I always enjoy learning from you guys. While digesting your writings I learned about The Kitchen Debate. In a nutshell the "debate" was a discussion between world leaders as to how technology in the kitchen can have societal effects in the long term. The debate took place in 1959. Here is a wiki link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Debate
IMO the debate is a perfect example of how difficult it is for politicians to predict how their votes today will affect their constituents a generation later.
I want to play politician. Here is my experience with The Kitchen Debate as it relates to blind constituents.
While growing up I had two opportunities to intersect with the blind community. The first was in high school. One of the students was blind and she had a leader dog. I don't recall her name, but I recall her because us kids held doors open for her and helped her identify her surroundings. We communicated that way at a minimum.
The second opportunity was in my first neighborhood in Michigan. There was a blind guy named Tony. Us kids, between ages of about ten and eighteen, made sure that one of us walked with Tony every evening after dinner. Talking with Tony was interesting because he brought a different perspective to movies: He listened to them, whereas us seeing kids watched them. Discussing the contrasts between light and sound made memories like healthy food sticks to the ribs.
That was childhood.
Now I want to play adult politician. I have a village to manage. What would I do if I was handed a court decision or a bid proposal that said I had to install talking crosswalk machines to benefit the blind and/or the workers that make the machines.
Honestly? I would fight against the machines. IMO there is more honest work in walking with blind people.
How would you vote with regard to talking crosswalks for the blind?