I've been paying attention to the recent rise of the US Uncut movement currently targeting Bank of America for tax evasion. Their premise is spot on. Large corporations spend astonishing amounts of money buying politicians, hiring armies of lobbyists, hiding money in tax havens and using shady accounting tricks to intentionally avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Corporations often cite market and shareholder pressure as the cause for their singular focus on maximizing profit (even at the expense of many American jobs and of real investment in America). Watching the decimation of Main Street, I've been thinking these excuses just aren't good enough any more.
America has a jobs crisis. We have a deficit problem. So many things need fixing. And corporations are not on our side. We can complain and carry signs and write our congressmen. We can be conscientious consumers, donate to our causes, and we can vote. But that only goes so far. Now we need to do something new. We need to steal marketshare.
America needs social entrepreneurs, the rare breed of businessman I've heard about from time to time over the years. We need those guys. Smart ones, and as many of them as we can get. We need strategic, enterprising nonprofits that can displace the worst of the corporations. Nonprofit businesses that won't squeeze every penny out of their company and customers for the purpose of transferring wealth to shareholders and overpaid executives, jumping out the window under a golden parachute of obscene wealth when they mess up or destroy the broader economy in the process.
If as a social entrepreneur you could make a decent living, knowing that you have the opportunity to build a clean, efficient little company that delivers quality services and is known for supporting the community, wouldn't you do it? You're not going to take home pay like an uber rich "investment" banker, but you're not going to bleed your own country dry to feed a meaningless life of overconsumption and self-absorbed privilege while your community burns down around you either.
Such a movement would take principled people. It would take impeccable business plans. But it would also be exciting and potentially game-changing in a bruised and divided nation that has had a lot of bad news with more bad news as far as the eye can see. There must be an opportunity to make a name for oneself for helming a great little company that took marketshare away from the giants and didn't sell their soul to do it. I'd LOVE to see a group of successful social entrepreneurs using the rules of capitalism to create quality, affordable goods and services that steal marketshare from the worst of our corporate actors. No more exhorbitant bonuses or large dividends slipped into the pockets of distant shareholders who don't care about community health and stability or sustainable growth. Instead there would be solid jobs for working people, quality services at a fair price, good corporate citizenship, responsible accounting and payment of taxes (no offshore tax havens - imagine that!). There must be thousands of possibilities for upsetting the terrible status quo in sectors all over the economy. Banking? Insurance? Healthcare? Find the worst actors from among the corporations and then figure out how to take marketshare away from them. The stakes couldn't be higher.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Science and Travel
My significant other and I are planning a road trip later this year. We're hoping for a good mix of science and the outdoors. I was pleased to see the recent publication, The Geek Atlas: 128 Places Where Science and Technology Come Alive. Hopefully more of this kind of information will be aggregated and shared. America has played an important roll in the world of modern science, and our citizens and guests should know about the great museums, laboratories, renewable energy facilities, and other exciting places we have to visit.
In this spirit, I'd like to share a great road trip idea for those in the Pacific Northwest. I recommend a summertime drive about 2 hours east of Seattle through the Cascade Mountains to Ellensburg, WA for the Table Mountain Star Party - an annual event about 20 minutes NW of Ellensburg. The event is pretty low-key, but a lot of fun. You get to camp, listen to astronomy lectures, see some great telescopes, meet interesting people, and the best part, you get to wander around under an extraordinary night sky and listen as some very knowledgeable amateur (and some professional) astronomers talk about space. Most of the action is at night, so daytime is perfect for a quick drive over to Puget Sound Energy's Wild Horse Wind Facility. The wind farm has a nice visitor's center, and if you time it right you can catch a tour that will take you inside the base of a turbine and through a small solar facility. The views, like those from Table Mountain, are absolutely beautiful. The trip back to Seattle will take you past Cle Elum, a small town where one of the world's largest solar photovoltaic power plants is being constructed. Not much to see yet, but give it a few years and it should definitely be worth a visit.
