April 4, 2013

The Arms Treaty – Thank you President Obama!

By John Perkins

I just flew from SE Asia to the Middle East, two regions that have been the scenes of violence – much of it involving my country, the US – for most of my lifetime. Sitting in my Istanbul hotel, looking out on this historic city, I am relieved to read that the global arms trade treaty was approved by the UN General Assembly on April 2, 2013. The first treaty of its type, it seeks to regulate the $70 billion international business in conventional arms, ranging from light weapons to battle tanks and warships.

The voting results highlight two interesting facts: The 155 votes in favor prove that the vast majority of countries are striving for a peaceful world and an end to the conflicts here in the Middle East and elsewhere. The 3 votes against, from Syria, Iran, and North Korea, tell us that we must come up with creative approaches to deal with the few nations that seem determined to undermine the peace process.

The US has a long history of blocking efforts at regulating weapons – including the strong opposition within our own boarders to gun control. My recent travels to Vietnam and Myanmar and now in the Middle East have once again been strong reminders of the role the US has played in fomenting wars in so many parts of the world and in using weapons like land mines and agent orange in ways that to me are totally unconscionable. By signing and promoting this arms treaty, the Obama Administration has taken a bold and laudable step in a new direction; he has positioned the US as a leader along a path to world peace.

If this treaty is implemented effectively, it will make a real difference for people everywhere. It will reduce the flow of arms and ammunition that fuels wars. Binding requirements for cross-border arms contracts are a major move toward ensuring that arms will not be used in human rights abuses, terrorism or violations of humanitarian law. In addition to its legal implications, this treaty is also a clear message that the majority of UN countries are committed to trying to find the path to peace.

I signed a letter to President Obama thanking him for his part in making this treaty a reality. And I added a note that I hope his administration will do everything in its power to reduce – rather than inflame – tensions in Korea, Iran, and Syria. During my travels, I constantly hear from the citizens of other countries that the world looks to the US for leadership. In this time of nuclear and chemical weapons that threaten to destroy our very existence on this planet, there is nothing more important than leading a global movement to peace. Let us praise President Obama and encourage him to keep doing more.

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NOTES:

Upcoming Events:

April 8-10, 2013:
LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE SYMPOSIUM
Counsel Chambers, Templeton Building
0615 SW Palatine Hill Road
Portland, OR 97219

April 20, 2013:
GREEN FESTIVAL, New York City
Javits Convention Center, New York City
www.greenfestivals.org

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***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

March 12, 2013

Italian Election: Awakening Consciousness?

By John Perkins

Who would have predicted that a comedian-turned-political activist, Beppe Grillo, and the anti-austerity Five Star Movement would win the Italian election? What caused this massive rejection of Prime Minister Mario Monti’s austerity policies?

U.S President Obama, German chancellor Merkel, and other European leaders who backed Mario Monti must be puzzling over these questions. The recent Italian elections support a trend I have been describing for several years: a global awakening in consciousness. Voters in Italy resoundingly rejected the two parties that had dominated, both of which advocated austerity and other measures that favor the 1% at the expense of the 99%. The electorate propelled to power the practically unheard of the Five Star Party.

President Obama is well advised to listen carefully to the voices from Italy. Here are just a few of the many interesting anti-austerity ideas recommended by the Five Star Party that we in the US should adopt:

• Legislation to tighten laws against corporate and political corruption
• Laws that outlaw corporate influence in politics
• Rules that end “revolving doors” between business and government
• Incentives and regulations to clean up the environment
• Plans to expand and broaden the internet
• Development of sustainable energy and transportation
• Improvements in roads, bridges, water, sewer, and other infrastructure
• Reforms in banking laws – get private ownership (the Fed) out of the central bank
• Incentives for local businesses

Economic slow-downs require investment, not austerity. Our leaders – whether they are in Italy or the US – must lead us into a new type of economy, one that is based on cleaning up our polluted planet rather than polluting it even more, feeding starving people, and taking care of war victims rather than declaring more wars. There is much to be done and doing it will spur economic growth.

The stock market recently soared to new peaks but it cannot sustain them if the austerity programs remain in effect. In fact, the market will plummet once again. Obeying the howl of the austerity advocates will propel our nation into greater calamity. Democrats and Republicans alike must discard the “economics of austerity” mentality and listen to that old adage that “you’ve got to spend money to make money.” Spend it wisely, yes, and know that right now there is a multitude of wise investments potentials.

