Small is going to be HUGE is a campaign by by many woman's, small business and tourist entities. They're trying to get you to do the right thing this shopping season- shop at your local and independently owned businesses.
The result? Generating revenue back into our communities.
The rich have been getting richer, large in part due to our habit of shopping at big box stores- putting the little man, and his/her employees out of meaningful work. Too much of our hard earned money is funneled upward to corporate owners, while they communities and employees suffer.
My husband and I NEVER shop at Wall-Mart and haven't for at least a decade. I haven't needed a reason to go there...and we do not even make middle-class income. It is possible, give it a try.
If you're shopping this weekend, shop small- shop independent- shop local!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Encouragement
So, a few things I caught on the news lately have encouraged me. One, the website Eventual Millionaire, which has inspired me to change my budgeting ways; and the other a show on PBS Newshour (my trusted source of news) about Time Banking, a modern bartering system that, as one member said, helps his Maine town remember community.
Both of these are examples of how people can help themselves in a though economy. It's not up to the government...it's up to us! We can create a nation worthy of America's historic praise, but we have to get a grip on our own finances (and start some businesses!) and our communities - to build health, wealth and happiness into our lives.
Both of these are examples of how people can help themselves in a though economy. It's not up to the government...it's up to us! We can create a nation worthy of America's historic praise, but we have to get a grip on our own finances (and start some businesses!) and our communities - to build health, wealth and happiness into our lives.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Art of Community
So, as previously blogged, I advocate for lower taxes.
How can we maintain quality of life for less fortunate members of society while decreasing funding for things like shelters, libraries, fire fighters, schools etc.? The answer is community. I don't know how much I have harped about this topic over the past decade, but what really brought it into focus for me was my work in Altoona with the Community Interest Group (CIG). The CIG was my experiment in democracy.
If any of you are familiar with Altoona, you know that it has become increasingly depressed over the last 60 years. I had to live there for my first two years of college, it was a downer. What puzzled me, however, was the amazing assets the city had: an impressive Railroad Museum, an historic Theatre (the Mishler), a local theater company, two really unique and satisfying art galleries, more than three chocolate factories, the historic Horse Shoe Curve railroad track, a beautiful historic downtown (although empty), a plethora of one of a kind ethnic mom and pop shops and restaurants, 35 community parks (almost all in disrepair), and a Penn State campus. So, what is wrong with this city? Why hasn't it found a way to recover? My main findings over two years of research on the community was this: one, though the city had exemplary community leaders and organizations they did not communicate or work together (they actually fought with each other over 'turf' and projects for glory and funding); two, citizens of the community did not want to get involved (though they knew how to complain); three, the downtown was held hostage by old, wealthy interests, who demanded extraordinary rents and wanted only big corporate offices downtown; and four, everyone had a really bad image of their own town, so they did not believe that it could change. In short, though the tools and pieces of a great community are waiting to be used, the city does not have a positive, active community.
Altoona is an extreme example. The citizens expected the government to do everything- keep up the parks, renovate dilapidated buildings, plant trees on sidewalks, clean the leaves from the trees on the sidewalks, police neighbors and neighborhoods, revitalize downtown, support the library, etc.- along with their mandatory duties of maintaining streets, keeping water and electricity running etc. All of those things require tax dollars, and everything in the first part of that list could have been taken on by an organized community.
That is what I tried to do- organize the community. You could have called me (cover your eyes! don't utter this word to your children...) a COMMUNITY ORGANIZER (OMGosh, I said it, and in cap locks! Soon they'll be calling me socialist and demand to see my birth certificate.) Look, if your community is not organized- it needs to be. People working together to create a good quality of life for themselves and their neighbors is what made America great...it's what makes any country, state, town or city great. Also, elbow grease and TLC by part of citizens decreases burdens on our government and can DECREASE DEMAND FOR TAXES.
I see a lot of finger pointing and complaining at the government, and I haven't heard enough "Ask not what your government can do for you, but what you can do for your country." The fact is most people don't pay attention to what our leaders are really doing, and most people don't do what they can to contribute to their own community. This has led us into a downward spiral of:
Citizen: "Our leaders aren't listening to us."
