.
Question 1
Is our author, James Stone, obviously a Jack Nicholson fan?
Answer 1
Yes -- it would appear that he tried to make his book title (5 Easy Theses) sound like “Five Easy Pieces” (the classic 1970 Jack Nicholson movie that received Oscar nominations for Best Picture & Best Actor).
Question 2
After earning a PhD in Economics from Harvard in 1973, did James Stone serve as Massachusetts State Insurance Commissioner and then Chairman of the U.S. Government’s Commodities Futures Trading Commission before returning to Massachusetts to found the Plymouth Rock Insurance Company which writes more than $1 billion/year in auto and homeowners’ insurance?
Answer 2
Yes.
SPOILER TRIVIA ALERT – Please skip to Q-3 to avoid interesting/amusing trivia.
In researching James Stone’s background, it appears that he may never have married until approximately 1980-1986.
His wife???
Catherine Douglas Stone, who was the widow of U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas who holds the record (36 years + 209 days) for tenure on the Supreme Court.
Catherine’s becoming the third wife of Douglas on 7/15/1966 caused quite a stir because he was nearly 68 and she was a 22-year-old student at Maryhurst College in Portland OR (she was a summer waitress when they met).
She transferred to American U in Washington DC to finish her BA and then earn an LL.B, followed by an LL.M from Georgetown Law School.
[William Douglas retired from the Supreme Court in 1975 and passed away in 1980.]
Catherine joined the Massachusetts Bar in 1986 (which provides a clue that she and James Stone married sometime between 1980 and 1986).
[Sorry for the digression, but it is always fun to stumble across someone who hadn’t crossed your radar for half a century!!!]
Question 3
Thesis Questions -- In trying to make his book title sound like “Five Easy Pieces” (the classic 1970 Jack Nicholson movie that received Oscar nominations for Best Picture & Best Actor), James Stone picks 5 of the nation’s most challenging problems -- fiscal balance, inequality, education, health care and financial-sector reform -- and, for each, posits a thesis of allegedly-easy solutions.
For each of the 5 theses, please ask yourself the following questions --
3-a. Did James Stone identify the cause of the problem correctly?
3-b. Whether or not Stone identified the cause correctly, do his proposed solutions help to solve the problem?
3-c. Are there better solutions to solving the problem?
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“EASY” THESIS NO. 1 -- FISCAL BALANCE (pp. 15-53)
Question 3-a
Did James Stone identify the cause of the problem correctly?
Answer 3-a
No!!!
As we have studied so many times in the past with respect to balancing the Federal budget (and halting the ballooning of the national debt which is the cumulative total of budget deficits) --
both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party have been plagiarizing Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) from the classic movie “Gone With The Wind” --
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”!!!
Ever since George H.W. Bush violated his 1988 campaign pledge (“Read my lips, no new taxes”) with new taxes and tax increases in 1990, Grover Nordquist and his Americans for Tax Reform have intimidated virtually every Republican Senator/Congressperson/etc. into taking Nordquist’s multi-page no-tax pledge because any holdout promptly sees a primary opponent materialize who is lavishly bankrolled by Nordquist and his Americans for Tax Reform.
Accordingly, Republicans have stubbornly stuck to Nordquist’s no-tax pledge and, as a result, “don’t give a damn” about any deficits. Except, of course, for occasional verbal attacks on Democrats.
At the same time, Democrats staunchly defend social programs and, as a result, “don’t give a damn” about any deficits. Except, of course, for occasional verbal attacks on Republicans.
Question 3-b
Whether or not Stone identified the cause correctly, do his proposed solutions help to solve the problem?
Answer 3-b
Well yes, technically.
First, he proposes raising tax revenue by eliminating the deduction for home-mortgage interest.
Which, even in the absence of Nordquist, is a non-starter because it is used extensively by the Middle Class, which is the only group over which the Republicans and Democrats fight.
[And which, since mortgage interest is only deductible on the first $1 million used for acquiring, constructing or substantially improving a taxpayer’s residence, probably does NOT affect James Stone who is a multi-billionaire who, presumably, lives in a multi-zillion-dollar mansion vis-à-vis which deductibility of interest on a mere $1 million of mortgage debt is NOT even a rounding error.]
Secondly, he proposes extending the double income taxation of corporate earnings (which are already subject to the corporate income tax and then, on dividends, to the shareholders) --
to double income taxation of corporate NON-earnings to the extent of the corporation’s interest expense (subjecting it first to the corporate income tax even though the interest is an expense to the corporation, and then taxing it to the recipients which are typically financial institutions).
[Why are we NOT surprised that James Stone’s Plymouth Rock Insurance Company prides itself in NEVER HAVING HAD ANY DEBT which would be subject to his proposal to extend double taxation to the interest on such debt???]
[Indeed, even though James Stone’s Plymouth Rock Insurance Company writes more than $1 billion/year in auto and homeowners’ insurance, it is a CLOSELY-HELD PRIVATE ENTERPRISE which, presumably, IS NOT EVEN SUBJECT TO CORPORATE INCOME TAX*!!!]
* As a retired international tax attorney (JD, Harvard Law School, 1967; Who’s Who in American Law, 1988-2003; Who’s Who in America 1988-2003; Who’s Who in the World 1994-2003) I can testify that it would be TAX MAL-PRACTICE if James Stone’s Plymouth Rock Insurance Company is NOT treated as a “flow through” entity (such as an LLC treated for tax purposes as a partnership) which is NOT subject to corporate income tax but whose income is taxed ONLY ONCE to the shareholders (partners for tax purposes).
James Stone concludes (p. 53): “The easy thesis in this chapter is ….. The savings that could be realized by eliminating just these two interest deductions would be sufficient to balance the current budget.”
Question 3-c
Are there better solutions to solving the problem?
Answer 3-c
Of course!!!
Social Security is usually claimed by our pols to be the culprit driving our federal deficits.
BTW, the pols pillory the Social Security program on the grounds that Social Security is not fully funded forever, like pension plans of corporations are supposed to be. But, as we have studied many times, the Federal government does NOT fund AT ALL its military or civilian-worker pensions!!! Moreover, why don’t the pols think that other areas of the federal budget, such as defense, should be subject to the requirement that all future expenditures ALSO BE ASSURED by an ENDOWMENT FUND???
But, in any event, our 2/9/2011 meeting resulted in a Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaign to have both Social Security and Medicare financed from a European-style tax on gasoline which most European countries use to finance their social security programs, which would have the added benefit of reducing the usage of gasoline and its greenhouse-gas emissions.
*****
Note No. 1
We have also studied for our meetings on 5/11/2011, 11/14/2012 and 2/12/2014, how the U.S. Government incredibly refuses to tax the corporate profits from exporting American jobs!!!
If our pols are going to insist in their War on Workers to export American jobs, the pols should at least have the decency to subject to the corporate income tax the exorbitant profits from exporting American jobs!!!
*****
Note No. 2
On pp. 15-17, James Stone seems to think that the only limit on the size of our national debt is the level with which we feel comfortable, after citing several considerations!!!
No, James Stone, there is a limit beyond which creditors will refuse to accept your debt!!!
As well as your currency which, as we have studied so many times, is nothing more than zero-interest, infinite-maturity, debt obligations!!!
Indeed, our 12/14/2011 meeting focused on the fact that the U.S. was passing through the level of debt to GDP (annual national economic output) that had caused Greece to “hit the wall” and was widely thought to be about to cause Italy and Spain to also “hit the wall”!!!
Our 12/14/2011 meeting resulted in a Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaign to President Obama requesting him to prosecute criminally Fed Chair Ben Bernanke and his fellow Federal Reserve Governors for malfeasance in announcing in Sep 2011 that the Fed would print as much as $5 TRillion to purchase any debt issued by Italy and Spain before 12/31/2011 -- and in further announcing on 11/30/2011 that it would print enough dollars to bail out for 14 months through 2/1/2013 ALL EUROPEAN BANKS, not just those in Italy and Spain!!!
[Our E-mail Campaign was based on the fact that, regardless of whether you think the multi-TRillion foreign bailouts were a good idea to protect only $9 Billion/year of U.S. exports (far less than 1/10 of 1%), the Fed did/does NOT have the authority under The Federal Reserve Act to bail out foreign governments and/or foreign banks under such circumstances. And that even if you think it is a wonderful idea to print $5 TRillion to $12 TRillion of new dollars, it would be better to spend the $5 - $12 TRillion on main-streaming America's 30% Permanent "Untouchable" Under-Caste or, if Christian America is going to insist on hating its inner-city neighbors, to spend the $5 -$12 TRillion on improving infra-structure -- highways, bridges, etc.]
But back to the main point.
The accumulated debt of the U.S. government is ALREADY PAST the point at which Greece “hit the wall” and Italy and Spain would have “hit the wall” in the absence of the illegal actions of The Fed.
So, James Stone, we have been in uncharted territory for 5 years and there is no assurance that just because we might feel comfortable with our level of debt (the interest on which would exceed our entire Federal budget if the prime rate went back to the record 21.5%/year level that prevailed when Jimmy Carter left office), there is no risk.
Harvard should revoke your Ph.D in order to preserve its own reputation!!!
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“EASY” THESIS NO. 2 -- INEQUALITY (pp. 54-98)
Question 3-a
Did James Stone identify the cause of the problem correctly?
Answer 3-a
No!!!
The reason for economic inequality is, as we have studied as recently as our meeting of 4/20/2016, The Establishment’s War on American Workers (the exporting of American jobs to third-world countries) and The Establishment’s War on our 30% Permanent “Untouchable” Under-Caste!!!
[NB: We defined The Establishment as the billionaires who “own” virtually all the pols of both political parties as a result of campaign contributions and who “own” many members of the media and who “own” many members of academia.]
The War on Workers began in earnest in the form of Exporting American Jobs with Bill Clinton negotiating and signing (1) NAFTA -- aka the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement pursuant to which so many American jobs have been exported to Mexico; (2) a free-trade agreement with China -- pursuant to which so many American jobs have been exported to China, (3) the Worldwide Free Trade Agreement creating the World Trade Organization -- pursuant to which so many American jobs have been exported to third-world countries; and (4) approximately 300 additional free-trade agreements.
The War on Workers also takes the form of Importing Illegal Aliens to compete for American jobs that cannot be exported geographically.
[Every President since President Reagan has refused to enforce President Reagan’s Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, with our pols thinking that we are so stupid that we will believe that their refusal to enforce the 1986 Act means our immigration system is “broken” and that we are so stupid that we will believe the “solution” such as the 2013 “Gang of Eight” Immigration Bill that passed the Senate, is something more than a re-enactment of the 1986 Act!!! After all, what is the definition of insanity??? And does that definition mean our pols think that we are NOT merely stupid -- that we are INSANE???]
We have studied on numerous occasions how Illegal Aliens are de facto slaves because their labor is NOT subject to any minimum-wage laws as a practical matter because (A) employers are free to deduct from the minimum wage whatever they please for meals and housing, and (B) illegal aliens cannot, as a practical matter, complain about anything for fear their employers will report them to Immigration.
The Establishment’s War on America’s 30% Permanent “Untouchable” Under-Caste has already lasted more than a half century!!!
And the size of our Permanent-Under-Cast is 3-4 times the size of any other industrialized nation’s economic outcasts, causing America TO RANK LAST IN VIRTUALLY EVERY MEASURE OF CIVILIZATION (education, life expectancy, infant mortality, etc., etc.).
We have five Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaigns aimed at trying to mainstream America’s Permanent “Untouchable” Under-Caste that are posted in the first section of http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org =
6/27/2015 – Pope Francis and 23% of U.S. Children In Poverty
9/12/2012 – Bill & Melinda Gates Crimes Against Inner-City Ed
1/13/2010 – Prevailing Single-Digit Inner-City Grad’n Rates
5/16/2009 – Prevailing Single-Digit Inner-City Grad’n Rates
1/22/2009 – Prevailing Single-Digit Inner-City Grad’n Rates
And sections 3 and 4 of http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org contain voluminous information about how 43 news-media super-stars and 21 top governmental officials turned their backs on the lawsuits to permit $84 billion of PRIVATE FUNDS to benefit the education of 10 million inner-city children -- even though every one of them knew that if any of them had lifted a single finger to help, the 10 million inner-city children might have been able to avoid “a fate worse than death”!!!
Question 3-b
Whether or not Stone identified the cause correctly, do his proposed solutions help to solve the problem?
Answer 3-b
Probably not!!!
He recommends new taxes, principally (1) an annual Federal tax on the value of all property, personal as well as realty, and (2) higher estate taxes.
He points out that most increases in the wealth of the top 1% of the population take the form of appreciating assets (corporate stock, fine art, etc.) whose appreciation is NEVER subject to the income/capital gains tax, and which for many wealthy people even escapes the Estate Tax entirely.
However, we agreed in our 4/20/2016 meeting that The Establishment’s War on American Workers (exporting their jobs and importing illegal aliens to compete for the jobs that cannot be exported) will NOT end until the earnings of American workers are driven down to THIRD-WORLD POVERTY LEVELS!!!
So Stone’s proposals, in reality, are nothing more than a blueprint for saddling The Establishment with the cost of the U.S. Government (which makes sense since they will be the only Americans left who are not suffering third-world poverty levels) RATHER THAN an attempt to save American workers from being reduced to third-world poverty levels.
Question 3-c
Are there better solutions to solving the problem?
Answer 3-c
Of course!!!
First, enforce the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act.
Second, stop Exporting American Jobs pursuant to so-called Free-Trade Agreements.
Third, halt immediately the Exportation of American Capital by renewing 1968 Executive Order 11387.
1968 Executive Order 11387 prohibited the Exportation of American Capital during the last year of Lyndon Johnson’s Presidency AND THE FIRST 4 YEARS of Richard Nixon’s Presidency.
Our 2/12/2014 Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaign was a direct response to President Obama’s famous statement a mere 29 days earlier on 1/14/2014 that “I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone” and am asking for good ideas that can be implemented by Executive Order.
Our E-mail Campaign imploring President Obama to renew 1968 Executive Order 11387 said that doing so would have at least two important benefits –
“(1) the retention of more American capital in the U.S. would mean that the additional capital would have to be invested in domestic projects that would employ more American workers, thereby reducing or eliminating American unemployment; and
“(2) the resulting increase in the ratio of capital employed per American worker would cause the real income of American workers to rise once more.”