The Italians sent a strong message to their leaders. Hopefully, it was a message heard around the world and especially in Washington.

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NOTES:

Upcoming Events:

April 8-10, 2013:
LEWIS & CLARK COLLEGE SYMPOSIUM
Counsel Chambers, Templeton Building
0615 SW Palatine Hill Road
Portland, OR 97219

April 20, 2013:
GREEN FESTIVAL, New York City
Javits Convention Center, New York City
www.greenfestivals.org

If you aren’t already, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook:

***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

February 14, 2013

Obama, 2013, Costa Rica, and the Maya Lands of Guatemala

By John Perkins

President Obama’s State of the Union address was a call for change and action. In many respects his words echoed the messages of the indigenous prophecies for these coming times.

I recently returned from teaching workshops for Omega at Blue Spirit in Costa Rica. We delved deep into the hope-filled prophecies around post-2012 and the way indigenous teachings can lead us from the brink of environmental, political, economic and social destruction to a sustainable, just, peaceful, and thriving world.

From the beginning of his first run for President, Obama has emphasized that we must be the agents of change. It is an urgent message that truly reflects the prophecies. We the People must do it. You and I. It is a call for action that has reverberated through the history of democracies. George Washington said it. Lincoln said it. Eisenhower and Kennedy said it.

I am devoting this next year to writing, speaking out, and acting on this subject, culminating in a magical trip to the Maya lands in Guatemala in December 2013. I hope you will join me in making a commitment to doing everything you can to create the type of change we all know is necessary. I also invite you to join me and Mayan shamans, teachers, and elders, on the trip described below:

2013- Birthing the New Era
Realizing the Prophecies
in the Lands of the Maya:
Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness
John Perkins & Daniel Koupermann
December 13 – 22, 2013

The December 2012 trip celebrated the end of a 5,125 year period. This year, 2013, according to the Maya, is a time to birth into a new era, to elevate ourselves and our communities to higher consciousness.

Soar into the power and mystery of ancient prophecies! Join John Perkins – NY Times bestselling author and leading expert on indigenous cultures and shamanism – Daniel Koupermann – expedition guide and environmentalist – and local Mayan teachers and shamans on this life-changing adventure to the mountains and rain forests of Central America. Apply shapeshifting approaches, elevate yourself to higher states of consciousness, and transform yourself and the world around you.

December 21, 2012 was identified by Mayan astrologers more than a millennium ago as the Great Turning – a time of opportunity to “shapeshift” human societies away from exploitation, brutality, and materialism into cooperation, compassion, and spirituality. John, Daniel, men and women Mayan shamans, and a powerful group of people from 11 countries performed many powerful ceremonies before, during, and after 12/21/12. On this first anniversary, during the 2013 Equinox, we take the journey to another level.

Be part of this select group of travelers who will explore, study, and celebrate together the true birth of a “new” time on our planet.

Indigenous elders and shamans around the world have taught John and Daniel that all life is energy and that personal and global transformation occurs by altering energy. The Maya are known as the Masters of Subtle Energy. On this journey you will:

• Learn how prophecies from cultures around the globe interweave
• Perform fire ceremonies in Tikal and other sacred sites with local shamans
• Learn shapeshifting approaches while embracing the power of exploding volcanoes
• Visit jungles inhabited by jaguars, howler monkeys, and the mysterious coatis
• Empower your personal mission; release barriers that have inhibited you
• Participate in experiential shapeshifting workshops
• Hear the stories and prophecy interpretations of Central and South America elders
• Explore secret inter-dimensional passageways, portals to what the Maya call the “Unseen Universe”
• Stay in magnificent colonial haciendas; feast on delicious local foods
• Roam the streets, markets, and quaint shops of colonial Antigua
• Learn the shamanic art of “Living in Ecstasy” and
• Connect with like-minded people

This is a trip for those of us who want to learn, share unconditional love and life-changing experiences, and shapeshift the world we pass on to future generations. If this is you, we invite you to join us on this life-altering journey!

