My recent recommendation to radically overhaul public procurement (one of “A Dozen Asks for Your Governor”) elicited lots of great questions. Today’s blog explains in more detail what needs to be done and why. Let’s begin with the bottom line: In 2017, according to Census data, state and local governments collectively spent about $3.7 trillion.
The film World War Z depicts a pandemic that spreads rapidly across the planet and transforms its victims into terrifying Zombies. What it failed to anticipate was how a pandemic could reduce our social interactions to exhausting, numbing Zoom sessions. Must social distancing mean the loss of our humanity? Close social interactions are the essence
I’m currently offering a workshop on how to help revive your community’s economy as the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, through a specific, comprehensive local investment strategy. You can find details for planning a virtual or live (should that option become feasible) workshop on my Speaking page. Feel free to reach out to AudreyDumentat@gmail.com for more details.
Wall Street is no longer a roller coaster, it’s a runaway train heading over a cliff. How are you feeling about losing at least a fifth of your retirement savings? Or thousands you diligently tucked away for your kids’ education? Your investment adviser is no doubt telling you to stay the course, think long term,
Everyone knows that the three, multi-trillion-dollar stimulus bills passed by Congress fall way short. For most local businesses—the lifeblood of our economy—these bills offer too little relief, too late. I’m hopeful though that the states (and maybe, in some places, counties and cities) can rise to the challenge of saving these businesses. Now is the
This past weekend, a bright Georgetown undergraduate asked me how I squared my passion for localization with the theory of comparative advantage. For economics newbies, he was referring to David Ricardo’s argument that every community should find one product to specialize in and trade for everything else. I gave my usual response that the theory
“As so many Americans feel powerless to confront a financial system designed to serve the few, Shuman offers us real choices: tools that align our lives with our values. That’s power. I love this highly readable, timely, surprising book.”
–Frances Moore Lappé, author of Daring Democracy and Diet for a Small Planet
**40% quantity discount available from Berrett-Koehler on orders of 10 or more
October 4 – November 1: Local Investing in Montana Workshop Series, hosted by the Center for Community Ownership.