Elected Leader: "Leaders are elected to lead, not to listen to the b*#ch and wine club." (actual quote from Altoona Mayor)
The fact is, I went door to door, and organized events to get people involved in their neighborhoods in Altoona- everyone was enthusiastic when talking about it, but when the time came for action NO ONE SHOWED UP TO ACT.
If you advocate for lower taxes- find out what your community needs and organize your community to do it. The United Way, City Planners, and Community Action centers (one in every county in PA) are all good places to start.
My experiment in democracy failed, I hope ours as a whole can find a way to come together.
How can we maintain quality of life for less fortunate members of society while decreasing funding for things like shelters, libraries, fire fighters, schools etc.? The answer is community. I don't know how much I have harped about this topic over the past decade, but what really brought it into focus for me was my work in Altoona with the Community Interest Group (CIG). The CIG was my experiment in democracy.
If any of you are familiar with Altoona, you know that it has become increasingly depressed over the last 60 years. I had to live there for my first two years of college, it was a downer. What puzzled me, however, was the amazing assets the city had: an impressive Railroad Museum, an historic Theatre (the Mishler), a local theater company, two really unique and satisfying art galleries, more than three chocolate factories, the historic Horse Shoe Curve railroad track, a beautiful historic downtown (although empty), a plethora of one of a kind ethnic mom and pop shops and restaurants, 35 community parks (almost all in disrepair), and a Penn State campus. So, what is wrong with this city? Why hasn't it found a way to recover? My main findings over two years of research on the community was this: one, though the city had exemplary community leaders and organizations they did not communicate or work together (they actually fought with each other over 'turf' and projects for glory and funding); two, citizens of the community did not want to get involved (though they knew how to complain); three, the downtown was held hostage by old, wealthy interests, who demanded extraordinary rents and wanted only big corporate offices downtown; and four, everyone had a really bad image of their own town, so they did not believe that it could change. In short, though the tools and pieces of a great community are waiting to be used, the city does not have a positive, active community.
Altoona is an extreme example. The citizens expected the government to do everything- keep up the parks, renovate dilapidated buildings, plant trees on sidewalks, clean the leaves from the trees on the sidewalks, police neighbors and neighborhoods, revitalize downtown, support the library, etc.- along with their mandatory duties of maintaining streets, keeping water and electricity running etc. All of those things require tax dollars, and everything in the first part of that list could have been taken on by an organized community.
That is what I tried to do- organize the community. You could have called me (cover your eyes! don't utter this word to your children...) a COMMUNITY ORGANIZER (OMGosh, I said it, and in cap locks! Soon they'll be calling me socialist and demand to see my birth certificate.) Look, if your community is not organized- it needs to be. People working together to create a good quality of life for themselves and their neighbors is what made America great...it's what makes any country, state, town or city great. Also, elbow grease and TLC by part of citizens decreases burdens on our government and can DECREASE DEMAND FOR TAXES.
I see a lot of finger pointing and complaining at the government, and I haven't heard enough "Ask not what your government can do for you, but what you can do for your country." The fact is most people don't pay attention to what our leaders are really doing, and most people don't do what they can to contribute to their own community. This has led us into a downward spiral of:
Citizen: "Our leaders aren't listening to us."
Elected Leader: "Leaders are elected to lead, not to listen to the b*#ch and wine club." (actual quote from Altoona Mayor)
The fact is, I went door to door, and organized events to get people involved in their neighborhoods in Altoona- everyone was enthusiastic when talking about it, but when the time came for action NO ONE SHOWED UP TO ACT.
If you advocate for lower taxes- find out what your community needs and organize your community to do it. The United Way, City Planners, and Community Action centers (one in every county in PA) are all good places to start.
My experiment in democracy failed, I hope ours as a whole can find a way to come together.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Comic Relief
Wait, wait, don't tell me!
Best comedy of the weeks news.
Listen and laugh.Car talk and weekly puzzlers.
These are my favorite weekend shows. If aren't a junkie yet, listen and you will be.
