The Transformation of Poverty

The recent turmoil in the real estate, commodity and stock markets has left a lot of people feeling vulnerable, fearful for their future? They should be, look at how the collective we have been acting toward people without homes—we let them die on the street, discarded like an old chair.

From streamsofjustice.org, April 18th, 2008

At least 56 homeless British Columbians died during 2006 and 2007, according to provincial statistics obtained by The Tyee. B.C.'s homeless died at a rate that's at least 19 per cent higher than the general population, according to the office of the chief coroner. "These deaths were preventable," said MLA David Chudnovsky, a New Democrat who serves as the opposition critic for homelessness. "These are people who would still be alive if they'd had someplace to live."

And since we are creating more not fewer homeless people, this is the perfect time to address the issues that made it all right for the collective we to let homeless men and women die on the streets--so that other people can drive $75,000 cars and see the value of their home(s) double in five years. This inequality didn’t just happen by accident; there are specific laws and programs at work.

There is every reason to be optimistic about our future: there is no shortage of housing, food, clothing, computers or smart people that will lead us to a clear future. Here’s how the collective we, American, Canadian and Mexicans, can create a powerful response to the current unwanted crisis.

Transformation of Poverty Six

1.      Provide True Universal Health Care, including Dental, Eye Care and Education. Ability to pay has no place in a heath care system. There are too many laws that prevent health care professionals from working together to build more efficient and caring health care systems. [Bad Law]

2.      Ending Prohibition would reduce CRIME (and costs) by at least 50 percent. Prohibition has inspired more violence and corruption than any other government program in history. [Bad Law]

3.      Expand Opportunities in the Informal Cash Economy. Make it EASY to survive with very little money. Promote shared housing (and mortgages), let people work for cash, allocate community bazaars where anyone can sell pretty much anything. Mexico does the cash economy very well.

4.      Promote Cheap, Ubiquitous Communication: phones, internet, art, music, community events. Communities thrive when they are able to communicate, educate, inspire, collaborate, etc.

5.      Simplify and Encourage Border Crossing – these road blocks to life are a terrible idea, not far behind prohibition for instigating violence and criminal activity. [Bad Law]

6.      Reduce traffic accidents by 20 percent – would be easy if we as a community made the commitment to safer roads, less violence and fewer deaths. The issue is Ownership. As things stand, the police and insurance companies both benefit from an increase in traffic accidents.

Adoption of the Sensible Six will have a more profound impact on quality of life and freedoms issues, far more than passing out ever greater sums of government money.

Our quality of life, opportunity and care (the HUG index) have never been an issue of money, but will power. And five of the six strategies save substantial sums of cash!

What’s next? Well just like in the movies where the cavalry rides to the rescue, the Transformation of Poverty Six (not new ideas) is a golden opportunity for we the people to create a North American renaissance in abundance, community and self-expression--a world where people want to live, work and play together.

Be a leader in your world…talk to people…join together…have fun, create something wonderful.