It's the 1% Doctrine, Stupid

The Failure of the “I Got Mine – and Yours, Too” Theory of Governance, And What’s Next
Published on Monday, October 31, 2011 by CommonDreams.org
by John Atcheson

As week seven of Occupy Wall Street dawns, much of the media and the establishment continue to act as if everything about the protests were an ineffable mystery.

Well, it’s really not that mysterious. To paraphrase James Carville yet again, it’s the 1% Doctrine, Stupid.

When 75% of the people support raising taxes on the rich, but their elected “representatives” won’t represent them, what else can people do, but take their grievances to the streets? And this is no isolated case: on issue after issue, elected "representatives" are ignoring the people’s wishes, choosing to represent the ultra-rich and corporations instead.

When government gives banks and Wall Street some $12.8 trillion of the taxpayer’s hard-earned money in direct funds, guarantees and near zero interest loans, and the fat cats turn around and spend it on bonuses and high-risk investments rather than fixing the real economy for the 99% who have been affected, don’t ask why people are angry. Especially when not a single bankster or speculator has been busted for a plethora of real crimes, while people lose their homes to improperly documented foreclosures.

When the one-percenters and their bought-and-paid-for government pass a faux financial reform bill that doesn't actually change the way things are done in the Banks’ boardrooms or on Wall Street and people take to the streets, how can that be a mystery?

And yes, that means you, too, Clinton, Obama and the Democratic Party. Your abject collusion with the one-percenters, while spouting populist rhetoric every four years, is in some ways more worthy of disdain than the Republicans’ outright embrace of the 1% Doctrine.

When the Supreme Court is dominated by corporatists and makes corporate- friendly rulings like Citizens’ United, assuring that government can be bought by the highest bidder, it should come as no great mystery when people take to the streets.

When the press becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of corporate America, replacing truth, facts, and accuracy with “balance” and leaving reality on the cutting room floor, don’t act mystified when the people stop swallowing corporate propaganda, and seek truth on their own.

And when, since Reagan, one-percenters have been taking all of the wealth gained from increased productivity and stuffing it into their own pockets, while stiffing workers, it should come as no great mystery when the people catch on and take to the streets.

Without a sense that government can do anything to right these gross crimes against the citizenry – indeed, when government is saddled with policies, laws, budgets and elected corporate lackeys guaranteeing it can’t address them – where else could the people turn but to the streets?

And to those who knock government as intrinsically incompetent and inept, remember, it has been made so by design since the 80’s. For more than three decades prior to that, we had sustained and widely shared prosperity thanks to regulations and programs passed in the New Deal. For five decades prior, we paid higher taxes and got great value for it. Since Reagan, we’ve been cutting taxes and all we’re getting are wars, debt, inequality and plutocratic pork.

But what do they want, the establishment whines.

The mainstream media, politicians and assorted other pundits are perplexed because the Occupy Movement has not issued a series of demands in bulletized, media-friendly sound bites.

But if you want to understand what’s going on, Mr. Jones, simply look at what they do, and how they operate.

Within the various Occupy camps, they have set up a society that emphasizes inclusion, not exclusion. They pursue the positive and affirmative issues that unite us, rather than the fear and hate-based issues that divide us. They advocate a society in which corporations serve the interests of the people, rather than people serving and being subservient to the interests of corporations.

They are rejecting the politics of us vs. them, and embracing the politics of creating a greater us. They are advocating an economic system that respects environmental realities as well as meeting the rights and welfare of the people.

The Occupy movement recognizes that a society, economy or country is neither great nor successful simply because it amasses the most wealth conceivable. No matter how high the GDP, a system that serves the interests of a scarce few at the expense of the many is a failure. A society that exploits unborn generations and the natural world on behalf of the 1%, is profoundly immoral.

Here’s the deal: for thirty years, under the 1% Doctrine, fat-cats and plutocrats have systematically destroyed peoples' faith in government so they could take over. They’ve succeeded. The result? The US economy now has the same level of income inequality as such third world countries as Uganda and Cameroon, and persistent real unemployment hovering above 20%, and we are stealing any hope of a sustainable future from our children in order to give fat cats yet another bloated bonus.