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“EASY” THESIS NO. 3 -- EDUCATION (pp. 99-134)
Question 3-a
Did James Stone identify the cause of the problem correctly?
Answer 3-a
Absolutely not!!!
He identifies the problem (as distinguished from its cause) by listing “the results of a popularly cited survey of nations ranked by the Organization for Economic Co-operation And Development (OECD)” – as noted above, the 36 OECD nations are often referenced as the world’s industrialized nations.
The U.S. ranked 32 out of 36.
But Stone fails to identify THE CAUSE of the problem, which is America’s 30% Permanent “Untouchable” Under-Caste that is 3-4 times the size of the economic outcasts in any other OECD country and that America has refused for more than a half century to mainstream by providing its children with an effective education.
This, despite as we so often study, the Identical Twin Studies (which are The Gold Standard for determining what is genetic and what is environmental) which have continually and consistently shown over the decades that when inner-city identical twins are orphaned before the age of 12 months and one identical twin is adopted by a suburban family while the other is adopted by another inner-city family, the identical twins adopted by suburban families develop measured IQ’s equal to average suburban IQ’s and their identical twins adopted by other inner-city families develop measured IQ’s equal to average inner-city IQ’s.
Question 3-b
Whether or not Stone identified the cause correctly, do his proposed solutions help to solve the problem?
Answer 3-b
Having FAILED to identify the cause of the problem, Stone FAILS to recognize that the poor performance of inner-city schools is A SOCIOLOGY PROBLEM, rather than AN EDUCATION PROBLEM!!!
As we have studied so many times, the typical conditions facing the 178 “I Have A Dream”® Programs in 51 American cities during the 1990’s when Yours Truly was the volunteer Treasurer of IHAD-National were --
(A) SINGLE-DIGIT high-school graduation rates for the class immediately preceding, and the class immediately following, the Dreamer class.
(B) 99% of all Dreamers living in single-adult households.
(C) 95% of all Dreamers living in single-adult households headed by a druggie.
(D) 75%-80% of all Dreamers living in a single-adult household headed by a druggie who hands over all receipts to the pusher so that the kids have to steal just in order to eat.
(E) Virtually-universal recognition by inner-city 5-year-olds that their only realistic career objectives are pusher or pimp, or girl friend of a pusher or pimp graduating to whore.
What we need is Bill Clinton to tell us “IT’S THE SOCIOLGY, STUPID”!!!
Not James Stone providing a laundry list of otherwise-good suggestions that would be effective EXCEPT FOR THE SOCIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT with which they have to cope!!!
Question 3-c
Are there better solutions to solving the problem?
Answer 3-c
Of course!!!
And we have known what is effective for the last 30 years!!!
It was 30 years ago that the “I Have A Dream”® model began enclosing an entire inner-city third-grade class (or public-housing third-grade cohort) in a protective cocoon in which --
(A) they would receive tutoring and mentoring through high school graduation with a guarantee of college tuition;
(B) education and accomplishment are worshipped rather than ridiculed; and
(C) the tutors and mentors become SURROGATE PARENTS.
The earliest IHAD programs typically transformed the SINGLE-DIGIT high school graduation – college matriculation rates from SINGLE DIGITS to 60% - 65%.
And when we realized that half the female Dreamers typically became pregnant because they felt there was nobody who loved them and they were going to create a human being that had no choice but to love them --
but the other half of the female Dreamers had an IHAD tutor or mentor who had become a SURROGATE PARENT and told them they could make something of themselves with the IHAD program, AND IT WOULD BREAK THE HEART of the tutor/mentor if she failed to do so --
so that we had all our tutors/mentors express their love and hope in such a manner, the graduation/matriculation rates blasted through the 90% barrier!!!
*****
Note 1
Unfortunately, Bill and Melinda Gates and their Foundation caused the nation to turn away from The Promised Land.
It is tragic that Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation caused the nation to worship for 10 years the "false idol" of breaking up inner-city schools into smaller units and, after admitting that failure, of leading the nation to worship the "false idol" of school choice.
Recent comprehensive studies by the Brookings Institution and by Stanford University show that charter schools are no better than public schools even though the charter schools typically accept only children of functional parents and then expel anyone who isn't performing.
"School Choice" is treating a SOCIOLOGY problem as an EDUCATION problem and makes no more sense than closing a police precinct in whose jurisdiction a crime is committed and hiring amateurs in their place.
Since the reckless behavior of Bill and Melinda Gates are "Crimes Against Humanity" as defined in the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court at The Hague, our 9/12/2012 Six-Degrees-Of-Separation respectfully requested President Obama to petition the U.N. Security Council to provide the ICC with jurisdiction to prosecute the Gates. After all, they condemned more inner-city children to a "fate worse than death" than the number of victims involved in all of the prosecutions at the ICC combined.
*****
Note 2
As mentioned in the comments on Stone’s Second Thesis (Inequality), sections 3 and 4 of http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org contain voluminous information about how 43 news-media super-stars and 21 top governmental officials turned their backs on the lawsuits to permit $84 billion of PRIVATE FUNDS to provide IHAD or IHAD-style programs for 10 million inner-city children -- even though every one of them knew that if any of them had lifted a single finger to help, the 10 million inner-city children might have been able to avoid “a fate worse than death”!!!
The final report to each of the 51 inner-city clergy from San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland who had been supporting the lawsuits (A) informed them that the US Supreme Court on 10/4/2011 refused to hear our appeal, (B) thanked them for their efforts with the solace that each of us would be able to say at The Pearly Gates with St. Paul (II Timothy 4:7): “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” and (C) requested them and their congregants to pray for the souls of the 43 news-media superstars, the 21 governmental officials, the California judges and the U.S. Supreme Court Justices.
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“EASY” THESIS NO. 4 -- HEALTH CARE (pp. 135-177)
Question 3-a
Did James Stone identify the cause of the problem correctly?
Answer 3-a
James Stone addresses the fact that the U.S. has the highest healthcare costs in the world by any number of measures. And despite the high costs, has among the poorest results.
Among the causes of the high costs, he identifies:
(A) Doctors’ and nurses’ incomes;
(B) Over-utilization of testing and defensive medicine in response to litigation;
(C) Prescription drugs are more costly in the U.S.;
(D) Excessive end-of-life care for marginally-longer outcomes;
(E) Exorbitant administrative costs;
(F) Unfavorable demographics as our Baby Boomers reach old age.
I have no quarrel with his analysis.
Indeed, we have often remarked about how in the Old Soviet Union, being a doctor was considered “women’s work” and they received very low compensation -- a mere fraction of what the Old Soviet Union paid its teachers!!!
And indeed, we have often remarked about how the Second President Bush’s Prescription Drug Benefit Legislation prohibited Medicare from negotiating prices with pharmaceutical companies rather than meekly accepting whatever prices they chose to dictate!!! Which, in effect, means that the Medicare program “foots the bill” for THE WORLD’S medical research!!!
Question 3-b
Whether or not Stone identified the cause correctly, do his proposed solutions help to solve the problem?
Answer 3-b
He proposes a single-payer system. In other words, Medicare for all.
I have no quarrel with that either.
Question 3-c
Are there better solutions to solving the problem?
Answer 3-c
What do you think??? Let’s discuss!!!
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“EASY” THESIS NO. 5 -- FINANCIAL SECTOR REFORM (pp. 178-231)
Question 3-a
Did James Stone identify the cause of the problem correctly?
Answer 3-a
Absolutely not!!!
Stone is fuzzy on even identifying the problem (as distinguished from identifying THE CAUSE of the problem).
After providing a very-nice history of regulation of securities (annual disclosure by corporations and public-offering disclosure for stocks and bonds) to protect investors, he rails at so-called HEDGE FUNDS, rails at the size of COMMERCIAL BANKS, and rails at the extent to which DERIVATIVES are used.
He finishes by citing the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown, while implying that it was somehow the result of his three culprits, or some combination thereof.
*****
First, Hedge Funds.
This is a Red Herring that, in typical Stone fashion, is pilloried because they are a threat to his own personal interests -- not because they have anything to do with market instability or economic meltdowns!!!
The term Hedge Funds is a misnomer!!! Because they typically have nothing to do with hedging!!!
Sometimes called Private Equity Funds, a Hedge Fund is nothing more than a mutual fund that sometimes, if not typically, takes a controlling interest in the companies in its portfolio.
However, the principal difference between Hedge Funds (aka Private Equity Funds) and mutual funds is NOT whether they take controlling interests, but whether the investors in the Hedge Funds ARE LARGE SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS that do NOT need the protection of regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission that protects small investors vis-à-vis their investments in stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
Hedge Funds typically target companies that are poorly managed and/or are insufficiently leveraged.
Obviously, Stone knows that his Plymouth Rock Insurance Company, which has never had any debt (aka leverage) and whose other shareholders probably find their investments illiquid, IS FEARFUL OF A BUY-OUT OFFER at which his shareholders would leap!!!
So once again, Stone is trying to “blow the high hard fastball” past us to get us to believe that something that is in his personal best interests is somehow in the best interests of the nation!!!
*****
Second, Commercial Banks and Derivatives
Stone has obviously “DRUNK THE KOOL AID” of the pols and economists who blame the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown on the Commercial Banks and Derivatives.
And, specifically, to a so-called derivative labelled “Mortgage Credit-Default Swaps.”
The first problem is that “Mortgage Credit-Default Swaps” are NOT derivatives.
Instead, they are simply insurance contracts that insure the value of a pool of mortgages that has been sold to investors!!!
And the name those insurance contracts were given by their issuers, principally the giant AIG Insurance Company, was designed to fool the New York State Insurance Commissioner into failing to regulate them!!!
Laughably, AIG Insurance Company did NOT maintain any insurance reserves for prospective losses on these insurance contracts!!!
But many purchasers of these insurance contracts, most notably Goldman Sachs, realized that the puny AIG subsidiary (AIG Financial Products) that was issuing these insurance contracts did not have the financial wherewithal to make good on losses from the insurance contracts.
Accordingly, Goldman Sachs required as a pre-condition for purchasing the insurance contracts, that the parent AIG company guarantee these insurance contracts issued by AIG Financial Products.
Which is why, when payments had to be made on these insurance contracts, the parent AIG company had to default.
But rather than let AIG go through bankruptcy, which it probably should have done to penalize such reckless non-insurance-like behavior by an insurance company that should have known better, the U.S. government stepped in with a massive bailout of AIG!!!
*****
The Real Cause of the 2008 Meltdown
As we have studied so often in the past, the true cause of the 2008 Economic Meltdown was the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion reduction in American payrolls and American capital expenditures by the CHUMP American companies that did NOT export American jobs that was caused by the so-called American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004.
The $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion represented the earnings of U.S.-based Multi-National Companies FROM EXPORTING AMERICAN JOBS that had piled up in their tax-haven subsidiaries.
[Microsoft alone had more than $1 TRillion in a tax-haven subsidiary as a result of which Microsoft’s stock was being valued by Stock Analysts as a bank, rather than as a software company!!!]
The painfully-obvious question that the pols [including US Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and US Senator Chuck Shumer (D-NY) who will succeed Harry Reid next January as leader of the Senate Democrats, though NOT Bernie Sanders (I-VT) or Ted Kennedy (D-MA)] DID NOT STOP TO ASK or, because of campaign contributions, DID NOT WANT TO ASK was -- is the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion stuffed in mattresses in the tax havens???!!!
As a practical matter, the U.S. tax law required the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion to be loaned to unrelated U.S. companies -- in other words, the CHUMP American companies that had NOT exported American jobs.
Our Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaigns of 11/14/2012 (entitled “$5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payrolls > Meltdowns”) and of 2/12/2014 (entitled “1968 Executive Order 11387 To Halt American Job Exports”), both of which are posted in the first section of http://www.ReadingLiberally-SaltLake.org, explain in painful detail how the sudden reduction of the normal 35% corporate income tax rate on dividends of the $5 TRillion from the tax-haven subs, to a special one-time-only 5.25% rate, CAUSED THE COMPANIES THAT EXPORT AMERICAN JOBS TO REQUIRE THE CHUMP COMPANIES THAT HAD NOT EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS TO REDUCE THEIR PAYROLLS AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES DURING 2005-2007 BY $5 TRILLION!!!
While the Federal Reserve, WHICH HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS HAPPENING, lamented throughout the meltdown that the CHUMP companies that had NOT exported American jobs were in desperate need of loans which they could not get!!!
The annual output of the American economy (GDP) is only approximately $18 TRillion/year!!!
So if the pols are going to require a reduction in American payroll of $5 TRillion over 3 years -- which is nearly 1/3 of the American economy (!!!) -- it is painfully obvious that the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown would have occurred EVEN IF THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A SUB-PRIME MORTGAGE!!!
Because that many Americans being thrown out of work simultaneously means that there is nobody to buy all their homes as they are being foreclosed!!!
****
Janet Yellen and The Fed Still Asleep???
Since the 2008 Economic Meltdown, another $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion representing profits from EXPORTING AMERICAN JOBS has piled up in the tax-haven subsidiaries.
And, just as before, it has been loaned to the CHUMP American companies that did NOT export American jobs.
So instead of being stuffed in tax-haven mattresses, it has been loaned to American companies that have long since invested the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion in American “bricks and mortar”!!!
And now there is a drumbeat from The Establishment and the pols (indeed, even from President Obama’s Simpson-Bowles Commission) to exempt from U.S. tax the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion of tax-haven earnings from EXPORTING AMERICAN JOBS.
[The Simpson-Bowles Commission called this “territorial taxation.”]
So watch out Fed Chair Janet Yellen!!!
We studied your husband’s book for our 10/11/2015 meeting.
[Phishing for Phools: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception by George Akerloff and Robert Shiller, both of whom are Nobel Laureate Economists -- Akerloff is the long-time husband of Yellen.]
Unfortunately, Akerloff and Shiller resembled Podiatrists trying to write about Brain Surgery!!!
Because they also DRANK THE KOOL AID that the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown was caused by sub-prime mortgages and so-called mortgage credit default swaps!!!
Janet, you will just have to “Woman Up” and NOT blame your husband if you and your fellow Federal Reserve Governors fail to recognize the ramifications if the pols once again let the companies that EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS suddenly require the CHUMP American companies that did NOT export American jobs to reduce American payroll and capital expenditures by $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion like they did a decade ago!!!
A suggestion.
Many of your regional Federal Reserve Banks make loans to regional businesses.
