Getting a Grip

admin January 1st, 2008

On this first day of 2008 I’m about to go live with Rose Aguilar on KALW radio in San Francisco, 91.7FM. She wants to talk about “possibilities” awaiting us in 2008.

Outside, the snow is falling. Hmm… what will I say?

Could this year be the beginning of the wake-up? Enough people finally realizing that blaming George Bush or even replacing George Bush — that neither is enough. Instead we can go to the root: We can change the system that corrupts our political choices—the system that generates 61 Washington lobbyists for every congressperson and elects a president who trammels constitutional principle.

In Getting a Grip I argue that elections plus a market do not a democracy make.FDR warned us decades ago that, alone, they will lead to the concentration of private power and its control of our fate. So…. many Americans are saying no to despair and yes to real democracy, what I like to call Living Democracy. Many realize that the mother of all issues is reclaiming our political process from private wealth.

And it’s happening! See our video Getting a Grip on Money and Politics. All of us can ask candidates to pledge to support laws now introduced in Congress to bring about voluntary public financing of all federal elections.

So…I’ll talk about what I think of as America’s best kept secret — Clean Elections.

And I’ll mention a new movement democratizing economics that I’m excited about: the emergence of new category of corporations — the “B Corporations” — that amend their charters to require consideration of all stakeholders in decision making and have to demonstrate their environmental and fairness practices. Check it out.

Finally, on a happy book note: Two days ago on Amazon Getting a Grip rose to Number 1 in the War and Peace section! And I just learned that the U-U congregation in Austin, Texas, has chosen the book for its winter reading circles. Very cool.

Frankie

• Frances