Set Your Priorities Straight

“So, since Ukraine is nonetheless now gearing up, with American taxpayers’ money, to replace its weapons-supply that was used-up or destroyed in the war to-date, and also to build an immense new military graveyard for a planned 250,000 corpses of Ukrainian soldiers in the next and future rounds of invasions against the rebelling region in Ukraine’s (former) southeast, the IMF is basically quitting continued financing of that ethnic-cleansing campaign against the residents in that region. The EU has already quit funding it, other than a token half-billion-euro donation delivered on December 10th. Only the U.S. remains committed to funding it, by donating whatever weapons and military guidance are deemed necessary in order to conquer, and/or to expel, the pro-Russian residents in Ukraine’s former southeast. 98% of the U.S. House voted for it, and so did 100% of the U.S. Senate. At least 67% of the U.S. public are against it.”
http://www.globalresearch.ca/u-s-taxpayers-now-alone-in-financing-ukraines-ethnic-cleansing-campaign-imf-says-ukraine-fails-to-meet-conditions-of-17-billion-loan/5419885

The question that comes up is: How is that possible? How does that work?

When the majority of the population does not support the funding of a foreign war – how is it possible that those ‘representing the people’ vote in a totally different direction?

And what is more – why is this not hitting the headlines? While everyone’s focus is on Ferguson, whether or not Putin is becoming the new Stalin and the apparent ‘shock’ at torture practices  – the American elite goes about deciding what to do with taxpayers’ money without anyone even noticing that it stands squarely against the wishes of US citizens.

According to PovertyUSA, 46.2 million Americans live in poverty in the USA – that is 1 in 6 – and 1 in 7 American households were food insecure last year. Why oh why would you consider funding a foreign war – when at home, people are in desperate need of support?

Many justifications are put forward for military spending – but do they hold up?

Creating security for your citizens starts with guaranteeing personal financial security. Reviving the economy starts with ensuring effective flow in the domestic economy by reducing inequality and ensuring everyone is enabled to be an active and empowered participant in the economy. Building world peace starts with eradicating crime at home by making sure no one has a reason to destroy another’s life out of spite, because they are lacking. Democratization starts with recognizing the wishes of your people at home and acting according to those wishes – increase direct political decision making and build in mandatory budget referendums.

The real threats to civilization – the real wars that are being fought are not wars between countries, are not wars between people of different religion and different race. The real war is the war against against poverty – the fight to survive.

A Living Income Guaranteed would be a better use of funds currently allocated to military operations – if you really want to achieve the goals mentioned above – then start by implementing a Living Income Guaranteed – you have no right to meddle in foreign affairs when you allow your own people to live in destitution.




Visit/read:
http://livingincome.me
http://livingincomeguaranteed.wordpress.com/the-proposal/
https://www.youtube.com/user/LivingIncome
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/117690749220880074672
http://www.twitter.com/LivingIncome

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Transcending False Dilemmas with Living Income Guaranteed – Part 5 - Kill or Be Killed

This post is a continuation to the blog-posts:

Transcending False Dilemmas with Living Income Guaranteed – Part 1
Transcending False Dilemmas with Living Income Guaranteed – Part 2 – Sustainability vs Full Employment
Transcending False Dilemmas with Living Income Guaranteed – Part 3 – Tools of Intervention
Transcending False Dilemmas with Living Income Guaranteed – Part 4 – Abundance of choice vs Sustainability

Please read them first for context.
 
Example 3

‘If we don’t maintain our military forces and curtail individual freedoms, terrorists will have free reign and come to destroy our beloved country.’

Here we’re looking at the false dilemma presented to justify military forces to remain active, for funds to be invested in them, by feeding the fear of terrorism and war visiting upon us.

It would seem to me, that so long as there are guns, so long as machines of warfare are produced and placed in the hands of some or other military force – that then, we can expect these arms to be utilized at some point in time. Even if they are said to only be meant for ‘peace operations’ – to go to some other country and break up quarrels there – you’re trying to fight fire with fire. So-called legitimate armies only perpetuate the production of arms – which can really end up anywhere. What use do we have in the 21st century to shoot people with bullets? Why have we not yet stopped global weapon production? If Human Rights are at all regarded as important – and if you value your own life – you have reason to do so – then isn’t the production of deadly weapons the first gross violation of these rights? Really – if we were actually interested in peace operations – we wouldn’t shoot bullets –but we’d use tranquilizer guns. When people revert to violence to solve a conflict, obviously, they’ve been unable to communicate and direct their problems effectively. Is it really going to solve ANYTHING to go kill them? Is it really those individuals that are the problem that they must be taken out, done away with – or are they just so tired of a particular problem that they see no other way than to take out their rage through aggression on others? Are we solving anything by taking out the individuals without addressing the real issue? If you must bring guns – then at least just use tranquilizer guns – it will stop the fighting all the same – people can’t kill when they’re sleeping.