So be prepared, when the deluge hits, for the Federal Reserve TO BUY from the American companies that EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS the loans that they made to the CHUMP American companies that did NOT export American jobs.
Yes, you may have to print another $5 TRillion!!!
But that is better than letting the American economy crash again!!!
And much better than having to blame your husband for leading you astray!!!
Enough said!!!
Question 3-b
Whether or not Stone identified the cause correctly, do his proposed solutions help to solve the problem?
Answer 3-b
Re Hedge Funds, absolutely not!!!
Hedge Fund investors are typically University Endowment Funds and Corporate Pension Plans. They are sophisticated enough that they do NOT need SEC protection in making their investments.
Re large Commercial Banks and real derivatives (as distinguished from insurance contracts such as so-called mortgage credit-default contracts), who knows???
Though the pols always seem to think doing something is better than doing nothing!!!
Even if, as is so typical, the pols have no idea what they are doing!!!
Question 3-c
Are there better solutions to solving the problem?
Answer 3-c
Yes!!!
Educating Janet Yellen and the Federal Reserve Governors (as described above)!!!
Suggested Answers to the Short Quiz
The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004
.
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004
From: Solutions
Date: Fri, June 3, 2016 9:39 am - MDT
To: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear John,
I have just finished reading your Suggested Answers to the Short Quiz.
With regard to the last section on Financial Sector Reform, you reprise our frequent conclusion that the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown was caused by The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004 which caused the CHUMP American companies that had NOT exported American jobs to have to reduce their payrolls and capital expenditures during 2005-2007 by $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion!!!
Please remind me why the requirement that the U.S.-based multinational companies THAT HAD EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS invest in the U.S. the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion that they were demanding the CHUMP American companies to repay, did NOT result in any increase in U.S. investment by them.
And please remind me why the requirement that the U.S.-based multinational companies THAT HAD EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS would have their tax-haven subs WHICH HAD EARNED THE $4 TRILLION TO $5 TRILLION FROM EXPORTING AMERICAN JOBS (and loaned those earnings to the CHUMP American companies rather than stuffing them into mattresses located in the tax havens) -- to receive the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion in cash dividends DURING THE FIRST YEAR after passage of the Act did NOT happen.
Thank you.
Your friend,
Solutions
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Re: The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Fri, June 3, 2016 4:23 pm - MDT
To: Solutions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Solutions,
Thank you very much for your e-mail.
Both of your questions were answered in several of our Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaigns.
Our 2/12/2014 E-mail Campaign entitled Renewing 1968 Executive Order 11387 To Halt American Job Exports” referenced in its closing footnote the E-mail Campaigns of 11/14/2012 entitled “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns” and 5/11/2011 entitled “Taxing the Profits From Exporting American Jobs.”
The following is excerpted from the 11/14/2012 E-mail Campaign entitled “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns.”
Please see in particular paragraphs 12-14 which are preceded by the inserted Editorial Notes.
--------------------Excerpt From “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns"--------------------
$4 TRillion - $5 TRillion is the amount by which American companies that did not export American jobs are about to be forced, once again, to reduce their payroll and capital expenditures within a 2-3 year time frame.
The former long-time Ernst & Young Senior International Tax Partner (Technical) facilitates a monthly politically-oriented book/study group which for 7 years has recommended policy positions to America’s decision makers and with which I am connected. [He also chaired 1994-1996 the American Bar Association’s International Tax Committee comprising the nation’s top 300 international tax lawyers and featuring 22 working sub-committees.]
He and Ernst & Young and the other “Big Four” CPA Firms designed the structure for U.S.-based multi-national companies (US-MNC’s) to export American jobs while capturing virtually all of their worldwide profits in tax-haven subsidiaries (principally non-resident Singapore subsidiaries) which contracted with factories in such low-wage countries as China to manufacture the US-MNC’s products using the US-MNC’s technology to the US-MNC’s specifications under the US-MNC’s supervision.
Accordingly, virtually all of the worldwide profits of such US-MNC’s were not, by virtue of being captured in a tax-haven subsidiary, subject to U.S. corporate income taxation until such time, if ever, that the profits are repatriated to the US parent corporation as a dividend or a “constructive dividend.” “Constructive dividends” are “investments in U.S. property” which are deemed by Sec. 956 of the Internal Revenue Code to be the functional equivalent of dividends, such as loans to the U.S. parent corporation or investments in U.S. property that is leased to the U.S. parent corporation.
The regular 35% income tax on the profits of the tax-haven subsidiary are not recorded as a “deferred tax liability” under “generally-accepted accounting principles” so long as they are “permanently reinvested” outside the U.S. This test is satisfied with a few brief “boiler plate” paragraphs comprising “pipe dreams” about such things as possible acquisitions and locked away for safekeeping in case an auditor should bother to inquire.
As a practical matter, Sec. 956 of the Internal Revenue Code restricts the US MNC’s that have exported American jobs to have their tax-haven subs loan their accumulated profits from exporting American jobs to UNRELATED American companies that did not export American jobs or, in some cases, invest the profits in U.S. government T-bills.
[US-MNC auditors dutifully recorded that the tax-haven profits were “permanently reinvested” in loans to the US companies that had not exported American jobs and/or in US Government T-bills.]
By 2004, these tax-haven profits had reached the level of $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion. Microsoft alone had more than $1 TRillion in its tax-haven subs, causing its stock analysts, as reported prominently and often in the financial press, to analyze Microsoft as a bank rather than as a software company.
Both the amounts and the character of such investments “stuck out like sore thumbs” in the US MNC’s Form 10-K’s filed each year with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
At the end of 2004, Congress enacted the so-called American Jobs Creation (sic) Act which permitted the US MNC’s to have their tax-haven subs pay “cash dividends” during the next 12 months of the profits that had piled up over a decade or so from exporting American jobs subject to a special one-time 5.25% corporate income tax rate rather than the normal 35% rate.
As you can appreciate, the American companies that had NOT exported American jobs were not in a position to repay the loans from the tax-haven subs of the US MNC’s within the typically 90-day loan terms.
[Ed. Note – Why The Impact Was 2005-7 Rather Than 2005 Only]
However, virtually all of the US MNC’s that had exported American jobs decided that it was unwise to involve a Bankruptcy Court and instead dictated stiff terms based on how quickly the American companies that had not exported jobs could reduce their payroll and capital expenditures. The $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion of reductions in American payroll and American capital expenditures largely occurred during 2005-2007.
[Ed. Note Re “Cash Dividends” in 2005]
The requirement in the American Jobs Creation (sic) Act to pay $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion in “cash dividends” during 2005 was satisfied by having the banks of the US MNC’s, for a small fee, book a loan to the tax-haven subs equal to the portion of their loans to the American companies that had not exported jobs that could not be repaid immediately and then book an off-setting loan from the US MNC’s after they had immediately received those same amounts as “cash dividends” from the tax-haven subs. “Cash”, of course, in a modern economy is nothing more than a wire transfer and has no more tangibility than a book entry for a “loan.”
[Ed. Note Re Investment of the “Cash”]
The only other significant requirement in the American Jobs Creation (sic) Act was for the dividends from the tax-haven subsidiaries to be invested in American payroll or capital expenditures. This, of course, did not produce an increase in American payroll or capital expenditures because the dividends were “traced to” or “matched with” the normal level payroll and capital expenditures that the US MNC’s have. And the normal cash flow that would normally have funded the normal level of payroll and capital expenditures was now “freed up” on a tracing/matching basis to redeem stock of the US MNC’s.
The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004 was the result of lobbying by Price Waterhouse (another of the “Big Four” CPA firms) on behalf, initially, of their US MNC’s, though many non-client US MNC’s joined the group. Price Waterhouse hired Bill Archer, the recently-retired Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, to do the actual lobbying.
Bill Archer “sold” the key decision makers in Congress on the argument that earnings in the tax-haven subs would be “brought home” to create American jobs, that the earnings would otherwise remain “offshore,” and that tax revenue (albeit at only a 5.25% rate) could be generated but 5.25% is better than nothing.
The “elephant in the room” that nobody in Congress investigated was whether the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion was really “offshore” or whether it had already been loaned to the American companies that had not exported jobs to pay for payroll and “bricks and mortar.” And whether “round tripping” the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion from the American companies that had not exported jobs to the US MNC’s to redeem their stock would actually result in a NET REDUCTION in American payroll and capital expenditures of $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion.
[Cynics might suggest that nobody in Congress wanted to ask the obvious question of whether the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion was “stuffed in mattresses” located in Singapore because they were more interested in receiving “campaign contributions” from Bill Archer’s clients but it is possible that none of them was smart enough to think of the obvious question.]
The rest is history.
Congress was in such a panic that only days after the House of Representatives re-convened in January 2008, it passed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 providing most taxpayers with immediate $300 rebates ($600 for most married couples) and investment incentives for businesses. It passed the Senate a week later and was signed into law on 2/13/2008.
----------------End of Excerpt From “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns"----------------
You might recall that my daughter Hilary (M.I.T. – double major in Economics and Electrical Engineering) questioned whether the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion LOAN REPAYMENTS by the CHUMP companies that had NOT exported American jobs, might have found its way back to the CHUMP Companies FOR A BIG NOTHING.
After all, the funds were used by the Tax Haven subs to pay dividends to their U.S. parent companies THAT HAD EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS. And the parent companies, by and large, had used the funds to redeem their own stock. And the shareholders whose stock was redeemed might have deposited the funds in Commercial Banks. And the Commercial Banks might have loaned the funds back to the CHUMP companies.
HOWEVER, throughout the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown, newspaper headlines screamed that The Federal Reserve was lamenting the fact that the CHUMP companies were in desperate need of loans WHICH THEY COULD NOT GET!!!
What more evidence does one need???
Thank you again for your inquiry.
Your friend,
John K.
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004
From: Solutions
Date: Fri, June 3, 2016 9:39 am - MDT
To: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear John,
I have just finished reading your Suggested Answers to the Short Quiz.
With regard to the last section on Financial Sector Reform, you reprise our frequent conclusion that the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown was caused by The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004 which caused the CHUMP American companies that had NOT exported American jobs to have to reduce their payrolls and capital expenditures during 2005-2007 by $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion!!!
Please remind me why the requirement that the U.S.-based multinational companies THAT HAD EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS invest in the U.S. the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion that they were demanding the CHUMP American companies to repay, did NOT result in any increase in U.S. investment by them.
And please remind me why the requirement that the U.S.-based multinational companies THAT HAD EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS would have their tax-haven subs WHICH HAD EARNED THE $4 TRILLION TO $5 TRILLION FROM EXPORTING AMERICAN JOBS (and loaned those earnings to the CHUMP American companies rather than stuffing them into mattresses located in the tax havens) -- to receive the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion in cash dividends DURING THE FIRST YEAR after passage of the Act did NOT happen.
Thank you.
Your friend,
Solutions
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Re: The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004
From: ReadingLiberally-SaltLake@johnkarls.com
Date: Fri, June 3, 2016 4:23 pm - MDT
To: Solutions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Solutions,
Thank you very much for your e-mail.
Both of your questions were answered in several of our Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaigns.
Our 2/12/2014 E-mail Campaign entitled Renewing 1968 Executive Order 11387 To Halt American Job Exports” referenced in its closing footnote the E-mail Campaigns of 11/14/2012 entitled “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns” and 5/11/2011 entitled “Taxing the Profits From Exporting American Jobs.”
The following is excerpted from the 11/14/2012 E-mail Campaign entitled “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns.”
Please see in particular paragraphs 12-14 which are preceded by the inserted Editorial Notes.
--------------------Excerpt From “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns"--------------------
$4 TRillion - $5 TRillion is the amount by which American companies that did not export American jobs are about to be forced, once again, to reduce their payroll and capital expenditures within a 2-3 year time frame.
The former long-time Ernst & Young Senior International Tax Partner (Technical) facilitates a monthly politically-oriented book/study group which for 7 years has recommended policy positions to America’s decision makers and with which I am connected. [He also chaired 1994-1996 the American Bar Association’s International Tax Committee comprising the nation’s top 300 international tax lawyers and featuring 22 working sub-committees.]
He and Ernst & Young and the other “Big Four” CPA Firms designed the structure for U.S.-based multi-national companies (US-MNC’s) to export American jobs while capturing virtually all of their worldwide profits in tax-haven subsidiaries (principally non-resident Singapore subsidiaries) which contracted with factories in such low-wage countries as China to manufacture the US-MNC’s products using the US-MNC’s technology to the US-MNC’s specifications under the US-MNC’s supervision.
Accordingly, virtually all of the worldwide profits of such US-MNC’s were not, by virtue of being captured in a tax-haven subsidiary, subject to U.S. corporate income taxation until such time, if ever, that the profits are repatriated to the US parent corporation as a dividend or a “constructive dividend.” “Constructive dividends” are “investments in U.S. property” which are deemed by Sec. 956 of the Internal Revenue Code to be the functional equivalent of dividends, such as loans to the U.S. parent corporation or investments in U.S. property that is leased to the U.S. parent corporation.
The regular 35% income tax on the profits of the tax-haven subsidiary are not recorded as a “deferred tax liability” under “generally-accepted accounting principles” so long as they are “permanently reinvested” outside the U.S. This test is satisfied with a few brief “boiler plate” paragraphs comprising “pipe dreams” about such things as possible acquisitions and locked away for safekeeping in case an auditor should bother to inquire.
As a practical matter, Sec. 956 of the Internal Revenue Code restricts the US MNC’s that have exported American jobs to have their tax-haven subs loan their accumulated profits from exporting American jobs to UNRELATED American companies that did not export American jobs or, in some cases, invest the profits in U.S. government T-bills.
[US-MNC auditors dutifully recorded that the tax-haven profits were “permanently reinvested” in loans to the US companies that had not exported American jobs and/or in US Government T-bills.]
By 2004, these tax-haven profits had reached the level of $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion. Microsoft alone had more than $1 TRillion in its tax-haven subs, causing its stock analysts, as reported prominently and often in the financial press, to analyze Microsoft as a bank rather than as a software company.
Both the amounts and the character of such investments “stuck out like sore thumbs” in the US MNC’s Form 10-K’s filed each year with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
At the end of 2004, Congress enacted the so-called American Jobs Creation (sic) Act which permitted the US MNC’s to have their tax-haven subs pay “cash dividends” during the next 12 months of the profits that had piled up over a decade or so from exporting American jobs subject to a special one-time 5.25% corporate income tax rate rather than the normal 35% rate.