Cost for the journey is $3300 per person. This includes all expenses except the international airfare to and from Guatemala City, alcoholic beverages, souvenirs and other personal expenses. We are only able to accommodate a limited number of participants on the journey, so reserve your place with a deposit of $600. By June 15, 2013 a second payment of $1,000 is due and the final payment of $1700 is due October 15, 2013.

Payments (checks only) as well as questions about the trip should be made to:

Linda Leyerle
3256 Southern Drive Suite 461
Garland, TX 75043
lleyerle@aol.com

Cancellation Policy: Full refund if cancellation is made before June 15, 2013, 50% refund will be made until October 15, 2013. If cancellation is made after October 15, 2013 there will be no refund.
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NOTES:

To book a speaking engagement, please contact my publicist Peg Booth:
Email: pegbooth@boothmedia.com
Phone: +1 760-929-1111

If you aren’t already, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook:

***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

January 24, 2013

Obama’s Unambiguous Inauguration Address: YOU Must Act!

By John Perkins

President Barack Obama declared “we must take action” in his 2013 Inaugural Address. His words took me back to the day when I wrote something similar in Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and to the many talks I have given since, urging readers and audiences not to wait for our leaders but for each one of us to take action every day.

Our president vowed to continue fighting for equality of women and for the rights of gays and lesbians, for immigration reform and gun control, for more income equality, against climate warming, to end the war in Afghanistan, protect social security and Medicare, advance our education system, and support the type of research and science that will establish new jobs. This was music to my ears. But what impressed me most was his constant call for “togetherness,” for us to get involved. As I’ve said many times in this newsletter, our leaders are vulnerable, they cannot do it – the corporatocracy has their number – it is up to us, you and me.

According to Obama “We must act knowing that today’s victories will be only partial, and that it will be up to those who stand here in four years and 40 years to advance the timeless spirit…”

The message is clear. Do not expect our president or our Congress to create a better world. Take on that responsibility yourself. Responsibility? Yes. Challenge? Yes. Fun? Absolutely. What can be more fun or more satisfying than creating a better world for ourselves and our offspring?

Now is the perfect moment to ask yourself: What do I want? Do I want faces on magazine covers of people who exploit workers, pay fortunes to lawyers and lobbyists to defend the status quo, and ship their money to overseas tax havens? Children raised on a planet where less than 5 percent of the population (living in the U.S.) consumes more than 25 percent of the resources? A world where violence escalates by the day and militaristic tactics against “terrorism” force us into a constant state of siege?

Of course the answers to these questions are a resounding “NO!”

What we want is a world where new economies are created – Life Economies instead of Death Economies. Where the models for our children are the founders and managers of institutions that restore ravaged lands and polluted lakes, promote sustainable energy, and help starving people feed themselves. Where no one is denied medical care and everyone is given the right to live out the last days of his or her life in dignity. Where people of all races and sexual preferences are treated equally. Where there are no more land mine victims because there are no more land mines, no more wars.

I have said before that “the choice does not lie with Barack Obama. Or any other politician. The choice is ours!” In this pivotal speech, announcing his final four years, the President urged all of us to respond to his own plea: “Our journey is not complete. We must take action.”

His message echoes that of our Founding Fathers and of other great presidents including Lincoln, Eisenhower, and Kennedy: In a democracy and a republic, We the People must shoulder the responsibility. It is up to us to mold the future.

There are many opportunities for you to contribute to improvements in our current political, economic, educational, health care, military, and other systems. There are many paths you can take. The important thing is to choose one, be persistent, and participate in this grand adventure. As Obama said, you can “set this country’s course.” And you must. We must.
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NOTES:

To book a speaking engagement, please contact my publicist Peg Booth:
Email: pegbooth@boothmedia.com
Phone: +1 760-929-1111

If you aren’t already, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook:

***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

January 8, 2013

Football – Why it is THE American Sport

By John Perkins

Watching the annual spectacle of the NFL playoffs, I once again find myself wondering: why is this sport so American? A few other countries have taken it up, but not with anything remotely approaching the fervor of the U.S. You won’t find many players from Italy, Nigeria, or Brazil on the NFL lists!

Why has this sport, which is so different from others, achieved such popularity in the U.S.? When I ask friends I usually hear answers such as “we like violence.” While Hollywood seems to confirm the validity of this statement in general, I’ve always thought there must be more to the football phenomenon than that.

