A freind wrote this and I am passing it along.

Ruth

Our Real Vote

Our electoral votes in 2000, 2002 and 2004 were cancelled by vote counting shenanigans.
https://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/1/prweb333209.php
But, not how we voted with our money and time.

Our representational votes since 1994 have been cancelled through K-Street lobbying, as the Abramoff scandal is demonstrating.
https://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011906Z.shtml
But, not how we voted with our money and time.

The most important vote we have is the vote of our time and our financial transactions, investments and banking. You’ve heard it say, to find out who is involved, follow the money. Now we know that WE are involved, and WE create the money trail WEwant to make our community sustainable. This is especially urgent since Global Warming is HERE.
https://www.truthout.org/issues_06/011706EB.shtml

We have always had this power to transform our community, but now we have the knowledge that we have this power, the reason to use it, and the tools to manifest it.

I have just joined the PermaCulture Credit Union www.pcuonline.org It has been in existence since the start of the new millennium. You can check out its history online. Founding organizers from our region were involved. PCCU is set up in New Mexico, whose review board was more PermaCulture friendly than other states. With just $50 on account, members have a vote in the PCCU association and enjoy the benefit of annual dividends. This is not the only benefit.

On Sunday, the Sebastopol Economic Forum, under the auspices of the Pacific Bridge Institute, met with the Don Sarich, President of the PermaCulture Credit Union (PCCU) to discuss what benefits our community could receive and offer through membership in PCCU. The report of the meeting has been published at
https://tinyurl.com/dsb9e

With enough regional membership funds in PCCU savings accounts, our community can set up the first ever Regional Advisory Board to PCCU and place a member with the Board of Directors of PCCU. This can truly be our regional PCCU.

In addition, Kelley Rajala of the Livability Project
https://livabilityproject.org/ estimated that Sebastopol citizens alone pay over $3 million a year in finance charges for credit card debt – now mostly benefiting corporations that we would not approve of. This credit card debt can be transferred to PCCU’s own credit card, allowing PCCU to benefit from a large portion of the finance charges. We can then start earmarking a portion back to our community for financing sustainable projects and loans.

If you are interested in supporting this project or becoming more informed about this and other sustainability projects (like a Community Support Dollar to keep money circulating in the community), join us at our bi-weekly Friday afternoon meetings from 3-5pm at Café Catz in Sebastopol on Hwy. 12. Join our group email list to keep informed at
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/sebeconforum/

Remember, the most important vote you exercise is that of your time and money transactions, investment and banking. Start voting today on what you buy, invest in and support with your time, and where you buy it, invest it, bank it and spend your time.

Ken Norton