Happy New Year, New Winter, Christmas, and every other season
greeting. Welcome aboard to several new subscribers, among them
Deborah Sitton and Evan Wilhelms, a writer and performer residing in
Cleveland OH. If any reader knows of anyone who should also be a
reader, please put them in touch. Meanwhile, read on to discover the
progress made in China and elsewhere, the coverage in The Age and
other outlets, the news about foreclosures and other indicators, and
how to join with change-makers around the world.
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CONTENTS:
1. Movement Progress: Michael Hudson in China; UN land program;
Commonwealth website
2. Good Press: Age, Times, Guardian, The Week, Philly weekly, Freeman
3. News: Obey the law, benefit your opponent; New Year tax holiday?
4. Numbers: Foreclosures hit highs, California near bankruptcy
5. Letters: Goldwater on "Thankindians"; New geoist poetry
6. Obituary: Julien Gross
7. Likable links: Harrison on Mugabe; Dodson on H.G. Brown;
Zarlenga on Kucinich
8. What You Can Do: Tally up rent; Take London course
9. At the Margin: Quips and Quotes
10. Publication affairs: Contributors, About the Georgist News
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Tentative Program for the 2009 CGO Conference in Cleveland
By Ted Gwartney, Town Assessor, CGO president, tgwartney at aol.com
and Dan Sullivan, Program Coordinator, pimann at pobox.com,
December 22, 2008
Can Proposals by America's greatest mayor save Cleveland, a City in
Crisis? Participants the 2009 Council of Georgist Organization's
Annual Conference will discuss the many ways in which former Mayor Tom
Johnson's reforms can help Cleveland in the 21st century. Among the
topics to be discussed will be:
* Money, Banking, and Cleveland's Housing Crash:
Cleveland's foreclosure crisis, a visual presentation and analysis by
two prominent local experts and our own Ed Dodson, retired Fannie Mae
executive. How Tom Johnson's alternative currency, issued at Henry
George's suggestion, saved his steel mill and Johnstown, PA's economy.
Virginia Tech's Professor Nic Tideman on "The Social Right to Land and
Money."
* The Real Estate Tax and the Housing Bubble:
Joshua Vincent on how Mark Hanna prevented Cleveland from adopting
land value taxation, and why Pittsburgh flourished while Cleveland
languished. Mason Gaffney on why California leads the nation in
unaffordable housing and mortgage foreclosures, and why Texas, with
the nation's highest residential property tax rates, has the most
affordable housing and far fewer foreclosures.
* Steps for Saving Cleveland:
An analysis of LVT's effects on Cleveland taxpayers. Shifting back
from wage and business taxes to the property tax. How a for-profit
Georgist land trust could function within Cleveland and could issue
rent credits that would function like a private currency.
* The Functions of Government:
A Georgist sketch of what is naturally public and private. Tom Johnson
- Monopolist Extraordinaire Combats Monopoly, fighting to municipalize
streetcar lines and electric power. Tammany Hall, Contract Patronage,
and Civil Service. Selling off turnpikes and other public assets as an
economic "quick fix." What *should* be private? (Things government
should stop doing.)
* Building Classically Progressive Alliances:
Alliances with Classically Progressive businesses and Labor leaders
Breaking the Landlord/Banker Alliance
The Obama economic strategy
* The Remedy, the Cause of Depressions, the Increase of Poverty with
the Increase in Wealth:
A Georgist panel discussion of what we should be proposing this time
Other invited participants include: Bill Peirce, Lindy Davies, Walt
Rybeck, Polly Cleveland, Steve Cord, Karl Fitzgerald, Fred Foldvary,
Mike Hudson, Dan Sullivan, Georgist activists and educators, local
public advocates, and local officials
The CGO Conference Planning committee needs your help in finding
panelists for some the above topics. If you have expertise in any of
these areas, or if you want to propose another conference topic,
please contact either of the following no later than Saturday,
January 10, 2009:
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1a. Movement Progress: Michael Hudson, red star rising
by Michael Hudson, UM-KC, michael.hudson at earthlink.net,
December 26, 2008
I've done three documentary film interviews this month. My book, Super
Imperialism, was leading the bestseller list in China last November
and is being reissued now in yet a fifth printing. My other books,
even from the 1970s, are all being translated by the government
printing office. I'm going to China in the fall to give a series of
lectures at the newly established Marxist School in Beijing. Here,
I've been retained with Bertell Ollman to rewrite the Communist
Manifesto (whose first plank is land nationalization) to appear this
Mayday, and I've mobilized the socialists.
