Rick,……. if people could only “feel” what you are suggesting. Focus and “live” everything local.
Personal experience…..I have just bought two vehicles and paid the dealer in silver maples bought at sixteen bucks.
If I didn’t have to spend so much time in my big garden, canning and making wine in the fall, I would extend my forty year stint in the barbershop quartet and theatre society in which I belonged. Haven’t had TV since ’91, and owned a piano before a dining room table.
Produce with your hands and trade with what your neighbour produces with his. A daily toast to Whale Street with wine from the fruit of the vine made with these human hands…….everyday.
Let us promote this path of freedom and integrity.

Thanks a lot Rick..

One other thought on this. Humans are tribal, and there are some very good reasons why that works. It’s far easier to have a solid foundation of trust– or to find out who is untrustworthy– in small groups.

It is useful in some ways to band together in huge groups, like nations, for some few purpose like self-defense, to build interstate highways etc. But much of the time, when we are dealing with people whom we don’t know, and who are not even known well by other people we know, there is a huge probability that we will become victims of fraud. This is what happens with Wall Street. and with the federal government in various ways. You don’t know who you are dealing with, really. You maybe start believing what stangers say about themselves, for lack of knowledgeable references from people who are known to you. And you soon find out that it was all false advertising, all lies.

I typed in a section from Dr. Vieria’s manuscript to the Gold Commission in 1982 “The Monetary Powers and Disabilities of the United States Constitution” on local issues in monetary policy. It has disappeared in a bad key-stroke on my part. I’ll type in the last paragraph of the CONCLUSION not having the energy to type in the whole of what has been lost.

The basis of this local discussion should center on the fact that the Senate put silver specie Money back into circulation in 1985, but; before the ink on the Senate version of the Act could dry Conference turn the act into the Gold Bullion Act of 1985 where speice Dollars are minted, but; corporate enfranchisees can only trade the metal content territorially because of Article I, sec. 10, cls. 1, No State Shall. . .”.

‘Gold Money’ may be an option yet it seems the masses would rather loose 5% a year to fiat debasement/ inflation than pay a fee for transacting in honest money. Beside, there is still the problem of the I.R.S. and their conversion of specie into tally numbers for excise fees for being a subject created legislatively by the 14th amendment. (all corporations and 14th persons are equal in legislative creation by the congress – Mitt said so and its true)

CONCLUSION
“About the nature of the problem, there can be no serious dispute. The present monetary arrangements of the country are unconstitutional, and even anti-constitutional, root and branch, and augur economic catastrophe in the not-distant future. But what can be done about it in today’s climate of economic and legal ignorance, and rampant political opportunism, is anyone’s guess.” (Manuscript 8 February 1982 Dr. Edwin Vieira, Jr. – four Degrees from Harvard)

Rick, the article today is a wif of fresh air in an otherwise sea of ignorance and rampat political opportunism. One should be able to effect change in localities. Yet, there seems to be a greater issue in regard to local success. One must either go “underground”, or be victimized by special interest groups in that rampat political opportunism of persons who suck the life out of the worker until there is no benefit to working, except for the ultra elite who live in windfall land and can spend enough in that social caste to make it look like the masses are doing well.

It would be a good idea to start local communities and local business that would operate in specie money as an act of rebellion against the poltical skullduggery of the agents of corporate monetary slavery called “the congress” where once stood Congress. Those who have tried, and there have been quite a few, have failed as the I.R.S. thugs come down to destroy the ‘bank’ that holds the specie in trust for People. Nash’s Theory punishes anyone who will not play the game of democratic fiat. The political special interest – that is the corporate excise payer – will not allow anyone to be different from their practice of democracy, and will enact legislative abuse to drive everyone to the same face in mob rule. Then there are the illegals who vote to recieve benefits. (I will not even entertain a statement about the voter system in this corporation being fair and honest.)

Change normally starts with artists. I hope your dream comes true Rick. And, I hope that the art community comes together Locally and Individually to really become constitutionally independant and free of fiat corruption. One will have need to answer the Vieria question of “. . .what can be done about it in today’s climate of economic and legal ignorance, and rampant political opportunism. . .”. I believe the word ignorance is so pointed. What good can come from local practice if one is still tied to the anti-constitutional ignorance and opportunism of fiat fraud?

I do not believe one can truely be Local while trading in the material of fiat that is designed by intent to enslave to territorial democracy and corporate enfrancisee subject status in national identity.

