WE THE PEOPLE AND SPECIAL INTERESTS

[Gordon Becker]

The Founding Fathers tried to establish a political system that would not be dominated by the special interests of labor unions or corporations; organizations that did not even exist in colonial times. Lawyers probably constitute the most powerful faction today, making the rules and laws of every business, educational entity, government body, and even social clubs. The even are and choose all the judges in our courts. The values of lawyers dominate and the rights of "we the people" have been lost. The Constitutional Convention offers "we the people" ann opportunity to regain lost rights. For example we could place more weight on selecting judges who are more concerned with justice than playing the courtroom lawyer game. What are your ideas?

[cashpoor]

Thanks Gordon,

You are correct in your response. The big kicker for me is the fact that our educational system doesn't teach what we are discussing. If people had more awareness, and a perspective on it to better humanity, and most importantly our media monoplolies wheren't completely missinforming the public deliberately, we would be able to launch nationwide, local, or statewide boycotts, and convince these companies "almighty" shareholders that they are in fact evil, therefore should not be considered a promised investment. Then these companies would have to change in order to protect their "precious" market share. Awareness is more important then laws or money.

As Hawaii has some very wealthy groups and many, many dignified investors, I am suprised that we all don't stick to one of the most important rules of a business deal. It should be a win, win, for both parties. If not, no deal. The problem is greed, which is very much human nature. But awareness, perspective, compassion and love for all of humanity is the only weapon with the ability to change that. That comes from awareness, and people not being misinformed by corrupt media monopolies that are our main daily news sources.

The fact is our kids and society are being dummed down to be passive with the real issues. So, if we want to change these things for good, we need to have an effective decentralized and independant educational system. And a media that can expose companies that are acting unintegrisly.

Here is what I have done to combat these in my life. I have developed three energy generators to power my house (monthly cost= $35 down from $300+). I don't shop at walmart, EVER! I educate my family and friends to seek independent news sources. I ride my bike to town. And bought a car that gives me over 30MPG. I buy most of my vegetables from a farmers market.
I have eliminated any use of debt or bank leverage, and never leave money in the bank. If the investment is to expensive for my liquid, I find partners not venture capitalists, and not people living on borrowed money. The list goes on....

The problem is once you find out what these problems are, then you find that you are caught with your hand in the cookie jar. That hurts. But that mistake won't happen to me again. I ask for you all to follow these as a constitution. Not a law but a framework for your own life. Then these people don't have a chance to succeed in our world by bullying us around all the way to the grave.

Thanks for your time.

[Gordon Becker]

Cashpoor

Your comments reminded me of how very fortunate I am to live in Hawaii. A Maui Kahuna told me, and everyone else, that the diversity of people living in Hawaii is like a beautiful rainbow. That is the story behind the picture I use for my ConCon ID.

Thank you Cashpoor for living your beliefs and not just mouthing opinions. I admire your values and your ability to act in accord with them. You are certainly a special ray in the Hawaii rainbow.

Thank you for sharing your talk and your walk with us.

[cashpoor]

I thank you as well Gordon for sharing your insights, ideas and open mindedness. Its a great contribution to us all, and very comforting to know that there are integris like minded people here that utilize actions instead of reactions and brains instead of blame.

My only wish is for the people to change their mindset and stop pointing fingers and expecting everyone else to do something about things that they don't fully understand. Its the arrogant, procrastinating, laziness that exists in all of us that must be reckoned with (AKA Ego). Before you can change the world, you must become able to change yourself. If everyone did that, we would have half of the problems we do today.

People don't forget your actions decide who stays in business whether its high gas prices or slave driving employers. If you fall victim, disassociate yourself from it. It is still in your personal power to do so.

And most importantly, it is up to you to spread the real Aloha. Because the purest essence of what aloha is, is highly contagious. Love and compassion are immune to the BS that people are constantly falling victim too. And today I'll leave everyone with another video. This one is the effectiveness of positivity in your life from a Harvard study. 3 parts, also on youtube. Check it out!

http://videos.gaia.com/380852/shawn_achor_part_1_the_science_of_hap...

