Trade Deals Overturn Democracy
By David Morris, On The Commons
Forget tariffs, the point of modern trade agreements is to whack pesky labor, environment and health laws
Are Trade Agreements More Important Than Government By the People?
By David Morris, On The Commons
[W]e can then launch a much needed and long overdue national conversation about the benefits and limitations of trade and the dangers of ceding sovereignty to a new international constitution whose goal is to limit democracy and expand corpocracy.
Defending the Public From Greed
By David Morris, On The Commons
FDR specifically addressed the relationship of government to electric utilities but one could easily translate the theory and principles he proposes to today’s banks, or cable companies or airlines.
Hidden Power Grab Stops Communities From Deciding Their Own Futures
By David Morris, On The Commons
There has been much written about the federalist nature of the American political system. But virtually all of it focuses on the rights of states vs. the federal government. At this historical moment, where the last bastion of true democracy is at the local level, we need to extend the debate to include the rights of communities vs. the states.
Who should pay for the costs of climate change?
By David Morris, On The Commons
Who should pay the costs of climate disasters? In light of the current debate in the United States about federal assistance to Hurricane Sandy victims and the recent debate at the recent Doha Climate Conference about international assistance for climate change victims, that has become an increasingly pressing question for humankind.
Challenging the Republican’s five myths on inequality
By David Morris, On The Commons
When asked whether people who question the current distribution of wealth and power are motivated by “jealousy or fairness” Romney insisted, “I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare.” And in this election year he advised that if we do discuss inequality we do so “in quiet rooms” not in public debates. A public debate, of course, is inevitable. And welcome. To help that debate along I’ll address the five major statements that comprise the Republican argument on inequality.
Occupy economics departments
By David Morris, On The Commons
On November 2nd nearly 70 students walked out of an introductory economics class at Harvard in solidarity with the Occupy movement. The mainstream media largely ignored the protest. That’s regrettable since the economics profession has provided the intellectual framework and justification for the inequality and centralization of corporate power the Occupiers are challenging.
All Hail the PUBLIC Library
By David Morris, On The Commons
This is not the time to take the word “public” out of the public library. It is time to put it in capitals.