[PEN-L:3619] Re: Fundamental reform
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Thu, 5 Jan 1995, S.Rennacker wrote: Interesting article. Have you considered the impact that eliminating the "unearned income" and "over $55,500" exemptions on social security taxes, along with means-testing? -- S. L. Rennacker [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad." --- Henry Kissinger The real problem is to reduce spending - Say you are a teacher and earn 1340 a two-week pay period - from your check there are fixed deductions of $1000 - $250 for interest on a debt that is equal to your annual income, $335 for Socail Sercuity $150 for Medicare $90 for medicaid $67 for retirement of fedreal employees and $7 misc fees due on of the 340 of desposable income you have $550 in expenses Now most programs should be means tested - not as a tax idea but as a reduction in expenditure - people who are in the top % of income should not be getting welfare - If the benefit = 100 then substract the difference between their income and the median income - If you are in the top 1% (99 - 50) =49 % of benefits or double that so the top gets nothing (99 - (50 x 2)) = or if you at at 50 percentile of income (50 (0 x2) no correction 75 percentile income - (75-25 = 25) x 2 = 50% benefit level - the cause in to reduce outlays not raise taxes - there maybe up to 100 b in such "asvings"
[PEN-L:3620] ** A to Z Spending Cuts Congress Nov.8th ** (fwd)
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Forwarded message -- Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 02:17:35 -0600 From: Brad Parsons [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: ** A to Z Spending Cuts Congress Nov.8th ** -- Forwarded message -- Date: Mon, 7 Nov 1994 06:57:43 -0600 (CST) ** ** A TO Z SPENDING CUTS COALITION CONGRESSIONAL TARGET FOR: 11/7/94 ** ** WE'RE BACK! The A to Z Spending Cuts bill will have to wait for the next Congress, but we're not gonna let incumbents in Congress off the hook. This last update on the A to Z Spending Cuts Campaign before tomorrow's election begins the spending cuts campaign for the next Congress, so that you will know that there is an alternative to the TAX AND SPEND, BIG GOVERNMENT, current-services-baseline budgeting policies of CLINTON and CURRENT, INCUMBENT CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS. The following is the beginning of a list of possible spending cuts. We will be posting many more specific, potential spending cuts in the months ahead: 1 Yr. 5 Yr. Spending Cuts Savings Savings * Cut by 50% federal spending on furniture and $1 billion$5 billion decorations. Much of this spending is extravagant and useless. * Sell most of the government's civilian air $2 billion$6 billion fleet, which far exceeds the cost of flying commercial carriers. * Sell most of the governments civilian, $2.65 bil.$9.25 bil. non-postal vehicles. * Cut back pork barrel projects. $6.2 bil. $31 bil. (e.g. The Center for Western Hemisphere Trade, also known as the 'Pickle Pork Center' recently appropriated for $10 million) * Eliminate weapons programs that are not $4.3 bil. $4.3 bil. requested by the military. (e.g. Seawolf sub for $1.1 billion) * Place a 5-year freeze on construction of new $1 bil. $5 bil. federal buildings. There are about 15 million square feet of vacant federal office space. * Prohibit the use of private consultants for $4.9 bil. $24.5 bil. federal agencies. * Over five years, implement a 10% across-the- $14.6 bil.$73 bil. board cut in the administration costs of all federal discretionary programs. * Bring federal retirement benefits in line$3 bil. $13 bil. with private sector benefits. * Correct the U.S. lax tax treatment of foreign$4 bil. $21 bil. companies operating in the U.S. * Return to the Treasury foreign economic$5 bil. assistance funds not expended in three years. * Transfer all real property, facilities, and $2.4 bil. $2.4 bil. equipment of the Tennessee Valley Authority to private sector, states, or local entities.--- --- 1 Year5 Year TOTALS: $46 billion $199.5 bil. --- --- (Sources: Congressional Budget Office, Citizens Against Government Waste, United We Stand America) * * *** THE STORY OF 'GRANNY MARJE' AND HER TOP SPENDING CUTS *** * * Who is 'Granny Marje'? Excerpted from an article by Drew Moss Taking a break from watching her two grandchildren, volunteering for two separate campaigns and writing a dozen letters to each of Arizona's members of Congress, UWSA member Marjorie Danielson appeared before a congressional conference on July 12, 1994, to offer her ideas on federal spending cuts. Danielson, affectionately known as 'Granny Marje,' accompanied UWSA National Policy Coordinator Russ Verney to the A to Z Spending Cuts Conference. Danielson's testimony focused on the Rural Electrification Administration, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Agency for International Development, and the Department of Agriculture. The members of Congress attending the hearing also received a copy of her 55-page compilation of over 500 specific spending cuts that range from $25,000 to over $1 billion each. Regarding the need for government spending cuts rather than more taxes, one Congressman at the conference stated, "The people need to
[PEN-L:3621] Re: Fundamental reform
