One thing we know for sure is, despite who the president may be, we are already a LONG way from where we need to be as a society that meets the needs of its people. We MUST get free of these wars, we must find a way for all people to have a decent living, and we must find a way to stop crime, especially white collar crime, which is seldom punished yet victimizes millions of people each year. We must create the kind of opportunity that we used to be famous for. But we almost can't get farther from these ideals than we are right now, as courts knowingly give prison sentences to innocent people, and let those guilty of the most heinous crimes go free or fine them only a small fraction of the money they stole. Good, law-abiding people are being torn from their homes by riot police, so that bankers can allow these houses to stand empty until property values rise, or to let them out to new tenants at rates that are less than what the owner was paying before they evicted them! (These sorts of examples show how the banks are not just trying to squeeze every dollar they can, but that there is an underlying cruelty, as well, which seems worthy enough to them to justify actually LOSING money on a deal like this. This is becoming more common daily.) As we are realizing the gravity of these problems, military drones are beginning to fill the skies... and never forget-- these drones are enemies to ALL, including us. They don't know the difference between ally or enemy, and an order to kill, or a malfunction with the same signal, can have grave results, with little or no accountability for the tragedy which ensues.
I see these as just a few of many abominations taking place right now , that the corporate elite and other right-wing institutions are trying to pass off as 'research'. They are poisoning earth, sky, and sea; animal, vegetable, and mineral. But today, there is a sub-group among rich people who only recently became wealthy, who do not want to be doing this damage, it goes against their own values. Even 'old money' individuals will come to see their own lives improve, too, with a bloodless revolution (b rev). Suddenly they will even matter MORE in society, in a new way, as they become people who are PART of the group, included and relied upon, and soon they will become more than just being the owner of a checkbook or someone to stand beside in photos.
Q: How can New America have a mostly moneyless system?
It's actually pretty cool... Remember, monthly payments well beyond what wages would normally be, and free housing, food, gas, etc., are to be available on account each month for each individual. Adults get the same amount, based on a percentage of how much money we have altogether. (Dependent children get less). This total amount of citizen owned wealth will be put into 3 accounts, of varying sizes, all of which are owned by the people, (not the government, which is an extension of the population it serves, and not an entity in itself).
Q: What are the 3 accounts for?
The 1st account is to pay all of the monthly (or weekly) incomes, and will be provided on a debit card, no cash needed. At the end of the month, the account is replenished. It may not ever need to go higher, as there is no need to amass wealth in a society that does not favor one only at the expense of another, like our capitalist system today.
As New American citizens, our personal financial worth will always be an equal share of each of the 3 accounts (these 3 shares will not equal each other, as the accounts are different sizes). We will get benefit money from the first account. As discussed below, most of the expenses for ourselves, our homes, and our businesses, are supported and maintained by the second account (which also pays for general transportation and education) and if we decide to leave the country forever we may actually take our share of the 3rd account with us. It is a one time deal, though, and one way. Traveling internationally will be treated entirely differently, however, and subject to being paid for with personal accounts.
The second account is to pay for any materials, equipment, or other expenses that are needed to run the businesses, manufacture products, or maintain or build housing, roads, and public areas, for example. All property and businesses are co-owned by the people, which is why we share directly in the profits. We make our profits by selling products or services to other countries, tourism, and by savings from such things as trading goods between businesses or streamlining them, instead of competing against each other. This striking change, that businesses no longer NEED to compete, changes our business model in a key way, and because many local enterprises can be combined to meet the needs of the people or the area, we can pick and choose which type of businesses reflect our New American values, which can be shown in their utility, necessity, and propensity to enhance our lives while doing no harm. There would be very few actual expenses compared to today, and no need for huge accounting departments or banks, or mortgage companies, etc. No more wall street, no need for it. Wealth for a few is no longer the goal, we are working to improve the quality of life for all, and history shows that capitalism always leads to more and more having less and less. We will make many immediate changes that will mean certain industries will be stopped completely, such as those which cause environmental harm, or, as mentioned above, those based entirely on money, with no or few products or services that can be combined somewhere else. We will err on the side of safety, meaning we shut down a polluting factory UNTIL we can decide if it is worth making changes, or better to redesign for a more desired purpose. Similarly, drones and other war weapons will be locked away, and the wars abruptly ended. The military will be re-evaluated, and greatly reduced.
