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March 22, 2010

Dear friends and partners in the new economy,

We need to encourage and support local efforts to develop self-reliant, energy-efficient living economies that function as subsystems of their local and regional ecosystems. People with a sense of attachment to a living community of place have a natural interest in optimizing the long-term health and well-being of the community and its local ecosystem.
This week, the New Economy Working Group (NEWGroup) is introducing Episode VII: Local Living Economies, as part of its 10-week launch.

Local living economies require reorienting land-use patterns and transportation systems, retrofitting buildings, and concentrating people in walkable, energy-efficient, multi-strata living communities. This system would nurture the formation, growth, and interlinking of living enterprises to form the building blocks of prosperous, self-reliant, regions that support ecological balance, shared prosperity, and real democracy. When every local living economy is in balance with its supporting ecosystem, the human species will be in balance with Earth's biosphere.

The NEWGroup website is a resource for all of us trying to make this vision a reality. Some of you are currently working on specific economic reforms. What we'll provide is a space dedicated to discussing the larger systemic changes needed to transform our economy from a speculation-based Wall Street focus to one centered on a thriving and green Main Street. We hope to integrate our collective ideas into a broader framework.

The NEWGroup is a collaboration of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the People Centered Development Forum, YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and Gus Speth. Over the last several months, we have been developing the NEWGroup to advance the debate around a new framework for the economy in the United States and abroad.

John Cavanagh and David Korten serve as co-chairs of the NEWGroup. Noel Ortega is the coordinator. You can reach Noel at noel@ips-dc.org.

Sincerely,
John Cavanagh, David Korten, Gus Speth, Sarah Anderson, Fran Korten, Sarah van Gelder, Chuck Collins, Alissa Barron, Katelyn Gallagher, and Noel Ortega

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March 8, 2010

Dear friends, colleagues, and fellow agents for a new economy

It is time to ACHIEVE the dream of one-person one-vote democracy through reforms that reserve political rights for people and limit the influence of big money. This week the New Economy Working Group is introducing Episode: VI of its Ten Week Launch: Real Democracy.

The agenda for a Real Democracy is simple: Complete the historic transition to popular democratic self-rule by limiting the political influence of money and securing the right of all people, irrespective of financial means, to a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their lives.

This requires vigorous policy action to break up concentrations of unaccountable corporate power, democratize ownership participation, issue corporate charters only to serve a defined public purpose, reserve the rights of political participation to real people, get big money out of politics, create space for third parties, and bring majority rule to the Senate.

The NEWGroup website is designed to be a resource to all of us trying to make this vision a reality.  We and many of you are currently working on specific economic reforms. What we have not had, however, is a space dedicated to discussion of the larger, systemic changes we need to transform our economy from its speculation-based Wall Street focus to one centered on a thriving and green Main Street.  Through the compilation of the latest thinking and action on topics such as Living Wealth Indicators, Living Wealth Money System, Shared Prosperity, and Living Enterprises, we hope to integrate our collective work, and yours, into a broader framework.

The NEWGroup is a collaboration of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the People Centered Development Forum, YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and Gus Speth. Over the last several months, we have been developing the concepts and methods of the NEWGroup to advance the debate around a new framework for the economy in the United States and abroad.

John Cavanagh and David Korten serve as Co-Chairs of the NEWGroup. Noel Ortega, working out of IPS, is the Coordinator. You can reach Noel at noel@ips-dc.org.

Sincerely,

John Cavanagh, David Korten, Gus Speth, Sarah Anderson, Fran Korten, Sarah van Gelder, Chuck Collins, Alissa Barron, Katelyn Gallagher, and Noel Ortega

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March 1, 2010

Dear friends and partners in the new economy,

What if the business of business were to serve the community?  We at the New Economy Working Group believe in the vision of a public culture and policies that favor locally owned, human-scale enterprises rooted in communities of place.  We are therefore thrilled to introduce the latest online segment of innovative ideas in Episode V of our 10-week website launch: Living Enterprises. [click here to see the Ten Week Lauch]

A living enterprise is rooted in a community of place, and works in harmony with natural systems.  It supports vibrant community life, provides meaningful living-wage jobs, and treats profit as a means rather than an end.  It cooperates with like-minded businesses to create community wealth for all stakeholders. Because those who own rule, a democratic society is necessarily an ownership society.

The NEWGroup website is designed to be a resource to all of us trying to make this vision a reality.  We and many of you currently work on specific economic reforms. What we have not had, however, is a space dedicated to discussion of the larger, systemic changes we need to transform our economy from its speculation-based Wall Street focus to one centered on a thriving and green Main Street.  Through the compilation of the latest thinking and action on topics such as Living Wealth Indicators, Living Wealth Money System, and Shared Prosperity, we hope to integrate our collective work, and yours, into a broader framework.

The NEWGroup is a collaboration of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the People Centered Development Forum, YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and Gus Speth. Over the last several months, we have been developing the concepts and methods of the NEWGroup to advance the debate around a new framework for the economy in the United States and abroad.

John Cavanagh and David Korten serve as Co-Chairs of the NEWGroup. Noel Ortega, working out of IPS, is the Coordinator. You can reach Noel at noel@ips-dc.org.

