Time for action!

MDR,

There is a lot of truth in what you say, but don't underestimate the involvement of the members here.

I know of two or three threads that have brought attention to bills; and subsequently had a number of members writing their representitives.

In addition, this is a good place to check facts, and formulate opinions with other intelligent, well-informed and skilled people. Network is yet another benefit.

Your spirit is encouraging! Find a meet up group in your area, and start working with and in your community, as a number of us have.

Cheers!

Aaron

MDR,

While I don't disagree with you, I'd like to comment on this statement:

The Communists had an Adage:
"The fish rots from the head down".

Meaning power corrputs and starts civil decay.

Decay is a process that cannot be stopped, and we know decay is a redistribution of substance.

It's my view that we should use the decay that's going on in the "Macro" scale to fuel revisions in how we live locally.

Just some thoughts for conversation.

Cheers,

Aaron

MDR,

I agree that it is time for action.  However, what action would you like to see?  I'm not talking about protests or marchs - I mean - what sort of change would you like to see happen?  What economy/monetary theory would you like to see replace the current system?  What result would such change give you?  Will it address all 3 Es?

Let's say you had all the power to make change at the local, state, national, world level what - broad sweeping - and/or local micro focused - what changes would you implement? 

Consider that Chris has left out proposals of solutions in the Crash Course.  Why?  He has framed a substantial part of the problems - but so far the solutions aren't specifically there.  Chapter 20 is a Framework for Action suggesting that we start with Tier 1 then 2 then 3 actions that we feel are appropriate but Chris points out that there is a range of possible future outcomes and a range of events over three different time horizons. 

So if Chris could distill his knowledge to create 19 Chapters of the Crash Course why don't we have straight forward solutions in Chapter 20 (and beyond)?

I don't know the answer to this but I have some ideas... and it may be that Chris is still working out the solutions himself.

The reason I'm trying to back up here is because Chris has proposed:  awareness -> understanding -> appropriate action leading to solutions.  I believe that following the Crash Course, if we proceed through the five stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, then acceptance), then we are at the stage of awareness.  Individually we might be a little past awareness depending on where our starting point was, and some might be well into understanding of all 3 Es.

So here's my list of relevant books that have shaped my current level of understanding:

http://www.peakprosperity.com/comment/29387#comment-29387

Do I think I have enough understanding that if I had the power to make the broad sweeping or micro focused changes that are needed?  Not even close.

Here's my concern: if we run headlong off to take action we might just get a world that you like less than the world you currently have. 

So I can't wait to complete this post and wake up to a new reality with the changes to this website so that we can get our boots on the ground and effect change.  But I believe that change must come in our minds, our local actions, and the minds of our neighbours and their actions.  A bottom up approach so that we can meet the "decay in the head", as Aaron has indicated, and replace it with something that reflects us at the grassroots level.

I challenge all of us to deepen our understanding, take local action that changes our behaviour for the better, bring the Crash Course to house parties or community viewings, become a Martenson Brigade Member, and find some way of bringing money to the website.  Sure we can spend time chatting on the website but we do need to consider that time is short and, like Chris, we each need to consider where to deploy our resources for maximum effectiveness. 

Here's something I saw one of those inspirational posters yesterday - the kind that you see at the gym or wherever.  This one had a picture of wild horses galloping and the caption was:

Leadership:  The rate of the pack is set by the speed of the leader. 

We are all leaders on this site, whether we post or not, or how many posts we make.  When I consider the leadership of Chris and the speed he is moving at I have to ask myself:  Am I doing enough? 

No.  But I'm doing what I can and Chris has set one incredible pace that I find inspiring and I'm just racing to catch up and make my own mark.  So I'm ready for action but I won't be doing any marches unless it was to promote the Crash Course.  The changes have to happen, collectively throughout every nation, in our hands and our heads.  Once we've done that, we can look up and we'll see that the national leadership reflects us....because it will be us.

We aren't there yet.  But we will be if each us makes the commitment to take the right action.

And, as Chris and Becca would remind us, let's have fun doing it!

Cheers,

James

MDR,

When one looks at all the problems, it can become very hard to maintain a focus - which issues are most relevant and how does one become an advocate and activist for bringing the desired change?  First, you are absolutely right in finding information, reading books, discovering for yourself.  Now, where do you go from here?

My suggestion is that we must find that one issue, the common denominator, that will galvanize many different groups in a common popular movement.  The issue must have meat and it must have merit and ideally it should stir an awakening through better understanding.

I think we have the issue that is powerful enough to topple the status quo; End the Federal Reserve!

The tea parties were great but left many wondering...now what...and what did this mean?  The media attempted to hi-jack that move by applying the boring and divisive left-right paradigm.  Fox called them patriotic while many others said it was angry right wing fanatics.  Of course, most in attendance, at least where I was, were critical of BOTH parties.

I think the END the FED movement is our key.  There is nothing more irrational and unjust than our monetary system which is controlled behind closed doors, by the private Federal Reserve.  The Fed's policies of inflation, credit bubbles, market manipulation and intervention largely created this mess - the Fed needs to be fired.  The Fed is a scam pure and simple.

It is astonishing when one considers that our nation borrows money, with interest applied, from private banks when we have the power to directly issue the money ourselves - for free.  It's no coincidence that the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Income Tax Act (IRS) both took place in 1913.  Federal Income Tax was created to make sure Americans repaid the loans from the Fed. 

We are fast falling to a point where even the interest payments alone will consume all income tax.  And inflation, which is a hidden tax, has been ravaging our real economy and personal finances at an escalating rate.  Our government goes along with the Fed because they are bought and sold and operationally, the Fed allows the government to borrow as much as they want.  This is much easier than going to the people and requesting tax increases to support a growing government and their war machine.