The third account is for maintaining our agreements and responsibilities toward helping other countries, and will go first to ease suffering and hunger, and second to governments to be used on behalf of those citizens. Our clear goal will be to help stabilize the societies, while not robbing them of control or culture, instead of supporting unpredictable or irrational dictators. Our core value to respect human rights will be foremost in who and how we offer our assistance in the world.
Q: Will I get to keep my home? My business?
Homes and very small businesses are also owned by the people as a group. Residents will have users rights (the same as a deed) which can be given back to 'the people' when a person moves, and he will get a new one for his new place. No mortgage, rent, or even utilities are charged, as New America provides these; groceries, and personal necessities, like hygiene products and birth control are available for free.
As for the small businesses, like stores, salons, or cafes, these can be privately owned and will trade in money to a degree, along with using our debit cards, as will many local shops and tourist destinations, but not for private profit. Those running these businesses will have the same control over who they hire, acceptable practices, and the individual unique atmosphere they now enjoy. Since there is no longer any need for personal gain, and what you need is already provided, this means what you spend goes back to the benefit account, from which your card is replenished each month. Some will spend more, some will need less, some will work, others will do something else, like pursue free education, training, help in the community, or travel. Many of us will alternate, and some will specialize and follow a long career path.
Q: How much money would be in the debit account?
Since the U.S. is known
to have $10.77 Trillion, and we are a citizenry of near 313 million, we could guess that a starting share for each person (in the benefit account only) would be $34,080, prior to any adjustment for children or division into groups. There are many ways to look at this, and we are not yet counting the value of ANY of our mutually owned businesses or property, including priceless art or other national treasures. So, if we deduct for children, who should have almost NO expenses that aren't already provided for, we can easily see a fairly steady minimum adult share in the benefit account of around $50k. As we spend in person, we replenish this benefit account, which enables us to "top off" our card in the next month. Payments (automatic deductions from the card) or partnership purchases on automobiles or other high priced purchases will be easily worked out locally, and there need not be any interest, fees, or taxes on ANY transaction, ever.
Q: What if everyone wants to buy a new car, won't that cause environmental problems?
Providing free, environmentally safe public transportation will be a priority in the beginning, in hopes that with the reduction of employees traveling to and from work, the fewer shipping or trucking expenses accumulated when businesses combine or work together, and the missing corporate class that gobbles up nearly 80% of our money, will allow much more purchasing power for our dollar than we have ever known. However, we will not want to buy new cars yet. We will be perfecting models that are bio-safe and affordable. For a time, we will use the cars we have now, and the already-built new cars still on the lot, but the gas hogs we've been limited to will be phased out, and the car builders will have to be okay with a paid vacation, until we are ready to begin production again.
Q: Won't people just start shopping all day, and filling houses up with things they don't need, taking more than their share?
It won't take long for people to see this as entirely unnecessary. They will be filling up their living space for no good reason, when they can wait and buy things only when they want or need them. Remember, with core values that lessen materialistic behavior, it will no longer be a means of status to have a ton of stuff you don't use. A new commitment to recycling materials and getting away from making NEW plastics when we can recycle the old while cleaning up nature, and a new focus on renewables like hemp, which are incredibly versatile in the many forms and materials it can be used for, will make many of the environmentally dangerous materials used now unnecessary, and finally even obsolete. We are, in a big way, stepping back from our mistakes in order to re-evaluate, re-consider, and redirect our efforts in a much healthier and naturally beneficial way.
Q: You said hemp... What about pot?
If people want to legalize pot (they do) it will be legalized. This is New America, right? There will be other main changes regarding finishing the war on people which masquerades as a war on drugs. Other drugs, the actually dangerous ones, will be dealt with in an entirely new way, which will be discussed in the next segment of the b rev series, along with politics and the basic structure of our new streamlined but efficient and transparent government.
This is how our country would be if most of the wealth wasn't being hoarded by only a few. We need to upgrade our lives. I hope you will all continue with your questions, this revolution is for ALL of us!
