Economic Humanism Take 2

Economic Humanism

I have established this blog to develop the idea of economic humanism. The idea is how can we reaffirm the connection between money and value. the break between the two is at the cultural center of our economic crisis. As a society we see money as the whole reason for participating in society and have lost the connection to its role as one element of creating societal value. Our system is at the brink because we have lost site of the idea that money only has real value when it produces a result that is sustainable.


The most effective way to meet the goal of economic humanism is to:


1. Separate which elements of society that are a part of our shared responsibility, create societal stability and maintain a competitive international infrastructure. They are:

* Health Care.
* Education.
* Social Security.
* A Moderate Defense.
* National Infrastructure
* Diplomacy and international engagement
* Law enforcement and justice - the referee between the public and private aspects of business and life.

The federal government would be funded at a level to make only these things possible. This would dramatically cut the costs of federal government.

2. The next thing is to use the legislative process to target the power of the free market towards creating value while making money - by connecting societal value to direct the flow of money....For example, a company who is creating solar panels has more societal value today than one who sells oil. Our tax code should reflect that to keep capital flowing in meaningful directions based on our large scale goals. Our current laws, stock and tax structure rewards entrenched power. Corporate charters should be reviewed regularly and required to meet value creation standards. Capitalism by it's nature encourages Innovation which then leads to consolidation as capital accumulates and creates more power. Well run large companies create stability and contribute to society in many ways. Poorly run large companies can bring down a nation. We must find impactful ways to address delivering value instead of just money for money's sake.


In order to accomplish this we start where we are. Addressing the Banking Crisis and Corporate influence. Here are my suggestions:


1. Regulate the Federal Reserve –We have allowed this dysfunctional relationship to go on for 100 years they have never been accountable to the population they serve and have been involved in numerous ways of scamming the public. This crisis shows how pervasive this problem is and if our present administration is truly committed to open government they will open this door forever.


2. Break up and regulate the banking cartel - The key to a solid Eco-system in nature is diversity. We see ourselves as different from nature instead of an extension of nature. Having monolithic financial institutions with massive incomes and influence puts our economic Eco system at risk.

We created a regulated system in the wake of the Great Depression, but our electronic culture allows us to be even more effective. The electronic creation and distribution of money eliminates the need for giant money centers. No more bank – hedge fund -insurance company - investment houses. We should regulate conservative reserve requirements to focus growth on proven ideas. If we make economic growth more organic and stable and reduce unreasonable risk there will be lower profits overall but more sustainable growth. We should create regulations that limit the size of banks forcing them to incorporate locally and independently and would monitor so the local branch of Citigroup would have to be solvent on its own and they could only grow to a certain size without a new incorporation. This would disconnect financial institutions from becoming a giant "collection center" and keep more money near the users and in their communities.


Eliminate or massively regulate CDOs and CDS'. Money should be the life blood of a thriving economy - not a vehicle that creates more of itself just for the sake of it. The concept of these gambles vile.


3. Regulate the mortgage industry. In my state, you have to be more qualified to sell a $2,000 car than a $200,000 house - That is absurd. Make them test, bond and hold them accountable for unscrupulous lending practices. Make banks a concerned party to the deal by regulating how mortgages can be sold from bank to bank.


4. Re-balance corporate tax structures. 2/3rd of corporations don't pay taxes. Those who do pay at lower rates then individuals and we can’t even talk about it. Companies use the commons for its inherent value. Roads to get people to work, water, land, police protection etc. A fair tax structure assures that they pay a fair amount for this privilege. We have 330 million of the best workers and consumers in the history of the world and yet corporations have massive power and individuals don’t. This must be changed to create a sustainable world. A corporate tax on revenue before expenses and tariffs for products created elsewhere would work to keep Hallburton in Dubai, but they would profit less in selling their services in America. Furthermore we must aggressively tax toxic industries like defense, weapons, oil etc and use that money to solve the problems of war, famine and social injustice just like we do with cigarettes. Capital would flow capital out of toxic industries and in to sustainable industries.


7. Reform consumer credit and student loans. Enough with the crazy credit game, high interest, total control by the bankers a credit reporting system that is intended to keep the cost of money high. I have a son and his wife who got out of college with $100,000 in debt between them one is a teacher the other is studying for the priesthood. Some of the best people our world has to offer. How immoral is a society that takes their best and brightest and enslaves them to the financial system just because they are willing to better themselves? It is completely out of balance


My goal in these reforms is to invigorate the free market, modernize the social safety net and use the power of the free market to create value. I would like to direct the engine of growth toward humanism and away from its current role as a tool of greed and power, of stress and misery. I look forward to an open dialogue regarding these issues.

