The leftist environmental group Tree Huggers of America put out a press release on March 3rd, written by Linn Cohen-Cole. It tells of two more bills heading to the U.S. Congress that -- along with the bills mentioned two days ago -- would further smash the already weakened family farmers and farmer co-ops.
The link to their press release is HERE.
The four bills that need to be stopped cold are:
HR 875, HR 814, S 425, and soon, HR 759
Like so many other bills in the U.S. Congress, this is being snuck under the radar, so to speak. The so-called "mainstream media" won't cover this, or usually botch up the job.
So that means you readers of the Voice must call your Congressmen and Senators and demand they vote "NO" on these bills. Then let your friends and neighbors know what the Congress is planning to do to destroy organic farms, farmer co-ops, roadside stands and even backyard gardens.
This is no Chicken Little alarm over nothing. This is the real deal. Socialists and Monopoly Capitalists are aiming for the small farmers, and to keep control of the nation's food supply to themselves only.
Fight these anti-farmer and anti-Distributist bills now in Congress. Tell your Congressmen and Senators to vote "NO" on these bills. Then spread the word to stop these acts of tyranny. Thank you.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Blogging Against "Thieves"
E. D. Kain, writing for the blog The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, gives us an excellent essay called "Thieves". It is a detailed criticism of Distributism's two main rivals, as well as a support for what Belloc and Chesterton bequeathed to us long ago. You can read his essay HERE.
Please enjoy, and let him know you read about it in The Distributist Voice. Thank you.
Please enjoy, and let him know you read about it in The Distributist Voice. Thank you.
Monday, March 9, 2009
New U.S. Bill Would Ban Organic Farming
The group Campaign For Liberty, affiliated with Congressman Dr. Ron Paul of Texas, warns us of the bill that would in effect ban organic farming and backyard gardening. And all under the disguise of “food safety.” The link to the report is HERE.
According to the press release from the campaign, bill HR 875 would “literally put all independent farmers and food producers out of business due to the huge amounts of money it will take to conform to factory farming methods”.
The bill would also “legally bind state agriculture depts. to enforce federal guidelines, effectively taking away the states power to do anything other than being food police for the federal dept.”.
There is a similar bill in the Senate, S 425.
We at the voice urge you to call your Representatives and Senators NOW and urge them to vote against these two bills. These bills represent a grave threat to Americans who don't want to be for ever enslaved to factory farming and its supporters.
This bill is another anti-Distributist attack on our family farmers, as well as another power grab by both the federal government and food giants like ADM and Monsanto. Don't let them succeed! Demand your representatives in Washington vote “NO” on these two horrid bills.
According to the press release from the campaign, bill HR 875 would “literally put all independent farmers and food producers out of business due to the huge amounts of money it will take to conform to factory farming methods”.
The bill would also “legally bind state agriculture depts. to enforce federal guidelines, effectively taking away the states power to do anything other than being food police for the federal dept.”.
There is a similar bill in the Senate, S 425.
We at the voice urge you to call your Representatives and Senators NOW and urge them to vote against these two bills. These bills represent a grave threat to Americans who don't want to be for ever enslaved to factory farming and its supporters.
This bill is another anti-Distributist attack on our family farmers, as well as another power grab by both the federal government and food giants like ADM and Monsanto. Don't let them succeed! Demand your representatives in Washington vote “NO” on these two horrid bills.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Buy It Local, Make It Local
One of the tenets of Distributist Thought is the promotion and preservation of the local economy in all it's sectors. That includes agriculture, light and heavy manufacturing, service and health care, technology and retail.
When big businesses move out of small towns for the sake of cheap labor, so-called "free trade" and globalism, these towns crumble. But they can revive by implementing what we've learned from Belloc, Chesterton and their legitimate successors.
One of those inspired by them, whether directly or no, is job developer Michael Shuman. This article from the February 9th, 2009 edition of the Christian Science Monitor tells of his efforts to promote these little communities to restore their economic health with a big dose of "localism". The link to the article is HERE.
Let's learn from this and do what we can to bring this tenet of Distributism alive wherever we live and interact. It can only do us and our neighbors a world of good.
When big businesses move out of small towns for the sake of cheap labor, so-called "free trade" and globalism, these towns crumble. But they can revive by implementing what we've learned from Belloc, Chesterton and their legitimate successors.
One of those inspired by them, whether directly or no, is job developer Michael Shuman. This article from the February 9th, 2009 edition of the Christian Science Monitor tells of his efforts to promote these little communities to restore their economic health with a big dose of "localism". The link to the article is HERE.
Let's learn from this and do what we can to bring this tenet of Distributism alive wherever we live and interact. It can only do us and our neighbors a world of good.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
New Papal Document Will Be On Economics
An article by Robert Moynihan, editor of InsideTheVatican.com, gives us advance notice of a new Papal Encyclical. One that will cause as much fury among Capitalists and Socialists as did Leo XIII's Rerun Novarum or John Paul II's Centissimus Annus.
As printed on the website Energy Publisher on March 3rd, Moynihan lets us know that Pope Benedict XVI's newest letter will come down hard on both of Distributism's main rivals. As Moynihan puts it, "it will be filled also with truth about how false economic principles and moral ideals can lead mankind toward the abyss, and into it."
You can read Moynihan's article HERE.
Congratulations to the Holy Father in advance for this important document. Distributists and others of good will await it with baited breath.