Ah ha! I’ve got it!

Unlike almost every other team sport – basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and volleyball – many of the players on the gridiron do not get to touch the ball. Ever. They manhandle and tackle each other – bodies clash and pile on other bodies – but they don’t touch that pigskin. Of course one player always handles the ball. And that same player dictates the moves for everyone else on the team.

Unlike other sports, most of the players do not make decisions; they simply obey that one guy. Oh yes, on any given play, once the one or two guys who do touch the ball actually have it in their hands, they can choose to fake right and run left or fake left and run right… but that’s about it!

And the guy who always touches the ball and calls the shots generally makes more money and basks in the limelight more than anyone else. He is judged by statistics: completed passes, touchdowns, interceptions, tackles, those sorts of things, and also – naturally – his salary and bonuses.

The teams will do just about anything to beat the competition. Every year, they go all out to attain #1 status. The hype is mind-boggling. To a large degree, the future income of players, as well as owners, depends on the team’s annual rankings. Players follow the money. They may stay with one team for many years but only if it enables them to amass greater fortunes and increases their chances of reaching the #1 spot. They may profess loyalty to team or city, but that is just good PR.

So, does this remind you of any other type of organization?

It does me…

It seems to me that football is so popular in the U.S. because we are the capital of capitalism. The football team represents the corporation. The quarterback is the CEO. The backs and receivers are the VPs and those guys who keep piling up on each other (without touching the ball) are most of the rest of us, the workers.

When we watch the game, we get to anticipate what the quarterback will do next. Third down and eight… He will pass, but will he go long or just for the first down? Within moments, we get the answer. Immediate gratification. We can’t do that with CEOs. Will we get a raise this year? What about an early retirement? Wait and see, do not hold your breath!

So this weekend, snap on the TV, chug a beer, wolf down the pretzels, and pretend you can actually call the shots…

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NOTES:

For information on upcoming events please see www.johnperkins.org – SCHEDULE

If you aren’t already, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook:

***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

December 14, 2012

Dec. 20-22, 2012: The Awakening

By John Perkins

I just arrived in Guatemala and am looking forward to participating in the powerful Awakening, the birthing of this new era prophesied long ago by the Maya.
I hope you will join me at the celebration on December 22 led by Barbara Marx Hubbard and many well-known spiritual teachers (see press release below). It is broadcast live from all over the world — including a group, I am facilitating of 30 from the “North” and a community of Mayas performing sacred ceremonies around Tikal and in Lake Peten, Guatemala. These are the times we’ve been waiting for — a wonderful opportunity to open our hearts and celebrate this new epoch that is so full of hope, love, and potential.

John

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BIRTH 2012:
Global Movement Aims to
Unify 100 Million People to Celebrate the Birth of a New Era

DECEMBER 20-22, 2012

Bestselling Authors, Musicians and Cultural Leaders Unite in More than 40 Major Events from Mexico to Australia in an Unprecedented Global Webcast, Culminating with a Los Angeles Gala Event.

December 10, 2012 (Los Angeles) – The end of the long-count Mayan calendar on December 21 has provoked apocalyptic fears, doomsday books and films, parodies, and even triggering outbreaks of panic, as recently reported in a December 1 New York Times article on Russia’s end-of-the-world anxiety. By contrast, the far more positive and forward-looking Birth 2012 movement, organized by The Shift Network, offers a creative and hopeful alternative. Rather than feed fears, the movement aims to turn this marker point into a “birth day” for a new era that is healthy, sustainable, and peaceful. The conveners recognize the power of this once-in-five-thousand-years turning point to unify people globally around a commitment to create a world that works for all. Through the Birth 2012 movement and its unprecedented 33-hour global live webcast linking more than 40 major locations, many of today’s top cultural leaders, bestselling authors, religious leaders, and musicians will join together in a call for a collective shift to a new way of living. Livecast locations include Mexico, Egypt, India, Japan, Israel, Ghana, Kenya, Scotland, Guatemala, Brazil, and Canada, plus dozens of locations in the United States. Led by bestselling author Barbara Marx Hubbard and The Shift Network’s Stephen Dinan, the movement features New York Times bestselling authors and thought leaders such as Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, John Perkins, Neale Donald Walsch, don Miguel Ruiz, Jack Canfield, Joan Borysenko, and Lisa Nichols; spiritual leaders such as Michael Bernard Beckwith, Ram Dass, Jean Houston, Shiva Rea, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Mayan elders, Oscar Miro-Quesada, and members of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers; actors such as Esai Morales; social change leaders such as Lynne Twist, Dot Maver, and James O’Dea; journalists such as Lynne McTaggart; academics such as Ervin Laszlo of Global Shift University and Ashok Gangadean of Haverford; business leaders such as Rinaldo Brutoco of World Business Academy; and musicians such as Ozomatli, Donna DeLory and Rickie Byars Beckwith. Many of these leaders will participate in a live celebration on December 21 and 22 at Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City, CA, while others will join the celebration from other locations around the world. Millions more will connect via 12 waves of unity that will be staged every two hours leading up to the “birth moment” at noon Pacific on December 22. These will include synchronized meditations, prayers, songs, and practices worldwide, ranging from a Havdalah prayer from Jerusalem to One Billion Oms led from India to a world peace prayer ceremony from Mt. Fuji and a global Yoga Wave. For example, One Earth. One Voice., an earth-focused campaign through singing, will be creating a synchronized global song at 2:00 pm Pacific on the 21st, with locations around the world singing a Nigerian Yoruba song.

