Next Monday I'll be in NYC for the afternoon at a National Gathering of the Industrial Areas Foundation. IAF is the parent organization of Action in Montgomery (AIM). As I had written a few weeks ago, one of the issues which concerns us all is the economy, but also the culture which encouraged and permitted the abuses which lead to the recent economic downturn. This meeting in part will be strategizing what can we do to represent the average person in the national conversation about re-creating a healthy and equitable economy for the benefit of all.
One of the interesting conversations around this theme which has fascinated me is the idea of COMMONWEALTH. When I look back over much of the past two or so decades - I've done OK financially. But I look at the frightening gap growing between have and have nots. In recent years, a very few have become fantastically rich, while the poor remain poor and the middle class has not grown individually or collectively. We have created pockets of wonderful prosperity, but only for a few. We have not invested in the infrastructure which creates wealth across broad spectrums of society. I was blown away in Israel by quality and speed of cellphone and wifi service. It creates wealth. When I hear about high speed trains, high speed wifi and cellphone service in "Third World" countries - I wonder why we don't have or have to pay so much for these vital, 21st Century "basic" services.
Maybe it's time for our country - private and public to invest in the kind of services and infrastructure that are communal wealth and spread productivity throughout our society. That's what commonwealth is about. Having the roads - physical highways and communication pathways to be able to make and get products in order to generate economic well-being for vast sectors of our country. I don't know how to do this - but I'd like to be part of conversation about achieving ethical prosperity.
One of the interesting conversations around this theme which has fascinated me is the idea of COMMONWEALTH. When I look back over much of the past two or so decades - I've done OK financially. But I look at the frightening gap growing between have and have nots. In recent years, a very few have become fantastically rich, while the poor remain poor and the middle class has not grown individually or collectively. We have created pockets of wonderful prosperity, but only for a few. We have not invested in the infrastructure which creates wealth across broad spectrums of society. I was blown away in Israel by quality and speed of cellphone and wifi service. It creates wealth. When I hear about high speed trains, high speed wifi and cellphone service in "Third World" countries - I wonder why we don't have or have to pay so much for these vital, 21st Century "basic" services.
Maybe it's time for our country - private and public to invest in the kind of services and infrastructure that are communal wealth and spread productivity throughout our society. That's what commonwealth is about. Having the roads - physical highways and communication pathways to be able to make and get products in order to generate economic well-being for vast sectors of our country. I don't know how to do this - but I'd like to be part of conversation about achieving ethical prosperity.
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