As you can appreciate, the American companies that had NOT exported American jobs were not in a position to repay the loans from the tax-haven subs of the US MNC’s within the typically 90-day loan terms.
[Ed. Note – Why The Impact Was 2005-7 Rather Than 2005 Only]
However, virtually all of the US MNC’s that had exported American jobs decided that it was unwise to involve a Bankruptcy Court and instead dictated stiff terms based on how quickly the American companies that had not exported jobs could reduce their payroll and capital expenditures. The $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion of reductions in American payroll and American capital expenditures largely occurred during 2005-2007.
[Ed. Note Re “Cash Dividends” in 2005]
The requirement in the American Jobs Creation (sic) Act to pay $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion in “cash dividends” during 2005 was satisfied by having the banks of the US MNC’s, for a small fee, book a loan to the tax-haven subs equal to the portion of their loans to the American companies that had not exported jobs that could not be repaid immediately and then book an off-setting loan from the US MNC’s after they had immediately received those same amounts as “cash dividends” from the tax-haven subs. “Cash”, of course, in a modern economy is nothing more than a wire transfer and has no more tangibility than a book entry for a “loan.”
[Ed. Note Re Investment of the “Cash”]
The only other significant requirement in the American Jobs Creation (sic) Act was for the dividends from the tax-haven subsidiaries to be invested in American payroll or capital expenditures. This, of course, did not produce an increase in American payroll or capital expenditures because the dividends were “traced to” or “matched with” the normal level payroll and capital expenditures that the US MNC’s have. And the normal cash flow that would normally have funded the normal level of payroll and capital expenditures was now “freed up” on a tracing/matching basis to redeem stock of the US MNC’s.
The American Jobs Creation (sic) Act of 2004 was the result of lobbying by Price Waterhouse (another of the “Big Four” CPA firms) on behalf, initially, of their US MNC’s, though many non-client US MNC’s joined the group. Price Waterhouse hired Bill Archer, the recently-retired Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, to do the actual lobbying.
Bill Archer “sold” the key decision makers in Congress on the argument that earnings in the tax-haven subs would be “brought home” to create American jobs, that the earnings would otherwise remain “offshore,” and that tax revenue (albeit at only a 5.25% rate) could be generated but 5.25% is better than nothing.
The “elephant in the room” that nobody in Congress investigated was whether the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion was really “offshore” or whether it had already been loaned to the American companies that had not exported jobs to pay for payroll and “bricks and mortar.” And whether “round tripping” the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion from the American companies that had not exported jobs to the US MNC’s to redeem their stock would actually result in a NET REDUCTION in American payroll and capital expenditures of $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion.
[Cynics might suggest that nobody in Congress wanted to ask the obvious question of whether the $4 TRillion - $5 TRillion was “stuffed in mattresses” located in Singapore because they were more interested in receiving “campaign contributions” from Bill Archer’s clients but it is possible that none of them was smart enough to think of the obvious question.]
The rest is history.
Congress was in such a panic that only days after the House of Representatives re-convened in January 2008, it passed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 providing most taxpayers with immediate $300 rebates ($600 for most married couples) and investment incentives for businesses. It passed the Senate a week later and was signed into law on 2/13/2008.
----------------End of Excerpt From “5 TRillion Reductions in Amn Payroll > Meltdowns"----------------
You might recall that my daughter Hilary (M.I.T. – double major in Economics and Electrical Engineering) questioned whether the $4 TRillion to $5 TRillion LOAN REPAYMENTS by the CHUMP companies that had NOT exported American jobs, might have found its way back to the CHUMP Companies FOR A BIG NOTHING.
After all, the funds were used by the Tax Haven subs to pay dividends to their U.S. parent companies THAT HAD EXPORTED AMERICAN JOBS. And the parent companies, by and large, had used the funds to redeem their own stock. And the shareholders whose stock was redeemed might have deposited the funds in Commercial Banks. And the Commercial Banks might have loaned the funds back to the CHUMP companies.
HOWEVER, throughout the 2008-20?? Economic Meltdown, newspaper headlines screamed that The Federal Reserve was lamenting the fact that the CHUMP companies were in desperate need of loans WHICH THEY COULD NOT GET!!!
What more evidence does one need???
Thank you again for your inquiry.
Your friend,
John K.
Post Reply
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- ↳ Original Proposal - The Power of Film by the Founding Chair of UCLA’s famous Film & TV Producers Program where he taught 53 years – Sep 18
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Power of Film by the Founding Chair of UCLA’s famous Film & TV Producers Program where he taught 53 years – Sep 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Power of Film by the Founding Chair of UCLA’s famous Film & TV Producers Program where he taught 53 years – Sep 18
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World” by Stuart Eizenstat – August 21
- ↳ Original Proposal – “The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World” by Stuart Eizenstat – August 21
- ↳ Participant Comments – “The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World” by Stuart Eizenstat – August 21
- ↳ Reference Materials – “The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World” by Stuart Eizenstat – August 21
- ↳ Adverse Impacts of Pres. Biden’s Spontaneous Proposal at the July 9-11 NATO Summit that Allies Produce More Weapons – Reading Liberally July 17 Meeting
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation” by Victor Davis Hanson – July 17 Meeting
- ↳ Original Proposal – “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation” by Victor Davis Hanson – July 17 Meeting
- ↳ Participant Comments – “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation” by Victor Davis Hanson – July 17 Meeting
- ↳ Reference Materials – “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation” by Victor Davis Hanson – July 17 Meeting
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The Politically Incorrect Guide to Economics by Prof. Thomas DiLorenzo – June 19
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Politically Incorrect Guide to Economics by Prof. Thomas DiLorenzo - June 19
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Politically Incorrect Guide to Economics by Prof. Thomas DiLorenzo - June 19
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Politically Incorrect Guide to Economics by Prof. Thomas DiLorenzo – June 19
- ↳ Meeting Report – Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women by Batya Ungar-Sargon – May 15
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women by Batya Ungar-Sargon – May 15
- ↳ Original Proposal - Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women by Batya Ungar-Sargon – May 15
- ↳ Participant Comments - Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women by Batya Ungar-Sargon – May 15
- ↳ Reference Materials - Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women by Batya Ungar-Sargon – May 15
- ↳ Banning TikTok – H.R. 7521 – Letter to Each Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – Re April 17 Meeting
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans by Peter Schweizer - April 17
- ↳ Original Proposal - Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans by Peter Schweizer - April 17
- ↳ Participant Comments - Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans by Peter Schweizer - April 17
- ↳ Reference Materials - Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans by Peter Schweizer - April 17
- ↳ Meeting Report - Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - March 20
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - March 20
- ↳ Original Proposal - Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - March 20
- ↳ Participant Comments - Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - March 20
- ↳ Reference Materials - Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - March 20
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination and Secret Diplomacy to Stop a Nuclear Iran - Feb 21
- ↳ Original Proposal - Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination and Secret Diplomacy to Stop a Nuclear Iran - Feb 21
- ↳ Participant Comments - Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination and Secret Diplomacy to Stop a Nuclear Iran - Feb 21
- ↳ Reference Materials – Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination and Secret Diplomacy to Stop a Nuclear Iran - Feb 21
- ↳ 1/27/24: RE-DIRECTING TO MICHELLE OBAMA OUR 6/3/2020 PLEA TO PROVIDE TUTORS & MENTORS FOR AMERICA’S INNER-CITY CHILDREN
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The Assault on American Excellence by Yale Law School Prof. & Former Long-Time Dean Anthony Kronman – Jan 17
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Assault on American Excellence by Yale Law School Prof. & Former Long-Time Dean Anthony Kronman – Jan 17
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Assault on American Excellence by Yale Law School Prof. & Former Long-Time Dean Anthony Kronman – Jan 17
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Assault on American Excellence by Yale Law School Prof. & Former Long-Time Dean Anthony Kronman – Jan 17
- ↳ 12/16/23: EX POST FACTO “CROSSING SWORDS” VIS-À-VIS THE THRICE-FAILED “TWO-STATE SOLUTION” (NB: Both the Netanyahu/Dermer Plan for Gaza and the Two-State Solution are compatible with our 12/16/23 Plea to Pres. Biden for a Palestinian “Marshall Plan”)
- ↳ 12/16/23: RE-DIRECTING TO PRES. BIDEN OUR 10/14/2009 PLEA TO PRES. OBAMA FOR A PALESTINIAN “MARSHALL PLAN”
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The Samson Option: Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy by Pulitzer Prize Winner Seymour Hersh – Dec 13
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Samson Option: Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy by Pulitzer Prize Winner Seymour Hersh – Dec 13
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Samson Option: Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy by Pulitzer Prize Winner Seymour Hersh – Dec 13
- ↳ 11/24/23: LTR TO PRES. BIDEN RE SOLVING GLOBAL WARMING 100% WITHOUT MILITARY ACTION
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Samson Option: Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy by Pulitzer Prize Winner Seymour Hersh – Dec 13
- ↳ 11/24/23: LTR TO PRES. BIDEN RE BENFITTING AMN TAXPAYERS FOR SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES OF BASIC RESEARCH THEY HAVE FINANCED
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Life After Capitalism: The Meaning of Wealth, the Future of the Economy, and the Time Theory of Money by George Gilder – Nov 15
- ↳ Original Proposal – Life After Capitalism: The Meaning of Wealth, the Future of the Economy, and the Time Theory of Money by George Gilder – Nov 15
- ↳ Participant Comments – Life After Capitalism: The Meaning of Wealth, the Future of the Economy, and the Time Theory of Money by George Gilder – Nov 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – Life After Capitalism: The Meaning of Wealth, the Future of the Economy, and the Time Theory of Money by George Gilder – Nov 15
- ↳ 10/26/2023: LETTER TO PRESIDENT BIDEN RE EXPORTATION OF AMERICAN JOBS AND SALE OF AMERICAN CROWN JEWELS TO PAY FOR CONSUMER-GOODS IMPORTS
- ↳ Discussion Outline – No Trade Is Free: Changing Course, Taking on China, and Helping America's Workers by Robert Lighthizer – Oct 18
- ↳ Original Proposal – No Trade Is Free: Changing Course, Taking on China, and Helping America's Workers by Robert Lighthizer – Oct 18
- ↳ Participant Comments – No Trade Is Free: Changing Course, Taking on China, and Helping America's Workers by Robert Lighthizer – Oct 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – No Trade Is Free: Changing Course, Taking on China, and Helping America's Workers by Robert Lighthizer – Oct 18
- ↳ Meeting Report – “Poverty, by America” by Prof. Matthew Desmond – AND Letter to President Biden re the United Nations War on Modern Slavery
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “Poverty, by America” by Prof. Matthew Desmond – Sep 20
- ↳ Original Proposal – “Poverty, by America” by Prof. Matthew Desmond – Sep 20
- ↳ Participant Comments – “Poverty, by America” by Prof. Matthew Desmond – Sep 20
- ↳ Reference Materials – “Poverty, by America” by Prof. Matthew Desmond – Sep 20
- ↳ Discussion Outline - When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives - Aug 16
- ↳ Original Proposal - When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives - Aug 16
- ↳ Participant Comments - When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives - Aug 16
- ↳ Reference Materials - When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives - Aug 16
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The U.S. Supreme Court vs. Lower-Court National Injunctions – July 19
- ↳ Original Proposal – The U.S. Supreme Court vs. Lower-Court National Injunctions – July 19
- ↳ 6/21/2023: The Safer Communities Act of 2022 Proves To Be A Cruel Hoax Vis-a-vis Preventing School Shootings
- ↳ Participant Comments – The U.S. Supreme Court vs. Lower-Court National Injunctions – July 19
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Rabbi Van Lanckton’s 16 Gun-Safety Ideas, Providing Our Schools The Same Protection As Airports & Office Buildings, Etc. – June 21
- ↳ Reference Materials – The U.S. Supreme Court vs. Lower-Court National Injunctions – July 19
- ↳ Original Proposal – Rabbi Van Lanckton’s 16 Gun-Safety Ideas, Providing Our Schools The Same Protection As Airports & Office Buildings, Etc. – June 21
- ↳ Reference Materials – Rabbi Van Lanckton’s 16 Gun-Safety Ideas, Providing Our Schools The Same Protection As Airports & Office Buildings, Etc. – June 21
- ↳ Participant Comments – Rabbi Van Lanckton’s 16 Gun-Safety Ideas, Providing Our Schools The Same Protection As Airports & Office Buildings, Etc. – June 21
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Oliver Stone’s “Nuclear Now” + “A Bright Future: How Some Countries Have Solved Climate Change and the Rest Can Follow” – May 17
- ↳ Original Proposal – Oliver Stone’s “Nuclear Now” + “A Bright Future: How Some Countries Have Solved Climate Change and the Rest Can Follow” – May 17
- ↳ Participant Comments – Oliver Stone’s “Nuclear Now” + “A Bright Future: How Some Countries Have Solved Climate Change and the Rest Can Follow” – May 17
- ↳ Reference Materials – Oliver Stone’s “Nuclear Now” + “A Bright Future: How Some Countries Have Solved Climate Change and the Rest Can Follow” – May 17
- ↳ Meeting Report – “Marked for Life: One Man’s Fight for Justice from the Inside” – April 19
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside – April 19
- ↳ Original Proposal – Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside – April 19
- ↳ Participant Comments – Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside – April 19
- ↳ Reference Materials – Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside – April 19
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure – March 15
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure – March 15
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure – March 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure – March 15
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Future Peace: Technology, Aggression, and the Rush to War by Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Latiff – Feb 15
- ↳ Original Proposal – Future Peace: Technology, Aggression, and the Rush to War by Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Latiff – Feb 15
- ↳ Participant Comments – Future Peace: Technology, Aggression, and the Rush to War by Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Latiff – Feb 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – Future Peace: Technology, Aggression, and the Rush to War by Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Robert Latiff – Feb 15
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “Bibi: My Story” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Jan 18
- ↳ Original Proposal – “Bibi: My Story” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Jan 18
- ↳ Participant Comments – “Bibi: My Story” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Jan 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – “Bibi: My Story” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Jan 18
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe” by Prof. Niall Ferguson (husband of Ayaan Hirsi Ali) – Dec 14
- ↳ Original Proposal – “Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe” by Prof. Niall Ferguson (husband of Ayaan Hirsi Ali) – Dec 14
- ↳ Participant Comments – “Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe” by Prof. Niall Ferguson (husband of Ayaan Hirsi Ali) – Dec 14
- ↳ Reference Materials – “Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe” by Prof. Niall Ferguson (husband of Ayaan Hirsi Ali) – Dec 14
- ↳ Discussion Outline – A Pox On Both Former Sen. Phil Gramm and Pres. Biden Re Jonathan Kozol’s “Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” – Nov 16
- ↳ Original Proposal – A Pox On Both Former Sen. Phil Gramm and Pres. Biden Re Jonathan Kozol’s “Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” – Nov 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – A Pox On Both Former Sen. Phil Gramm and Pres. Biden Re Jonathan Kozol’s “Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” – Nov 16
- ↳ Reference Materials – A Pox On Both Former Sen. Phil Gramm and Pres. Biden Re Jonathan Kozol’s “Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” – Nov 16
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green – Oct 19