An Unprecedented Global Webcast

The major 2012-themed events around the globe will be shared live during an unprecedented 33-hour webcast that begins December 21 at noon Pacific and continues until December 22 (9 pm Pacific). Executive Producer Charlie Gay, who once managed Cher and produced Billy Graham stadium events said, “I’ve managed shows with a high number of locations, but the Birth 2012 broadcast is the longest stretch of programming of this kind ever attempted while also handling the simultaneous challenge of multiple locations worldwide—and all of this is being put together on relatively short notice.”

The first major event will begin in Byron Bay, Australia, featuring Barbara Marx Hubbard in a multi-media piece called Theater of Our Birth. The program continues with a “Three Days of Love” pledge and media campaign inviting participants to commit to actions and words of love from December 20-22. Celebrated graphic designer, Shepard Fairey, contributed his iconic design, Peace Fingers, for the Three Days of Love campaign. On December 20, a partner initiative called “A Big Project” will focus on activating artistic visions for a better world with a 10-hour webcast from New York. On December 21, many of the large global events will begin, continuing through December 22.

“Birth 2012 is a celebration for the world that helps us build a critical mass of people committed to positive change. Drawing inspiration from visionary Barbara Marx Hubbard and many of today’s bestselling pioneers, we aim to co-create a historic turning point that helps to interconnect the social, spiritual, and technological breakthroughs that can lead us forward out of our current global crises,” shares Stephen Dinan, the co-founder and architect of the Birth 2012 campaign as well as CEO of The Shift Network, which serves 225,000 members with transformational online events, courses, and trainings.

Culminating Gala Event in Los Angeles

Since the Mayan calendar date marks the end of a calendar cycle on December 21, Birth 2012 will designate the Birth Day for a new era on December 22, specifically marking the Birth Moment at noon Pacific time. This moment will be celebrated during a Gala event at Agape International Spiritual Center and include a live global broadcast featuring music, ceremony, inspiring talks, visioning, multi-media, and Shift Awards for peace, sustainability, health, and economics.

The planetary birthing movement is gaining momentum worldwide, with synchronized spiritual and social events designed to shift global consciousness toward love and harmony. Birth 2012 can connect these events in a way that represents a unification on a scale we have perhaps never seen” shares Barbara Marx Hubbard, co-founder and President for the Foundation for Conscious Evolution and former Democratic Vice – Presidential nominee (1984). Hubbard sees this time in history as a critical turning point into the next stage of what she terms “Conscious Evolution” – defined as evolution by choice not chance. Additional elements in the global program to create longer-term change include a Declaration of Interdependence to be signed in Philadelphia and presented in New York, a Declaration of Commitment to Indigenous Peoples, and promotion of the Pledge 4 Peace to encourage actions for peace in the coming year. Participants will be encouraged to former local hubs and invited into future programs such as the Winter of Wellness, Spring of Sustainability, and Summer of Peace to create longer-term changes.