Monday, August 10, 2009
On Medicare, Taxes, and Patriotism
The Washington Post is running a story about health insurance reform, "Obama's plans on health care a tough sell among seniors". The writer is Ceci Connolly.
Apparently polls are showing only one-third of seniors in support of healthcare reform. No one can be faulted for wanting the best care available as health problems emerge with age. Yet this country has demonstrated that higher expenditures have not equated with better care. Declaring Medicare off limits for reform doesn't improve care or efficiency, nor does it postpone the day of reckoning. It will, however, make it all the more jarring for future seniors including some young Boomers who will get to the party late and be told they have to clean up. Reform will only get harder as more and more people settle in to the Medicare program. Now is the time for reform! Yet the writer of the Washington Post article says about seniors, "[the polls show] they only want to hear one thing: that their Medicare benefits won't be affected."
In the midst of this important historical opportunity, the supposed party of fiscal restraint is scaring the elderly with lies about government-instituted euthanasia and other ridiculous myths. I contacted my Republican Congressman to encourage him to speak out against these blatant distortions. I'd be surprised if he gets the message. At the same time GOP'ers moan and groan about taxes. The longer they stall health insurance reform, the higher taxes will HAVE to go to cover the gaping holes in the national balance sheet. I fear a right-wing meltdown when our national government levels with us about the simple fact that we all must do more, including pay higher taxes (if we're in the middle or upper class), to secure our country's future. If and when that time comes you can guess where the "Country First" crowd will be. Throwing tantrums about the sheer audacity of a government that taxes its citizens for the services it provides. They will then claim to be patriots by refusing to do their part. *sigh* Hannity, Beck, Palin, Limbaugh, the Republican leadership, and all of their followers have turned me into such a cynic.
Apparently polls are showing only one-third of seniors in support of healthcare reform. No one can be faulted for wanting the best care available as health problems emerge with age. Yet this country has demonstrated that higher expenditures have not equated with better care. Declaring Medicare off limits for reform doesn't improve care or efficiency, nor does it postpone the day of reckoning. It will, however, make it all the more jarring for future seniors including some young Boomers who will get to the party late and be told they have to clean up. Reform will only get harder as more and more people settle in to the Medicare program. Now is the time for reform! Yet the writer of the Washington Post article says about seniors, "[the polls show] they only want to hear one thing: that their Medicare benefits won't be affected."
In the midst of this important historical opportunity, the supposed party of fiscal restraint is scaring the elderly with lies about government-instituted euthanasia and other ridiculous myths. I contacted my Republican Congressman to encourage him to speak out against these blatant distortions. I'd be surprised if he gets the message. At the same time GOP'ers moan and groan about taxes. The longer they stall health insurance reform, the higher taxes will HAVE to go to cover the gaping holes in the national balance sheet. I fear a right-wing meltdown when our national government levels with us about the simple fact that we all must do more, including pay higher taxes (if we're in the middle or upper class), to secure our country's future. If and when that time comes you can guess where the "Country First" crowd will be. Throwing tantrums about the sheer audacity of a government that taxes its citizens for the services it provides. They will then claim to be patriots by refusing to do their part. *sigh* Hannity, Beck, Palin, Limbaugh, the Republican leadership, and all of their followers have turned me into such a cynic.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
American de-Materialist
Wikipedia credits James Truslow Adams with coining the phrase "American Dream" in his 1931 book, Epic of America. Adams wrote, "The American Dream... has not been a dream of material plenty, though that has doubtlessly counted heavily. It has been a dream of being able to grow to fullest development as a man and woman, unhampered by... social orders which had developed for the benefit of classes rather than for the simple human being of any and every class." Recent debt-fueled decades of consumption are evidence that material plenty was elevated by most as the primary path to self-development and happiness.
