id:iss37

This is a critical time as the Commonwealth of Australia is preparing to clearly pronounce its true independence. And it is extremely important for all of us to recognize the need to declare our individual independence, as a People, prior to assembling together to declare the Perfected National Supreme Republican level of our new Australia. This declaration should provide a wider public acknowledgement and understanding of the basic foundational elements needed in such a move for independence – an understanding that is required to make an “informed decision” and to guarantee a clear understanding of how to preserve and maintain that independence throughout future generations. This declaration should be both a statement as well as an extensive and fully inclusive perpetual education cornerstone of freedom and independence. There is strong evidence to conclude that a lack of such a cornerstone of knowledge and experience in the 1776 Unanimous Declaration of these United American Colonies was the cause of its inability to result in a full national independence within a nation that was of, by, to, for and from the People of the Natural Republican State of the World – therefore, remaining an untried and unproven experiment. This issue was created subsequent to the 2020 Summit submissions made by United People System (5657) and me (2000042). It is strongly suggested that all participants in this issue read and fully understand the material found in the “Unanimous Declaration of the People of the Republican State of the World for a Call to Global Collaboration” – a pdf file located on the home page of www.upworldgov.org. Everyone may also wish to participate in a new campaign to promote the rite of passage to the status of “Farmer” throughout Australia. I made a presentation at the Living Together Network gathering at Ewingsdale Hall near Byron Bay on 22 June 2008 where I emphasized the importance of all of us recognizing each other as fellow farmers (you’ll see the significance of this when you read the attached “Unanimous Declaration of Independence for the Natural Republican States of Australia” that is one of the submissions in this issue). I actually brought a bucket of soil, a watering pot and a plant, etc. and repotted a living plant in front of everyone. I called it a ceremony publicly declaring my rite of passage to the status of 'Farmer,' and suggested that this become an accepted practice for all Australians. It went over VERY well and the excitement levels are rising.

created 27 Jun 2008 by Ricardo

id:iss46

We are dealing with the double threat of Climate Change and Oil Depletion – too much coal and not enough fuel. These combined threats can be called the Carbon Crisis. This Carbon Crisis is insidious. The degree of action that is required now is much stronger than we would expect from what we observe. We see ice melting, some droughts, floods, and fires: but it doesn’t look like the end of the world. Meanwhile the invisible hand of the market is preoccupying us and leading us like sleep walkers to the edge of a precipice. I propose that we and our Council place our Shire in a State of Emergency - a State of Carbon Emergency.

created 30 Apr 2009 by sapoty

id:iss44

Up until now, most of the People have been left out of the banking loop - except for taking out loans or creating checking or savings accounts. However, the current economic system, regardless of what anyone thinks about it, or what anyone knows or doesn't know about it, is a product of all of us. It's had its good times, and it's had its bad times. It's easy to look at the obvious abuses in the system and feel injustice. It's easy to look at the glaring inequality in the financial wealth of the elite and blame the financial/economic system. Yet, if we explore the history of the system, why it was created in the first place, and consider the immense benefit that society has gained form the advance driven, at least in part, by the freedom and innovation engendered by capitalism and free trade, it is wise to act with caution before condemning the system on the basis of what are becoming obvious shortcomings. One of the questions we have to deal with now is whether these current difficulties are simply the manifestation of another cycle, or whether they are a sign of some deeper problem within the financial system. Is what is required at this time a review of, and tightening of government oversight and regulations, or a fundamental restructuring of the system from the ground up? If it is decided that the very foundations of the system require reconstruction, then one must inquire deeply into what alternatives exist. It is important to note that the evaluation of financial system alternatives cannot be done in isolation from other considerations, namely what type of society we want to create. One of the best known economists of our time is Jeffrey Sachs, head of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and advisor to the United Nations Secretary General. Sachs has studied the state of the developing world in an attempt to understand why some nations appear to be caught in a cycle of poverty. As a result of his investigation, he has developed the concept of a ladder of economic development. This ladder contains four steps as follows Subsistence economy Commercial economy Emerging nation economy High technology economy Sachs suggests that each nation must progress through these four stages, in order to learn the lessons a society needs to learn in order to deal with increased economic prosperity and develop an understanding of the functioning of the necessary institutions and changes such progress has on life. What Sachs does not address is: 'What comes after stage four?' What happens when a society has reached stage four and has exhausted the possibilities contained in that stage? As yet, we have not seen an example of such a nation, but it is worth asking whether we now, in the Western World, stand at the edge of the chasm of a new step in the evolutionary ladder. It is possible that the stress fractures appearing in the economy of the Western nations at this time are a signal that the next evolutionary step is calling us. Perhaps the existing system has run up against its own limitations and is beginning to show the signs of implosion. What would the next stage of the development ladder look like? We do not know. This is something that requires widespread dialogue and the sharing of ideas in an open, constructive forum. It's also very important to fully understand that the money systems of the past, including Jeffrey Sachs' descriptive ladder of same, have been a product of a Sovereign entity other than the People collectively. A new money system created by the Collective Sovereignty (the People) has the potential of re-defining money in a transparent, fair and honest way and obliterating Sachs' ladder model as well. The People simply have to start thinking as Sovereigns rather than subjects. In any case, this new Stage V may or may not include the re-development of new governments either in their continued form as corporations via a constitution or in a new Republican Form via a Declaration from the People. However, regardless of the metamorphosis of the current economic, or government systems during Stage V, the People who are ready may wish to embrace this opportunity to evolve via their own metamorphosis within this New Stage V. The corrections that must now be made by the current economic system may have to be dramatic enough that the entire global financial complexion may be almost unrecognizable from what it used to be. The new financial centre of the world may be in Hong Kong or in Japan, or even Dubai. There may even be a new world currency introduced. During these changing times, a question may occur to many people regardless of what the banks, businesses or existing governments do: 'Would it be advantageous, even for a few, to exercise a little personal responsibility so that their entire lives are not dependent on this financial system - so that they may be able to comfortably ride out most of the squalls or storms within the financial market?' Knowing the size and complexity of the current economic system, as well as its strong determination to protect itself from competitors, there may be a more intelligent and safer approach to combining one's personal economic safety and one's personal responsibility without offending or threatening anyone. Therefore, the People may wish to create an alternate economic system and not use 'money with intrinsic value of its own' in their new economic system. In other words, leave the current economic system for the governments, banks, businesses, and the general public to sort out - as we know they will. This issue welcomes proposed remedies that will work within an ethos centered upon the common good of Mankind. This issue is submitted as a planetary issue so that everyone around the world may help create a solution - even if it may initially be implemented at a local level.

created 7 Jan 2009 by Ricardo