Agricultural Reform in Context
Yes, as in all economic sectors, we have to redefine the mission of the agricultural sector and restructure the resource allocation ways and means, design and implement alternative technologies, distribution channels, and build or renovate and allocate to neighborhood outlets as part of a comprehensive plan and implementation plan.
The fundamental fulcrum is the transition from a Capitalist Economic System to a Cooperative Communitarian One with the basic mission of ecological economic redevelopment for the meeting of all peoples' needs that is inclusive, humane, equitable, altruistic, well-being oriented, and youth oriented (i.e. sustainable) and peaceful.
It can be done, but it will take the largest realization of solidarity that the human species ever. In essence, it will take an intentional evolution of the species to Homa Ecologica Cooperativo.
In Peace, Friendship, Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Showing posts with label Transitioning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Transitioning. Show all posts
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Letter to Cindy Sheehan at the Gates of the Warshington DeCeaser Capital 07/13/2010
Letter to Cindy Sheehan at the Gates of the Warshington DeCeaser Capital 07/13/2010
Cindy,
Be somewhat cool, as cool as thee all can be. Reported that Obama is trying to push a War Appropriations Bill and DemonBureaucrats who are against it are going to go along with it because it also has Domestic Spending attachments that feed their particular constituents Capitalist Special Interests like HUD and Teachers, building and teaching what? is a matter of great concern...
It would be RELATIVELY easy to overthrow the Federal Government, more problematic to take all 50 States, the myriad of County and Municipal Governments.
However, the biggest challenge is to "overthrow" or more appropriately transition the economy. If you all, congregating in Warshington DeCeaser succeed at toppling the irrelevant and obsolete Administration and Congress, please be sure to secure the Treasury. It is the only essential part of the US Government and one that we want to maintain (until that super-Eutopian day that we can evolve to a World Currency, and then (about 9255 AD) a system of "Free Socialism").
In Peace, Friendship, Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Cindy,
Be somewhat cool, as cool as thee all can be. Reported that Obama is trying to push a War Appropriations Bill and DemonBureaucrats who are against it are going to go along with it because it also has Domestic Spending attachments that feed their particular constituents Capitalist Special Interests like HUD and Teachers, building and teaching what? is a matter of great concern...
It would be RELATIVELY easy to overthrow the Federal Government, more problematic to take all 50 States, the myriad of County and Municipal Governments.
However, the biggest challenge is to "overthrow" or more appropriately transition the economy. If you all, congregating in Warshington DeCeaser succeed at toppling the irrelevant and obsolete Administration and Congress, please be sure to secure the Treasury. It is the only essential part of the US Government and one that we want to maintain (until that super-Eutopian day that we can evolve to a World Currency, and then (about 9255 AD) a system of "Free Socialism").
In Peace, Friendship, Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Transition?
By "The Coordinator Class", I'm guessing that you mean the Management and Staff Workers of the Capitalist System that may or may not have ownership holdings in Capitalist Enterprises.
To whatever extent their ownership holdings are tied up in their expected income or their "good consumer" participation in the Capitalist economy have placed them at odds with an imagined Participatory Economy based on inclusion, equity, voluntary simplicity, wellness, peace, and sustainability there must be a vehicle of transition for these relatively skilled potential members of the working class.
A radical overhaul of the current Capitalist equity trading, equity return, credit system to one of sharing equity (an Equity Union) for purposes of ecological economic redevelopment/community betterment organizaions (CBOs) would be a possible transition vehicle in that Institutional Investors of all sorts could become altruistic and self-help contributors and participants in community/worker hybrid cooperatives forming inter-community alliances with the purpose of eventually transforming to an all inclusive cooperating system of sustainable, equilibrious, participatory economy, worker-owned and managed, entities.
Given that it is at best a longshot, and highly utopian, a grave concern is the ridiculously inflated cost of real and capital assets, and the collective holding of liabilities within the Capitalist system, that make it impossible for workers to employ capital in the pursuit of a right livelihood.
We need the vision of long range planning in a post-peak resource constrained world and we need to maximze participation among ALL PEOPLE, or at least among the current and past workers of the Capitalist System, including the "Coordinator Class".
The Ownership Class may fall into our safety-net system and the transition for them will seem unbearable and the support onerous to what is now a shell of productive capacity.
In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Eugene, OR, USA
To whatever extent their ownership holdings are tied up in their expected income or their "good consumer" participation in the Capitalist economy have placed them at odds with an imagined Participatory Economy based on inclusion, equity, voluntary simplicity, wellness, peace, and sustainability there must be a vehicle of transition for these relatively skilled potential members of the working class.