Economic Humanism

This is the beginning of an idea for me, born out of watching the economic crisis and looking for the real solution not the band-aids I see...

The idea of economic humanism is to reaffirm the connection between money and value. This break is at the cultural center of our crisis. As a society we see money as the end all in its own right and have lost the connection to its role as one element in creating societal value. It has become so lucrative to make money for money’s sake that our system is at the brink.

The most effective way to do this is to direct the free market to create value vs making money - by connecting societal value to money....A company who is creating solar panels should be more valuable than one who sells oil or organic food vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup. Our current laws, stock and tax structure sees them as the same and for a new world they are not. Here are my suggestions:

1. Regulate the Federal Reserve –We have allowed this dysfunctional relationship to go on for 100 years they have never been accountable to the population they serve and have been involved in numerous ways of scamming the public. This crisis shows how pervasive this problem is and if our present administration is truly committed to open government they will open this door forever.

2. Break up and regulate the banking cartel - The key to a solid Eco-system in nature is diversity. We see ourselves as different from nature instead of an extension of nature. Having monolithic financial institutions with massive incomes and influence puts our economic Eco system at risk.

We created a regulated system in the wake of the Great Depression, but our electronic culture allows us to be even more effective. The electronic creation and distribution of money eliminates the need for giant money centers. No more bank – hedge fund -insurance company - investment houses. We should regulate conservative reserve requirements to focus growth on proven ideas. If we make economic growth more organic and stable and reduce unreasonable risk there will be lower profits overall but more sustainable growth. We should create regulations that limit the size of banks forcing them to incorporate locally and independently and would monitor so the local branch of Citigroup would have to be solvent on its own and they could only grow to a certain size without a new incorporation. This would disconnect financial institutions from becoming a giant "collection center" and keep more money near the users and in their communities.

Eliminate or massively regulate CDOs and CDS'. Money should be the life blood of a thriving economy - not a vehicle that creates more of itself just for the sake of it. The concept of these gambles vile.

3. Regulate the mortgage industry. In my state, you have to be more qualified to sell a $2,000 car than a $200,000 house - That is absurd. Make them test, bond and hold them accountable for unscrupulous lending practices. Make banks a concerned party to the deal by regulating how mortgages can be sold from bank to bank.

4. Rebalance corporate tax structures. 2/3rd of corporations don't pay taxes. Those who do pay at lower rates then individuals and we can’t even talk about it. Companies use the commons for its inherent value. Roads to get people to work, water, land, police protection etc. A fair tax structure assures that they pay a fair amount for this privilege. We have 330 million of the best workers and consumers in the history of the world and yet corporations have massive power and individuals don’t. This must be changed to create a sustainable world. A corporate tax on revenue before expenses and tariffs for products created elsewhere would work to keep Hallburtion in Dubai, but they would profit less in selling their services in America. Furthermore we must aggressively tax toxic industries like defense, weapons, oil etc and use that money to solve the problems of war, famine and social injustice just like we do with cigarettes. Capital would flow capital out of toxic industries and in to sustainable industries.

7. Reform consumer credit and student loans. Enough with the crazy credit game, high interest, total control by the bankers a credit reporting system that is intended to keep the cost of money high. I have a son and his wife who got out of college with $100,000 in debt between them one is a teacher the other is studying for the priesthood. Some of the best people our world has to offer. How immoral is a society that takes their best and brightest and enslaves them to the financial system just because they are willing to better themselves? It is completely out of balance

My goal in these reforms would not be to eliminate the free market, but to use its power to create value. I would like to direct the engine of growth toward humanism and away from a tool of greed, stress and misery. Please send your opinions

The clown is running into the crowd and killing the children

What if the news reported what was really happening in the state of the union speech? On CNN they were talking as if they were reviewing the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

"There's the President shaking hands with people"
"Yeah Joanne, congressmen were actually bribing each other to get those front row seats"
"That's true Rob, I heard, that congressman Tancredo was going to actually have to work on Tom Delay's defense team to pay off the debt, just so he can absorb the president's overspray"

I think that Tom might need some lawyers to defend him against his lawyers (They joyously laugh at their mutual wit). Did you notice Senator Boxer's brilliant, Wool blend, periwinkle 2piece ensemble? - Brilliant -Brilliant (Joanne echoes him like the Guinness guy).

