(HOST) On this day of Vermont’s primary vote, commentator Deborah Luskin is thinking about pickles, poems and political power.
(LUSKIN) When each of my kids was in second grade, they read a poem by Judith Viorst titled, "If I Were in Charge of the World." In this poem, the young speaker declaims that if he were in charge of the world, he’d cancel oatmeal, design healthier hamsters and basketball hoops that were lower. Each of my kids wrote her own version of the poem, and my youngest’s has been stuck on the refrigerator door ever since. In her second grade fantasy of being in charge, she wanted to cancel dish washing, Little Red Riding Hood and bedtime.
The yellowed page of this poem caught my eye the other day, as I was pickling cucumbers and listening to the news. It’s been a fine growing season in Vermont this summer. Not only are the vegetable gardens abundant, but we’re also enjoying a bumper crop of political candidates. In this primary there are thirteen candidates for governor and eight for lieutenant governor. Each one has a different idea of what they would do if elected. Once elected, of course, politicians are constrained by budgets and compromise. Not me. Here’s my version of what I would do if I were in charge of the world.
If I were in charge of the world, I’d cancel television, fast food and frequent-flyer miles. I’d outlaw "Open 24/7" and declare one day a week free from shopping and using electronics.
If I were in charge of the world, children would be allowed to be bored, all adults would have meaningful work, and there would be mandatory, homemade, evening meals; everyone would sit down together to eat.
If I were in charge of the world, employers wouldn’t have to pay for their employees’ health care, because everyone would be covered by the state. I would eliminate third-party payors, EOMBs, penalties for pre-existing conditions and Muzak while waiting on hold. I’d eliminate "hold". If I were in charge of the world, our schools would be well-supported, innovative, and engage entire communities. We’d all be life-long learners eager to exchange ideas and skills.
If I were in charge of the world, we wouldn’t have to suffer the indignities of airport security, and we could get from Vermont to California by high-speed train. We’d have public transportation even in Vermont – and Vermonters would only have to drive to the nearest bus stop or train depot to commute when they had to. And everyone would have high speed internet, so some days they could work from home.
If I were in charge of the world, we’d have a giant farewell party for Vermont Yankee. We’d celebrate its years of safe service – and we’d shut it down. And then we’d each cut our personal energy use in half, even as we found greener energy sources.
But I’m not in charge of the world. I’m not even running for political office. But I do have my ideals – and I vote.