Media companies that are contributing to the global production include FANetwork.tv, PeaceDay TV, EmpowerMe TV, Agape Media, and Peace of Mind TV. Co-sponsors of the Birth 2012 campaign range from Green America to The Peace Alliance and Humanity’s Team. Unity churches (1 million global members) and the Brahma Kumaris (with 2500 global centers) are actively participating in the movement, as are non-profit groups such as EarthDance, and United Nations Women, Los Angeles.

###

For information on detailed webcast schedule and locations: www.birth2012.com
For information on the Los Angeles Gala: www.birth2012la.com
For information on Three Days of Love: www.threedaysoflove.com

The Shift Network, Inc. empowers a growing global movement of 225,000 members who are creating an evolutionary shift of consciousness that in turn leads to a more enlightened society, one built on principles of sustainability, peace, health, and prosperity.

Press Contact:
Jill Mangino
PH: 973-222-1116 (cell) 908.637.6022 (office)
jill@circle3media.com
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NOTES:
December 15-24, 2012:
“A Journey to Prophecies in the Lands of the Maya: Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness with John Perkins and Daniel Koupermann”
For more information please email Linda Leyerle: lleyerle@aol.com

If you aren’t already, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook:

***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

December 5, 2012

Austerity and War: Destroying Human Rights

By John Perkins

Holiday crowds swarmed the streets of downtown Seattle. Christmas lights and music filled the night with a festive spirit. My daughter Jessica, five-year old grandson Grant, and our friend Mark left the hustle and bustle of elegant shops and made our way down Marion St., headed for the ferry terminal. As we crossed the pedestrian bridge that arches above the Alaskan Way, we came upon the cluster of homeless people who hang out in the shadows of the ferry terminal. Among the familiar signs perched near them, I spotted a new one: “Iraq Vet. – Austerity and war destroy human rights.”

It was so reminiscent of an article I had recently read by my friend Laura Flanders entitled “Austerity: A Violation of Human Rights?” that I figured the bearded veteran hunkered down behind the sign must have seen that same article. (http://www.thenation.com/blog/171364/austerity-violation-human-rights)

The issues around government, economics, and war raise serious questions. All of us, especially we who are citizens of the United States and the European and Asian countries that today control the global economy – one that is obviously failing – must ask ourselves: What impact do the austerity policies proposed by politicians have on human rights? How about war?

Flander’s article points out that President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 defined the “Four Freedoms” essential to good democracy and human rights as: the freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. These concepts were incorporated into the U.N.’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Riding the ferry across Puget Sound and watching Grant snuggle into his mother’s lap as she read a Christmas story to him, I kept thinking about that Iraqi Veteran. It seemed to me that his government, the one he fought for, has taken the last two of FDR’s freedoms away from him.

“Freedom from want” was the keystone of FDR’s New Deal and has been considered a necessary element to good governance ever since. Yet in 2010, 46.9 million people in the U.S. were classified as living in poverty– the fourth consecutive annual increase and the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty rates have been published (the 2011 and 2012 numbers will probably be even higher, although not yet published). Globally, about 1 billion people are officially classified as hungry; however, governments tend to underestimate these figures: in reality roughly half the world is malnourished, approaching starvation, or actually starving.

“Freedom of fear” has new implications in a country so obsessed with fighting terrorism that its officials pass laws which strike fear into anyone in a position to seriously criticize government policies and the authorities who enforce them. These laws include warrantless searches, secret intelligence (and military) courts, extraordinary renditions, and the denial of habeas corpus, a guarantee that no one shall be detained without sufficient evidence and that anyone arrested will have a speedy trial. Regardless of your opinions about Guantanamo, police brutality against the Occupy Movement and unions, and Bradley Manning, you have to wonder . . .

Those who would keep us in a state of war mentality understand that the threat of war is their avenue to increased riches (since they are the military-industrial complex) and the simplest way to perpetuate fear and the draconian laws that walk hand in hand with it. The war economy also assures huge budget deficits – which in turn offer an excuse for cutting back on social services for the poor and middle classes. The U.S. military budget is more than 50% of the world total; yet among the 34 OEDC countries the U.S. ranks last in spending on social services. Alexis de Tocqueville, the 19th century historian and author of Democracy in America, wrote: “All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.”