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] RE: Simple plan to Means test benefits: Median Income (Percentile) 100% of income (no benefit) 75 % of income \50% benefit level \ 50 % of income\ Benefit level 100% BL=B - ((P-M) * 2) Benefit Level (%) = Benefit -((Percentile - 50%) * 2) 0=benefit * -((100-50) *2) [benefit - 100%] 2%= benefit * -((99-50) * 2) [benefit - 98%] 50% benefit level = Benefit - *((75 percentile - 50) *2 50% = benefit - *((75 -50) * 2 100% = benefit - *((50- 50) * 2 Percentile = ratio of household income to national average (50%) or median income about $35,000 gets 100%, $75,000 gets 50%, $250,000 get none. Benefits to be included Social Security, Medicare, Veterans and all public retirement benefits, farm support payments, interest benefits, (college loans etc). This is not a tax proposal but a cost reduction scheme. It could reduce the fixed (entitlement costs) by 20% or 110 billion - (half the deficit) the other $110 billion coming from reductions in discretionary programs. We can not affort welfare for the rich: payed for by future generations. On taxes the V.A.T. (Value Added Tax) is clearly better than the income tax: TAXing consumption not income, saving, investment, capital gains; makes a lot of economic sense - increases the pie and benefits almost everyone. By making the normal exception for exported goods - reduces our relative prices by up to 10% - and is in balance with most other countries that do not charge VAT on exports - their social costs are not reflected in their prices - our social overhead is. Get the IRS out of our way - A income tax using the system above for 15% means that the top income pays 15%, the 75% percentile pays 7 1/2 %, and the median income pays nothing. The VAT then could be about 3% (and local sales taxes could be collected by the same agency to make an 8% average - the VAT in Europe is going toward 13% - with a national VAT of 7% we could replace almost all income taxes and still keep the total around the international average. Peter E. Pflaum Ph.D. *INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN RESOURCES* 225 Robinson Road, New Smyrna Beach* IN THE WORLD - FL 32169-2176 (904) 428-9609 * BUT NOT OF THE WORLD [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:3622] Power and Change - psychological resistance
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply to: Brian McAndrews [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Crazy Times - to be sure! IT ALL ABOUT POWER: What about the backward and Stupid institution I work in? What about the hopeless stupid and backward local school system? Why? Its all about LETTING GO OF POWER! The people in charge are afraid - timid - poorly prepared to deal with the future - these are the training of the young! GM paid Perot $700 million to go away rather than change. IBM said there was no market for micro-computers! The only technology to effect public education in the last 100 years is the blackboard. The US Congress doesn't know what is being spent and what the Federal revenues are. No national news organization has on line services to stringers on the INTERNET around the world - they don't use ham radio or the news gathering power of global networks. Why? My interest has been drawn to the social and psychology barriers to change. The ancient methods of leadership training (Sufi) are extremely interesting in development of the potential to see and feel objectively. To not be so much in yourself, your role, your face, that you can't really deal with reality. WAKE UP is a process of doing reality as it is - and that is not easy. These stupid and fixed systems are not real - but suffer from collective illusion - are walking in their sleep - in a trance - WAKE UP - leadership has been trained in freedom but the masses were not expected to be interested or to have the time. Freedom is beyond illusions - cultural myths - industrial myths - educational myths - most people live stupid lives, doing stupid jobs - and not asking stupid questions - like why and why not? Those that do get fired. FUTUREWORK? See, Kun, T. 1993. PROJECT MIND - The Conscious Conquest of Man Matter Through Accelerated Thought. Indian Rocks Beach, FL: Unimedia.P See, Harman, Willis and Rheingold, Howard. 1984. Higher Creativity. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher. See, Tart, Charles T. 1987. Waking Up - Overcoming the Obstacle to Human Potential. Boston: New Science library, Shambala. See, Drexler, K. Eric. 1990. Engines of Creation. N.Y.: Anchor Books. See, Ettinger, Robert C.W. 1965. The Prospect of Immortailty. London: Sidgwick and Jackson. See, Rheingold, Howard. 