On and on. Meaningless, mind numbing commentary. I wondered what the metaphor of the parade would sound like if it accurately expressed what our president was really doing while running our country...

Here we are at the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade... we are waiting for the Grand Marshall of the parade...The first time a clown has been nominated to lead the thanksgiving day parade. Oh Rob, here he comes... He is waving at the crowd... doesn't he embody the promise of a better world.. and...Look! Here is his professional looking group clown troupe right behind him in the little car with the logos on the side. It looks like a racing car with those logos. Yes Joanne - Lockheed, Halliburton, Brown and Root, PHARMA, Exxon. How do they find all the space.

Their lock step is impressive... Watch them jumping out of their little car...they really are efficient..Wait, they seem a little drunk, maybe disorganized. No wait, they are acting disorganized. Oh my god! They are acting that way to hide the fact that they are sneaking up behind the parade watchers and... oh my god! they are taking their wallets and throwing them into the car! The parade organizers are running in behind them taking the wallets out of the car....Unbelievable, they are using the information they collect to take out loans in the name of the person they stole the wallet from. They are photo copying their IDs "just in case". Wait, the lead clown has jumped into the crowd and is attacking the children! He's killing the in the name of...wait I can't hear him...he keeps screaming and repeating the word...Freedom! Oh, what incredible pandemonium..The mothers are shrieking, wondering why and the clown's body guards are taking them away and arresting them. Oh my god....

At least then the media would be accurately reporting what really happened.

If you want to read a little more about the media's role in pushing the Iraq war. Check out http://www.wmdthefilm.com. Danny Schechter book called When News Lies exposes how the media was complicit in the selling in the Iraq war. Check it out.

State of the Bizarro World Union

Tonight, our President evoked the time-honored mythology of war to remind us that our cause is righteous. He reflectively and on cue looked betrayed by the bad intelligence that was out of his control. He was reassuring, reminding us that the "raging tyrant" got what he deserved and that we and the world were safer because he was gone. He recognized that some citizens had to sacrifice and compassionately ached for their profound loss and sadness.

He simplified terrorism for us and helped us clearly understand how dangerous and driven these people are and how they will stop at nothing until we, the mighty United States have been obliterated. He reminded us how what happened on September 11th illustrated how dangerous these people are. And most importantly he helped us, by clearly outlining our only two choices - fighting them or ignoring them. Finally, it is all clear to me how the brave, the committed, the noble will lead the way to victory, if only the defeatists can step out of the way. Now that he has helped us understand we can redouble our efforts for victory... in Bizarro World.

• A world where if you kill enough of the right people, you will have peace.
• Where 30,000 to 100,000 of someone else's innocent wives, children, brothers and fathers are considered "necessary sacrifices".
• A world where you can lie about things that everyone knows is not true, yet not be held accountable for the lies.
• A world where victory over an enemy who was not capable of harming you is worth the lives, limbs and psyches of our nation's children.
• A world where lies and arrogance creates a thick smoke that obscures the truth, right in front of our eyes.

On the same weekend as our President asked us to join him in his mad fantasy, Bono, Bill and Melissa Gates were receiving the Time Magazine Person of the Year award. Imagine that we took the intelligence and energy of our business, civic and religious leaders and combined it with the committed efforts of regular citizens from all walks to alleviate all suffering, there is no doubt that we could meet the goal of creating peace, justice and security in the world in a surprisingly short time. Furthermore, if we establish human-to-human connections across cultures, the kind of rhetoric that we heard last night will be ineffective.

In life, the heart of a person determines everything. Our intentions create our reality. That reality roles up into our culture and creates the world in which we live, whether kind or violent. If a country or a religion's leadership is making amoral, greedy decisions that create the death of innocent people, then somehow our collective intentionality is allowing it.

That is why dialogue, understanding and evaluation between cultures is critical. On this blog we will attempt to stand above the fray of politics and understand what is really happening, what we really want, what our opponents really want, with the goal of realizing that we are not very different. Over the next few posts we will evaluate specific issues, starting with where the issues in the Middle East began....Oil.

Greater Vision

This blog is committed to exploring a greater vision. A vision that goes beyond politics, religion, race, art and science towards an integrated quest for real meaning and real justice.

I am writing this mostly because it is my first blog entry, which it seems should be a profound reminder that if I was a cave man who traveled forward in time, got a computer and was able to express my every thought instantly ...I would probably be more facinated by the concept of getting pre packaged food through a window.... I really meant that vision stuff.