- ↳ Original Proposal – Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green – Oct 19
- ↳ Participant Comments – Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green – Oct 19
- ↳ Reference Materials – Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green – Oct 19
- ↳ Discussion Outline – What We Owe The Future by Oxford U. Prof. William MacAskill – Sept 21
- ↳ Original Proposal – What We Owe The Future by Oxford U. Prof. William MacAskill – Sept 21
- ↳ Participant Comments – What We Owe The Future by Oxford U. Prof. William MacAskill – Sept 21
- ↳ Reference Materials – What We Owe The Future by Oxford U. Prof. William MacAskill – Sept 21
- ↳ Discussion Outline - “The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults” by Prof. Mark Bauerlein - Aug 17
- ↳ Original Proposal - “The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults” by Prof. Mark Bauerlein - Aug 17
- ↳ Participant Comments - “The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults” by Prof. Mark Bauerlein - Aug 17
- ↳ Reference Materials - “The Dumbest Generation Grows Up: From Stupefied Youth to Dangerous Adults” by Prof. Mark Bauerlein - Aug 17
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Climate Change and "How The World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going" by Prof. Vaclav Smil - July 20
- ↳ Original Proposal - Climate Change and "How The World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going" by Prof. Vaclav Smil - July 20
- ↳ Participant Comments - Climate Change and "How The World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going" by Prof. Vaclav Smil - July 20
- ↳ Reference Materials - Climate Change and "How The World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going" by Vaclav Smil - July 20
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents - Oprah’s Book Club – June 15
- ↳ Original Proposal – Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents - Oprah’s Book Club – June 15
- ↳ Participant Comments – Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents - Oprah’s Book Club – June 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents - Oprah’s Book Club – June 15
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win” by Peter Schweizer – May 18
- ↳ Original Proposal – “Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win” by Peter Schweizer – May 18
- ↳ Participant Comments – “Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win” by Peter Schweizer – May 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – “Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win” by Peter Schweizer – May 18
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Dying Concept of Citizenship & America’s Southern Border – April 20
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Dying Concept of Citizenship & America’s Southern Border – April 20
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Dying Concept of Citizenship & America’s Southern Border – April 20
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Dying Concept of Citizenship & America’s Southern Border – April 20
- ↳ Public-Policy Letters Sent to the European Union President & the NATO Secretary General – America’s 1994 Written & Signed Guarantee Of Ukraine’s Independence and Territorial Integrity For Ukraine Surrendering Its 1,900 Nuclear Missiles – March 16
- ↳ Discussion Outline – America’s 1994 Written & Signed Guarantee Of Ukraine’s Independence and Territorial Integrity For Ukraine Surrendering Its 1,900 Nuclear Missiles – March 16
- ↳ Original Proposal – America’s 1994 Written & Signed Guarantee Of Ukraine’s Independence and Territorial Integrity For Ukraine Surrendering Its 1,900 Nuclear Missiles – March 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – America’s 1994 Written & Signed Guarantee Of Ukraine’s Independence and Territorial Integrity For Ukraine Surrendering Its 1,900 Nuclear Missiles – March 16
- ↳ Short Quiz and Suggested Answers – America’s 1994 Written & Signed Guarantee Of Ukraine’s Independence and Territorial Integrity For Ukraine Surrendering Its 1,900 Nuclear Missiles – March 16
- ↳ Reference Materials – America’s 1994 Written & Signed Guarantee Of Ukraine’s Independence and Territorial Integrity For Ukraine Surrendering Its 1,900 Nuclear Missiles – March 16
- ↳ Discussion Outline – NYC Harvard Club Book Promotion – “Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote” – Feb 16
- ↳ Original Proposal – NYC Harvard Club Book Promotion – “Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote” – Feb 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – NYC Harvard Club Book Promotion - “Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote” – Feb 16
- ↳ Reference Materials – NYC Harvard Club Book Promotion – “Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote” – Feb 16
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The Deficit Myth by Democratic Party Economic Guru, Prof. Stephanie Kelton – Jan 19
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Deficit Myth by Democratic Party Economic Guru, Prof. Stephanie Kelton – Jan 19
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Deficit Myth by Democratic Party Economic Guru, Prof. Stephanie Kelton – Jan 19
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Deficit Myth by Democratic Party Economic Guru, Prof. Stephanie Kelton – Jan 19
- ↳ Discussion Outline – President Obama’s Dept of Energy Under-Secretary for Science (Prof. Steven Koonin) on “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters” – Dec 8
- ↳ Participant Comments – President Obama’s Dept of Energy Under-Secretary for Science (Prof. Steven Koonin) on “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters” – Dec 8
- ↳ Original Proposal – President Obama’s Dept of Energy Under-Secretary for Science (Prof. Steven Koonin) on “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters” – Dec 8
- ↳ Reference Materials – President Obama’s Dept of Energy Under-Secretary for Science (Prof. Steven Koonin) on “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters” – Dec 8
- ↳ CONTINUATION OF THE PREVIOUS SECTION
- ↳ Discussion Outline – An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science Of The Immune System – Nov 10
- ↳ Original Proposal – An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science Of The Immune System – Nov 10
- ↳ Participant Comments – An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science Of The Immune System – Nov 10
- ↳ Reference Materials – An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science Of The Immune System – Nov 10
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools: Stanford University vs. Stanford’s Hoover Institution – Oct 13
- ↳ Original Proposal – Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools: Stanford University vs. Stanford’s Hoover Institution – Oct 13
- ↳ Participant Comments – Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools: Stanford University vs. Stanford’s Hoover Institution – Oct 13
- ↳ Reference Materials – Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools: Stanford University vs. Stanford’s Hoover Institution – Oct 13
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell – Sept 8
- ↳ Original Proposal – Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell – Sept 8
- ↳ Participant Comments – Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell – Sept 8
- ↳ Reference Materials – Discrimination and Disparities by Thomas Sowell – Sept 8
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Non-Partisan Public-Policy Issues of Whether, For Example, Michael Lewis’ “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” Is A Classic Political “Hit Piece” and Whether, As Such, It Should Be (vs. Is) Protected by Freedom Of Speech - Aug 11
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Non-Partisan Public-Policy Issues of Whether, For Example, Michael Lewis’ “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” Is A Classic Political “Hit Piece” and Whether, As Such, It Should Be (vs. Is) Protected by “Freedom Of Speech” – Aug 11
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Non-Partisan Public-Policy Issues of Whether, For Example, Michael Lewis’ “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” Is A Classic Political “Hit Piece” and Whether, As Such, It Should Be (vs. Is) Protected by Freedom Of Speech – Aug 11
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “1620: A Critical Response To The 1619 Project” by Peter Wood – July 14
- ↳ Original Proposal – “1620: A Critical Response To The 1619 Project” by Peter Wood – July 14
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Non-Partisan Public-Policy Issues of Whether, For Example, Michael Lewis’ “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” Is A Classic Political “Hit Piece” and Whether, As Such, It Should Be (vs. Is) Protected by Freedom Of Speech – Aug 11
- ↳ Participant Comments – “1620: A Critical Response To The 1619 Project” by Peter Wood – July 14
- ↳ Reference Materials – “1620: A Critical Response To The 1619 Project” by Peter Wood – July 14
- ↳ Meeting Report – “Predict & Surveil: Data, Discretion & the Future of Policing” by Prof. Sarah Brayne – June 9
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “Predict & Surveil: Data, Discretion & the Future of Policing” by Prof. Sarah Brayne – June 9
- ↳ Original Proposal – “Predict & Surveil: Data, Discretion & the Future of Policing” by Prof. Sarah Brayne – June 9
- ↳ Participant Comments – “Predict & Surveil: Data, Discretion & the Future of Policing” by Prof. Sarah Brayne – June 9
- ↳ Resource Materials – “Predict & Surveil: Data, Discretion & the Future of Policing” by Prof. Sarah Brayne – June 9
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “How To Avoid A Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” by Bill Gates – May 12
- ↳ Original Proposal – “How To Avoid A Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” by Bill Gates – May 12
- ↳ Participant Comments – “How To Avoid A Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” by Bill Gates – May 12
- ↳ Reference Materials – “How To Avoid A Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” by Bill Gates – May 12
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Alan Dershowitz – April 7
- ↳ Original Proposal – “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Alan Dershowitz – April 7
- ↳ Participant Comments – “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Alan Dershowitz – April 7
- ↳ Reference Materials – “Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process” by Prof. Alan Dershowitz – April 7
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “The New Map: Energy, Climate & the Clash of Nations” by Pulitzer-Prize Winner Daniel Yergin – March 10
- ↳ Original Proposal – “The New Map: Energy, Climate & the Clash of Nations” by Pulitzer-Prize Winner Daniel Yergin – March 10
- ↳ Participant Comments – “The New Map: Energy, Climate & the Clash of Nations” by Pulitzer-Prize Winner Daniel Yergin – March 10
- ↳ Resource Materials – “The New Map: Energy, Climate & the Clash of Nations” by Pulitzer-Prize Winner Daniel Yergin – March 10
- ↳ Discussion Outline - “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Prof. Steven Pinker – Feb 10
- ↳ Reference Materials - “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Prof. Steven Pinker – Feb 10
- ↳ Participant Comments - “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Prof. Steven Pinker – Feb 10
- ↳ Original Proposal - “Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Prof. Steven Pinker – Feb 10
- ↳ Meeting Report – Civilization: The West and the Rest by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Jan 13
- ↳ Original Proposal – Civilization: The West and the Rest by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Jan 13
- ↳ Participant Comments – Civilization: The West and the Rest by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Jan 13
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Civilization: The West and the Rest by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Jan 13
- ↳ Reference Materials – Civilization: The West and the Rest by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Jan 13
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Great Society: A New History by Amity Shlaes - Dec 9
- ↳ Original Proposal - Great Society: A New History by Amity Shlaes - Dec 9
- ↳ Participant Comments - Great Society: A New History by Amity Shlaes - Dec 9
- ↳ Reference Materials - Great Society: A New History by Amity Shlaes - Dec 9
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “The Square and The Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook” by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Nov 11
- ↳ Original Proposal – “The Square and The Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook” by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Nov 11
- ↳ Participant Comments – “The Square and The Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook” by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Nov 11
- ↳ Reference Materials – “The Square and The Tower: Networks and Power, from the Freemasons to Facebook” by Prof. Niall Ferguson – Nov 11
- ↳ Discussion Outline – The Human Network: How Your Social Position Determines Your Power, Beliefs and Behaviors By Stanford U. Prof Matthew Jackson – Oct 14
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Human Network: How Your Social Position Determines Your Power, Beliefs and Behaviors By Stanford U. Prof Matthew Jackson – Oct 14
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Human Network: How Your Social Position Determines Your Power, Beliefs and Behaviors By Stanford U. Prof Matthew Jackson – Oct 14
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Human Network: How Your Social Position Determines Your Power, Beliefs and Behaviors By Stanford U. Prof Matthew Jackson – Oct 14
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King by Prof. Peniel Joseph - Sep 9
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King by Prof. Peniel Joseph - Sep 9
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King by Prof. Peniel Joseph - Sep 9
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King by Prof. Peniel Joseph - Sep 9
- ↳ Discussion Outline – "Tightrope: Americans Reaching For Hope" by Pulitzer-Prize Winners Sheryl WuDunn and Husband, NY Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof – Aug 12
- ↳ Original Proposal – "Tightrope: Americans Reaching For Hope" by Pulitzer-Prize Winners Sheryl WuDunn and Husband, NY Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof – Aug 12
- ↳ Reference Materials – "Tightrope: Americans Reaching For Hope" by Pulitzer-Prize Winners Sheryl WuDunn and Husband, NY Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof – Aug 12
- ↳ Participant Comments – “The Age of Addiction: How Bad Habits Became Big Business” by Prof. David Courtwright – July 8
- ↳ Participant Comments – "Tightrope: Americans Reaching For Hope" by Pulitzer-Prize Winners Sheryl WuDunn and Husband, NY Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof – Aug 12
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “The Age of Addiction” by Prof. David Courtwright – July 8
- ↳ Original Proposal – “The Age of Addiction: How Bad Habits Became Big Business” by Prof. David Courtwright – July 8
- ↳ 6/3/2020: CALL TO ACTION – ONLY 10 MINUTES NEEDED FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE – “SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION” E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF RACISM (VS. ONLY A MERE SYMPTOM) – AMERICA’S PERMANENT 30% UNDER-CASTE
- ↳ Reference Materials – “The Age of Addiction: How Bad Habits Became Big Business” by Prof. David Courtwright – July 8
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Jonathan Kozol “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” and Free Tuition for Public Colleges and Vocational Schools – June 3
- ↳ Mail Campaign to ABC’s The View – Money in Politics – March 18
- ↳ Original Proposal – Jonathan Kozol “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” and Free Tuition for Public Colleges and Vocational Schools – Mtg Date TBD
- ↳ Participant Comments – Jonathan Kozol “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” and Free Tuition for Public Colleges and Vocational Schools – Mtg Date TBD
- ↳ Reference Materials – Jonathan Kozol “The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” and Free Tuition for Public Colleges and Vocational Schools – June 3
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Money in Politics – March 18
- ↳ Original Proposal - Money in Politics: Michael Bloomberg & Tom Steyer, et al. - March 18
- ↳ Participant Comments - Money in Politics: Michael Bloomberg & Tom Steyer, et al. - March 18
- ↳ Meeting WED Evening Feb 19 – Proposed E-mail Campaign Re “Hunger in America” – Your Opportunity To Strike A Blow For BASIC HUMAN DECENCY
- ↳ Feb 19 Meeting Report – Proposed E-mail Campaign Re “Hunger in America”
- ↳ Original Proposal – Utah Taxing Groceries of Our Neighbors Living on Less Than $2.00/Day – Feb 19
- ↳ Participant Comments – Utah Taxing Groceries of Our Neighbors Living on Less Than $2.00/Day – Feb 19
- ↳ Reference Materials – Utah Taxing Groceries of Our Neighbors Living on Less Than $2.00/Day – Feb 19
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE – “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO SOLVE THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE (AND AVOID “THE TWILIGHT OF THE HUMANS” - Jan 15
- ↳ Original Proposal – “REPRISE: A Marshall-Type Plan For Palestinians” – Jan 15
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – “REPRISE: A Marshall-Type Plan For Palestinians” – Jan 15
- ↳ Participant Comments – “REPRISE: A Marshall-Type Plan For Palestinians” – Jan 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – “REPRISE: A Marshall-Type Plan For Palestinians” – Jan 15
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE U.S. GOVERNMENT $86 BILLION/YEAR BY ADOPTING MEDICARE-FOR-ALL – (only 5 minutes needed to participate)
- ↳ Discussion Outline – “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care And How To Fix It” by Johns Hopkins Surgeon and Prof. of Health Policy Marty Markary – Dec 11
- ↳ Participant Comments – “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care And How To Fix It” by Johns Hopkins Surgeon and Prof. of Health Policy Marty Markary – Dec 11