Best comedy of the weeks news.
Listen and laugh.Car talk and weekly puzzlers.
These are my favorite weekend shows. If aren't a junkie yet, listen and you will be.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Taxes
This may surprise some of you, but I do not believe in graduated taxes. In fact I don't believe the government should levy income tax at all (or estate- or death taxes). I don't think small businesses should carry the tax burden they do either(though they should pay a business tax). Have you ever tried working for yourself? The income taxes are twice as high. That is because, if you are employed, your employer matches most of the taxes you pay, so when you work for yourself, you pay your taxes and then you match them on behalf of your company. So, imagine the tax burden of having employees...now add to that paying health insurance for them which can be several hundred dollars per employee. Oi.
I do, however, believe that corporations and investments should be taxed. Why? For one, because corporations as an entity, and investment as an action, capitalize off of everyday Americans and the earnings are not a reflection of genuine labor. I may see this differently if labor and materials were paid a fair wage and products were sold with some cap on mark-ups to reflect a real cost and price.
...back to graduated taxes. Dems generally believe that rich people should be taxed more than poor people. Well, I already said I don't believe in income tax. Imagine that you are a businessman or women: you pay business taxes, you pay your employee's taxes, you pay your employees health insurance and then the government takes 35% more off the top. It is not equal, and it breeds animosity between classes.
I spoke to a rich, Democratic family, who asserted it their responsibility to pay more in taxes to help those less fortunate. That is nice, but it is not fair. Even if wealthy folks feel that way, or they do have some empathetic moral obligation to the less fortunate, the act of giving should not be forced upon them by the government. Might wealthy classes give more if they were not required to hand over 35% by force? In any case, wealthy Americans are often high profile in their communities, not giving would brand a person a Scrooge. On the other hand, giving would brand a wealthy person deserved of respect.
The way it is now, wealthy people give - and are called greedy anyway; and many Americans do not understand the values wealthy families bring to community.
I advocate a flat tax on consumption and minimal residential, state and federal taxes with local and state taxes being higher than Federal.. These for the purpose of providing 'public good'. Also: minimal taxes on non-corporate business, and relatively higher taxes for corporations, plus appropriate fees for extracting natural resources.
I should remark, that I in no way believe this to be a top priority for the nation any time soon, (especially in our current economic crisis) but ideals to be investigated and discussed.
What is public good? and The lost art of Community will be the subject of following blogs.
I do, however, believe that corporations and investments should be taxed. Why? For one, because corporations as an entity, and investment as an action, capitalize off of everyday Americans and the earnings are not a reflection of genuine labor. I may see this differently if labor and materials were paid a fair wage and products were sold with some cap on mark-ups to reflect a real cost and price.
...back to graduated taxes. Dems generally believe that rich people should be taxed more than poor people. Well, I already said I don't believe in income tax. Imagine that you are a businessman or women: you pay business taxes, you pay your employee's taxes, you pay your employees health insurance and then the government takes 35% more off the top. It is not equal, and it breeds animosity between classes.
I spoke to a rich, Democratic family, who asserted it their responsibility to pay more in taxes to help those less fortunate. That is nice, but it is not fair. Even if wealthy folks feel that way, or they do have some empathetic moral obligation to the less fortunate, the act of giving should not be forced upon them by the government. Might wealthy classes give more if they were not required to hand over 35% by force? In any case, wealthy Americans are often high profile in their communities, not giving would brand a person a Scrooge. On the other hand, giving would brand a wealthy person deserved of respect.
The way it is now, wealthy people give - and are called greedy anyway; and many Americans do not understand the values wealthy families bring to community.
I advocate a flat tax on consumption and minimal residential, state and federal taxes with local and state taxes being higher than Federal.. These for the purpose of providing 'public good'. Also: minimal taxes on non-corporate business, and relatively higher taxes for corporations, plus appropriate fees for extracting natural resources.
I should remark, that I in no way believe this to be a top priority for the nation any time soon, (especially in our current economic crisis) but ideals to be investigated and discussed.
What is public good? and The lost art of Community will be the subject of following blogs.
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