Think Globally - Act Locally.

Green Municipal Bonds offer the opportunity to rescue the economy and the environment.  Local governments are needlessly watching their economies disintegrate, waiting and begging for handouts from Washington D.C., while all along the power to save their economies and help the environment lies in their hands - Green Municipal Bonds.

Traditional Municipal Bonds are debts issued by local governments to pay for schools, hospitals, mass transit, and many other projects that benefit local communities.  Citizens vote to approve a bond investment, agree to pay a property or sales tax to fund the bond measure, and the bonds are then sold to investors to raise the capital for the project.  Municipal Bonds are very similar to U.S. Government Treasury Bonds.  Both offer investors relatively safe investment vehicles with special tax advantages.

Green Municipal Bonds, are similar to their traditional cousins, they offer relatively safe investments with special tax advantages.  However, their are several differences that make Green Municipal Bonds far superior for the taxpayer, investor, and issuing local governments.

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“tell your neighbors not to buy Coca-Cola in Memphis. Go by and tell them not to buy Sealtest milk. Tell them not to buy–what is the other bread?–Wonder Bread.”  Martin Luther King told the parishoners of Bishop Charles Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, the Sunday before his assasination.

Martin Luther King is remembered today, even more so this year with Barack Obama’s inauguration, as the leader of the voting rights movement.  However, it is forgotten that Martin Luther King, at the time of his assasination, was proposing to create a collective financial hammer to promote his social and economic agenda.

“Now we are poor people, individually, we are poor when you compare us with white society in America…”We have an annual income of more than thirty billion dollars a year, which is more than all of the exports of the United States, and more than the national budget of Canada. Did you know that? That’s power right there, if we know how to pool it.”    And Socially Responsible Investing was born.

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In a chilling precedent for economics bloggers around the globe, a South Korean economics blogger was arrested, and charged with “Spreading false economic information on the internet.” If convicted, the Korean economics blogger, could serve 5 years in jail.

Apparently “Minerva”, the internet pseudonym for the arrested Mr. Park aka “economic president of the internet”, gained a large following by accurately predicting the financial collapse.  “Minerva” went too far and committed a crime, according to the judge and reported by the Associated Press, by claiming on an internet discussion board that the South Korean government ” had ordered major financial institutions and trade businesses not to purchase U.S. dollars.”  His posting “affected foreign exchange markets and the nation’s credibility,” said the judge.
At this time it is impossible to verify whether the accusations are accurate, in any case Mr. Park pleaded not guilty to all charges at his court hearing on Saturday, and is receiving wide spread support in the Korean Blogosphere.

You can show your support for Mr. Park, by sending a message to the Honorable Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Tae-sik, and demand that his government immediately release Mr. Park and respect free speech on the internet.  You can also help to keep the internet free, by supporting the premier internet watchdog group, the “Electronic Frontier Foundation” with a much needed donation.

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Now You See It - Now You Don’t!

Long known as the Magician of Wall Street, the following is a fictionalized account of how Alan Greenspan, magically made America’s life savings disappear and diverted our attention from global warming.

The poster hung by the entrance, features two well dressed and serious looking men, and promises everyone “The Most Amazing Show on Earth”. Mr. Greenspan and his young assistant, will perform “Feats of Financial Folly”, watch as entire economies disappear before your very eyes! Open to the public - everyone welcome. Price of admission - your life savings.

Join us now as we enter the theater to watch the final act of this most incredible performance. The audience has seen some amazing things already, and sensing the climax are all hushed, as the amazing Mr. Greenspan addresses the audience.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you have seen how our volunteer from the audience, and everyone let’s give Mr. America a round of applause, gave us one dollar. Which he kindly removed from his wallet at the beginning of the show.” Everyone politely claps for Mr. America.

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Which Green Person had the biggest impact on you, the nation, the world, and especially the environment in 2008?  Is it going to be Al Gore, Van Jones, or Joan Pick?

To vote for Green Person of the Year, simply leave a comment, and tell us who and why this person should be the “Green Person of the Year for 2008“.  Remember, this isn’t Chicago, so please only vote once.  On December 26th we will count all the votes, and on December 27th the person with the  most votes, will be named “Green Person of the Year 2008“.

Image Credit: Bobcat Rock via Collective Commons License

In a report due to be released this Thursday in San Francisco, NASA scientists will reveal satellite imagery indicating that over 2 trillion tons of polar land ice has melted since 2003, we contacted the most famous polar resident to get his reaction.

In the following exclusive pre-Christmas interview, Inspired Economist investigative reporter Ramsay Mameesh, asks Santa Claus about his role in causing global warming and the dangers it poses for his business.  As well as China’s effect on North Pole Industries’ toy market share.  And how the economic downturn is impacting toy production.

Ramsay Mameesh:  Santa Claus, thank you so much for agreeing to do an interview with the Inspired Economist, I know you’re a busy man so close to Christmas.  I think everyone is familiar with who you are, so to save time I’ll skip the usual introduction, and get straight to questions.   Do you feel any sense of responsibility for our current climate crisis?

Santa Claus: Ho, Ho, Ho.  I see you’re still upset about not getting the Tonka Truck Fire Engine that one Christmas!

RM: Yeah, something like that.  But seriously, don’t you think the culture of consumption that you personally promote, is directly responsible for melting polar ice-caps?  I mean, you may be driving yourself out of business, doesn’t that concern you?

Santa Claus: Yes, we are very concerned about climate change, and that’s why I have appointed a special committee of Elves to explore solutions.  One of the Elf’s suggestions is that we begin using Reindeer poop, to power our facilities, instead of coal.   It’s sort of a nasty Catch-22, North Pole Industries is a toy manufacturer, and if we don’t produce  toys we’re out of business.  On the other hand, over consumption is causing climate change, and endangering our manufacturing facilities.  I want to assure you, and all the good boys and girls, that as CEO of North Pole Industries we will find creative solutions.  Christmas will continue.

RM:  That’s good to know, I’m sure children around the world, will be relieved to hear that Christmas will continue.  However, you did not answer my question, are you willing to admit for the record that you played a key role in causing global warming?

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What is needed is a much larger investment in the Green economy, one that will create a new era of high paying middle class jobs, and an investment that strengthens the overall economy by reducing government budget deficits.  An investment sufficient in size that will do more than simply stimulate consumption, or keep Green hopes alive,  but an investment that will permanently transform the economy.  And help America regain it’s economic, competitive, and technological advantage once again.

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