A radical overhaul of the current Capitalist equity trading, equity return, credit system to one of sharing equity (an Equity Union) for purposes of ecological economic redevelopment/community betterment organizaions (CBOs) would be a possible transition vehicle in that Institutional Investors of all sorts could become altruistic and self-help contributors and participants in community/worker hybrid cooperatives forming inter-community alliances with the purpose of eventually transforming to an all inclusive cooperating system of sustainable, equilibrious, participatory economy, worker-owned and managed, entities.
Given that it is at best a longshot, and highly utopian, a grave concern is the ridiculously inflated cost of real and capital assets, and the collective holding of liabilities within the Capitalist system, that make it impossible for workers to employ capital in the pursuit of a right livelihood.
We need the vision of long range planning in a post-peak resource constrained world and we need to maximze participation among ALL PEOPLE, or at least among the current and past workers of the Capitalist System, including the "Coordinator Class".
The Ownership Class may fall into our safety-net system and the transition for them will seem unbearable and the support onerous to what is now a shell of productive capacity.
In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Eugene, OR, USA
Friday, January 1, 2010
Transitioning US
Thanks for clarifying, David.
I, tambien, believe that we will not succeed without nearly a concensus of understanding AND participation.
"Unleashing the genius" is problematic because realistically I don't have much faith in the intelligence and commitment, or even the intentions of the normal population.
If we had better educational systems, better leaders, and more direct ways of reaching out to such citizens, we could have a chance. But most unfortunately, we have educational systems, propagandist Capitalist media, an elite system of whore politicians schooled by Capitalist pimp propagandists/elite and elitist dominated educational systems, as "leaders" and sheeple which DRIVE the denizens of the USA toward the seemingly necessary but overwhelming "Illichian" task of "deschooling".
I'm afrayed that we really don't have that kind of resource, nor do we have the time when we think of the enormity of the task of reschooling both from a conceptual and perceptual viewpoint, getting people to understand the alternative plans, and the technical re-education that it would take to implement those plans.
Yet, on the bright side, if our leaders (and it is important for any and everybuddy who can see themselves as such, to assume that role) and the consensual understanding could recognize the need for fulcramatic change then the unemployment and equity problems could be realized to such an extent that we would want to ENCOURAGE immigration.
Trouble is, we have an aging population in the USA and if we were to be dependent on a young "crop" of world immigrants then there would be probably even more of a "fresh" learning impediment and there would certainly be resistance from an indigenous USA population who may see it as a lost opportunity for them unless they have children and/or grandchildren who would definitely benefit.
As long as I am able, I will continue to try.
In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
I, tambien, believe that we will not succeed without nearly a concensus of understanding AND participation.
"Unleashing the genius" is problematic because realistically I don't have much faith in the intelligence and commitment, or even the intentions of the normal population.
If we had better educational systems, better leaders, and more direct ways of reaching out to such citizens, we could have a chance. But most unfortunately, we have educational systems, propagandist Capitalist media, an elite system of whore politicians schooled by Capitalist pimp propagandists/elite and elitist dominated educational systems, as "leaders" and sheeple which DRIVE the denizens of the USA toward the seemingly necessary but overwhelming "Illichian" task of "deschooling".
I'm afrayed that we really don't have that kind of resource, nor do we have the time when we think of the enormity of the task of reschooling both from a conceptual and perceptual viewpoint, getting people to understand the alternative plans, and the technical re-education that it would take to implement those plans.
Yet, on the bright side, if our leaders (and it is important for any and everybuddy who can see themselves as such, to assume that role) and the consensual understanding could recognize the need for fulcramatic change then the unemployment and equity problems could be realized to such an extent that we would want to ENCOURAGE immigration.
Trouble is, we have an aging population in the USA and if we were to be dependent on a young "crop" of world immigrants then there would be probably even more of a "fresh" learning impediment and there would certainly be resistance from an indigenous USA population who may see it as a lost opportunity for them unless they have children and/or grandchildren who would definitely benefit.
As long as I am able, I will continue to try.
In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Letter to "Capitalist" Friend
Ian,
I am writing to request your assistance with respect to my strategy to transition the Private Investment Sector to a Quasi-Public Equity Sharing One. Certainly, if you have perused my web log you would have gleaned reference to such a fundamental paradigm shift from Capitalism to Socialism.
Recently, the USW (United Steelworkers) signed a letter of intent with the Mondragon Cooperative Community Corporation (MCC), a rather hopeful, peaceful evolutionary model that originated in the Basque Region of Spain and has grown tremendously (not without its problems associated with trying to integrate into the Capitalist Economy). I have been trying to work with USW, but have so far been rebuffed. My, not brazenly presented, suggestion that seriously pursuing such an intent translated to evolving the acronym USW to United Socialist Workers was rejected in an arrogant, reactionary manner.