We – the people, the 99% -- are sick to death, literally, of the failed policies of the 1% Doctrine.

The future – if we are to have one worth living – belongs to us. Step aside, one percenters. The tide of history is rolling in.

Source: CommonDreams.org 10/31/11

John Atcheson's writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the San Jose Mercury News, the Memphis Commercial Appeal, as well as in several wonk journals. He is currently at work on a fictional Trilogy that centers on climate change. Atcheson's book reviews are featured on Climateprogress.org. Email to: jbatcheson@gmail.com

Steve Jobs, the Rock Star immortalized

One of the best commencement speeches I've ever heard was this video below. It is aw-inspiring. When ordinary people do extraordinary things, on their own terms. They appear to become Rock Stars. He was that Rock Star. Check out his advice to Stanford students.

This video inspired me, and in spite of my regrets, this video gave me justification for the many decisions I've made; even those that didn't work out. There is hope that the lessons learned will be of great value. Hence, Steve Jobs achieved iconic Rock Star status as an innovator of the 21st century. The man who became a 21st change agent has passed away today. His charming ability to connect the dots and communicate the value of an idea was his most astounding and revered skill. Steve Jobs will be forever immortalized as a transformative figure of the 21st century. His talents and presence will be missed.

OccupyWall Street - Civil Disobedience Gone Wild?

The power of messaging, riding on the back of a propaganda machine can turn a movement into a circus. The OccupyWallstreet movement was originally a protest against the financial industry, it's lobby, the US congressmen and senators who support legislation that facilitated fraud, mortgage servicer fraud, pension raiding, high risk investments, that created the credit crunch with the too big to fail approach. The movement is suppose to be the "we are not going to take it anymore and we are going to vote out congressional members that support corporations at the expense of the people". A teaparty sort; more like the french revolution, from the Marie Atwonette protester's point of view. A referendum, to illicit job creating legislation, and retribution.

Instead, the protest has become a melodramatic circus, with people jumping on the bandwagon all over the country for the sake of expressing their anger and disdain in a bubble. Without a centralized messaging strategy it has morphed into an unorganized circus of testifier's and holy ghost enactments against banks. That was displayed with this George Washington Law student who screamed and yelled like "big mama at a sad funeral", while begging to be arrested. The spectacle diminished the objective, and the message was lost in translation. That was not effective Civil disobedience.

The movement is suppose to send a message to elected officials. Those officials must comprehend the repercussions of the "people's anger". That anger will turn into votes against politicians that erode governmental protections. Oust politicians that push financial deregulation which facilitates the fraud and thievery that has destabilized the economy. Most importantly, preserve the equity of American working class by voting out politicians that push risky convoluted investment instruments, tax loopholes which give corporations moving off shore to evade taxation and exporting jobs. Or politicians that protect only wealthy Americans that legally evade taxes, while their corporations receive outlandish tax subsidies paid for by the American people.

The video below shows a George Washington law student screaming about the bank that foreclosed on his parents house. It is incredibly tragic. However, he should have articulated the actual injustices; the mortgage servicer fraud, predatory lending practices and aggressive illegal foreclosures violating mortgage regulatory laws that the government ignored.



In addition, the financial industry driven globalization has exported jobs to cheap labor countries. The loss of American jobs has driven down demand for products due to lack of consumer income from joblessness. Buffoonery does little for making change. It appears 21st century Liberals have shut Jessie Jackson out of this administration. Jessie Jackson has 50 years of human rights, equal rights, civil disobedience, social justice, logistical protests and communications. Without his participation, it appears the voice of the voiceless has been silenced. The Obama administration has had the tables turned on them by the Teaparty.

To hedge off the OccupyWallSt movement from becoming a mockery, operatives of this movement should enlist Jessie Jackson's consultation; before all this screaming and yelling falls on deaf ears. This movement needs management leadership and clear communications to be heard. Change can't happen if no one is listening. OccupyWallST has spread to Los Angeles, Austin, Portland, and Washington DC. The message must be passionately articulated in a measured disposition with a smooth delivery.

6X6 - The Art version of a NYC Music Festival

What If There Were No More Art Galleries? 6x6 is the answer to that question.