- ↳ Original Proposal – “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care And How To Fix It” by Johns Hopkins Surgeon and Prof. of Health Policy Marty Markary – Dec 11
- ↳ Reference Materials – “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care And How To Fix It” by Johns Hopkins Surgeon and Prof. of Health Policy Marty Markary – Dec 11
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT POSSIBLE GLOBAL-WARMING SOLUTION (HYDROGEN EXTRACTION) FROM BEING KILLED!!! – (only 5 minutes needed to participate)
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Possible Global Warming Solution (Hydrogen Extraction) In Danger Of Being Killed!!! - Nov 13
- ↳ Original Proposal - Possible Global Warming Solution (Hydrogen Extraction) In Danger Of Being Killed!!! - Nov 13
- ↳ Participant Comments - Possible Global Warming Solution (Hydrogen Extraction) In Danger Of Being Killed!!! - Nov 13
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - “Tech Titans Of China: How China’s Tech Sector Is Challenging The World By Innovating Faster, Working Harder and Going Global by Rebecca A. Fannin – Oct 16
- ↳ Reference Materials - Possible Global Warming Solution (Hydrogen Extraction) In Danger Of Being Killed!!! - Nov 13
- ↳ Original Proposal - “Tech Titans Of China: How China’s Tech Sector Is Challenging The World By Innovating Faster, Working Harder and Going Global by Rebecca A. Fannin – Oct 16
- ↳ Participant Comments - “Tech Titans Of China: How China’s Tech Sector Is Challenging The World By Innovating Faster, Working Harder and Going Global by Rebecca A. Fannin - Oct 16
- ↳ Reference Materials - “Tech Titans Of China: How China’s Tech Sector Is Challenging The World By Innovating Faster, Working Harder and Going Global by Rebecca A. Fannin - Oct 16
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – Six-Degrees-Of-Separation-Email-Campaign – A Suggestion To President Trump Re How To Support the United Nations 19-year Campaign Against “Trafficking In Persons, Especially Women and Children” – only 5 minutes needed to participate
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery - Sep 18
- ↳ Original Proposal – Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery – Sep 18
- ↳ Participant Comments – Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery – Sep 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery – Sep 18
- ↳ Participant Comments – Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – July 31
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – July 31
- ↳ Original Proposal – Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – July 31
- ↳ Reference Materials – Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson – July 31
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline -- "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics” -- June 13
- ↳ Original Proposal -- "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics” -- June 13
- ↳ Short Quiz -- "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics” -- June 13
- ↳ Reference Materials -- "The Great Revolt: Inside the Populist Coalition Reshaping American Politics” -- June 13
- ↳ The Quartet – Three E-mail Campaigns “Approved” – May 16
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - "The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789" by Prof. Joseph J. Ellis – May 16
- ↳ Original Proposal - "The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789" by Prof. Joseph J. Ellis – May 16
- ↳ Reference Materials – "The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789" by Prof. Joseph J. Ellis – May 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – "The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789" by Prof. Joseph J. Ellis – May 16
- ↳ Cancellation of Official Status of April 11 Meeting on Joseph Califano’s “Our Damaged Democracy: We The People Must Act” + John Karls’ Research on Harvard as “Cambridge University in New England” 1636-1816
- ↳ Original Proposal - Our Damaged Democracy: We The People Must Act by Joseph Califano Jr. - April 11
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO HOLD CHINA RESPONSIBLE FOR NORTH KOREAN ACTIONS (only 5 minutes needed to participate)
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - “American Tianxia: Chinese Money, American Power and the End of History” by Prof. Salvatore Babones - March 14
- ↳ Original Proposal - “American Tianxia: Chinese Money, American Power and the End of History” by Prof. Salvatore Babones - March 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - “American Tianxia: Chinese Money, American Power and the End of History” by Prof. Salvatore Babones - March 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - “American Tianxia: Chinese Money, American Power and the End of History” by Prof. Salvatore Babones - March 14
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America” - Feb 7
- ↳ Original Proposal - “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America” - Feb 7
- ↳ Participant Comments - “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America” - Feb 7
- ↳ Reference Materials - “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America” - Feb 7
- ↳ Meeting Cancellation - The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue Collar Conservatism - Jan 10
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue Collar Conservatism - Jan 10
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue Collar Conservatism - Jan 10
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Dec 13
- ↳ Original Proposal - Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Dec 13
- ↳ Participant Comments - Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Dec 13
- ↳ Reference Materials - Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now by Ayaan Hirsi Ali - Dec 13
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning by the American Right: A Journey to the Heart of Our Political Divide - Nov 8
- ↳ Original Proposal - Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning by the American Right: A Journey to the Heart of Our Political Divide - Nov 8
- ↳ Participant Comments - Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning by the American Right: A Journey to the Heart of Our Political Divide - Nov 8
- ↳ Reference Materials - Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning by the American Right: A Journey to the Heart of Our Political Divide - Nov 8
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System by T.R. Reid – Oct 4
- ↳ Original Proposal - A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System by T.R. Reid – Oct 4
- ↳ Participant Comments - A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System by T.R. Reid – Oct 4
- ↳ Reference Materials - A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System by T.R. Reid – Oct 4
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - The War On Cops: How the New Attack on Law & Order Makes Everyone Less Safe by Heather MacDonald - Sep 6
- ↳ Original Proposal - The War On Cops: How the New Attack on Law & Order Makes Everyone Less Safe by Heather MacDonald - Sep 6
- ↳ Participant Comments - The War On Cops: How the New Attack on Law & Order Makes Everyone Less Safe by Heather MacDonald - Sep 6
- ↳ Reference Materials - The War On Cops: How the New Attack on Law & Order Makes Everyone Less Safe by Heather MacDonald - Sep 6
- ↳ Meeting Cancellation - American Amnesia: How The War On American Government Led Us To Forget What Made America Prosper – For Aug 9
- ↳ Original Proposal - American Amnesia: How The War On American Government Led Us To Forget What Made America Prosper – For Aug 9
- ↳ Reference Materials - American Amnesia: How The War On American Government Led Us To Forget What Made America Prosper – For Aug 9
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – "SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION" E-MAIL CAMPAIGN RE SAVING THE U.S. GOV $300 BILLION/YEAR BY ENACTING “MEDICARE FOR ALL” – (only 5 minutes needed to participate)
- ↳ Original Proposal - An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal – For July 12
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal – For July 12
- ↳ Reference Materials - An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal – For July 12
- ↳ Participant Comments - An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back by Elisabeth Rosenthal – For July 12
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks – June 7
- ↳ Original Proposal - How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks – June 7
- ↳ Participant Comments - How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks – June 7
- ↳ Reference Materials - How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks – June 7
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Authoritarian Rule by Our Intelligence Services – May 10
- ↳ Original Proposal – Authoritarian Rule by Our Intelligence Services – May 10
- ↳ Participant Comments – Authoritarian Rule by Our Intelligence Services – May 10
- ↳ Reference Materials – Authoritarian Rule by Our Intelligence Services – May 10
- ↳ April 12 Meeting Cancellation
- ↳ Original Proposal - Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide To Thriving in an Age of Accelerations – For April 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide To Thriving in an Age of Accelerations – For April 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide To Thriving in an Age of Accelerations – For April 12th
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Killing Millions of Sesame Street Miss Piggy’s For The Human Organs – March 8
- ↳ Original Proposal – Killing Millions of Sesame Street Miss Piggy’s For The Human Organs – March 8
- ↳ Participant Comments – Killing Millions of Sesame Street Miss Piggy’s For The Human Organs – March 8
- ↳ Original Proposal Reference Materials – Killing Millions of Sesame Street Miss Piggy’s For The Human Organs – March 8
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - OPPOSING THE WANTON DESTRUCTION OF GREAT SALT LAKE – FEB 8TH
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Mormon Church Condoning The Wanton Destruction Of Great Salt Lake – Feb 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Mormon Church Condoning The Wanton Destruction Of Great Salt Lake – Feb 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Mormon Church Condoning The Wanton Destruction Of Great Salt Lake – Feb 8th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Mormon Church Condoning The Wanton Destruction Of Great Salt Lake – Feb 8th
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In The End – Jan 11
- ↳ Original Proposal – Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In The End – Jan 11
- ↳ Participant Comments – Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In The End – Jan 11
- ↳ Reference Materials – Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters In The End – Jan 11
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business – Dec 14
- ↳ Original Proposal - Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business – Dec 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business – Dec 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business – Dec 14
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State – Nov 16
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State – Nov 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State – Nov 16
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State – Nov 16
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why - Oct 19
- ↳ Participant Comments – Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why - Oct 19
- ↳ Original Proposal - Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why - Oct 19
- ↳ Reference Materials – Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why - Oct 19
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis - Sep 14
- ↳ Original Proposal – Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis - Sep 14
- ↳ Participant Comments – Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis - Sep 14
- ↳ Discussion Outline - San Bernardino and The F.B.I. vs. Apple – Aug 10
- ↳ Reference Materials – Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis - Sep 14
- ↳ Original Proposal – San Bernardino and The F.B.I. vs. Apple – Aug 10
- ↳ Participant Comments – San Bernardino and The F.B.I. vs. Apple – Aug 10
- ↳ Reference Materials – San Bernardino and The F.B.I. vs. Apple – Aug 10
- ↳ Cancellation – How The Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and The Threat To Democracy – July 13
- ↳ Original Proposal – How The Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and The Threat To Democracy – July 13
- ↳ Reference Materials – How The Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and The Threat To Democracy – July 13
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – 5 Easy Theses: Commonsense Solutions to America’s Greatest Economic Challenges – June 15
- ↳ Original Proposal – 5 Easy Theses: Commonsense Solutions to America’s Greatest Economic Challenges – June 15
- ↳ Participant Comments - 5 Easy Theses: Commonsense Solutions to America’s Greatest Economic Challenges – June 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – 5 Easy Theses: Commonsense Solutions to America’s Greatest Economic Challenges – June 15
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City – May 18
- ↳ Participant Comments – Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City – May 18
- ↳ Original Proposal – Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City – May 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City – May 18
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right – April 20
- ↳ Original Proposal – Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right – April 20
- ↳ Participant Comments – Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right – April 20
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption – March 16
- ↳ Reference Materials – Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right – April 20
- ↳ Original Proposal - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption – March 16
- ↳ Reference Materials - Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption – March 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption – March 16
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Capitalism vs. The Climate – Feb 17
- ↳ Participant Comments – Capitalism vs. The Climate – Feb 17
- ↳ Original Proposal – Capitalism vs. The Climate – Feb 17
- ↳ Reference Materials - Capitalism vs. The Climate – Feb 17
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History – Jan 13
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History – Jan 13
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History – Jan 13
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History – Jan 13
- ↳ Original Proposal – Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich – Dec 16
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich – Dec 16
- ↳ Participant Comments – Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich – Dec 16
- ↳ Reference Materials - Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich – Dec 16
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession - Nov 18
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession - Nov 18
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession - Nov 18
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Teacher Wars: A History of America's Most Embattled Profession - Nov 18
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Phishing for Phools: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller – Oct 14
- ↳ Original Proposal - Phishing for Phools: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller – Oct 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - Phishing for Phools: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller – Oct 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - Phishing for Phools: The Economics of Manipulation and Deception by George Akerlof and Robert Shiller – Oct 14
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - The Impending Adverse Impact Of New Technology on Employment and Income Inequality – Sep 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Impending Adverse Impact Of New Technology on Employment and Income Inequality – Sep 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Impending Adverse Impact Of New Technology on Employment and Income Inequality – Sep 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Impending Adverse Impact Of New Technology on Employment and Income Inequality – Sep 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments – Joan Walsh’s “What’s the Matter with White People?” – Aug 12
- ↳ Original Proposal – Joan Walsh’s “What’s the Matter with White People?” – Aug 12
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Joan Walsh’s “What’s the Matter with White People?” – Aug 12
- ↳ Reference Materials – Joan Walsh’s “What’s the Matter with White People?” – Aug 12
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran – July 15
- ↳ Original Proposal – The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran – July 15
- ↳ Participant Comments – The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran – July 15
- ↳ Reference Materials – The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran – July 15
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – "SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION" E-MAIL CAMPAIGN – POPE FRANCIS AND 23% OF U.S. CHILDREN IN POVERTY
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - The Hoax of the School-Privatization Movement - June 17
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Hoax of the School-Privatization Movement - June 17
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Why Foreign-Government Corruption Threatens Global Security – May 13
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Hoax of the School-Privatization Movement - June 17……………………………………… AMERICA’S APARTHEID “JUSTICE” SYSTEM -- BALTIMORE, AMERICAN INNER-CITIES AND TOM BRADY
- ↳ Original Proposal - Why Foreign-Government Corruption Threatens Global Security – May 13
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Hoax of the School-Privatization Movement - June 17
- ↳ Reference Materials - Why Foreign-Government Corruption Threatens Global Security – May 13
- ↳ Participant Comments - Why Foreign-Government Corruption Threatens Global Security – May 13
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Corruption in America - April 8
- ↳ Original Proposal - Corruption in America – April 8