Everything needs to start somewhere and normally artists are the place that originates change. Good luck Rick in producing plays locally and I hope that that will include a local return to desolving today’s climate of economic and legal ignorance, and rampant political opportunism

Can only support the great article and inspiring photo of true peace and happiness. We should indeed take the time to lament what has happened in the modern world across so many parts of the globe.

The old style of living in Asia is in fact probably not much different than the old Italian country side, and many other similar scenarios… you live together as family in community, simple life, on the land, producing local goods and services, as Rick said, what you understand and enjoy and people want. Our forefathers did not have the luxury of a ” blog forum” to thin and express…they were too busy BUSTING THEIR ASSES FROM DUSK TIL DAWN!! Marriages and families don’t “fail ” when you don’t have time to think about what a marriage is…etc.

For me, back to basics, the “backup plan” is my work as a jazz pianist… if all else fails, what could be more pure 🙂

Cheers all, Mario

Rick, PLEASE PLEASE flog this idea at every opportunity and in every venue you can. What appears on the surface to be a “nice idea” is, in reality, absolutely revolutionary. It is the one area that the feds and the Wall St crowd have the least ability to pollute. Give to your local museums, community gardens, historical preservation groups, anything that militates against the mind-numbing vapidness and corrupt homogeneity of the ghouls who are running things right now.

In the last year, I have moved to a local bank, gotten involved in local economic development, got my freeze dried food, gravity water filters, medicine stocked up, etc. and started working with the folks around here doing great things to make everyone’s life better, regardless of race or economic status.

I am begging everyone who is reading this to spend some time in the next day or two to really, seriously consider how you can starve the bastards who have their hands around the throat of you and everything you love.

There are a million big and little ways to put sand in the gears, and it just takes one person fed up enough to do it. Want one practical method? Not to shamelessly promote but get Dan Pilla’s IRS Problem Solver materials and get to know what your rights are in any action with the IRS. If folks only exercised the rights we still have, the whole freakin’ system would grind to a halt. Don’t worry about stocking up on 50 cal ammo if you’re not even willing to do what is already legal and effective.

This is probably the most inspiring piece you’ve done, at least IMHO. Your dream to produce plays, replicated with each of our own dreams, is the only thing that can save us now. We’re way past big, collective “solutions” that are owned lock, stock and barrel by those we’re struggling to overcome.

Fight for it. Fight for it now, today, in every way imaginable. No excuses, turn off the noise that smothers you in trivial distractions and do something for yourself, your children and the legacy you leave behind.

THANK YOU for starting my week off with hope and strength. We need every bit of it to bring to this struggle.

Interesting concept Rick – think local like the old days.
Here’s an article about a Greek town that has done just that – opted out of the euro – :http://www.maltastar.com/dart/20120412-greek-town-opts-for-bartering-instead-of-euro
Instead of having a nice front yard with just grass, why not grow your own veggies and fruit?
http://www.growmycitygreen.com/
My dad, in his 90’s, told me that during the depression, the government would come out and plow the vacant lots so people could grow their own viggies to get by – what were they thinking?
People actually having to work to survive?
Not a far fetched idea – the plans are available to be “community self supporting”, it’s a question of getting off the government dole that is a detriment to the idea.
One never knows though. People can do amazing things if they set their minds to it.
Opting out of the government dole and reliance would take a change of mindset for the average American – not sure Americans have the backbone to do that these days.
If you truly believe that “going local’ is the answer, I hope to read more about your plans for Boulder, Colorado.
Keep up the good work, Rick – always enjoy your emails.
Cheers,
John

Yes, Boulder is a beautiful small city. I remember it fondly when I lived up near the top of Sugarloaf off the Sugarloaf Road, back in the mid-70’s. Lived in a cabin built in the 1830’s, we had phone but no water or electric. Outhouse above, spring below. Then moved out to live on the side of the mountain in a lean-to. Much younger then, but it was certainly an adventure! Haven’t been back since. But I’m certain I would recognize it if I did.

Of course the mountain is much different after the fire. Cabin is gone as is most of everything else that was up there.

Local is good.

Andy

Wow. “Getting your money out of Wall Street and putting it into something local that you understand and believe in. ” THAT is definitely an idea whose time has come. Many thanks for this essay and the links you supply above on this topic, Rick.