6X6 is the Art Version of the Music Festival.
www.6X6NYC.com
Sept 11, 2011 thru Oct 8, 2011
547 W. 27th Street NYC &
548 W. 28th Steet NYC





Baang and Burne Contemporary was founded in 2009 by two artists: Kesha Bruce (aka Mr. Burne) and Charlie Grosso (aka Mr. Baang).

The partners named their roaming gallery after a cold-war era spy term for “covert sabotage and demolition operations" because it perfectly describes our philosophy about tearing down the barriers that are part of the old-school art buying experience and creating a new innovative art experience.

Also, the two say they love spy movies.

Simply put, Baang and Burne events are where people who love art and people who make art come together.


For details on donating to 6X6!
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Source: baangandburne.com

TrustLaw Women reports World's Most Dangerous Countries for Women

Targeted violence against females, dismal healthcare and desperate poverty make Afghanistan the world's most dangerous country in which to be born a woman, with Congo a close second due to horrific levels of rape. Pakistan, India and Somalia ranked third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the global survey of perceptions of threats ranging from domestic abuse and economic discrimination, genital mutilation and acid attack. A survey compiled by the Thomson Reuters Foundation to mark the launch of TrustLaw Woman*, puts Afghanistan at the top of the list of the most dangerous places in the world for women. TrustLaw asked 213 gender experts from five contents to rank countries by overall perceptions of danger as well as by six categories of risk. The risks consisted of health threats, sexual violence, non-sexual violence, cultural or religious factors, lack of access to resources and trafficking. The collection of images that follow were provided by Reuters to illustrate the dangers women face in those 5 countries. -- Paula Nelson (*TrustLaw Woman is a website aimed at providing free legal advice for women’s' groups around the world.)
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Source: www.trust.org 6/15/2011 Fact Sheet Worlds Most Dangerous Countries for Women

The Naked Protest in Canada

Skinny Girl entrepreneur, Bethanny Frankly brought the Naked Protest movement to my attention in her twitter pics. Bethanny Frankel tweeted on 6/18/11 at Vancourver's 2011 naked Bike Ride. She said; "I think I just peed my pants. WHY is there a naked bike ride in vancouver?" Too Funny! Absolutely classic pick. Very Fire Island on the fourth of July.

Talk about making a statement. There are those who believe that removing their clothes brings attention to an issue. Well, it definately got my attention. But is this really a protest? It seems more like a statement than a protest.

Photograph by: Jenelle Schneider, Vancouver Sun

In 2009 hundreds of Vancouverites stripped down to the buff in a protest against oil dependency and car culture as they headed around the seawall from Sunset beach on their downtown Vancouver tour. Now that was an effective protest....I think it made a clear statement.

After reading about the Naked Protests, I learned it has become trending. It appears for some it may not be a protest at all. Could you imagine the Tea Party protesters butt naked screaming about taxes and healthcare. Now that would be a powerful statement. lol...

Read more about Vancouver's Canda's Naked Protests: Vancourversun.com

World Economic Collapse Explained in 3 Minutes : Are You Prepared For Financial Armageddon?

What is there to say? No jobs in Greece = no income to pay backs EU loan. Period! If European Union invested in manufacturing in Greece, the Euro would not be in jeopardy.

Coca-Cola Style!

When did Coca Cola get so stylish? The Atlanta company is showing it's true style. I like Pesi, but I love Diet Coke. The new packaging make me want to drink Coca Cola.

In 2009 Coca Cola light made a tribute to Fashion. Eight Italian fashion designers (only women) Donatella Versace, Alberta Ferretti, Anna Molinari for Blumarine, Veronica Etro, Silvia Venturini for Fendi, Consuelo Castiglioni for Marni, Angela Missoni and Rossella Jardini for Moschino, have teamed with Coca Cola for fund raising campaign in support of the victims of the earthquake in Abruzzo, Italy. The Coca-Cola light’s bottle and have sold them at auction during the “Tribute to Fashion” show in Milan.