As the debates rage in Washington and throughout Europe over trade-offs between raising taxes on the rich and cutting social services for everyone else, as we muddle through the militaristic flag-waving that brings us closer to war in the Middle East and create a mushroom cloud of national debt, and as we continue to grant oil and other mega-companies huge concessions to ravage lands and cultures around the planet, we might be well advised to heed the message of a man who went to Iraq and now sits in the cold shadows of the Seattle ferry terminal: “Austerity and war destroy human rights.”
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NOTE:
January 6 – February 2, 2013: “Achieving Peace Through Higher Consciousness” – Omega Workshop in Nosara, Costa Rica.
For more information and to register please visit: https://eomega.org/omega/register/5844

If you aren’t already, please follow me on Twitter and Facebook:

***You have my express permission to share, replicate, and distribute this newsletter.

November 14, 2012

The Election: Blazing New Trails

By John Perkins

Here in San Francisco where I’m speaking at the Green Festival and several events for The Pachamama Alliance, the jubilation over President Obama’s victory is palpable. It is a good time to celebrate, if you voted for him; a good time to evaluate the mood of America, if you did not. And, in either case, it’s a good time to ask ourselves: What is the real significance of this election? It sends important signals to liberals and conservatives and everyone in between!

Regular readers of this newsletter know that I believe the President of the U.S. does not have a great deal of power. He is beholden to those who finance his campaign, especially big corporations and their owners and CEOs. He has to face the 10,000 lobbyists who haunt the halls of Washington. He is vulnerable to the threat of character assassination, verbal bullets that can be fired at him through rumors of sexual and other improprieties, if he rubs powerful interests the wrong way. Whatever the truth behind the Petraeus scandal, it sends a warning to all people in positions of authority.

Yet, despite the weaknesses in presidential power, this election is significant. The President is a messenger and a symbol. The fact that this messenger and symbol won out over his opponent tells us a great deal about ourselves and where we’re headed.

Let’s face it, President Obama had a lot to overcome in order to win a second term. Heavy debt, high unemployment, unfulfilled promises. . . you know the list. In the end, he was re-elected not because of his record, but because he advocated for the 99% over the 1% and because he challenged us to step forward onto a more socially just and environmentally responsible path; Romney threatened to take us back to pre-New Deal days.

We the people sent the message that we’re sick of robber barons who grow richer and richer while cutting back on our Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, fire departments, and other social services. We’ve had it with billionaires who pay meager, if any, taxes, and expect to get bailed out when the risks they take turn sour. We’re tired of “leaders” who refuse to defend women’s rights, freedom of speech, and people’s choices about whom they want to love.

This election is blazing a trail. President Obama won 71% of Latino voters nationwide. According to exit polls, he also won among women, non-white voters, young voters, and in big cities. With four Supreme Court justices 74 or older, Obama’s second term is likely to result in a liberalized Court that can overturn Citizens United and other corporatocracy-favoring laws.

The message is clear. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, Libertarian or Green Party, make no mistake; the mood of the country has changed. We are headed along a new trail. Its landmarks include deeper compassion for those who appear different from us. It is not just about economic growth; it is about better lives for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid, as well as a cleaner, healthier environment.

Now it is up to each and every one of us to participate in this adventure. We’re joined by people around the planet. They’ve shown up on Wall Street and in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The trail has been envisioned in the prophecies of ancient cultures that stretch from the deepest jungles to the highest mountains. If we want a better planet for ourselves and future generations, if we want to replace fossil fuels with sustainable energy, overcome the horrible prejudices that threaten minorities, women, and – yes – all of us, the 99 %, exchange the corrupt too-big-to-fail banks for local ones, serve our children healthy foods and potable water, and relegate inefficient transportation systems to the history books, we will not only follow those marks along the trail; we will blaze new ones. We will grow bolder and more determined. We will explore this exciting new frontier, much as our forefathers explored the seemingly limitless seas and forests.

I walk along San Francisco’s Market Street. A grey-bearded man looks up at me from a filthy sleeping bag. A ragged woman motions for me to come to a blanket where she sits surrounded by used clothes she’s trying to sell. I continue walking until I come to a place were a crowd has gathered. I peer between the shoulders; young people are dancing. There are Asians, African Americans, Latinos, and a couple as White as me. Michael Jackson’s voice fills the air:

“If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself; then make that change.”
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