Sincerely,

John Cavanagh, David Korten, Gus Speth, Sarah Anderson, Fran Korten, Sarah van Gelder, Chuck Collins, Alissa Barron, Katelyn Gallagher, and Noel Ortega


 

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Febuary 17, 2010

Dear friends, colleagues, and fellow agents for a new economy,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the New Economy Working Group's (NEWGroup) latest thinking on Inequality and Shared Prosperity -- Episode IV: Shared Prosperity, which is featured on NEWGroup's new website and is part of our 10 week website launch. The website is designed to highlight innovative thinking, writing, framing, education, events, resources, and campaigns about the "new economy."

The NEWGroup is a collaboration of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the People Centered Development Forum, YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and Gus Speth. Over the last several months, we have been developing the concepts and methods of the NEWGroup to advance the debate around a new framework for the economy in the United States and abroad.

We and many of you currently work on specific economic reforms. What we have not had, however, is a space dedicated to discussion of the larger, systemic changes we need to transform our economy from its speculation-based Wall Street focus to one centered on a thriving and green Main Street.

We are launching the NEWGroup website as a forum for that larger debate. This week, you will see our latest thinking on Inequality and Shared Prosperity. In the past three weeks we introduced three segments of the website dealing with the need to shift from GDP to new indicators of progress and rooting the power to create and allocate official money in democratically governed communities. In subsequent weeks, we will deal with issues of new global rules, real democracy, a peace economy and a series of other subjects.

John Cavanagh and David Korten serve as Co-Chairs of the NEWGroup. Noel Ortega, working out of IPS, is the Coordinator. You can reach Noel at noel@ips-dc.org.

We look forward to working with you to develop the thinking and communications strategies for an economy based on ecological balance, shared prosperity, and living democracy.

Sincerely,

John Cavanagh, David Korten, Gus Speth, Sarah Anderson, Fran Korten, Sarah van Gelder, Chuck Collins, Alissa Barron, and Noel Ortega

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Febuary 10, 2010

Dear Friends and Advocates of the New Economy,

As we all continue our work toward economic, social, and environmental reform, we at the New Economy Working Group (NEWGroup) are continuing to develop a space dedicated to shared discussion of innovative thinking, writing, framing, education, events, resources, and campaigns about the new economy, and we want to make sure that you are a part of this discussion.

This week we are introducing "Episode III" of our 10-week online launch: Living Wealth Money System.  The new section of the website contains resources (click on Resources tab) and our vision and agenda: Root the power to create and allocate official money in democratically governed communities.

To truly understand money, it is necessary to understand it as a system of power, an accounting entry, a measure of value, and phantom wealth. 

Each week, over the next 9 weeks, we will launch another part of the website. In subsequent weeks, we will deal with issues of shared prosperity, new money systems, new global rules, and a series of other subjects.


Sincerely,
NEWGroup Core Team

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Febuary 3, 2010

Dear Friends and Advocates of the New Economy,

As we all continue our work toward economic, social, and environmental reform, we at the New Economy Working Group are continuing to develop a space dedicated to shared discussion of innovative thinking, writing, framing, education, events, resources, and campaigns about the new economy, and we want to make sure that you are a part of this discussion.

This week we are introducing "Episode II" of our 10-week online launch: Living Wealth Indicators.  The new section of the website contains resources and our vision of how and why we should replace GDP, stock indices, and other purely financial indicators by which we currently evaluate economic performance with indicators of human health, social well-being, and ecological integrity.  We get what we measure, so measure what we want.

Each week, over the next 9 weeks, we will launch another part of the website. In subsequent weeks, we will deal with issues of shared prosperity, new money systems, new global rules, and a series of other subjects.

Sincerely,
NEWGroup Core Team

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January 27, 2010

Dear friends,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the website of the New Economy Working Group (NEWGroup), designed to highlight innovative thinking, writing, framing, education, events, resources, and campaigns about the "new economy."

The NEWGroup is a collaboration of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the People Centered Development Forum, YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and Gus Speth. Over the last several months, we have been developing the concepts and methods of the NEWGroup to advance the debate around a new framework for the economy in the United States and abroad.

We and many of you currently work on specific economic reforms. What we have not had, however, is a space dedicated to discussion of the larger, systemic changes we need to transform our economy from its speculation-based Wall Street focus to one centered on a thriving and green Main Street.

We are launching the NEWGroup website as a forum for that larger debate. This week, you will see an overview of what we are trying to accomplish. Each week, over the next 10 weeks, we will launch another part of the website, starting next week with a section that deals with the need to shift from GDP to new indicators of progress. In subsequent weeks, we will deal with issues of shared prosperity, new money systems, new global rules, and a series of other subjects.

John Cavanagh and David Korten serve as Co-Chairs of the NEWGroup. Noel Ortega, working out of IPS, is the Coordinator. You can reach Noel at noel@ips-dc.org.

We look forward to working with you to develop the thinking and communications strategies for an economy based on ecological balance, shared prosperity, and living democracy.

Sincerely,

John Cavanagh, David Korten, Gus Speth, Sarah Anderson, Fran Korten, Sarah van Gelder, Chuck Collins, Alissa Barron, and Noel Ortega