Local Currency Milwaukee by Sura, June 3

Small groups have been meeting over the last several months to explore our options on creating our own local currency.

In the meantime, several other local currencies around the country have sprung up.

Come to a film screening (short), discussion and mutual credit demonstration tonight to find out more.

We’re looking at creating both a local currency* and a mutual credit system* (networked barter). We want to hear your ideas and input.

The film we’ll watch and discuss is “Coming Home: EF Schumacher & the Reinvention of the Local Economy” It’s 37 minutes and a great intro for people to local currency and some of the premises of Transition Milwaukee.

We also plan to do another mutual credit demo, this time with your real skills and needs (can you babysit, fix bikes, walk dogs, prepare vegan meals, or tutor math? Do you need someone to clean your gutters, mend clothes, carpool downtown or install a rainbarrel?) . If you missed the last one, you won’t want to miss this one. It’s fun, fast-paced action and an eye-opening way to show how we, as a cohesive community, have the necessary skills and resilience — but only if we’re networked!

Please bring and invite your friends and join us!

Wed., June 3, 6-8pm
Woodland Pattern on Locust between Fratney and Pierce

*Local currencies and mutual credit systems both support the local economy. One supports the formal economy and the other supports the informal economy.

3 Jun 2009 | 1:24 pm | DIY - Do It Yourself, Economic Development, Environmental Sustainability | No comments yet - Add your comments

Good or Bad: Citizens are Pessimistic by Sura, December 17

The results of a poll by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute are in.

The bad news is that Wisconsin citizens are feeling disillusioned with government and pessimistic about the economy and the direction the state is taking. And it’s no wonder. Only 2% trust state government to do what is right most of the time, and 82% think lobbyists have the most power over state spending.

But there’s a silver lining to this cloud, and that’s that it looks like people are getting politically engaged and thinking about solutions. According to the poll results, 40% of Wisconsinites now view themselves as political independents. That’s well over the number who consider themselves either Democrat (29%) or Republican (25%). I think this means that we are past the 2-party system, and politician will need to move toward popular consensus regardless of party affiliation.

Additionally, almost 3/4 of the people polled want to see term limits for state office. I would like to have this conversation on the local level too. I think, in general, term limits are healthy for democracy and help engage more people — not just as voters, but as candidates as well. And if you don’t have a good pool of candidates, it doesn’t matter how many people vote.

17 Dec 2007 | 1:58 pm | Representation | No comments yet - Add your comments