mr. Trump’s $200 billion increase in military spending. He explained that some 67% of discretionary spending already goes to military related spending. That’s more than $700 billion. So, couldn't we chose to use that money for more life-affirming uses?

Better use for Mr. Trump's $200 billion in additional War Economy spending.

Oh, by the way, Dr. Reich also pointed out that over the next few years, military cost overruns are projected to reach about $484 billion and the Pentagon itself says by reducing operational overhead some $125 billion could be saved.

It’s a good time, don’t you agree, for the Pentagon people to adopt a “little engine that could” determination and get control of the operational overhead and cost overruns. After all, it’s no longer chump change. We’re talkin’ a few big bucks now. We can do it, too. We can demand that Congress actually do it's job and actually gain accountability by overseeing the Pentagon operations.

I think we can! I think we can!

Robert Reich: The Military-Industrial Drain

Nothing Can Stop Us Now - The Little Engine That Could - 1991

Courage

Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne (1926)

Somewhere within us resides an itty-bitty spark of courage.

We need to look hard to find it.

Then, give it some air and nurture it into a brilliant flame.

We need that hidden spark to help us try to make fewer bombs, rifles, landmines, fighter jets, missiles and aircraft carriers.

Because with a tiny fraction of what we spend on war materiel each year, we can employ our people in good-paying jobs to rebuild our water systems and stop polluting our rivers, lakes and oceans; rebuild and modernize our roads, bridges, cities and family farms; make our healthcare system the best in the world; educate and train all our people; dive like our future depends on it — because it does — into decentralized and diversified, sustainable energy systems.

We can do these things and much more with an itty-bitty, mouse-sized portion of what we spend on war materiel.

All we need is the courage to find that spark and nurture it.

Transitioning from a war economy into a peace economy... it's time... because we are braver, stronger and smarter than we think.