Time for the California Oranjebüm?

ATTENTION: What if I could show you a way to fundamentally repair the credit markets, fiat currency, trade deficits and inter-state deficit precipitated by the Wall-Street Bailout?

Assumptions:

CA Received Federal Tax Dollars per Dollar Collected by the Federal Government as a Factor of 0.78 (http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/ftsbs-timeseries-20071016-.pdf)

All Taxpayers as a class are owed interest, back fees, and other endured hardships by and from (and in some cases continue to receive) those selfsame Corporations received of that Expenditure.

CA has low bond-ratings by agencies with suspect objectives and motives that limit our ability to represent the true greatness of our burgeoning sciences in CA.


Answer:

In my open letter, disguised as a book, there is the principle of the "Second Level Market," where a State in the Union, without disrespect for any other State or the Federal Powers that be, can issue a Fiat based on some principled value or ordinary credit.

What if we estimated the value of some percentage of the next five years of Orange Crop; Issued a spend-able state run currency, which could be honored and legal tender within the borders of CA, and peggable to a state trust held Option in one of the Mid-West AG markets; and retire the Bond in fifteen years.

A modest proposal, but when The Governator was holding the gun to the State employees and the IOUs were issued! That was when I had this expanded thought upon my "book."

I conclude by suggesting that this simple device be retired at the Federal Bank in Manhattan—it could be in exchange for any deficit between the two states. Or we could use it to buy the Seed Crops from Holland once Hemp becomes Legal (in 2012)!

How's that for 'easier said than done?'

I will leave it to someone who understands these things to figure if I am right, wrong, or just a misguided semi-autodidact.

4 years of low hanging fruit

Obama gave a somewhat inspired if not entirely exciting State of the Union.

The key notes I heard that I will hold him and the Democrats to account for in 4 years:

1. End the War
2. Universal pre-school
3. Access to benefits / retention of Obamacare-Social Security-Medicare
4. Improved Veterans Benefits
5. Active measures to improve the economy by improving Energy Independence and the Environment.

It is mostly on this last point that I will speak;

a. Tax Reform equals Environmental reform.
b. End subsidization of archane technologies and established players, back to investor of first and last resort.
c. Support STEMs in Education.

a. By closing loopholes in a conscientious and clear manner, there will no longer be a dispensation for making profit at all costs (where the environment takes the burden as resource and resolution).

Although not as clearly defined by the powers-that-be, the need for reform has a throughput onto the ideas introduced by Schumacher as Small is Beautiful. becomes that ecosystem and ecological thinking is in effect environmentally correct long-term economic development.

Obama was dancing at the edge of this thinking without removing any of his obvious commitments to the Corporate System.

However, a clever tax system will try to become clever by half playing "lets make a deal."  The second step to truly resolving the Environmental equation for Cost-Benefit-Analysis is for holistic and conscientious Tort Reform.  That is a hot potato in the Do Nothing Congress Part II we are effectively beginning to witness (although I am open to being wrong-- see Sequestration).


b. Corn Ethynol, Oil, and Fracking are all subsidized, although science clearly puts them in the back of the Carbon efficiency line (would that they list in order from most to least carbon efficient).  That carbon efficiency in conjunction with time for development (with unlimited resources) should inform what priority to grant and burse the otherwise limited resources dedicated to Energy and Technology.

As mentioned, the investments by the people for the people are best as first and last resort-- like radio and other experimental technologies the US government and the people have been the ones who "built the railroad," not the tycoons who then scooped up and organized for profit the activities.

Hopefully in four years we will have sensibly realigned subsides so that the only thing big oil is getting is small relief for the retooling of extant refineries to become clean, non-polluting, and carbon efficient.


c. All other social concerns aside, and with the full-throated support of the scientifically true "first five," as we call early childhood development, education and care in California, the next step is to raise a generation not afraid to do math, believe in science, or be transparent in their actions as citizens.

It is not the government that will lead the inevitable democratization of truth, rather it is the people.  Let's pay teachers what they are due for tending the most valuable natural resource we have, isn't it time?

