Comment by Norman Kurland on September 23, 2012 at 8:23pm

A Response to Jerry Peloquin’s Challenge of 9/23/12 "It is time for ... Deeds, Not Words"

Jerry Peloquin proves once again that he has a great command over words that evoke emotion.  That's why I wonder about his assertion that "We [i.e., CESJ] are contaminated with knowledge.  We have lost the ability to understand how ignorant the general public is. (and some of us as well)   We need desperately to rethink and reconceptualize, using graphic and animated presentations ... no more words!" 

Jerry needs to be reminded that CESJ was formed specifically to overcome the ignorance of the general public on fundamental principles of law, economics and politics representing a new global vision for addressing poverty and mass powerlessness.  What CESJ calls the "Just Third Way" was first articulated by the lawyer-economist and architect of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (leveraged ESOPs) Louis O. Kelso and Dr. Mortimer J. Adler, the Aristotelian/Thomist philosopher and editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia Brittanica III, in their two books, The Capitalist Manifesto (1958) (http://www.kelsoinstitute.org/pdf/cm-entire.pdf) and The New Capitalists: A Proposal for Freeing Economic Growth from the Slavery of [Past] Savings (1961) (http://www.kelsoinstitute.org/pdf/nc-entire.pdf). 

Jerry is right that emotion can be useful for getting the attention of the mis-educated majority of citizens.  But those who are mis-educated cannot become more enlightened about the Just Third Way and the simplicity of the Kelsonian theory of binary economics before learning new words that overcome the systemic institutional sources of mass mis-education by the academic community, especially economists from all schools of economics reinforced by social scientists.

Mis-education perpetuates wage slavery and the mass powerlessness that are byproducts of a system that is designed to concentrate power over money, profits and capital ownership in the hands of a fraction of 1% of the population.  Words are important. 

CESJ is a source of new words or more realistic definitions of words and ideas used by conventional economic theorists, labor leaders, the mass and social media, Wall Street speculators, finance, banking and business leaders, and politicians who today have a stake in perpetuating ideas that challenge the systemic injustices of the current system. 

The Coalition for Capital Homesteading, not CESJ, is the action arm of the Just Third Way Movement that was formed to advance a more just and efficient market economy based on limited economic power of government and a restoration of free markets and widespread citizen access to private property in the means of production.  This movement is limited by the level of people power and resources that can be mobilized to change the system in ways consistent with the totally positive moral and behavioral principles inherent in CESJ's Core Values (http://www.cesj.org/about/corevalues.htm) and Code of Ethics (http://www.cesj.org/about/codeofethics.htm) and based on specific institutional reforms that are needed and would be implemented under the Capital Homestead Act. 

Again, our vision of change is targeted on defects and barriers to freedom in the current system, not on the people who have become corrupted or mis-educated by the current system.  So the time for words, rhetoric and sound advances in moral, political, and economic ideas has not not passed, as suggested by Jerry in his otherwise sound rallying call for concrete examples and more effective use of more emotional slogans in our future "people power" demonstrations.

  Emotion combined with reason can challenge directly the foundations of Keynesian Economic Theory that have led to wage slavery, welfare slavery, debt slavery and charity slavery under the so-called "mixed economy."  The 99% is becoming painfully aware that systemic reforms based on the flaws theories of Lord Keynes, as FDR followed in structuring the New Deal as updated by all presidents since the Great Depression, was a futile effort to blend the injustices of monopoly capitalism and various versions of socialism (state capitalism). 

Jerry is right.  The time for more bold action is now.  I don't think it is wise to single out particular individuals in our movement for what may appear to be their imperfect ideas on strategy or tactics.  This can erode the principle of Solidarity that is crucial to the essence of Social Justice initiatives that determine the success or failure of any just cause. 

A failure to keep personality disputes under control can result in good people who shun personality disputes to leave the movement.  I have been told that several strong advocates of the Just Third Way have withdrawn as a result of subtle comments by several individuals who have used several of our public forums to publicly undermine others who have contributed to our initiatives over the years. 

We should be reminded that our movement welcomes open criticism of our ideas, proposed tactics and strategic initiatives, especially when the critics offer what they think are better alternatives. (See our Code of Ethics.) 

I support Jerry's offer to offer new initiatives, as long as those initiatives advance the bottom-up and universal standards of the Just Third Way and the policies to be promoted by the Capital Homestead Act.  We should judge Jerry's proposals and the initiatives proposed by others, including those advocated by those daily staffing CESJ, on these criteria: (1) wisdom, (2) focus, (3) efficiency, (4) the determination of the advocate to serve as an active catalyst and manager of the initiative, and (5) self-discipline in dealing with other movement supporters in a socially just and positive way in their advocacy of a new initiative. 