- ↳ Participant Comments - Corruption in America – April 8
- ↳ Reference Materials - Corruption in America – April 8
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Leon Panetta’s Worthy Fights and President Obama’s Military Force Authorization - March 11
- ↳ Original Proposal - Leon Panetta’s Worthy Fights and President Obama’s Military Force Authorization - March 11
- ↳ Original Proposal - Losing Our Way: An Intimate Portrait of a Troubled America - Feb 11
- ↳ Participant Comments - Leon Panetta’s Worthy Fights and President Obama’s Military Force Authorization - March 11
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Losing Our Way: An Intimate Portraith of a Troubled America - Feb 11
- ↳ Reference Materials - Leon Panetta’s Worthy Fights and President Obama’s Military Force Authorization - March 11
- ↳ Participant Comments - Losing Our Way: An Intimate Portrait of a Troubled America – Feb 11
- ↳ Reference Materials - Losing Our Way: An Intimate Portrait of a Troubled America – Feb 11
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Hillary Distancing Herself From Pres. Obama Re The Islamic State - For Sep 3
- ↳ Original Proposal - Hillary Distancing Herself From Pres. Obama Re The Islamic State - For Sep 3
- ↳ Participant Comments - Hillary Distancing Herself From Pres. Obama Re The Islamic State - For Sep 3
- ↳ Participant Comments - American Exceptionalism: Fact or Fiction??? - Aug 6th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Hillary Distancing Herself From Pres. Obama Re The Islamic State - For Sep 3
- ↳ Original Proposal - American Exceptionalism: Fact or Fiction??? - Aug 6th
- ↳ MEETING CANCELLATION + SABBATICAL
- ↳ MEETING CANCELLATION + SABBATICAL (Continued)
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Hoax of the School-Privatization Movement - May 7th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline -- NUCLEAR FUSION AND 50 MORE YEARS WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS SHUNNING THE PROMISED LAND -- Apr 9th
- ↳ Do-It-Yourself-Six-Degrees-Of-Separation-Email-Campaign -- Nuclear Fusion and 50 More Years Wandering in the Wilderness Shunning the Promised Land
- ↳ Participant Comments -- Nuclear Fusion and 50 More Years Wandering in the Wilderness Shunning the Promised Land -- April 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials -- Nuclear Fusion and 50 More Years Wandering in the Wilderness Shunning the Promised Land -- April 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal -- Nuclear Fusion and 50 More Years Wandering in the Wilderness Shunning the Promised Land -- April 9th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era – March 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era – March 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era – March 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era – March 12th
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – "SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION" E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA – RENEWING 1968 EXECUTIVE ORDER 11387 TO HALT THE EXPORT OF AMERICAN JOBS
- ↳ Discussion Outline – 12 Years A Slave, the 1853 autobiography of a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841 and sold into slavery, which became a famous part of the Abolitionist Movement – Feb 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal – 12 Years A Slave, the 1853 autobiography of a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841 and sold into slavery, which became a famous part of the Abolitionist Movement – Feb 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments – 12 Years A Slave, the 1853 autobiography of a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841 and sold into slavery, which became a famous part of the Abolitionist Movement – Feb 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials – 12 Years A Slave, the 1853 autobiography of a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington DC in 1841 and sold into slavery, which became a famous part of the Abolitionist Movement – Feb 12th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the U.S., and An Epic History of Misunderstanding – Jan 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the U.S., and An Epic History of Misunderstanding – Jan 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the U.S., and An Epic History of Misunderstanding – Jan 8th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the U.S., and An Epic History of Misunderstanding – Jan 8th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline – Third-Trimester Abortions – Dec. 11th
- ↳ Original Proposal – Third-Trimester Abortions – Dec. 11th
- ↳ Participant Comments – Third-Trimester Abortions – Dec. 11th
- ↳ Reference Materials – Third-Trimester Abortions – Dec. 11th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Will Ayatollah Khomenei Destroy The World??? - Nov 13
- ↳ Original Proposal - Who Is Ayatollah Khamenei by an Iranian Journalist/Dissident - Nov 13
- ↳ Participant Comments - Who Is Ayatollah Khamenei by an Iranian Journalist/Dissident - Nov 13
- ↳ Reference Materials - Who Is Ayatollah Khamenei by an Iranian Journalist/Dissident - Nov 13
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea - Oct 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea - Oct 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea - Oct 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea - Oct 9th
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THORIUM AS THE GREEN ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE FUTURE WHICH WILL, INTER ALIA, SOLVE OCEANIC ACIDIFICATION
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA REGARDING THE ENFORCEMENT OF OCEAN CONSERVATION
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Oceana by Ted Danson - Sep 11
- ↳ Original Proposal - Oceana by Ted Danson - Sep 11
- ↳ Participant Comments - Oceana by Ted Danson - Sep 11
- ↳ Reference Materials - Oceana by Ted Danson - Sep 11
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Our Current House-Of-Cards National Banking System - Aug 14
- ↳ Original Proposal - Our Current House-Of-Cards National Banking System - Aug 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - Our Current House-Of-Cards National Banking System - Aug 14
- ↳ ELLEN BIRRELL & JIM HUTCHINS – RSVP’S FOR AUG 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - Our Current House-Of-Cards National Banking System - Aug 14
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Thistle and The Drone - July 10th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Thistle and The Drone - July 10th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Thistle and The Drone - July 10th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Thistle and The Drone - July 10th
- ↳ Meeting Cancellation - The New Digital Age by Google's Eric Schmidt & Jared Cohen - June 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The New Digital Age by Google's Eric Schmidt & Jared Cohen - June 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The New Digital Age by Google's Eric Schmidt & Jared Cohen - June 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The New Digital Age by Google's Eric Schmidt & Jared Cohen - June 12th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Federal Bailouts of Illinois and Detroit, Etc., Etc., Etc. - May 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Federal Bailouts of Illinois and Detroit, Etc., Etc., Etc. - May 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Federal Bailouts of Illinois and Detroit, Etc., Etc., Etc. – May 8th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Salt-Sugar-Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us – April 10th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Federal Bailouts of Illinois and Detroit, Etc., Etc., Etc. – May 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Salt-Sugar-Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us – April 10th
- ↳ Reference Materials – Salt-Sugar-Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us – April 10th
- ↳ Participant Comments – Salt-Sugar-Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us – April 10th
- ↳ UNOFFICIAL SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO PRESIDENT OBAMA REGARDING ANNUAL DEFICITS AND ACCUMULATED DEBT
- ↳ Original Proposal – How To Regain America’s Competitive Edge And Boost Our Global Standing – March 13th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - How To Regain America's Competitive Edge And Boost Our Global Standing - March 13th
- ↳ Participant Comments - How To Regain America’s Competitive Edge And Boost Our Global Standing – March 13th
- ↳ Reference Materials - How To Regain America’s Competitive Edge And Boost Our Global Standing – March 13th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - John Brennan's Nomination To Head The CIA - Feb 6th
- ↳ Original Proposal - John Brennan's Nomination To Head The CIA - Feb 6th
- ↳ Participant Comments - John Brennan's Nomination To Head The CIA - Feb 6th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Assisted Suicide - Jan 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - John Brennan's Nomination To Head The CIA - Feb 6th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Assisted Suicide - Jan 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Assisted Suicide - Jan 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Assisted Suicide - Jan 9th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - It's Even Worse Than It Looks by Mann + Ornstein - Dec 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - It's Even Worse Than It Looks By Mann + Ornstein - Dec 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - It's Even Worse Than It Looks By Mann + Ornstein - Dec 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - It's Even Worse Than It Looks By Mann + Ornstein - Dec 12th
- ↳ SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO PRINCETON ECONOMICS NOBEL-LAUREATE PROF. AND NY TIMES OP-ED COLUMNIST PAUL KRUGMAN – YOUR HELP DESPERATELY NEEDED TO AVERT ANOTHER ECONOMIC MELTDOWN - ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The Price of Inequality - Nov. 14th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Price of Inequality - November 14th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Price of Inequality - November 14th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Price of Inequality - November 14th
- ↳ SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO D.O.E. SECRETARY CHU – R&D FOR THORIUM, THE GREEN ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE FUTURE - ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Thorium: The Green Energy Source For The Future – October 10th
- ↳ Original Proposal – Thorium: The Green Energy Source For The Future – October 10th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Thorium: The Green Energy Source For The Future – October 10th
- ↳ SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN FOR PROSECUTION OF BILL AND MELINDA GATES AT THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR "CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY" (only 5 minutes needed to participate)
- ↳ Reference Materials - Thorium: The Green Energy Source For The Future – October 10th
- ↳ Discussion Outline – DOES CALLING A RATTLESNAKE A CANARY SOLVE THE PROBLEM IF THE “CANARY” BITES YOU??? – September 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Gates Foundation Crimes Against US Education Policy – September 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Gates Foundation Crimes Against US Education Policy – September 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Gates Foundation Crimes Against US Education Policy – September 12th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Winner-Take-All-Politics – August 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal – Winner-Take-All-Politics – August 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments – Winner-Take-All-Politics – August 8th
- ↳ Reference Materials – Winner-Take-All-Politics – August 8th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Gates Foundation's "Crimes Against Humanity" - July 11th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman - July 11th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman - July 11th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman - July 11th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - How Invisible Policies Undermine American Democracy - June 13th
- ↳ Original Proposal - How Invisible Governmental Policies Undermine American Democracy - June 13th
- ↳ Participant Comments - How Invisible Governmental Policies Undermine American Democracy - June 13th
- ↳ Reference Materials - How Invisible Governmental Policies Undermine American Democracy - June 13th
- ↳ Discussion Outline -- Merchants of Doubt -- May 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments -- Merchants of Doubt -- May 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal -- Merchants of Doubt -- May 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Merchants of Doubt - May 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal -- The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government -- April 11th
- ↳ Discussion Outline -- The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government -- April 11th
- ↳ Participant Comments -- The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government -- April 11th
- ↳ Reference Materials -- The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government -- April 11th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Insight Into Life In North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son by Prof. Adam Johnson - March 14th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Insight Into Life In North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son by Prof. Adam Johnson - March 14th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Insight Into Life In North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son by Prof. Adam Johnson - March 14th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Insight Into Life In North Korea - The Orphan Master's Son by Prof. Adam Johnson - March 14th
- ↳ Discussion Outline – Real Politik (aka National Interest) and Libya vs. Iran -- Feb 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments -- Real Politik (aka National Interest) and Libya vs. Iran -- Feb 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal -- Real Politik (aka National Interest) and Libya vs. Iran -- Feb 8th
- ↳ Reference Materials -- Real Politik (aka National Interest) and Libya vs. Iran -- Feb 8th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - All The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History Of The Financial Crisis - Jan 11th
- ↳ Original Proposal - All The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History Of The Financial Crisis - Jan11
- ↳ Participant Comments - All The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History Of The Financial Crisis - Jan 11
- ↳ Reference Materials - All The Devils Are Here: The Hidden History Of The Financial Crisis - Jan 11
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION -- "SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION" E-MAIL CAMPAIGN = TRillions Being Printed To Bail Out Foreign Banks and Governments -- (ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE)
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Balanced-Budget Amendments & Redeeming National Debt With “Wallpaper” In Both Europe and the U.S. - December 14th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Balanced-Budget Amendments & Redeeming National Debt With “Wallpaper” In Both Europe and the U.S. - December 14th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Balanced-Budget Amendments & Redeeming National Debt With “Wallpaper” In Both Europe and the U.S. - December 14th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Balanced-Budget Amendments & Redeeming National Debt With “Wallpaper” In Both Europe and the U.S. - December 14th
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION -- "SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION" E-MAIL CAMPAIGN = Benefiting American Taxpayers For The Scientific Discoveries Of Basic Research They Have Financed -- (ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE)
- ↳ Discussion Outline - That Used To Be Us By Thomas Friedman - Nov 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments - That Used To Be Us By Thomas Friedman - Nov 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal - That Used To Be Us By Thomas Friedman - Nov 9th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Can The Middle Class Be Saved - Oct 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - That Used To Be Us By Thomas Friedman - Nov 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Can The Middle Class Be Saved? - Oct 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Can The Middle Class Be Saved - Oct 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Can The Middle Class Be Saved? - Oct 12th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Even Silence Has An End by Ingrid Betencourt - Sep 14th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Even Silence Has An End by Ingrid Betencourt - Sep 14th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Even Silence Has An End by Ingrid Betancourt - Sep 14th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Even Silence Has An End by Ingrid Betancourt - Sep 14th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour - August 10th
- ↳ Original Proposal – Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour – August 10th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour - August 10th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour - August 10th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - America's Climate Problem, The Way Forward - July 13th
- ↳ Original Proposal - America's Climate Problem, The Way Forward - July 13th
- ↳ Participant Comments - America's Climate Problem, The Way Forward - July 13th
- ↳ Reference Materials - America's Climate Problem, The Way Forward - July 13th
- ↳ Post-Meeting Discussion - Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power - June 15th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power - June 15th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power - June 15th
- ↳ DO-IT-YOURSELF SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION-E-MAIL-CAMPAIGN = Insuring The Survival Of The Democratic Party Following A Nuclear Attack On The U.S. By Terrorists - ONLY-5-MINUTES-REQUIRED-TO-PARTICIPATE