I didn't hear a "socialist" argument as the Republicans over the decades are fond to label, rather a proactive agenda on education that accepted truths (like global warming) where for whatever reason the less than 1% of scientists disagree with the issue writ large (does climate change exist?).

A fact-based reality based education system will, informed by all the sciences and technologies, force a fundamental zugzwang by the Federal in favor of the local education officials-- and that is something I have heard every republican quick on the "commie," or "Socialist," trigger belly ache for power to rest in the local not Federal powers where education is concerned.

Yet, it was Bush II, who forced the random test driven multiple choice idiocracy called "no child left behind."

Incentivize the collaboration in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) with new and existing public-private relationships by also having the principles found in STEM, logic, and reason inform the process and development of this completely new world of education, knowledge, and technology, and any disadvantage from the retooling of our outmoded educational system (writ large) will fall away very quickly once children are given the access to tools already available-- just not very widely at time of publication.

Lets see if reason will spread like a disease in the next four years, or will we continue to appear as a gorilla chasing its tail to the rest of the world?

Modern American I-Ching

In these days of trouble and confusion, where can we turn for guidance and wisdom?

How about the ancient oracle called the I-Ching, more accurately YiJing, best translated as Classic of Changes? For those unfamiliar with this work from ancient China, there are 64 readings that, like Tarot cards, can offer general symbolic representations for the seeker to fill in the blanks and personalize to discover individual resolution and sense of peace.

I have developed this 80-page manual, entitled Mudita: Modern American I-Ching, from my recently copyrighted materials based on years of rigorous study in Yoga, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Zen, Buddhism, and Taoism. Mudita is Sanskrit for “Joy,” and is unique in that it also presumes we can discover joy in the experience of the peace, joy, and happiness of others.

Each reading gives an image, a noun, a verb, and some hard-won wisdom based on Thomas Cleary’s eminent translations of Confucius’ Commentaries on the Classic informed by this larger concept of abounding, compassionate, and vicarious joy.

Ultimately, I hope the grand effort to accommodate the ancient guide for a new century, at a bare minimum may offer some comfort during these trying times.

I am a Zen Buddhist, and, as such, also hope, like any reading from the I-Ching, once the Seeker gains a sense of insight after opening the manual— the text itself might become transcended by the seeker.

It’s been an amazing adventure, filled by a lifetime of mistakes and confusion, in order to presume the honor of writing this book, which is No Book!

BUY MY E-BOOK

Hague Gaddafi

What we are witnessing in the Mid-East today is full of hope and promise, yet signals the beginning of a long road for each of these societies filled with peril and danger.

To that end we begin to see the result of a dictator of convenience to oil consuming nations, thoroughly ensconced in the best soldiers, weapons, and hiding places in his capitol city bitterly beginning his attempt at counter-revolution-- like that picture of the little fish trying to eat the big fish! Except, the big fish is turning around to swim at them and say, "I'm gonna git you sukka!"

Dont worry little fish, stay true to your purpose, and next thing you know the big fish is back to where he once was... moments away from being eaten-- just the opposite direction.

We are witnessing the promise of the world wide web truly materializing-- democratization through information.

In the Reagan era, they called this The Information Age. A bit overstated, but undeniable, too.

When they made the Internet something that anyone, who happened to have a computer, residence, phone line, and subscription, could access we heard of all the exciting potentials.

In this day and age of the $100 computer, multi-function hand held devices with wireless internet access, and the general saturation of technology over time the other shoe has begun it's foot fall.

So, this simple suggestion to the West in general and USA in specific from your humble observer:

This is the opportunity in clearest daylight for the USA and Obama Administration to back the Court of International Justice in Hague, it's processes, and all that it represents for the future of International Justice.

Obviously, events must play themselves out, but when Gaddafi is captured or escapes to his island hideaway, ala Dr. No from James Bond, we Americans must agree that The Hague Court was set up to deal with dictators actively killing their citizens in popular revolt. Where else should we have him tried as a consistent War Criminal and human rights abuser?

That move would continue the momentum we see for transparency, democracy, and set the model for future dictators subject to popular rejection. It would also reverse yet another backward Bush-era policy.