April/May

Learning from Sweden
Guy Dauncy

Designing the Next Golden Age
Jay Harman

Winning the Oil Endgame
Amory Lovins

America Beyone Capitalism
Gar Alperovitz

Troubled Water
Compiled by Anita Roddick & Brooke Shelby Biggs

Should We Buy Bottled Water?
Molly Young Brown

Water Can Change Your Life
Book Review of The True Power of Water by Masaru Emoto

A Point of Clarity Begins a Conscientious Objector's Journey
Amy Pincus Merwin & Steven Merwin

Help your Peace-loving Child Avoid the Draft
Helen James

Reframing Peace
Eric Sirotkin

From Hurt to Heart
Eryn Kalish

The Movie Mystic
Stephen Simon

Savoring Arts Education
Martha Phelps Cotton

Tools For Intuitive Mastery
Dawn Lianna Overeem

Life is a Fire
John Darling

Cosmic Calendar
Salina Rain

BACK TO TOP

Deborah Mokma, Editor

Many of us equate private enterprise with the “American way.” But what if community enterprise, in addition to but not in place of private enterprise, could help solve many of the problems facing us today? Problems with local economies, health care, even education and environmental degradation.

Gar Alperovitz, in his new book America Beyond Capitalism (excerpted in this issue), provides ample evidence to support his thesis that “the only way for the United States to once again honor its great historic values—above all equality, liberty, and meaningful democracy—is to build forward to achieve what amounts to systemic change. Fundamental change, indeed, radical systemic change, is as common as grass in world history. It may be that history has stopped in the United States circa 2004, but I doubt it. This is reinforced by the experiences I have cited—above all, that what seems radical is often simply common sense at the grassroots level, and that a commitment to the long haul is the only way to test what might really be possible.”

Alperovitz, a historian and political-economist, provides a wealth of information to substantiate his ideas, establishing them as more than just theory. He reports on the successes of many US communities who are thinking outside the box, who rather than turning over control of property for housing, business, and health centers to private industry have chosen to place them under community control. The stories are encouraging, even exciting, and there is no good reason why these models should not be applied in other communities as well. There are plenty of bad reasons however—one being unnecessary fear experienced by some in the influential business community.

When learning about the Newark, New Jersey non-profit neighborhood corporation which employs 2300 people who build and manage housing, run a supermarket and other businesses which pour profits back into health, job creation, education and other community services; and Denver Health, a municipal enterprise which transformed itself from an insolvent city agency into a competitive, quasi-public health-care system earning over $10 million annually while operating a system of 11 primary care centers and 12 school based clinics employing some 3,000 Denver area residents, how can we deny the wonderful possibilities which exist for all communities?

According to a report released by the UN Children’s Fund last March, at least one-fifth of the children in the US live under the national poverty line, one of the worst rates for a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development—a group of the world’s wealthiest countries. Nordic countries, where higher government spending on family and social benefits is the norm, have the lowest levels of child poverty in the world. Clearly the private enterprise model is not fulfilling the needs of twenty percent of our children, and, with a little imagination, community enterprise could make a big difference.

There are over 40 million people in the US who currently do not have health coverage. Many of these people are children who suffer, even die, due to a lack of the most basic health services. The Ithaca Health Alliance (ithacahealth.org) is a local nonprofit health plan in Ithaca, New York which covers “everyday” medical emergencies for $100 a year. Paul Glover, who was the inventor of a local currency, Ithaca Hours, was inspired by an informal health care system used by the Amish who pool their money to help cover each other’s medical bills. In October 2004 the Ithaca Health Alliance had 824 members, $215,000 in the bank, and was steadily expanding coverage. Will they put corporate health insurers out of business? Of course not, but they will provide medical coverage for members who cannot afford the high premiums required by private insurers.

Closer to home is a grassroots organization, Food for People, based in Ashland, Oregon. While many Rogue Valley residents are blessed with abundance, many also go hungry when forced to choose between buying food and paying other bills. Food for People gathers food daily from local stores and organic farmers. The food is distributed to those in need through Northwest Seasonal Workers, HeadStart, community meals, group homes, etc. Food for People needs help—just a few hours each month—picking up, sorting and delivering food. Perhaps you know of an individual or an organization in need, or have fruit trees that go unharvested, or an abundance of garden produce that you would like to pass on. For information on how you can help please call their coordinator, Pamela Joy, at (541) 482-5330.

Albert Einstein said imagination is more important than intellect in solving problems. With so many of our communities facing serious difficulties—including lack of affordable housing, inadequate health care, funding cuts in education—it’s time for us to look for new models. The solutions will not necessarily come from private industry, or from government. As a message from the Hopi elders so eloquently stated, the ones we are waiting for are us. Together, we can accomplish miracles.