This coming Saturday, April 25, there will be a national END the FED protest at all Fed banks and offices.  I urge you and everyone else to come out and support the move.  I'll be in Washington DC and would be glad to hook-up with other interested patriots.

There are meet-up groups in most cities so that you don't have to go alone. 

Here are some links:

END the FED Home Page

END the FED Meet-up Groups

All Meet-up Groups Participating

Larry

I found the posts about sending messages to congress about bills in the US HR and that is a good start --

There are more things that can be done *on the internet* if anyone is interested.  Basically, I think the first step is to raise awareness that there is a problem:

Find synergy with other groups, on the web and elsewhere. For example, Downsize DC at http://www.downsizedc.org/. This is a non-partison political action organization dedicated to smaller government.

Engage government budget agencies directly. For example, phone numbers and e-mail addresses to contact the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) are at http://www.cbo.gov/contacts/ .

A petition organized around the Crash Course may be an effective way of communicating to the CBO that their economic projects to 2019 are not correct. See: http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=9957 . A petition is better than a lot of e-mails and may only be effective as a publicity stunt.  Again, if it succeeds at that it will raise awareness.

Get the attention of the mainstream press.  This involves contacting reporters who might be interested in writing a story about Chris Martenson and other sites dedicated to financial oblivion.  Maybe ther reporter can be convinced there is a budding movement.

Taking action is better than feeling helpless and angry.

There have been a number of good posts to this thread about how we might stand up for the Republic.  Let me add one thing I do quite often - it sounds small but I think it is helping the END the FED move.

I wear t-shirts and sweatshirts with "END the FED" printed on the front and I have several message that I include on the back.  I bought some at the END the FED online store and had some of my own made with custom graphics. I'd be glad to share my graphics for free if anyone is interested - just let me know. 

I also keep copies of flyers that I print out - I use these two (front and back) -

END the FED (front)

END the FED (back)

It is amazing how often people ask about the FED - I'm always glad to discuss it and hand out some flyers.  I never get pushy and have been pleasantly surprised by how interested many people are.

Larry

This thread has been dormant since April and hoping to reactivate it, after all, 'hoping for change' without action, is rather a sad situation at best, and at worst, a silent conformity to keeping the status quo.

Wanted to share some personal changes stemming out of this CM exposure and hope to encourage some readers who have been sitting on their ass(ets), to get further involved in trying to effect change for the better, (that being defined as not leaving our children and grand children a legacy of debt and burden, and war).

At nearly 60 years of age, have found myself doing some things for the first time in my life and other things, not done in for over 40 years, like printing fliers with information our mainstream media won't touch upon - on private Central Bankers - fiat money creation - vaccine warnings, and the like, and then wandering though parking lots placing them under windshield wipers of unsuspecting shoppers, who might look at them in hopes of finding another 'discount coupon' or sales promotion. Statistically, 10% will read them and 1-2% will do something – well worth my time and energy.

And have started going to rallies, wandering around in a sea of mostly young people who are concerned about so many of the events we read about here in CM-land. They could be my grand kids, and me, their grand father, but we share a connection, we share a look of understanding, and I can barely sleep at night after these events for the feeling of renewed excitement about doing something 'good' in the world.

There are easy things we can do as well, and not even leave the comfort of our keyboards – petitions to sign, information that can be shared, and more. From the CM postings there are:

Audit the Fed petittion: http://www.auditthefed.com/

Jewish Voice For Peace petitition: http://withstringsattached.org/

And to get you out of the house to have fun with friends and family, there are the, End the Fed, rallies in 38 cities, November 22^nd:

http://endthefedusa.ning.com/events/end-the-fed-nationwide-rallies

and Cindy Sheehan's End the War movement at:

http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2009/10/peace-of-action-by-cindy-sheehan.html

We can do quiet peaceful activities like removing cash from the false banking system and either keeping it at home or better yet, buying PM coins.

If you have a story to share, a suggestion to make, let's hear it here. Little quiet Gandhi peacefully changed his whole country. He said to us, 'Be the change you want to see in the world'. We can effect change, and if not us, who?

I would lack to add......

• Take all your money out of the big banks and close your accounts.
• When ever possible, spend your money locally at private (Ma & Pa) businesses and refrain from adding to any corporation's bottom line.
• Create a lifestyle that is less dependent on money (barter for what you need) to minimize your taxes (sales and income). Move toward developing a local currency and/or using gold/silver for trade whenever possible.
• Integrate your lifestyle with nature. Derive what you need to survive from the ecosystem by providing what the ecosystem needs to survive from yourself.
• Boycott any product/service/or business that advertises with the main stream media.
• Boycott any participation in the political process....this means no voting, or even expressing an opinion.
• Socially, reject the agenda of money or money-derived social status.

I know...I know...I'm dreaming here...but its Sunday morning and those beliefs are the closest thing I have to a faith-based belief system....Jeff

Jag wrote,

Take all your money out of the big banks and close your accounts. When ever possible, spend your money locally at private (Ma & Pa) businesses and refrain from adding to any corporation's bottom line. Create a lifestyle that is less dependent on money (barter for what you need) to minimize your taxes (sales and income). Move toward developing a local currency and/or using gold/silver for trade whenever possible. Integrate your lifestyle with nature. Derive what you need to survive from the ecosystem by providing what the ecosystem needs to survive from yourself. Boycott any product/service/or business that advertises with the main stream media. Boycott any participation in the political process....this means no voting, or even expressing an opinion. Socially, reject the agenda of money or money-derived social status.

Liking it, thanks Jag