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1b. Movement Progress: Update: the UN Habitat GLTN program
Alanna Hartzok, Co-Director, Earth Rights Institute,
Alanna at earthrights.net, December 1, 2008
What has happened to the UN Habitat Global Land Tools Network (GLTN)
program on Land Value Capture?
On the GLTN side the, LVC program development is moving very slowly.
But all eight of the categories we developed for the program were
completed and acknowledged as such by GLTN directors several months
ago. Plus, we were informed that all of the material can be utilized
by us for our own purposes. A friend of mine who has worked on a
number of UN contracts says that this permission is rare. Usually, any
materials produced under contract become fully "owned" by the
contracting agency.
A student at National Catholic University volunteered to construct a
new website containing the full online course on Land Rights and Land
Value Capture and all of the other material that we developed. If we
had paid someone to do all that Chase has done it would have easily
cost $15,000 or more.
For the past few months we have been enrolling students, improving the
technical functionality of the site, and continuing to work with
Chase. We currently have 122 students enrolled from about 30
countries, and we have not yet broadly promoted the course! We even
have a course graduate and more soon to come.
Take a look the site of the Land Rights and Land Value Capture
program and enroll in the course in order to provide your input and
feedback for its further improvement. Click into the Course Enrollment
then the "Earth Rights Advisors" class. Go here please:
http://course.earthrights.net
In association with the International Union for LVT we are utilizing
the course to develop "pilot implementation projects" in South Africa,
Nigeria, Vanuatua, and perhaps soon to come, Kenya.
As you go through the program and course please consider becoming a
course facilitator (I am at my capacity). Soon we would have a class
for you with students from around the world. And/or your own Georgist
organization might want to partner with Earth Rights Institute in
sponsoring the course and offering it to your own members and
networks. We can then discuss forming special classes for that
purpose, and possibilities for developing Addendum addressing your
particular areas of concern.
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1c. Movement Progress: City Project for Holistic Reform in Hard Times
by Joshua Vincent, Executive Director, Henry George Foundation
USA/Center for the Study of Economics, joshua at urbantools.org,
December 1, 2008
Please find our link to our new project launched by HGFA and CSE, Our
Common Wealth. www.ourcommonWealth.org
Starting with the city of Philadelphia, we intend to reach each
neighborhood that will be ignored in addressing the current crisis and
will be left on its own.
This site will address the political process involved in changing tax
policy. Embedded are videos, press releases, graphic representation of
Land value tax, privileges, and the role of Henry George's philosophy
of economic sanity and justice in the city of his birth.
This is a launch, but it is a work in progress. This is an attempt to
marry and intertwine big and small messages as well as activism and
education.
Ideas welcomed. Authors welcomed. Criticism welcomed.
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2a. Good Press: Australia's main daily
by Bryan Kavanagh, real estate valuer and honorary director of the
Land Values Research Group, December 1, 2008
How's it going? Doesn't much feel like the good guys are winning yet,
does it? Let's hope Obama can change things a little (if there's
anything left to change!).
I enjoyed today's Georgist News. If you're looking for an extra bit of
good news, try my LTE in The Age -- long and direct, titled, "Economic
deja vu as powers that be play same old tune" (November 20).
http://business.theage.com.au/business/...
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2b. Good Press: New York Times published PC letter
By Polly Cleveland, mcleveland at prdi.org, December 26, 2008
The New York Times published my letter, "To Rebuild the Economy,
People Are the Best Investment," December 26,
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/opinion/l27spending.html
Comments and questions appreciated.
I send Econamici--occasional emails with interesting attachments or
links--to friends who are economists or care about economic issues.
Past Econamici are posted to www.georgiststudies.org and
www.dollarsandsense.org.
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2c. Good Press: The Guardian published another geo-letter
By Cllr Neale Upstone, via Frank Walker, December 27, 2008
"What we need is a Henry George for our times" was the headline given
my letter to The Guardian, a British publication, which published it
December 23. It begins:
Larry Elliott asks for "the Keynes for our time" (22 December) and
says that there sadly isn't one. I disagree. It's more a case that we
need the Henry George of our time....
www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/dec/23/...
