* The monetary economy is a man-made, political artifact that does not serve us well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=f9cMcTWWDkU

* We are not measuring the well-being of people. Crises, wars, and weaponry are all regarded as positive additions to GNP. We should redefine our economic measures.

* volatility results from the speculative, casino-like market. When it spirals downward, there can be considerable suffering. Financial regulation, progressive taxation, a solid social safety net help to smooth out the business cycle, reduce suffering, and damp down income
disparities. FDR’s New Deal implemented some of this, but it has since been weakened by revocation of Glass-Steagle, and other deregulation.

* large disparities in income, such as we have now, are not just unfair, but are the direct cause of social dysfunction, economic volatility, and political corruption.
http://www.seconnecticut.com/income_inequality.htm

* the real world is rapidly being destroyed: fresh water is being used too fast, fisheries collapsing, glaciers melting, fossil fuels consumed at a rate that cannot last, species are disappearing at an alarming rate, human population has likely grown beyond sustainability.
… http://www.seconnecticut.com/environment.htm

* the market is not good for assessing or reacting to longer-term problems. New York should probably be planning for long term sea-level rise, but it is not clear if that is politically possible. Climate change is a looming
long-term threat that we have done little to recognize let alone address.
http://www.seconnecticut.com/economy.htm

* Republicans are on the wrong side of every issue that matters.
http://www.seconnecticut.com/vetorepublicans.html

It is naive today to believe that individuals are not offered millions or tens of millions in offshore accounts to vote for this or that sop to the rich and elite.

It is cheap to pay $20 million payoffs to get billions of dollars in tax breaks, especially when more than one giver is involved.

Be suspicious, very suspicious of any politician who wants to cut Medicare and Social security to “save America.” Something so immoral and so stupid could only be conceived where payoffs, threats or blackmail motivated the actor.