Eight Italian fashion designers (only women) Donatella Versace, Alberta Ferretti, Anna Molinari for Blumarine, Veronica Etro, Silvia Venturini for Fendi, Consuelo Castiglioni for Marni, Angela Missoni and Rossella Jardini for Moschino, have teamed with Coca Cola for fund raising campaign in support of the victims of the earthquake in Abruzzo, Italy. The Coca-Cola light’s bottle and have sold them at auction during the “Tribute to Fashion” show in Milan.

By, 2013, Coca-cola will have an eco friendly bottles.

The industrial designer Andrew Kim has created a new Coke bottle concept that could significantly change the sodamaker's footprint. For every 4 bottles currently shipped, the square bottle design could ship 6. This means every shipping container could hold 4,000 more bottles of Coke. Kim also considered that Americans use 2 million plastic bottles every 5 minutes, so he made the bottle itself green. It is 100% plant based, made entirely from sugar cane byproducts. But, Pepsi beat Coke by launching a plant based bottle this year. However, this new eco-friendly Coke is quite entising.

The Optimist’s Creed by Christian D. Larson

I read the book The Secret several years ago. It discusses the forces in the universe that impact the trajectory of ones life. Hence, One can skew those forces by ones thinking and actions. The essential theme is focus, prayer, meditation and karma can sway the forces in the universe in the direction you will it to. It takes effort, committment and determination. The book is incredibly inspiring. I received a tweet with the Optimist Creed that I'd like to share.

In the book The Secret has an optimist creed that I am trying to live by. However, in these distressing times I do fall short.

The Optimist’s Creed by Christian D. Larson

I promise myself

1. To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
2. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
3. To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
4. To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.
5. To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
6. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
7. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
8. To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
9. To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.
10. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
11. To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
12. To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.

SuperCorp: How Vanguard Companies Create Innovation, Profits, Growth, and Social Good

If one has adequate operating income, Transformational Leadership out wits and trumps "Business As Usual" everytime. However, the lack there of, stunts growth and creates a vacuum effect; hobbling to the next month instead of bootstrapping. There is no greater examples of transformational leadership than the rise and fall of to big to fail corporations. As we watch startups zoom past the old gaurd, taking their marketshare in a single bound; as they slowly scurry to respond. IBM's lost opportunity has made Bill Gates the richest man on the planet, and SUPER philanthropist that's changing world. Google's arragance over Facebook provided Google a valuable lesson. One in which they will not let happen again. Frankly, it appears Google is apart of the new crowd. Therefore, they have taken note and acclimated; no resting on their laurels, and moving forward with Cloud (SaaS) and digital media properties that are leveling the playing the field for consumers and businesses. Whose being ignored now?

I love it. Transformational enterprises consists of transformational leaders that are flexible, eager to learn, and culturally considerate and diverse. Roseabeth Moss Kanters iterates these concepts in her book " SuperCorp: How Vanguard Companies Create Innovation, Profits, Growth, and Social Good". This book resonates with me because while in corporate america, I was amassed in a sea of tunnel visioned monolithic "Old Guard" who beleived the corporate culture was strictly "Business as Usual". It was frustrating at the least. However, Times are changing.
I so agree with Publisher's Weekly's review of the book. Publisher Weekly wrote: Harvard Business School professor Kanter (Confidence) offers cutting-edge insights on corporate competitiveness in this timely and captivating assessment of what it takes to succeed in the face of rapid technological, cultural and economic change. Asserting that globalization increases the likelihood for shorter organizational life cycles, Kanter argues that companies must be more nimble than ever to survive. Drawing on stories of such businesses as Proctor and Gamble, Digitas and Cemex, she describes how vanguard companies exploit their strong cultures to adapt and innovate, often harnessing the momentum of change to capture market share or squash competition. Those companies that will thrive in the future, maintains Kanter, have stamina, energy, long lists of contacts, an appetite for communication, comfort with ambiguity, and a belief that the company's values and principles mean that they are part of something bigger than just a job. This dense work may be demanding for many, but the opportune lessons within are worth the effort for readers seeking to compete in a global marketplace that is changing more rapidly than ever before. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rosabeth Moss Kanter holds the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship at Harvard Business School, where she specializes in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change. Her strategic and practical insights have guided leaders of large and small organizations worldwide for over 25 years, through teaching, writing, and direct consultation to major corporations and governments. The former Editor of Harvard Business Review (1989-1992), Professor Kanter has been named to lists of the "50 most powerful women in the world" (Times of London), and the "50 most influential business thinkers in the world" (Accenture and Thinkers 50 research). In 2001, she received the Academy of Management's Distinguished Career Award for her scholarly contributions to management knowledge, and in 2002 was named "Intelligent Community Visionary of the Year" by the World Teleport Association. Check her out on Facebook