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2d. Good Press: In The Week, Best books - chosen: Progress and Poverty
by Michael Kinsley, a Time magazine columnist and the former editor of
Slate.com and The New Republic; his new book, Creative Capitalism, is
a conversation with Bill Gates and others about a new way to do
business. Arts & Leisure section, December 12; via Wyn Achenbaum.
In his list of 7, #4 is Progress and Poverty by Henry George
(Cosimo, $15).
Once a famous book by a famous author, now almost forgotten. George
was a self-trained economist of the late 19th century. In Progress and
Poverty, he explains to his own satisfaction -- and pretty much to
mine -- how all the world's evils are attributable to real estate. He
overstates his case, but he does so with wit and excess that make the
book fun to read. And it leaves you thinking.
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2e. Good Press: Need pro-LVT comments ASAP
by Joshua Vincent, Executive Director, Henry George Foundation
USA/Center for the Study of Economics, joshua at urbantools.org,
December 2, 2008
Events are moving fast in Philadelphia. To stay in the race, we need
good publicity and reader feedback on any matters LVT. The
Philadelphia Weekly did a great job on LVT, and used our graphics to
illustrate the effect on a poor neighborhood.
Please comment on the LVT article linked below.
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/17984/news
Thank you SO much! If we hang together ...
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2f. Good Press: The Freeman: Albert Jay Nock and Alternative History
By Joseph R. Stromberg, The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty - November 2008,
Vol.58 No.9, via Yisroel Pensack
"For Nock, access to land was the key to preventing exploitation. Nock
cites Turgot, Benjamin Franklin, John Taylor, Theodr Hertzka, and
Henry George on the point."
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3. News: Obey the law, benefit your opponent
New subscriber Deborah Sitton writes about The Progress Report, the
daily news site of special relevance to those interested in
fundamental social progress, that: "I usually visit the website on
research missions, and it's very informative, I've told friends about
it."
Sending the progress.org link to friends, family, neighbors, and
co-workers works wonderfully to help achieve a shared frame of
reference in which can take place a discussion on how to solve
economic issues. Here's a recent sample article at the site from a new
contributor:
* DK Causey, ex-tax collector for the IRS, shows how his old agency's
rule hurts honest firms and enriches dishonest ones.
"Withholding Taxes and the Law of Unintended Consequences"
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4. Numbers: Foreclosures hit highs, California near bankruptcy
Want all the current indicators in one place? Periodically, The
Progress Report publishes just such an article, such as these two:
Congressman's bill to halt bailouts, de-tax wages, as mortgage
defaults hit record and California turns to IOUs.
"Follow the holiday season with a two-month tax holiday"
Governments distort data, giving themselves wiggle room to avoid
following policies that would benefit all citizens.
"Jubak -- Fake inflation numbers masked crisis"
Both and more are viewable http://www.progress.org/
Bookmark it!
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5a. Letters: Last issue's Intro
By Stewart Goldwater, December 1, 2008
On 1 Dec, The Georgist News, December 1, 2008, wrote:
"Happy Thankindians!"
Happy Thankindians! Is that some Americanism I'm not familiar with or
should it be "Happy Thanksgiving"?
Editor: Just another little neologistic wordplay courtesy your editor,
coiner of "geonomics" and so many other "geo-" terms. Google "Citizens
Dividend" some time. It might be surprising to see how many people now
use that phrase (of mine).
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5b. Letters: New geoist poetry
By Ole Lefmann, December 27, 2008
Let's do it in!
Sun and air, and soil and lake
were given us all, that's not a fake!
Pay therefore to all for what you take;
Keep the total results of what you make.
You also have to be awake
of the fact that we in common bake
a quite gigantic economic cake.
It's not meant for only a few to rake.
but for equal enjoyment and everyone's sake.
Put an end to few's sponging, that habit we brake;
It's publicly made values that here are on stake,
Don't listen to any equivocal snake
that wants us to put up with just a flake.
Reinstatement of justice cures many an ache.
Let's do it NOW; don't wait for a quake.