[Puna guy]

Although we live in a time far removed from our 1st Federal President, human nature is unchanged. Read "Eyewitness to History" if you doubt this statement. My point is that the political parties have been gaining influence ever since George Washington warned us of their corrupting influence. Here is what he said:
"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight,) the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution, in those intrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love of power, and proneness to abuse it, which predominates in the human heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position. The necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power, by dividing and distributing it into different depositories, and constituting each the Guardian of the Public Weal against invasions by the others, has been evinced by experiments ancient and modern; some of them in our country and under our own eyes. To preserve them must be as necessary as to institute them. If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way, which the constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for, though this, in one instance, may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance in permanent evil any partial or transient benefit, which the use can at any time yield."

What brilliant thoughts George gave us all to read, ponder, and discuss! Individual Morality Rules!!

[cashpoor]

Thank you Puna Guy for that contribution, What a post to ponder.

The essence of what it means to me, when applied to our particular current situation is:
The human mind encompasses all of the instances of sin, and all the things that we so often judge against. The truth is every human has these thoughts and fealings, either consciously or subconsciously to strive for power, allow ourselves the illusionairy perception of separateness, and be corrupted or use reactions, rather than balanced intellect and compassionate understanding, to band aid fix problems that the same illusioned like mind has created.

The thing that is most interesting, is that since we all have these thoughts, fealings and emotions, we can safely say that our differences are actually our maturity to encompass and categorize this information through our actions in the duality of fear or compassion. These actions can happen from anyone whom is in the critisized certain position. It also means that we are all alike, as a matter of fact, we are all one being on this planet. So, the idiosincrisies of the problems that we are so quick to judge and punish are actually existant in all of us. It is an illusion that it is happening to you or me, the truth is it is happening in the human mind through consiouness, thus human nature.

Thats why a war on "terror" makes absolutley no sense at all. "Terror" is a frequency inside our human consciousness, and actually, includes all of humanity in the separate illusionairy sense. Therefore, a "global war on terror" actually means a global human reaction to human subcontiousness, it should be called the "global war on duality". That is an oximoron, it doesn't exist in our reality, rather a way to try to separate the onness from humanity, and make us all live in the frequency of fear and the illusion that we are all separate from one another.

Fear is slow frequency that resonates through each atom of our body, quite the opposite of the frequency of compassion, which is the actual natural human behavior. This has an analogy, that dark is not the opposite of light, it is the absence of light. So, now that we are living in the information age, we will start to think and each one of us needs to evolve to know that difference. It is not something taught in school, and that is something we need to personally evolve to.

The reason we have so many people willing to pass the buck and follow someone like our current governing people, is the actual thing we should be addressing.
In example presidential canditates, in example Obama, "change we can believe in"..... oh, really, and what exactly does he define it as, where is the track record of actions, and is it really new. NO its not. It is a false claim like the ones we heard from every candidate since JFK, in purpose to evoke an emotional reaction from people who don't understand the difference of our illusionairy society of separateness, but are still acting from the frequency of fear and subconscious strive to the human nature frequency of compassion.

So to demonstrate my point just imagine this with an open mind. We have the most crowded prison system for all the other countries in the world, when someone goes to prison, even if falsely convicted, framed or for a nonviolent offense, they are now suppressed to live in fear, not respect human personal rights, they get homosexually raped, and have to fight like hell to survive through their sentence in an environment of prejudices, violence and fear, and if they do make it out, they will have an incredible challenge adapting back to our "civilized" society. In fact they will be way messed up then when they went in.

