A few surprises

One of the biggest problems is perception. An overwhelming number of people don't realize how weak the federal government was in the 19th century. The only experience and history they've known is from the perspectives of the last half of the 20th century - where the President is the most powerful man in the world. 

I'm constantly surprised that so few people realize there was a time when there was no question who was more powerful, the President or the financiers and industrialists. No one doubted Big Money (as it was called then) was far more powerful than the President. 
The 'Big Boys' mentioned by our grandparents were not the politicians. They were the Morgans, Fords, Rockefellers, etc. - the financiers and industrialists - who had the power of life or death over the population of the United States. 

If you discuss history with anyone, it's important to remember this misconception, or you'll be talking apples to pomegranates, or basketballs.


Similarly, very few realize that there is any other way of financing a country than debt-based economies. 

Federal Reserve 
The Federal Reserve is the greatest privatization of government responsibilities in history. 
And like nearly all privatization projects, it's far more concerned with turning profits (and control) for its owners and clients - the banking community - than fulfilling responsibilities to the government and public. 
The most glaring example is part of the charter of the Federal Reserve is to provide full employment for the country. That clause has been largely ignored, and never enforced. If it were, the Fed would be a much different system. 

Non-debt based economies 
There is no reason for a debt based economy other that the system is so deeply entrenched. 

The first steps to a non-debt based economy has already been taken, in fact, when the currency was released from the gold standard in 1972. 
The currency we use is backed only be the full faith and credit of the United States. We could also say on the currency that it can be used to pay taxes. 

The only step necessary now is to take the Fed out of the picture and let Congress issue the currency - as provided in the Constitution. 

It would change economics significantly, and probably cause inflation, to make the change, but maybe it's worth having a debate over the risk and benefits. 
I would expect even a strong move in this direction would result in some important changes in banking and finance. 

Community Benefit Corporations 
There is no reason a corporation must be legally required to place the value of its stock over the benefit to so many other stakeholders. The current law forces corporations to externalize risk and costs - to the detriment of generations, governments and nature. 

The move towards sustainability, reliability and bottom of the pyramid corporate governance is only hampered by the current laws. Corporate governance is forced to be myopic and short-sighted by law. 
That can easily be changed by reforming the corporation as a Benefit Corporation. It can be done in at least 5 states today. Public pressure - boycotts and outcry - can change the focus of corporate governance. 

If the public were to demand these changes, whole or in part, we can change many things with nothing more than words.


Real dollars
 It will certainly surprise many people to find the Federal Reserve and the Treasury have only issued about $700 billion US dollars - in hard cash.

All of our $14.7 trillion economy - over 20,000 times the amount of hard cash - is the result of debt, compounded interest, and externalized risk of one form or the other.

If we were to begin our discussions about taxation, finance, and national interests with that $700 billion figure in mind, think of how many things may come into different focus - and perhaps for the first time into focus at all.