I am frustrated by the apparent lack of historical perspective and long range vision that our Labor "leaders" possess.
Anyway, thee should read about Mondragon. I'll give a very brief recap.
They were formed in the Basque region of Spain, called Mondragon because it was a FORMER region of iron ore deposits and iron and steel smelting. The people of the region were separatists continuing rebellion in sympathy with the revolutionary movement in Spain, of which they were part, that was defeated by the notorious forces of Franco.
The Mondragon system came about as an attempt to positively channel the Socialist ideals of the communities in the region. They started not-for-profit workers' cooperatives with pre-determined revenues earmarked to re-invest in new workers' cooperatives. Being a very principled and democratic organization, based on the principles of the International Cooperative Alliance, and being fortunate enough to be starting while the Capitalist economy, within which they were working, was still in a growth phase (unlike the very dangerous resource constraints that the world faces now) and astute enough to find opportunity, they were fabulously successful.
They grew so much, so fast, that they began to and increasingly to stray from the ideals upon which they were formed, eventually being corrupted by their perceived growth needs and less than fully principled leadership that saw, rightly or wrongly the need to integrate themselves into the ways of Capitalism as they began joint ventures with less than principled Corporations.
Being a product of their times, they are not and never were "green".
Our discussion of Zip-Car, which I stated to be a less than optimal co-optation of the great and necessary idea of vehicle cooperatives, could be a small move in the right direction if it were structured as a not-for-profit worker/community hybrid cooperative.
Your thoughts?
In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Eugene, OR, USA
(541) 343-3808
I am writing to request your assistance with respect to my strategy to transition the Private Investment Sector to a Quasi-Public Equity Sharing One. Certainly, if you have perused my web log you would have gleaned reference to such a fundamental paradigm shift from Capitalism to Socialism.
Recently, the USW (United Steelworkers) signed a letter of intent with the Mondragon Cooperative Community Corporation (MCC), a rather hopeful, peaceful evolutionary model that originated in the Basque Region of Spain and has grown tremendously (not without its problems associated with trying to integrate into the Capitalist Economy). I have been trying to work with USW, but have so far been rebuffed. My, not brazenly presented, suggestion that seriously pursuing such an intent translated to evolving the acronym USW to United Socialist Workers was rejected in an arrogant, reactionary manner.
I am frustrated by the apparent lack of historical perspective and long range vision that our Labor "leaders" possess.
Anyway, thee should read about Mondragon. I'll give a very brief recap.
They were formed in the Basque region of Spain, called Mondragon because it was a FORMER region of iron ore deposits and iron and steel smelting. The people of the region were separatists continuing rebellion in sympathy with the revolutionary movement in Spain, of which they were part, that was defeated by the notorious forces of Franco.
The Mondragon system came about as an attempt to positively channel the Socialist ideals of the communities in the region. They started not-for-profit workers' cooperatives with pre-determined revenues earmarked to re-invest in new workers' cooperatives. Being a very principled and democratic organization, based on the principles of the International Cooperative Alliance, and being fortunate enough to be starting while the Capitalist economy, within which they were working, was still in a growth phase (unlike the very dangerous resource constraints that the world faces now) and astute enough to find opportunity, they were fabulously successful.
They grew so much, so fast, that they began to and increasingly to stray from the ideals upon which they were formed, eventually being corrupted by their perceived growth needs and less than fully principled leadership that saw, rightly or wrongly the need to integrate themselves into the ways of Capitalism as they began joint ventures with less than principled Corporations.
Being a product of their times, they are not and never were "green".
Our discussion of Zip-Car, which I stated to be a less than optimal co-optation of the great and necessary idea of vehicle cooperatives, could be a small move in the right direction if it were structured as a not-for-profit worker/community hybrid cooperative.
Your thoughts?
In Peace, Friendwalkin', Community, Cooperation, and Solidarity,
Mike Morin
Eugene, OR, USA
(541) 343-3808
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Transitioning to an Equity Union
I am writing and talking about transitioning slowly, methodically, and with the minimum amount of friction and hardship from a dysfunctional financial system, based on self-interest, to one designed to benefit everybuddy.
The Mondragon Community Cooperative is very successful, but like all eutopian (according to Lewis Mumford, the word "eutopian" means "good place") experiments it finds itself compromised by the surrounding Capitalist world, which forces it to compete and unfortunately compromise the social and economic values that it is chartered to uphold.