Anyhow – we’re not going to create peace on Earth if we’re going to continue producing the means with which to wage war. We suggest within the Living Income Guaranteed proposal that all countries dismantle their weapon-production industries and declare an overall ban on weapons. We should be ashamed of ourselves that we haven’t done so already – it’s the minimum requirement for peace AND the first step in honoring the right to life. Military spending could then be re-allocated towards funding a Living Income Guaranteed, or taxes could simply reduced.









Rather than meddling in foreign affairs under the banner of ‘promoting peace and democracy elsewhere’ – would it not be more productive to stand as an example within one’s own country first – to create a political and economic model that is sustainable and honors the rights of each citizen – and show other countries how they can achieve the same?

One can point at the waves of democratization, but they were never genuine – western countries going to undemocratic regimes and forcing them to ‘democratize’ or else they won’t receive any more funding – and what’s more – “please arrange your economy so that it will better suit our needs”.

In the meantime, which of the countries maintaining armies for so-called peace operations and which of the countries ‘helping other countries become democratic’ has in fact eradicated poverty at home? None.

One cannot claim the right to instruct others when one hasn’t absolutely proven to stand as an example of peace, support and care oneself. Allowing poverty and destitution within one’s own country deprives one of this right.

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Day 17: Starvation is Murder

The following numbers show the global priority spending for the year 1998

Global Priority	$U.S. Billions
Military spending in the world	780
Narcotics drugs in the world	400
Alcoholic drinks in Europe	105
Cigarettes in Europe	50
Business entertainment in Japan	35
Pet foods in Europe and the United States	17
Perfumes in Europe and the United States	12
Ice cream in Europe	11
Cosmetics in the United States	8

This forms a total of 1 418 Billion US Dollars

Now have a look at the following table, which represents what was estimated as additional costs to achieve universal access to basic social services in all developing countries

Global Priority	$U.S. Billions
Basic health and nutrition	13
Reproductive health for all women	12
Water and sanitation for all	9
Basic education for all	6

With a total of 40 Billion US Dollars

Obviously -- we have got our priorities all mixed up. Even with just a simple point like eliminating Perfume and Cosmetics in the world -- we can  already have the job halfway done to having everyone's basic needs met. If we eliminate military, drugs and alcohol -- we can pretty much assure that everyone's living standard is well above having basic needs met -- everyone would be living a life of worth - a life everyone would enjoy living.

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that starvation is in fact murder

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that failure to address basic living needs of the whole of the population living on Earth can only be a reflection of deliberate negligence of Life on Earth

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that the current state of the world and the manifestation of a majority living in misery is in fact a deliberate choice

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see beyond the Veil of apparent 'goodness' within human beings and see the abusive monstrosity we actually exist as

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to have created a world where perfume, cosmetics, ice cream, entertainment, alcohol,drugs and weapons have more value than Human Life

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to have created a world where all priorities are mixed up and in reverse -- where our industries and services focus on catering entertainment for a few instead of catering basic necessities to ALL

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that the only common sense way of setting one's priorities is to FIRST take care of all basic needs of everyone and then SECONDLY only look at entertainment

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to have created a world of pure evil

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that no goodness can exist in a world where the majority suffers and where this can EASILY be fixed

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that any inaction towards changing the current world system to a structure of support for all Life is in fact criminal

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that there is not one good reason why an Equal Money System should not be implemented

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that if I resist an Equal Money System and prefer the current system over an Equal Money System -- I am in fact preferring Abuse over Life

I forgive myself that I haven't accepted and allowed myself to see and realise that an Equal Money System is the only solution to rectify the mess we've made on Earth


I commit myself to expose the murderous consequences of our current world Economic System and consumption habits in the name of Profit and the Pursuit of Happiness

I commit myself to expose that anyone favouring the current World Economic System is in fact favouring Abuse over Life

I commit myself to show that any failure to act or address the abhorrent lack of  access to basic goods and services within our world is in fact deliberate abuse and is only a reflection of the evil we allow within us

I commit myself to show that an Equal Money System is in fact possible and that it does not take a lot to cater for everyone's basic needs and that all will still be able to enjoy a more than modest life

I commit myself to show that any fear in relation to an Equal Money System is in fact irrational and tied to personal self-interest over the interest of what is Best for All Life

I commit myself to the redistribution of resources so they may reach everyone in all the corners of the world and not just a select few as the image below clearly indicates

 

Anup Shah, Poverty Facts and Stats, Global Issues, Updated: September 20, 2010

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