American RadioWorks recently produced a radio documentary on the American Dream. The final part of the production considers the prospect for a new Dream and asks if Americans will willingly lower their standards of living as a result of the economic crisis (and I would add impending global resource shortages). A producer expressed hope that America will become more financially conservative, but I think it will be hard to put that materialistic genie back into its bottle. The program further suggested that going forward people may make different choices about how they use money, for example by spending it on experiences. Perhaps. We could also stand to be more careful about the purchases we do make. Europeans generally seem to get this already. Swedes, for example, live simply but most also have access to tiny cottages (usually red, I hear) where they spend their vacations. Vacations are like sacred experiences in Europe and Scandinavia. Incidentally, the most important lesson I learned from dating a European back in college was how to invest in a few things of high quality (such as a nice jacket or suit) but otherwise to live simply and with less stuff.
The Apartment Therapy Re-Nest blog has an interesting post pondering the role of technology in reducing physical purchases. I've found that to be the case what with i-Pods (free podcasts!), Netflix (low cost and convenient movies!), Hulu (who needs a TV?!), Pandora (free music - until something great comes along and then it's off to iTunes for $0.99), etc. Our little place is decidedly more streamlined with these electronic tools. The computer plays an important role in lifestyle flexibility. It is a learning tool and a source of entertainment and communication and self-expression. It will obviously play a key role in the adaptation of American life in a future that is more resource-constricted.
American RadioWorks recently produced a radio documentary on the American Dream. The final part of the production considers the prospect for a new Dream and asks if Americans will willingly lower their standards of living as a result of the economic crisis (and I would add impending global resource shortages). A producer expressed hope that America will become more financially conservative, but I think it will be hard to put that materialistic genie back into its bottle. The program further suggested that going forward people may make different choices about how they use money, for example by spending it on experiences. Perhaps. We could also stand to be more careful about the purchases we do make. Europeans generally seem to get this already. Swedes, for example, live simply but most also have access to tiny cottages (usually red, I hear) where they spend their vacations. Vacations are like sacred experiences in Europe and Scandinavia. Incidentally, the most important lesson I learned from dating a European back in college was how to invest in a few things of high quality (such as a nice jacket or suit) but otherwise to live simply and with less stuff.
The Apartment Therapy Re-Nest blog has an interesting post pondering the role of technology in reducing physical purchases. I've found that to be the case what with i-Pods (free podcasts!), Netflix (low cost and convenient movies!), Hulu (who needs a TV?!), Pandora (free music - until something great comes along and then it's off to iTunes for $0.99), etc. Our little place is decidedly more streamlined with these electronic tools. The computer plays an important role in lifestyle flexibility. It is a learning tool and a source of entertainment and communication and self-expression. It will obviously play a key role in the adaptation of American life in a future that is more resource-constricted.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Lament for the American Spirit
Diane Rehm hosted her usual "Friday News Roundup" today during which a 30-yr-old teacher-turned-entrepreneur called in. As he owns his own business now, he pays for his own health insurance in addition to sending in 3% of his income to fund Social Security. He said like many in our generation he's happy to pay into the social fund because he feels a social obligation to do so. He goes on, "...but if voters can't extend a public option to people like me, people in my generation who are healthy, why should we continue to fund theirs in the form of Medicare." He goes on to say his wealthy mom on Medicare had surgery and actually asked to pay for more of it and was denied. Effectively this young man paid for the procedure. The current health care system is so screwed up and needs to be reformed. But... you know... just say no!!
Some day someone is going to have to cut entitlement benefits while also raising taxes. It seems unethical to me that most Baby Boomers simply refuse to recognize or accept this. They will keep kicking that can down the road until they get theirs and then pass away leaving younger Americans with the fallout. I'm completely open to paying higher taxes (and waiting longer to collect any, if any, social security). It's the right thing to do for the nation, especially when combined with cost-cutting measures in Washington, DC. Presumably the right wing would riot in the streets if this was asked of us by our government though. It's un-American to ask people to pay taxes or something. How different is the spirit of anti-reform tea-baggers than the spirit of sacrifice and service to country evident during the World War II years. The government was asking people to grow their own food, to go without creature comforts in order to help secure the nation and its troops. Now it's "keep your dirty government paws off my Medicare"! Come on, Boomers, work with us.