The dominant paradigm in Capitalist financial business operations uses something called the discount rate which assumes that money will be worth less (eventually worthless) in the future, thus creating a necessity to extract profits exceeding a "hurdle" rate leading to unfair and unwise exploitation of both workers and natural resources, and to rampant inflation.
The use of credit is not a good business or personal practice. In business, it should be discouraged because creditors have first claims on net revenues and hold liens on real property and capital assets.
For "consumers", the use of credit is unwise because the system is set up to extract profits from interest thus assuring that when consumers use credit that they are losing money relative to inflation. Certainly the current foreclosure crisis in the USA is ample evidence of the inflation and the unfairness and unhealthiness of the mortgage lien process.
Credit Unions and Mutual Insurance companies are in theory attempts to institute non-profit economic democracies for their respective industries. However, because of the need to compete for customers, both of these relatively progressive financial service organization types are forced to play the same game that is basically destructive to individuals, families, communities, and the natural environment. Ideally, credit should only be used as a last resort, much more preferably not at all.
We should replace all aspects of the extant financial system with an Equity Union. In some ways, a mutual insurance company is similar to an equity union. However, because such companies are required to realize profits in order to compete for "policy holders" (really investors), the companies that comprise the portfolios of the mutual insurance firms can not be not-for-profit, can not be mutual organizations themselves.
In a not-for profit Equity Union financial services system based on principles of mutuality working in concert with ethical, wise, knowledgeable, and intelligent community, inter-community, inter-regional, and worldwide planning there would certainly be an important role for financial service workers.
A major impediment to such an Equity Union would be the competitive advantage of the current financial sector and the fear of the friction of change to those individuals and organizations. Dealing with this sector of "the" economy, it would be more feasible with regards to Capitalist resistance and more humane, to orderly and peacefully transition to an Equity Union, coordinated with ecologically sound economic planning.
At risk of understatement, it will take a huge amount of work to educate folks to the need and benefits of such change and to communicate the basic Plan. Transition Planning will also be a very difficult process, but I see no alternative to the current, impending and worsening global economic, political, social, and natural environmental collapse.
I'm a Work kin for peace and cooperation,
With much love and care,
Mike Morin
The Mondragon Community Cooperative is very successful, but like all eutopian (according to Lewis Mumford, the word "eutopian" means "good place") experiments it finds itself compromised by the surrounding Capitalist world, which forces it to compete and unfortunately compromise the social and economic values that it is chartered to uphold.
The dominant paradigm in Capitalist financial business operations uses something called the discount rate which assumes that money will be worth less (eventually worthless) in the future, thus creating a necessity to extract profits exceeding a "hurdle" rate leading to unfair and unwise exploitation of both workers and natural resources, and to rampant inflation.
The use of credit is not a good business or personal practice. In business, it should be discouraged because creditors have first claims on net revenues and hold liens on real property and capital assets.
For "consumers", the use of credit is unwise because the system is set up to extract profits from interest thus assuring that when consumers use credit that they are losing money relative to inflation. Certainly the current foreclosure crisis in the USA is ample evidence of the inflation and the unfairness and unhealthiness of the mortgage lien process.
Credit Unions and Mutual Insurance companies are in theory attempts to institute non-profit economic democracies for their respective industries. However, because of the need to compete for customers, both of these relatively progressive financial service organization types are forced to play the same game that is basically destructive to individuals, families, communities, and the natural environment. Ideally, credit should only be used as a last resort, much more preferably not at all.
We should replace all aspects of the extant financial system with an Equity Union. In some ways, a mutual insurance company is similar to an equity union. However, because such companies are required to realize profits in order to compete for "policy holders" (really investors), the companies that comprise the portfolios of the mutual insurance firms can not be not-for-profit, can not be mutual organizations themselves.
In a not-for profit Equity Union financial services system based on principles of mutuality working in concert with ethical, wise, knowledgeable, and intelligent community, inter-community, inter-regional, and worldwide planning there would certainly be an important role for financial service workers.
A major impediment to such an Equity Union would be the competitive advantage of the current financial sector and the fear of the friction of change to those individuals and organizations. Dealing with this sector of "the" economy, it would be more feasible with regards to Capitalist resistance and more humane, to orderly and peacefully transition to an Equity Union, coordinated with ecologically sound economic planning.
At risk of understatement, it will take a huge amount of work to educate folks to the need and benefits of such change and to communicate the basic Plan. Transition Planning will also be a very difficult process, but I see no alternative to the current, impending and worsening global economic, political, social, and natural environmental collapse.
I'm a Work kin for peace and cooperation,
With much love and care,
Mike Morin
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