[GPSCC-chat] need suggestions

[spencerg]

Dear Jim, et al.:


       For content, what about instant runoff / rank choice voting and 
the example of the Mayoral race in Oakland?


       It's virtually certain that both of the two major parties want 
this example to be suppressed and forgotten -- as do the big money 
interests and their lackeys in the commercial media, who don't want an 
active and informed citizenry.  I believe most citizens would support 
it, because most people honestly believe in democracy.  (For some, they 
don't believe in democracy when their side wins.)


       I could help make a trifold as I did for Prop 14, but I'd need 
help -- and we can't haggle over the verbiage for a month and have 
anything in time for Nov. 30.


       An alternative idea is abusive banking.  The current threats to 
the economy of Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and Italy all suggest that the 
major banks and speculators are too big and too poorly controlled.  I 
also heard that after these latest elections, Republican leaders 
announced that top of their agenda was even more welfare for major 
banks.  Attached is a plot of profits in the finance industry, which 
took a major jump after the repeal of Glass-Stiegel in 1999 and has 
since operated mostly between 30 and 40 percent of total US domestic 
corporate profits.  (See other comments below.)


       Comments?
       Best Wishes,
       Spencer

#############################


       The attached Excel file plots the profits in the finance industry 
(banks, securities, insurance) as a percent of total domestic corporate 
profits:  This shows profits in finance starting at 15 percent of total 
corporate profits in 1928, dropping to 5 percent one year during World 
War II, and gradually drifting up but still around 15 percent during the 
Reagan years, then climbing to 25 percent during the Clinton years, then 
jumping to a new level after the repeal of Glass-Stiegel to operate 
between 30 and 40 percent for most of the past decade.


       I'm embarrassed to admit that my wife and I still bank with Wells 
Fargo, primarily because it takes time to find a good local alternative 
and work through the details of doing our "due diligence" and then 
actually making the transfer.


##############################


On 11/23/2010 12:03 PM, Jim Doyle wrote:
> Help, help,
> I need suggestions for tasks for high school volunteers.
>
> I sent them an email asking if their November 30 date
> was solid.  The first response was we will talk it over (my phrasing.)
>
> Do you have some suggestions for leafletting -
> 1) content
> 2) where to distribute
>
> Jim Doyle
>
> _______________________________________________
> sosfbay-discuss mailing list
> sosfbay-discuss at cagreens.org
> http://lists.cagreens.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sosfbay-discuss
>


-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Operating Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567

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