The Economic Democracy Conference organized by ItsOurEconomy.us and the Public Banking Institute, is one of nine conferences within the Democracy Convention which will be held in Madison, WI from August 7 to August 11. Registration for the conference is still open. Visit: DemocracyConvention.org.
Americans have less and less control over their economic lives and almost no say on the direction of the economy. Their jobs are insecure, wages are stagnating, debts are growing, retirement is underfunded and a health care crisis could wipe them out. At the same, the wealthiest are getting wealthier, controlling a greater share of the wealth than any time in U.S. history. Their connections to political leadership ensure that economic elites face little risk in our crony capitalist economy.
While many Americans are in a race to the bottom, the tiny percentage at the top of the economy is racing to the stratosphere of unimaginable wealth.
Around the world in Spain, Greece, Egypt, Tunisia . . . the people are revolting against austerity and oligarchs controlling wealth. In fact, the wealth divide in the U.S., where the top 1% has wealth equal to the bottom 95%, is even greater than in these other nations.
What is the next evolution of the U.S. economy? How can it be reshaped so that people gain greater control of their lives and greater influence over the economy? Democratizing the economy would move the United States away from crony capitalism and create an economy where wealth is more equitably shared. People are already putting in place programs that democratize the economy, giving them greater influence and control over their economic lives.
Schedule Economic Democracy Conference
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Gar Alperovitz delivers keynote address in the evening
Thursday, Aug. 8
9 am – The Emerging Shape of the Next System by Gar Alperovitz of the Democracy Collaborative
11 am – Re-Imagining Now: Taking the Next Steps by Lillia Frantin and Herb Edwards of People for a New Society
2 pm – Nuts and Bolts of Co-operative Businesses: How to Empower Workers and Keep Wealth in the Community by John Conowall of the Madison Workers Cooperative
4 pm – Why Are We in Debt? What Are Our True Debts to One Another? by Thomas Gokey of Strike Debt
Evening plenary in which someone from each of the nine major conference tracks speaks
Friday, Aug. 9
9 am – Models for Permanently Affordable Housing: Community Land Trusts and Co-ops by Greg Rosenberg of the Madison Area Community Land Trust and Michael Carlson of the Madison Community Cooperative.
11 am – Sustainable Solutions for Local Economies by Nancie Koerber of Project REconomy
2 pm – Investing Locally: Moving Your Money From Wall Street to Main Street by Rebecca Ryan of the Madison/Dane County LION Group
4 pm – How to Stop the World’s Largest ‘Trade Agreement’ by David Newby of the WI Fair Trade Coalition, Josh Wise of the MN Fair Trade Coalition and Kevin Zeese and Margaret Fowers of the Flush the TPP campaign.
6 pm – Economic Democracy Plenary: The End of Big Finance, Creating the New Economy by Jacqui Dunne, Ellen Brown of the Public Banking Institute, Kevin Zeese and Rebecca Ryan (not confirmed)
8:30 pm – Economic Democracy Social Event – open to everyone. Meet the presenters.
Saturday, Aug. 10
9 am – Rethinking Money: The Quiet Evolution to a Diverse, Resilient and Sustainable Monetary System by Jacqui Dunne, co-author of Rethinking Money: How New Currencies Turn Scarcity into Prosperity
11 am – Saving the People’s Post Office by Jim Sauber, Chief of Staff of the NALC
12:30 pm – March to Capital for a Rally to stop the TPP!
2 pm – Creating Publicly-Owned Renewable Energy (working title) by Alison Burchell of Clean Energy Action
4 pm – B Corporations: Bringing Public Benefit into the Corporate Structure by Jim Armstrong of Good For Business
Evening conference wide social event
Sunday, Aug. 11
9 am – Public Banking Around the World, Building Economic Democracy by Dr. Kurt Von Mettenheim of the Getulio Vargas Foundation São Paulo Business School
11 am – Essential Information for Starting a Public Bank by Marc Armstrong of the Public Banking Institute