THE WORLD’S FIRST DESIGNER LOW ENERGY LIGHT BULB

London design brand Hulger has launched Plumen, a product it describes as “the world’s first designer low-energy light bulb”.The Plumen 001 was designed in collaboration with Sam Wilkinson. The Plumen bulb uses 80% less energy and lasts 8 times longer than incandescent bulbs, giving you the opportunity to purchase an ecological product with style. It works just like any low energy bulb but it has a lot more presence.The name Plumen comes from ‘plume’ – the bird’s decorative feather, designed to attract attention to its’ prowess and beauty. We believe our designs do the same for the neglected low energy light bulb.

Ecologically energy efficient and beautiful, captured in a sustainable work of Art used as a light bulb. I love the design of the Plumen.
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Source: Dezeen.com

When was the last time you changed your mind about something?

Frankly, it is never to late change. In business, the flexibility to change is a requirement. In ones personal life I'd say timing is everything. But who really has perfect timing? Although, I wish I were always right, I am not. Admitting this fact, changing course, an tweaking the plan along the way is required in life. Hence, Jeff Swartz says it best in a response to the Fast Company 30second MBA question.

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Source: 30 Second MBA
The 30-Second MBA, an ongoing video “curriculum” of really good advice from the trenches, directly from people who are making business happen.

Aftershock: The next economy and America's future

Robert Reich neglected to mention the disconnect between the the great depression and the great recession was that government used propaganda to make people patriotic and loyal to our country. The position was that all people had a responsibility to the progression of the country. The country understood that America was the best country in the world to live. We were a country of immigrants then. We had a responsibility to each other.

As for the civil rights movement, it took more than fifty years to end Jim Crow. President Johnson twisted arms, black mailed and threatened congressmen to do the right thing; to be a "The Great Society". It wasn't easy then,and it won't be easy now. However, Obama plays fare and doesn't exercise mussel behind closed doors. Consequently, the GOP have no respect for him. The lack of respect has diminished his power and authority. Moreover, it has created a more determined resolve by the GOP to run the administration around in circles by attacking them from all sides; running out time for the administration to make progress on anything. Ultimately resulting in the demise of the middle class.

Funky Good Time!

As the never forgotten fabulously famous James Brown said, sometimes you have to have a "funky good time". I must admit, I am closet bedroom dancer, but for sometime I have not been inspired to cut a rug. There must be an inch of dust on the acid jazz and disco CDs on the shelf. As the DJ booth has been empty some time. Dealing with the struggle of recession and life's challenges has gotten the best of me. But the video below has brought a bit of needed inspiration to snap my fingers, even though it is ridiculously humorous.


The bedroom dancing dude to James Brown in this video appears to be an exceptional exhibitionist contortionist. I must say that I so understand his joy, because James Brown also inpires me to snap my fingers and dancing in the light!

Jeramaine Clark "I AM KRITEEK'D" URBAN ART SHOW

Jeramaine Clark is wonderful young artist that produces the most phenomenal Urban Pop art. A recent 2010 AAMU Alum, is making his mark on the Atlanta market. Once the world sees his work, I think he might be the next Basquait.

Born and raised: St. Louis, Mo
Recent graduate: of Alabama A&M University
Major events: Theshoegame.com 3rd year anniversary party, Nike Town Lennox Mall, Atlanta, Ga (Sold painting to prominant sneaker head “Mayor”)
Sneaker Friends ’10 Compound, Atlanta, Ga (Sold painting to platinum hip hop recording artist Rick Ross)

CONTACT INFO: www.kriteekd.blogspot.com

kriteekd@gmail.com


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Source: Mademonarchs , www.fresh-cool-dope.com and a repost on AAMU News Watch