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6. Obituary: Dear friends of Julien Gross
by Ann and Jose (Julien's daughter and son, ann.b at btinternet.com
and recordingworks at btclick.com), December 16, 2008
Sadly on the morning of the 13th December 2008, Julien passed away at
home with his family. His funeral took place on the 23rd December 2008
3.00 pm at Golders Green Crematorium (West Chapel), Hoop Lane, NW11.
Any of his friends are welcome. Please circulate this email, as you
feel appropriate, to any of Julien's friends missing from the email
list above. Thank you.
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7a. Likable link: Mugabe & LVT
by Fred Harrison, December 19, 2008
Our first renegade film on a foreign affair is now being broadcast on:
http://www.youtube.com/renegadeeconomist
It explains why Mugabe ended up killing his nation: because he just
didn't know how to solve the land problem.
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7b. Likable link: Harry Gunnison Brown on economics teaching
by Ed Dodson, SCI, December 20, 2008
For many years I have been fascinated by Professor Brown's activism on
behalf of land value taxation and his very public association with the
Georgist movement.
From the 1995 edition of Brown's book, Basic Principles of Economics,
I have uploaded to the SCI website the introductory chapter -- quite
an indictment of how economics was being taught at that time, covering
the conflicted motives of that first and critically influential
generation of economics professors in the early 20th century. I have
given copies of this chapter to my students at the HGS and Lifelong
Learning Institute Temple University. Peruse it at
www.cooperativeindividualism.org/brown-harry_prejudice...
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7c. Likable link: Monetary transparency act introduced by Rep Kucinich
By Stephen Zarlenga, American Monetary Inst, December 8, 2008
Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, U.S. Presidential Candidate in
2004 and 2008, has introduced legislation requiring disclosure of
lending information by financiers. The text of the bill, H.R. 7260,
the Transparency in the Creation of Wealth Act of 2008, is at
http://www.monetary.org/monetarytransparency.htm
and Congressman Kucinich, who appreciates hearing from economic
reformers, is at www.kucinich.us.
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8a. What You Can Do: Visit official rent tally sites
A couple of Georgists have asked for copies of "An annotated
bibliography of articles and sources that have attempted to estimate
the total value of rent or capitalized rent for land ('land value') in
the US and also abroad". If you'd like to see 50 official estimates of
the amount of rent in America, ask and we'll send you a copy, too.
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8b. What You Can Do: Take courses in London, UK
By Peter Bowman, HGF London, drbowman at btinternet.com, December 19, 2008
Starting in January, the Henry George Foundation of Great Britain will
be running a 10-week evening course on "The Principles of Political
Economy" presented by David Triggs, the executive chairman. It will
cover the principles Henry George identified in his various books,
speeches, and publications and show how these principles hold the
economic key to justice, peace, and prosperity throughout the world
today. The venue is 11, Mandeville Place, London W1; see
http://www.henrygeorgefoundation.org.
At the same venue the School of Economic Science are again running
their highly recommended "Economics with Justice" 10 week evening
courses which are strongly influenced by Henry George's Teaching; see
http://www.economicswithjustice.org.uk
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9. the Margin: Quips and Quotes
Last year we said, "Things can't go on like this," and they didn't,
they got worse. - Will Rogers
Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
- Larry the Cable Guy
"You always pass failure on the way to success."
- Mickey Rooney
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10. Publication affairs: Contributing to this issue
Along with those acknowledged above with each blurb,
Editor: Jeffery J. Smith
Assistant Editor: Caspar Davis
Archivist: Stewart Goldwater
Owner: Robert Schalkenbach Foundation
Founder: Adam Monroe
Send your news and other interesting material to the Georgist News,
jjs at geonomics.org or gn at progress.org. The deadline for the next
issue is January 25.
The Georgist News, a project of Robert Schalkenbach Foundation, is an
email newsletter brought to you free of charge. Its purpose is to keep
you updated on the latest news, citations, events, and initiatives of
relevance to people who, like Henry George, seek a world free from
special privilege and the causes of poverty.
Do you know someone who'd enjoy reading the GN? Please forward them an
issue and ask them to subscribe, or send us their eddress. As always,
it's free. Thanks.
The Georgist News is also available on line at
http://www.Georgist.com/
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The Georgist News, Volume Eleven, Number Seven, January 1, 2009