“The people who lead this world have not been square with you, because that would hurt their bank accounts, and might take away their power. We are destroying our world and making it unlivable for future generations so that we can have more things now - not what we need - but what we want.”

These are lines from a speech written by Matt Orsagh, a speech we need to hear from our leaders, but so far we’re only hearing it from one political candidate – Dave Gardner, independent candidate for U.S. President in 2024.

Read the speech we're discussing here:

https://degrowthistheanswer.substack.com/p/the-speech-we-need-to-hear-from-our

The speech is so truthful, accurate and poignant, that we convened a few members of the Dave the Planet campaign team to review it. We’re faced with the decision of a lifetime: inconvenience ourselves and do what’s right for future generations, or opt for comfort and leave our kids a dead planet.

The speech continues:

“This year is a big election year around the world. Every politician will promise you growth. That's how they get elected. They will tell you that they will deliver growth. The assumption is that growth and a good life are the same thing, that growth is the thing in your heart of hearts that you want. But that's not how the natural world works. Things don't grow forever. You don't grow forever, the trees outside your house don't grow forever. The only thing that grows forever is cancer. It grows until it kills its host, and then it dies too.”

Thank you to finance guru Matt Orsagh, who wrote this speech and published it on his Substack column, Degrowth is the Answer, in January of 2024. It was stunning to read the speech Dave Gardner could have delivered - such syncronicity. We interviewed Matt in our last episode; be sure to listen. Find that podcast in the links below. Here is one more, very relevant excerpt:

 "I will not promise you growth because that is irresponsible. But I can promise you a better way. I can promise you a way that is sustainable. I can promise you a way that is better for your children 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100 years from now. But that will take a change that is quite uncomfortable. Do you want to keep your comfort for today and doom your children, or do you want to make uncomfortable changes and save them?”

 We also share some campaign news in this episode:

Endorsements – our campaign website now includes endorsements from notable people, plus supporters like you. Add your endorsement.

Flyers – download these graphics and leave them wherever you go to help spread the word.

Dave the Planet on Substack – campaign updates and notes about the issues are now being published on Substack. If you’re not already getting thes, be sure to subscribe here: https://davetheplanet.substack.com

Fundraising – this national campaign has so far not met even the $10,000 milestone. Please support this campaign so we can alert, educate and inspire more people. We promise not to be a spoiler.

Recorded January 24, 2024.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The Speech We Need to Hear from Our Leaders – by Matt Orsagh

I encourage our leaders to steal this speech.

https://degrowthistheanswer.substack.com/p/the-speech-we-need-to-hear-from-our

Degrowth is the Answer on Substack

https://degrowthistheanswer.substack.com/

Dave the Planet on Substack

https://davetheplanet.substack.com

Endorsements

https://davetheplanet2024.com/endorsements.html

Flyers

https://davetheplanet2024.com/flyers.html

Dave is the one candidate for U.S. President in 2024 who promises our children not a dead planet, but a bright future. Learn more about Dave Gardner's campaign for U.S. President and his National Project to Get Out of Overshoot at https://davetheplanet2024.com

Subscribe, donate, volunteer, explore the issues, and vote for Dave.

Follow this podcast for a ringside seat to Dave Gardner’s adventures running for U.S. President. If elected, Dave will declare an ecological overshoot emergency and launch a national project to get the nation out of overshoot. Podcast guests don't necessarily endorse Dave for president. We’ve got a planet to save, and the U.S. should do its part.