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This originally appearing in the Oregonian "My Oregon" Blog, and so I am forwarding this message on in the spirit of collaboration with new possibilities for ourselves, our communities and our planet. ~
Invest in the Real Wealth of Portland!
The following is an open letter to President Obama's economic team and to all citizens from Riane Eisler, author of The Real Wealth of Nations. This Saturday there is an Economic Town Hall being held at the First Unitarian Church from 1-5. We all need to participate in holding our representatives responsible for what we want. 
" The real wealth of our nation is its people.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan emphasizes the need to invest in our material infrastructure (bridges, roads, etc.) and our natural infrastructure (green jobs, environmental sustainability, etc.). I urge you make a larger investment in the third, even more critical infrastructure: the human infrastructure.
Good ideas for investing in our nation's human infrastructure – that is, in human capacity development starting in childhood – are detailed in your proposed family, healthcare, and educational policies. But they should be a salient part of the new economic policy being rolled out right now. By making human capacity development a focal point, we will not only stimulate economic recovery through an extremely cost effective investment; we will also position ourselves to restore and renew our standing
as a positive force in the global community, culturally, politically, and environmentally.
Our economic crisis is not due simply to the globalization of unregulated capitalism; the problem goes much deeper - and so must the solutions. We're shifting from the industrial to the post-industrial era where our most important asset is what economists
like to call "high-quality human capital": flexible, innovative, capable people.
Producing this high-quality human capital requires good childcare in homes, good early childhood education in schools and communities, good healthcare, and other long-term
investments in caring for the real wealth of our nation: people. To this end, these suggestions address both the market and non-market economies." 
~her letter continues, to read more~ http://rianeeisler.com

posted 4 years, 3 months ago
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After seeing the complete video of Barack Obama's speech, I was deeply moved to hear the thoughtfulness and depth of feeling and concern expressed regarding an issue that affects us all throughout our society. We need honest dialogue. We need to look within and honor both who we truely are now as well as coming together to support an ongoing process that allows us to reveal and heal unexpressed sorrows & frustrations through open compassionate communication. He mentions the importance of taking full responsibility for our own lives. For taking action in supporting all of our children that in turn benefits of everyone.

As this quote from his speech highlights ~
"It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all American prosper."
"In the end, then, what is called for is nothing more, and nothing less, than what all the world's great religions demand - that we do unto others as we would hve them do unto us. Let us be our brother's keeper, Scripture tells us. Let us be our sister's keeper. Let us find that common stake we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well. "

I feel we owe it to ourselves, our communities and our collective future to rise to the challenge, raise our expectations and believe in the capacity we all have to make important contributions in partnership with each other for our better world.

posted 5 years, 1 month ago
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Thank you for covering this important topic.
Riane Eisler's recent book "Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics" promotes the economies of household, community and the natural environment as equal in inportance to the market economy on which our society is focused. There is an emphasis on the values of community & indivduals working together. Portland now has a local representation of these ideas with The Real Wealth of Portland project (RealWealthpdx.com) and is currently working on an indicators report to be announced at a meeting during a workshop on April 20th. These indicators will reflect a measurement to access local & regional business in ways that they benefit our communities on a variety of levels so that others can support them as they contribute in ways that people in our community value.
Also of interest are the writings & lectures of Catherine Austin-Fitts.

posted 5 years, 2 months ago
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To me, we can all be part of the solutions needed that will bring ourselves, our communities & our planet back into a place of balance. This is not about being "in despair" this is about being "empowered". By reconnecting to community, increasing our knowledge of the both the causes of our enviromental challenges as well as solutions we can make informed choices that reflect our intentions for a better world on many levels.

I just heard about David Gershon, founder & CEO of Empowerment Institute on the program New Dimensions. (aired 1/27/08 at 3am on opb radio) The program is titled:

A Practical and Accessible Strategy on Global Warming.
This program is very timely & directly related to today's topic.
His website is http://www.lowcarbondiet.net/

We all have the capacity to be the change we want to see in our world.

So to answer the question for today. . . Yes, I have changed & continue to change as I learn more ways to support postive change. Through focus on local & regional business & organizations, etc., farmers markets w/emphasis on organic produce, mass transit, bike & walking, volunteering w/tree planting- just to name a few areas- I continue to join with others who are chosing to participate to work together for a better world.

We each can and do make a difference.

Thanks for your program & selecting this topic.

posted 5 years, 3 months ago
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