As printed on the website Energy Publisher on March 3rd, Moynihan lets us know that Pope Benedict XVI's newest letter will come down hard on both of Distributism's main rivals. As Moynihan puts it, "it will be filled also with truth about how false economic principles and moral ideals can lead mankind toward the abyss, and into it."
You can read Moynihan's article HERE.
Congratulations to the Holy Father in advance for this important document. Distributists and others of good will await it with baited breath.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Keep Crooks Out Of Co-ops
Far too many are leery of cooperatives. Not just from lack of familiarity, but from their way-too-close association with the darkness of Socialism. When a co-op's members or a co-op itself is involved in anything illegal, it only stains it's reputation for their entire movement.
Three recent examples will show why this vital part of a Distributist economy and state must be wary of all taint. (All reports were dated February 23.)
1: According to an article from the “progressive” newspaper Seattle Weekly, the state of California allows co-operatives for the buying of so-called “medical marijuana”. Even though the negative effects of marijuana are well-known, those pushing to legalize this drug are using these type of co-ops for such a purpose.
2: According to a report from the news website allAfrica.com, the deputy head of the Zambia Cooperatives Federation warned of fake co-ops getting government provided fertilizer. He demanded total obedience to legal guidelines for operating co-ops, and not cheat it's members of their dividends and benefits.
3: According to an article from The Jakarta Post of Indonesia, police on the island of Bali had to shut down a co-op suspected of running a Ponzi scheme. The police chief said the co-op was illegally running an investment firm, promising members a 150% rate of return. The Post reported that 62,000 investors could get at their money when police shut the co-op down.
As the old saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” As part of a Distributist State, co-operatives have the power to change an economy and social structure for the better.
But bad actions on a co-op's part will only hurt their image. It will give ammunition for it's rivals in the Capitalist and Socialist camps. So it must continue to weed out those that would break the law and blacken it's reputation. Let the co-operative movement be a model of both innovation and moral righteousness.
Three recent examples will show why this vital part of a Distributist economy and state must be wary of all taint. (All reports were dated February 23.)
1: According to an article from the “progressive” newspaper Seattle Weekly, the state of California allows co-operatives for the buying of so-called “medical marijuana”. Even though the negative effects of marijuana are well-known, those pushing to legalize this drug are using these type of co-ops for such a purpose.
2: According to a report from the news website allAfrica.com, the deputy head of the Zambia Cooperatives Federation warned of fake co-ops getting government provided fertilizer. He demanded total obedience to legal guidelines for operating co-ops, and not cheat it's members of their dividends and benefits.
3: According to an article from The Jakarta Post of Indonesia, police on the island of Bali had to shut down a co-op suspected of running a Ponzi scheme. The police chief said the co-op was illegally running an investment firm, promising members a 150% rate of return. The Post reported that 62,000 investors could get at their money when police shut the co-op down.
As the old saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” As part of a Distributist State, co-operatives have the power to change an economy and social structure for the better.
But bad actions on a co-op's part will only hurt their image. It will give ammunition for it's rivals in the Capitalist and Socialist camps. So it must continue to weed out those that would break the law and blacken it's reputation. Let the co-operative movement be a model of both innovation and moral righteousness.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Decentralize The Grid Now!
A non-negotiable tenet of Distributist Thought is decentralizing ownership of the means of production to as many as possible. One of those means of production is electricity generation.
With the continuous advances in developing low-level technology over the years, it's now possible to generate your own power. This is true for individual homes and local communities. Not only does these advances help homes keep the lights on during emergencies, but it also makes the overall electricity supply safer from terrorist attacks. For the more power generators there are, and the smaller they are, the less tempting a target for sabotage they are.
With this in mind, there are some links from a Cambridge, MA man active in promoting energy conservation and both solar and "micro-power" generation. This link HERE talks of three projects he'd love to get people involved in, promoting more public acceptance of solar power.
And this link HERE from the - alas - rabid pro-Democrat website Daily Kos speaks of employing parked cars or trucks as auxiliary generators. There's also a link HERE on how both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford did a joint project creating an electric house powered with "on-site generators". And all before World War One!
We can do this now to ensure a more pro-Distributist energy policy where we live. At the same time, we can get on both Congress' and Big Energy's case. Demand they get out of the way of average folks making and promoting alternative energy for themselves and their neighborhoods.
Stick it to the Socialists and Capitalists ruining America's energy future. Promote this today! Act on this today!
With the continuous advances in developing low-level technology over the years, it's now possible to generate your own power. This is true for individual homes and local communities. Not only does these advances help homes keep the lights on during emergencies, but it also makes the overall electricity supply safer from terrorist attacks. For the more power generators there are, and the smaller they are, the less tempting a target for sabotage they are.
With this in mind, there are some links from a Cambridge, MA man active in promoting energy conservation and both solar and "micro-power" generation. This link HERE talks of three projects he'd love to get people involved in, promoting more public acceptance of solar power.
And this link HERE from the - alas - rabid pro-Democrat website Daily Kos speaks of employing parked cars or trucks as auxiliary generators. There's also a link HERE on how both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford did a joint project creating an electric house powered with "on-site generators". And all before World War One!
We can do this now to ensure a more pro-Distributist energy policy where we live. At the same time, we can get on both Congress' and Big Energy's case. Demand they get out of the way of average folks making and promoting alternative energy for themselves and their neighborhoods.
Stick it to the Socialists and Capitalists ruining America's energy future. Promote this today! Act on this today!
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