I sent his message today:

From: "John Gelles"
To: "Cyberspace Society"
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005

Subject: The Old and the New: Politics versus Peer-to-Peer

1. To some degree the OLD cyberspace society is/was a forum to discuss a community-supporting internet that would favor accessible education and political  action over the internet using letters to the editor type features.

2. We have since had a revolution in peer-to-peer, open systems, and copyright reform. I think it is time for those, who can, to bring the ancient folks up to date.

   I have just installed from www.bittorrent.com  the bittorrent peer to peer system after reading about it in the Washington Post. I have also put creative commons on my desktop  www.creativecommons.org 

   I have NOT yet joined any provider of content -- waiting for help from CS or myself.

3. Segway to the OLD CS discussions: like social security.  If a shred of honesty exists in either party they will face a few facts:

   1. The objection by Republicans to SS as we know it includes the notion that you and I own nothing by way of a right to next month's SS check -- because we are paid as a matter of congressional fiat, not protected by constitutional words that "contracts" are sacred (may not be impaired by lawmakers).

      OK -- that is simple to fix -- for our children, our grandkids and ourselves. All that is required is for Congress to instruct the Treasury to mail contracts with our next check, and to the not-yet retired ASAP.

      Let the contract promise our future benefits as defined at the moment; let it be signed by the US government; and let the recipient or current taxpayer promise to defend the Constitution and pay a dollar as total consideration for the government's promise. Whenever newer and better benefits are established let there be a new contract and another dollar due.

   2. Another objection by Republicans is the low risk-free return on SS funds in excess of payouts.

      Let Congress empower the SS Trustees to invest in pension quality assets similar to the investments of the ten largest pension trusts in America.

      Let Congress empower the Secretary of the Treasury to contract with the Trustees to guarantee with the full faith and credit of the United States that the government will make whole for the Trust any performance in its portfolio that falls below the yearly current interest paid on US Treasury three year notes or bonds.

So much for the old type discussions. Now will a few of the gurus here begin a seminar on the revolution in peer-to-peer, open systems, and copyright reform, that is overtaking education and politics as we know them?

Does anyone here see any advantages coming down the pike for monetary reformers like myself?

Not that I can ever give up our old religion -- the difference between Jack, Curtiss, myself and others, over the war, debt and economic democracy. 

Read  My Blog and enjoy Christopher Hitchens and Thomas Barnett make mincemeat of the anti-Bush Left and anti-labor Right.

John Gelles.

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