- ↳ Participant Comments - Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power - June 15th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power - June 15th
- ↳ SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION-E-MAIL-CAMPAIGNS = Taxing-Corporate-Profits-From-Exporting-American-Jobs + Benefitting-American-Taxpayers-For-The-Scientific-Discoveries-Of-Basic-Research-They-Have-Financed - ONLY-5-MINUTES-REQUIRED-TO-PARTICIPATE
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Debtor Nation: The History Of America In Red Ink - May 11th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Debtor Nation: The History Of America In Red Ink - for May 11th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Debtor Nation: The History Of America In Red Ink - for May 11th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Debtor Nation: The History of America in Red Ink - for May 11th
- ↳ DO-IT-YOURSELF SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN – Apr.13th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - President Obama’s Nuclear Stand Post-Japan - April 13th
- ↳ Participant Comments - President Obama’s Nuclear Stand Post-Japan - April 13th
- ↳ Original Proposal - President Obama’s Nuclear Stand Post-Japan - April 13th
- ↳ Reference Materials - President Obama’s Nuclear Stand Post-Japan - April 13th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Religious Freedom And National Security - Mar 16th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Religious Freedom And National Security - Mar 16th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Religious Freedom And National Security - Mar 16th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Religious Freedom And National Security - Mar 16th
- ↳ DO-IT-YOURSELF SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION E-MAIL CAMPAIGN – Feb 9th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Reports By Two Deficit-Reduction Commissions - Feb 9
- ↳ Original Proposal - Reports By Two Deficit-Reduction Commissions - Feb 9
- ↳ Participant Comments - Reports By Two Deficit-Reduction Commissions - Feb 9
- ↳ Reference Materials - Reports By Two Deficit-Reduction Commissions - Feb 9
- ↳ Discussion Outline - Making Our Democracy Work by US Supreme Ct Justice Stephen Breyer - Jan 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Making Our Democracy Work by US Supreme Ct Justice Stephen Breyer - Jan 12th
- ↳ Post-Meeting Participant Comments - Making Our Democracy Work by US Supreme Ct Justice Stephen Breyer - Jan 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Making Our Democracy Work by US Supreme Ct Justice Stephen Breyer - Jan 12th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Making Our Democracy Work by US Supreme Ct Justice Stephen Breyer - Jan 12th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - The US Gov's "Kill List" To Assassinate US Citizens in Yemen - Dec 15th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The US Gov's "Kill List" To Assassinate US Citizens in Yemen - Dec 15th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The US Gov's "Kill List" To Assassinate US Citizens in Yemen - Dec 15th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The US Gov's "Kill List" To Assassinate US Citizens in Yemen - Dec 15th
- ↳ Unofficial Six-Degrees-Of-Separation E-mail Campaign - Obama's Wars - Nov. 10th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward - Nov 10th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward - Nov 10th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward - Nov. 10th
- ↳ Discussion Outline -- Murder City – What Does Juarez say about our future? -- Oct 13th
- ↳ Original Proposal - MurderCity - What does Juarez say about our future? - Oct 13th
- ↳ Participant Comments - MurderCity: What does Juarez say about our future? - Oct 13th
- ↳ Reference Materials - MurderCity: What does Juarez say about our future? - Oct 13th
- ↳ Discussion Outline - - The Big Sort: Why The Clustering Of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart - Sep. 15th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Big Sort: Why The Clustering Of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart - Sep. 15th
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Big Sort: Why The Clustering Of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart - Sep. 15th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Greg Mortenson's Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace With Books, Not Bombs, In Afghanistan and Pakistan - August 11th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Big Sort: Why The Clustering Of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart - Sep. 15th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Greg Mortenson's Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace With Books, Not Bombs, In Afghanistan and Pakistan - August 11th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Greg Mortenson's Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace With Books, Not Bombs, In Afghanistan and Pakistan - August 11th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Greg Mortenson's Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace With Books, Not Bombs, In Afghanistan and Pakistan - August 11th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America And How To Get It Back - July 14th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America And How To Get It Back - July 14th
- ↳ Participant Comments - "The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America And How To Get It Back" - July 14th
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How To Get It Back - July 14th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Arizona's New Immigration Law - June 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Arizona's New Immigration Law - June 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Arizona's New Immigration Law - June 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Arizona's New Immigration Law - June 9th
- ↳ Meeting Cancellation - After Iran Gets The Bomb (Foreign Affairs Magazine Lead Article) - May 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - After Iran Gets The Bomb (Foreign Affairs Magazine Lead Article) - May 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - After Iran Gets The Bomb (Foreign Affairs Magazine Lead Article) - May 12th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - "The Shock Doctrine: Rise of Disaster Capitalism" - April 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - After Iran Gets The Bomb (Foreign Affairs Magazine Lead Article) - May 12th
- ↳ Original Proposal - The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - April 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" - April 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - April 14
- ↳ “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” CALL TO ACTION = The Supreme Court’s Recent Corporate-Campaign-Contribution Decision - (ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE)
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - US Supreme Court 1/21/2010 Decision on Campaign Contributions by Corporations - March 10
- ↳ Original Proposal - U.S. Supreme Court 1/21/2010 Decision on Campaign Contributions by Corporations - March 10
- ↳ Participant Comments - U.S. Supreme Court 1/21/2010 Decision on Campaign Contributions by Corporations - March 10
- ↳ Reference Materials - U.S. Supreme Court 1/21/2010 Decision on Campaign Contributions by Corporations - March 10
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - When China Rules The World - Feb 10th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Martin Jacques' "When China Rules The World" - Feb. 10th
- ↳ Reference Mats + Participant Comments - When China Rules the World - Feb 10th -- including Suggested Answers to the Short Quiz and the NY Times Book Review on "When China Rules The World"
- ↳ “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” CALL TO ACTION = The ONLY Way To Transform The Prevailing SINGLE-DIGIT Inner-City High School Graduation Rates to 65%-70% And Beyond - (ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE)
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Oprah Winfrey's "Precious" - Jan. 13th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Continuing Our Oprah Tradition With "Precious" – Jan 13th
- ↳ Participant Comments and Reference Materials - Continuing Our Oprah Tradition With “Precious” – Jan 13th
- ↳ “SIX-DEGREES-OF-SEPARATION” CALL TO ACTION = Eliminating Unemployment With A “National Security Work Force” (ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE)
- ↳ Original Proposal - Dorothy Kearns Goodwin's Pulitzer-Prize Winning "No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II" - Dec. 9
- ↳ Participant Comments and Reference Materials - Dorothy Kearns Goodwin's Pulitzer-Prize Winning "No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II" - Dec. 9
- ↳ "SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION" CALL TO ACTION - General Motors & the EPA Perpetrating Fraud Re the Chevrolet Volt (ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE)
- ↳ Original Proposal - General Motors + the EPA Perpetrating Fraud Re the Chevrolet Volt - Nov 18
- ↳ Participant Comments - General Motors and the EPA Perpetrating Fraud Re the Chevrolet Volt - Nov 18
- ↳ Reference Materials – General Motors and the EPA Perpetrating Fraud Re the Chevrolet Volt – Nov 18
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - "American Policy Toward Palestinians = The Key to Middle-East Peace" - ONLY 5 MINUTES NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE
- ↳ Original Proposal - American Policy Toward Israel - Oct 14th
- ↳ Participant Comments - American Policy Toward Israel - Oct 14th
- ↳ Reference Materials - American Policy Toward Israel - Oct 14th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Health Care/Insurance Reform - Sep. 9th
- ↳ Bill Lee's Original Proposal - Health-Care (or Health-Insurance) Reform - Sep 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Health-Care (Health-Insurance) Reform - Sep 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Health-Care (Health-Insurance) Reform - Sep 9th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Three Cups of Tea - August 12th
- ↳ Participant Comments - "Three Cups of Tea" - Aug. 12th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - How to Change The World - July 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal - How To Change The World - July 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments - How To Change The World - July 8th
- ↳ Original Proposal - Come Home America - June 10
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Come Home America - June 10
- ↳ Reference Materials - How To Change The World - July 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments - Come Home America - June 10
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - The ONLY Way To Transform SINGLE-DIGIT Inner-City High School Graduation Rates to 65%-70% - Only 5 Minutes Needed to Answer the Call to Action
- ↳ The Banking Imbroglio - Come Home America - June 10
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - A Report Card for U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan - May 13
- ↳ Reference Materials - Come Home America - June 10
- ↳ Original Proposal - A Report Card for US Education Secretary Arne Duncan - May 13
- ↳ Participant Comments - A Report Card for US Education Secretary Arne Duncan - May 13
- ↳ Reference Materials - A Report Card for US Education Secretary Arne Duncan - May 13
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION – Human Intelligence vs. Surging in Afghanistan From 17,000 U.S. Troops to 70,000 and Beyond
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Afghanistan, President Obama's Vietnam and Pakistan, His Cambodia - April 8
- ↳ Original Proposal - Afghanistan, Pres. Obama's Vietnam and Pakistan, His Cambodia - April 8
- ↳ Participant Comments - Afghanistan, Pres. Obama's Vietnam and Pakistan, His Cambodia - April 8
- ↳ Reference Materials - Afghanistan, Pres. Obama's Vietnam and Pakistan, His Cambodia - April 8
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - How Should Pres. Obama Reform Health Care - March 11
- ↳ Original Proposal - How Should Pres. Obama Reform Health Care - March 11
- ↳ Participant Comments - How Should Pres. Obama Reform Health Care - March 11
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Saving the Democratic Party from Extinction: Foreign Policy - Feb. 11
- ↳ Feb. 11 Topic = Saving the Democratic Party from Extinction - Foreign Policy
- ↳ Report of the 2007 Democratic Congress' Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism - Feb. 11
- ↳ Participant Comments - Saving the Democratic Party from Extinction/Foreign Policy - Feb. 11
- ↳ Other Background Mats - Saving the Democratic Party from Extinction/Foreign Policy - Feb. 11
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Leaving Children Behind - Jan. 14
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - Separate BUT UNEQUAL Public Schools
- ↳ January 14th Topic = Leaving Children Behind
- ↳ Background Mats + Participant Comments - Leaving Children Behind - Jan. 14
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - "It's The Economy, Stupid" - Dec. 10th
- ↳ Text - 2007 Supreme Court Reversal of School Integration - Leaving Children Behind - Jan. 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - "It's The Economy, Stupid" - Dec. 10th
- ↳ December 10th Meeting = "It's The Economy, Stupid"
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Al Gore's Challenge to America - Nov. 12
- ↳ Reference Materials - "It's The Economy, Stupid" - Dec. 10th
- ↳ CALL TO ACTION - Al Gore's 10-Year Challenge to America
- ↳ Participant Comments - Al Gore's Challenge to America - for Nov. 12
- ↳ Additional Ref Materials - Al Gore's Challenge to America - for Nov. 12
- ↳ Text of Al Gore's July 17th Challenge To Re-Power America's Electricity Grid Within 10 Years - For Nov. 12
- ↳ To Go "Beyond The Call of Duty" - Info About Three Background Books - For Nov. 12
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Team of Rivals - Oct. 8
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Barack Obama's Bible - Sep 10
- ↳ Participant Comments - "Team of Rivals - Oct 8
- ↳ Participant Comments - "Barack Obama's Bible = Rules for Radicals" - Sep 10
- ↳ Ref Mats - "Barack Obama's Bible = Rules for Radicals" - Sep 10
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Aug 13
- ↳ Comments of Participants - Obama From Promise to Power - Aug 13
- ↳ Reference Mats - Obama From Promise to Power - Aug 13
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Everything About Oil - July 9th
- ↳ Comments of Participants - Everything About Oil - July 9th
- ↳ Reference Materials - Everything About Oil - July 9th
- ↳ Tim Russert Eulogies
- ↳ A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System by T.R. Reid – Oct 4
- ↳ Reference Materials – Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools: Stanford University vs. Stanford’s Hoover Institution – Oct 13
- ↳ Original Proposal - Blood Money: Why the Powerful Turn a Blind Eye While China Kills Americans by Peter Schweizer - April 17
- ↳ July Meeting - Possible Topics (historical)
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - "Infidel" - June 11
- ↳ “Infidel” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali – for June 11
- ↳ Comments of Participants - "Infidel" - June 11th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Bush's Law - May 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - "Infidel" - June 11th
- ↳ Eric Lichtblau's “Bush’s Law: The Remaking of American Justice” – May 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - "Bush's Law" - May 14
- ↳ Reference Materials - "Bush's Law" - May 14
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Apr 9th
- ↳ Participant Comments/Ref Mats - Clone Rights for Apr 9
- ↳ Clone Rights: Involuntary Soldiers, Sex Slaves, Human "Lab Rats" Etc. - Apr 9
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Mar 13
- ↳ Critiques of Benezir Bhutto’s “Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West” - Mar 13th
- ↳ Benazir Bhutto's "Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West" - for Mar. 13
- ↳ Comments of Participants - Mar. 13
- ↳ Background Materials - Mar. 13
- ↳ DRINKing Liberally Presentation - Fri Eve Feb 29
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Feb 14th
- ↳ Proposed Solution to The Cesspool that is Washington DC - for Feb 14
- ↳ "The Best Gov Money Can Buy: Bribery and Extortion" - Text of Original Proposal for Feb 14
- ↳ Participant Comments - The Best Gov Money Can Buy: Bribery & Extortion - Feb 14th
- ↳ Illegal “Bribe” vs. “Legal” Campaign Contribution - Feb 14th
- ↳ Background Mats - The Best Gov Money Can Buy: Bribery & Extortion - Feb 14th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Jan 10th
- ↳ Illegal Immigration = Topic for Jan 10th
- ↳ Participant Comments on Immigration - Jan 10th
- ↳ Leading Dem Candidates on Immigration - Jan 10
- ↳ Leading Rep Candidates on Immigration - Jan 10
- ↳ Reference Materials - Immigration - Jan 10
- ↳ Call to Action - Meeting Report for Dec 13th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Dec 13th
- ↳ Hillary's Bashing Bush as "Soft on Iran" - for Dec 13
- ↳ Is War With Iran Inevitable??? - Topic for Dec 13
- ↳ Action v. Deterrance (+ Detente) - for Dec 13
- ↳ Bombing Syria 9/6/2007 Re Iran & N Korea - for Dec 13
- ↳ Participant Comments Re War With Iran - for Dec 13
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Nov 8th
- ↳ Ref Mats - Osama's Fatwa To Nuke 10 Million Americans - Dec 13
- ↳ The Controversy That Is Bill Cosby for Nov 8th
- ↳ The KKK - "All The Best People In Society Belonged" - for Nov. 8th
- ↳ Background Mats - School Integration & The Jena Six - for Nov 8th
- ↳ Participant Comments - School Integration & The Jena Six - for Nov 8th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Oct 11th
- ↳ Participant Comments Re Global Warming for Oct 11th
- ↳ Suggested Background Materials Re Global Warming for Oct 11th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Sep 6th
- ↳ Suggested Discussion Outline - Aug 2d
- ↳ Suggested Background Materials on Universal Health Care for Aug. 2d
- ↳ Comments of Participants - Universal Health Care for Aug 2nd
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