Details, by Betsy

It takes all kinds to make the world go 'round. Some come up with the grand schemes and ideas.  Others must find a way to work out the details and put the schemes and ideas into practice. The devil is in the details.

Consider the recent election campaign and what is going on in Washington today.  The ideas were put out there, affirmed by the people, but now, no one seems to be able to work out the details to put those ideas into practice. Clearly differing political ideologies is the reason the details cannot be worked out, but there is a middle ground to which some are unwilling to travel unfortunately.

The details end up being more important than the grand idea.  The Republicans are proposing to avoid the fiscal cliff and raising government revenues by closing current tax loopholes. However, they are unwilling to reveal exactly which loopholes should be closed.  So they expect the Democratic administration and Democratic Congress members to accept such a plan which either has no details written in it or those details are being kept secret?  That, of course, will never be acceptable.  The details make all the difference between an economic policy which is good for the country versus a policy which would be devastating.

Take climate change also, for example. There are very few people who do not realize or will not admit that human activity is influencing the warming of our planet.  Many people including some world leaders propose that just cutting back on the burning of fossil fuels would and should be a priority, but that idea is not being implemented.  Why?  The details.  Just how do we cut back on burning fossil fuels. Where do we start?  It can be done, but no one can work out the details to the satisfaction and acceptance of all.

The problem is that when the details are spelled out, it becomes clear that everyone will have to give a little, bend a bit, be flexible--some more than others.  So it is with tax reform as well.  Is it not better to sacrifice one or two of the details for the good of the whole?  After all, if the whole, that is, the planet or one’s source of livelihood whether it be Social Security, pension, the stock market, bank and corporate profits--if the planet becomes uninhabitable by humans or the global economy collapses, details become meaningless.

© 10 Dec 2012 

About the Author 

 Betsy has been active in the GLBT community including PFLAG, the Denver women’s chorus, OLOC (Old Lesbians Organizing for Change).  She has been retired from the Human Services field for about 15 years.  Since her retirement, her major activities include tennis, camping, traveling, teaching skiing as a volunteer instructor with National Sports Center for the Disabled, and learning.  Betsy came out as a lesbian after 25 years of marriage. She has a close relationship with her three children and enjoys spending time with her four grandchildren.  Betsy says her greatest and most meaningful enjoyment comes from sharing her life with her partner of 25 years, Gillian Edwards.