Now wait a minute. What if.... just a what if.... We relooked at the situation and realized that these people didn't use the correct judgment for their actions because they haven't learned the difference of compassion and love for all of the human race. So ,instead of incarcerating them, we temporarily send them to a compassion and onness schooling with rigorous counciling, testing, and much more community service labor requirments like litterbug chain gangs. I would almost bet the farm that we would have a much less rate of return to prison, and actually have people that realize the part of the human subcontious that they have repressed in themselves, it just might be a real breakthrough in the way we do things. And for the repeat offenders, that show massive disregard for compassion, are sent to Iraq with no weapons, and a big "no human compassion" tattoo on their forhead. See how they react to having no freedom or personal liberty, and not even being able to communicate the language, or have tax dollars to buy them food and shelter.... The boot, to maybe not Iraq, but the least compassionate, and most undesirable place that exists on earth. Id bet they would learn faster that way, it would drain less of our tax dollars, and instead of sending our children to kill innocent civilians in the countries that aren't acting in our the USA's favor, we just send our most violent prisoners and have them face the irrepairable false reality that our brothers and sisters and children in our armed forces have to do.

I don't expect most people to understand this, so please insult me all you want! I invite it!

[Gordon Becker]

CashPoor

It seems to me that your position is that we would all be better off if we realized that the basis of our problems is the way we look at the world, others, and ourself rather than what we think the world, others and ourself "really" are. But then you suggest actions we can take about prisoners and schools that would change the things we look at rather than pointing out that none of these things would be problems if we didn't think of them as problems,
I think that that none of us would have any problems if we appreciated the world as it is rather than wanting to change it to fit our preconceptions, but I also think that very few people think that way, and very few are even capable of learning to think that way.
If we really appreciate the world as it is, we appreciate the impermanence. the constant fluctuations and the inter-dependence of everything, including ourselves and the fact that whatever we do has repercussions.
So what do we do when we don't have any problems with the way thing are, and when we know that we will not have any problems with the way things are going to be, regardless of what will be? Obviously we can do anything if we really accept everything as it is.
Unfortunately I am not quite there in my own acceptance and appreciation. I am still trying to get the world a little closer to my ideal world, and I am participating in the ConCon in the hope that we will be able to change the Hawaii Constitution to make the lives of those who live in Hawaii a little better. Your post indicates that you too are still trying to change the world.
So here we both are, with both agreements and differences of opinions, and no insults.

[cashpoor]

Very well put Gordon.

I truly appreciate your perspective, as you have obviously explored this concept for what it is.
I agree with what you are saying, and used the examples of a way to bring an ideal of consciousness for the people that are stepping into the realm of making the changes in our community through the concon. The world is perfect in an infinite sense, and all lessons I have personally learned reflect that sometimes pain, fear, and "problems" are all their to teach us. Sometimes they are the greatest motivator.

The reality of many people being incapable to think or act that way is a pill that I have never been able to swallow, because when I share "what ifs" with people most often a painted scenario gets results that show awareness and a deeper level of counsciosness, even from the people that I might have never thought had it in them.

And, you make a very valid point, accept the world for what it is, and what it will become. No matter what the situation. This is similar to what a powerful mentor taught me about investing, when I wanted to only invest in companies that were acheiving something that I fealt was good for humanity.

So this concon has already shown me results, that is there are like minded people whos collective consciousness is the light that shines on our world, and that is the essense of positive change in not just the world but our perspective of the world.

So concon is for a Constitutional convention, I almost thought it was for a Conscious Constitution..... :)

I thank you again Gordon for your wisdom, opinion, and outlook, you too are a truly a blessing to our community.

[Gordon Becker]

CashPoor

So much to do. So little time to do it. And so nice to be part of the group doing it.

[Auhea]

This constitution has the new mentality of the old thief. What part of stolen don't we understand today.

[Gordon Becker]

AUHEA

I do not understand your comment. Are you referring to the illegal actions by the US government and some Hawaiians in making Hawaii a part of the US? And are you advocating that we ignore the Hawaii constitution, or not change it, or not have a ConCon?
Please explain

[Auhea]

Gordon,
Yes foreign intervention as well as traitors in the affairs of the nation of Hawaii was and is wrong. Have the Concon. Revisit the compact with the United States. Stolen in 1893 is still stolen in 2008 and will be stolen in 2009, It up to you.

[Kaunaloa]

"Revisit the compact with the United States"

nope, not gonna happen ...

now, the following piece of advice is worth what yer paying for it, but here goes anyway -- further comments along the lines of your previous ones will garner you little support in this forum ...