The Coalition for Capital Homesteading is already engaged in promoting a number of initiatives for achieving the goals Jerry supports, such as the annual April protest rally at the Fed, plus the Coalition's effort to gain the support of and collaborate with other interfaith and secular organizations, the Citizens for Affordable Energy and several national and international Catholic organizations committed to empowering all citizens through access to capital ownership and other Social Justice initiatives.

Perhaps Jerry would consider recruiting his movement friends and network of grassroots leaders in the District of Columbia to mobilize a thousand local people, train them in the principles and logic of the Just Third Way , and mobilize demonstrations calling for enactment of the Capital Homestead Act on at least three target groups, besides our April event at the Fed, to picket the following key groups that would satisfy Jerry's "case for both advocacy and action in the field":

First, picket Brookings Institution, the Heritage Foundation, CATO and other liberal and conservative thinktanks, followed by a larger demonstration at the next high-level national conference of academic economists to be held in the District of Columbia;

Second, picket the national headquarters of the AFL-CIO, which is only two blocks from the White House on 16th Street, to advocate the transformation of conflict-based labor unions into citizen-empowering and more collaborative ownership unions;

And third, picket Wall Street at the headquarters of Goldman Sachs.  If Jerry and his friends in the Occupy Movement and the Justice Party can mobilize a thousand demonstrators (or even several hundred in the beginning), he can count on me and others in the Coalition for Capital Homesteading to serve as sloganeers, trainers and event speakers. 

Here's the main thrust of my message to Jerry:

"If you, Jerry, take on this challenge to use your Social Psychology skills in addressing the emotional side of such demonstrations of "people power", you can prove your case.  Such demonstrations will certainly gain immediate attention of the mass and social media and may or may not require "someone to get arrested."  If you gain the attention you seek for the movement, you will undoubtedly go down in history as the Tom Paine of the Just Third Way and the "Second American Revolution."  Are you ready for this Act of Social Justice?"

  In the pursuit of Social and Economic Justice,  Norm

 

Comment by Jerome J. Peloquin on September 23, 2012 at 11:53pm

I believe I have been both open and direct.  I have no wish to engage in the cult of personality ( as Chairman Mao was want to say ...)  There is nothing to be gained from internal bickering.  I am a 100% supporter of CESJ.  I have made my point loud and clear.   Subsequent to this post, I will not engage in further rhetorical dialectic in this, or in any other forum.  I am only interested in the successful primacy of JTW, the democratization of private property and the ultimate expansion of the middle class.  Without economic justice, freedom is just another word for nothin' left to loose!   I have no wish to be a Thomas Paine, or anyone else.  I want to make my America the shinning beacon of hope it once was, to rekindle the spirit of Kelso, Kurland, and Adler in the rededication of the lines from the old refrain ... "...let Freedom ring! 

 Let me also be clear on this as well.  I have no "movement," of any kind.  I am trying to get funded so that I can build an example of a socially just organization and to provide economic support to CESJ and its principles.  My criticism is fully in keeping with the ethics of CESJ,  I am challenging strategies and not policy, not WHAT, but HOW.

I will tell you exactly what I plan to do.  My focus is to build a base of economic, social, and political resources built upon a sound business.  The Family Fish Farms Network is a for profit "C" corporation.  We are preparing to fund ourselves sufficiently to build a national network of over 400 Urban Aquaponic Micro Farms across America in the inner cities where food and employment are most needed.  Times are tough for new starts and we must look conventional to the investment community.  Joe Recinos, one of CESJ's experts on economics and I have crafted a plan that results in  the conversion of every one of the urban microfarms to S Corp ESOP's.  Our management model will conform to the SJM model. ... and, as President, I will use the organization to provide both logistical and strategic support through a royalty agreement with CESJ that provides revenue in exchange of consulting services.  I am a 100% cognizant supporter of CESJ, JTW, Justice Based Management, and The Capital Homestead Act.

In association with our Attorney's the International Law Firm of Foley, Lardner, we plan to launch a two tiered plan.  First, in October we will launch a "crowd funding," grass roots financing effort that will reach out to individual Americans (see our blog: www.familyfishfarms.blogspot.com for details on our process and plans for crowd funding, we will launch a private equity placement.  There will be two rounds.  I want to formally engage CESJ and our network.  I have had lots of interest from Monica, Dennis Moore, and others on this initiative.  

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