Some day someone is going to have to cut entitlement benefits while also raising taxes. It seems unethical to me that most Baby Boomers simply refuse to recognize or accept this. They will keep kicking that can down the road until they get theirs and then pass away leaving younger Americans with the fallout. I'm completely open to paying higher taxes (and waiting longer to collect any, if any, social security). It's the right thing to do for the nation, especially when combined with cost-cutting measures in Washington, DC. Presumably the right wing would riot in the streets if this was asked of us by our government though. It's un-American to ask people to pay taxes or something. How different is the spirit of anti-reform tea-baggers than the spirit of sacrifice and service to country evident during the World War II years. The government was asking people to grow their own food, to go without creature comforts in order to help secure the nation and its troops. Now it's "keep your dirty government paws off my Medicare"! Come on, Boomers, work with us.
Sickness Profiteering
"Just say no!!" Apparently this is what conservative town hall protesters like to scream at elected representatives trying to hold conversations with their constituents about health care reform. It is clear these people do not understand that health care will be the ruin of the country if it is not reformed. I saw David Walker on CNN the other day talking about the oxymoron in wanting to decrease costs while also expanding coverage. He has a point. How could it be done? By replacing the health insurance industry with a national health insurance program. Bill Moyers did a program about this recently where it was mentioned that the health care industry is claiming they can work to save 2 trillion dollars over the next 10 years. It was then pointed out that doing away with the private health insurance industry itself would save 4 trillion dollars over 10 years while also covering everyone. The point was made that Medicare currently subsidizes private health insurers by taking the oldest and sickest off of the roles of private insurers. Pooling everyone together would even out that cost burden so the assumption that hospitals would be financially ruined under a system of national insurance is just false. While I'm at it, I don't think health care should be a for-profit business anyway. Seems like an inherent conflict of interest. Anyways here's the discussion on PBS.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
U.S. Capitalism
As usual Diane Rehm had a really interesting show on the other day. This one about American capitalism. The discussion included a brief examination of European versions of capitalism. The problem of high European unemployment was mentioned, as was the lack of real economic growth for most Americans over the past generation under our model (not to mention our long-standing problem of fueling growth by taking on excessive debt). Personally I think the greater of these evils is spending your life thinking you're doing swell only to find out it was all an illusion and that you're hopelessly broke whilst getting sicker by the day (with no health insurance).
A conservative commentator on the program gave a simple definition of a well-functioning economy as one in which per capita income increases year over year (indefinitely). Sure. But leaving aside inflation, that becomes impossible. And if that is something for all economies to aspire to, there aren't enough resources on the planet to support the continuous purchasing power expansion for everyone. Unless, of course, humanity collectively decides not to convert their ever-expanding financial wealth into material goods that pillage or pollute our shared natural resources. In the real world, though, we have to find a balance. Sustainable growth. It's the imperative of globalization and global population growth. We have no choice any more but to share. Furthermore, does having a GDP that isn't growing have to mean we're dying?
A conservative commentator on the program gave a simple definition of a well-functioning economy as one in which per capita income increases year over year (indefinitely). Sure. But leaving aside inflation, that becomes impossible. And if that is something for all economies to aspire to, there aren't enough resources on the planet to support the continuous purchasing power expansion for everyone. Unless, of course, humanity collectively decides not to convert their ever-expanding financial wealth into material goods that pillage or pollute our shared natural resources. In the real world, though, we have to find a balance. Sustainable growth. It's the imperative of globalization and global population growth. We have no choice any more but to share. Furthermore, does having a GDP that isn't growing have to mean we're dying?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