1991. Virtual Reaity. N.Y.: Summit Books. /OL HR A HREF="project_mind.html" IMG *eradicate "change" from your vocabulary. Substitute "abandonment" or "revolution"instead. Green Eggs and Ham. - "not my job Man" Do you like power? I do not like it, Sam-I-Am. I do not like power. Would you like power here or there? I would not like power here or there. I would not like power anywhere. I do not like power Sam-I-Am! I do not like power Sam-I-Am. Sam, Leave me be! Try it, try it - you will see - you will like Power, so you see? I do like power, Sam-I-am, I like power here and there, I like power everywhere. (Dr. Seuss 1960) Freedom and independence are not inherent in every person. It must be sought and be earned. Proactive, responsible, independent people are the result of effort. Some are chosen or born free, some make themselves independently and other are driven to express their individual character and value. Even some grow to relish power or green eggs and ham? Bureaucratic organizations, factories have been the dominant form in industrial society. People were interchangeable "roles" with limited capacity to connect thinking (done at the top) and doing (done by the workers). This is the model of the bureaucratic system. Congress, bureaucrats, planners, supervisors, deans, principals, textbook publishers etc. try to produce "fool proof" systems but the fools are too clever. If the supervisor and the "worker" were the real source of information the power structure could be stood in its head as it should be in modern times. (We) not have enough influence to stem the tide, but what alternative is there? In reading early twentieth century Dewey and in reading Goodlad's recent book (Goodlad, 1984), one is struck by recurrent themes and by apparent inability of the American educational system to adapt to changing circumstances. Schools are part of a complex web of life. The social change of which Dewey was an early prophet continues to evolve. The philosopher's concern with the exigency of learning to learn permeates his 1920 thinking. Dewey notes rapid progress of his times. Advances in
[PEN-L:3623] FW -- Bibliographic pointer on future of work (fwd)
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Forwarded message -- Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 08:35:29 -0700 From: Gary Chapman [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: FW -- Bibliographic pointer on future of work For those interested in books on the subject of the future of work, and especially on the role of technology in shaping work, two new books have appeared recently: Stanley Aronowitz and William DiFazio, *The Jobless Future: Sci-Tech and the Dogma of Work*, University of Minnesota Press, 1994. 392 pages, hardcover, $25. Jeremy Rifkin, *The End of Work: The Decline of the Global Labor Force and the Dawn of the Post-Market Era*, Forward by Robert Heilbroner, Putnam, 1995, 350 pages, hardcover, $25. Both of these books are exhaustive, dense, and comprehensive, although quite different. The Aronowitz and DiFazio book, while exceptionally well-written, is an academic book and the reader probably needs some exposure to the terms and concepts of social theory, economics, Marxian analysis, psychology, and especially critical theory. It's also an excellent review of the literature, including Braverman, Zuboff, the Frankfurt School, and many others. The Rifkin book, on the other hand, is not theoretical at all, but is an almost overwhelming collection of data, stories, quotes, history, and information supporting Rifkin's contention that we're busy engineering a world without jobs. Both books are warnings about the development of a "two-tier" society of people who are unemployed or underemployed versus the "knowledge elite" that is steadily diminishing in numbers. Both have suggestions about what to do about this global dilemma, which the three authors regard as the most important social question facing us for the next fifty to a hundred years, such as shortening the work week, changing the concept of "work," and adjusting the very notion of identity in Western culture. I must add that the opening chapters of the Aronowitz and DiFazio book are the best description and explanation of our current situation that I have yet seen in print. Gary Chapman Coordinator The 21st Century Project LBJ School of Public Affairs University of Texas Austin, TX Electronic mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:3624] Re: Prison Labor, Wal-Mart, Class
Posted on 5 Jan 1995 at 18:38:20 by TELEC List Distributor (011802) [PEN-L:3617] Prison Labor, Wal-Mart, Class Date: Thu, 5 Jan 1995 14:29:45 -0800 Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "Cotter_Cindy" [EMAIL PROTECTED] Highways aren't the only things U.S. prisoners build. I was told the wooden furniture and bannisters at the CSUN library were built by prison labor. I've also seen a classy full page ad in Governing Magazine for a southern state that wants to contract with anybody to produce practically anything or provide any service. Well, perhaps not security guards I have mixed feelings. I wouldn't want to compete for my living with someone paid virtually nothing and living at state expense. On the other hand, leaving prisoners to molder useless in their cells at taxpayer expense doesn't sound like a great plan either. Reducing the prison population would be a great idea, but there will doubtless be some we'd most all agree should be locked up. BTW, the most recent issue of Governing (Jan '95) has a cover article titled "The Mega-Store Monster" about the political furor aroused in small communities by the onslaught of Wal-Mart "and its kin." (Is this the list where there was some discussion of that issue? Sorry if I'm off the mark.) There's a statement in the article that relates to our earlier discussion of class: "But the fact of the matter is, working-class and rural New York and New England residents don't spend a great deal of time worrying about the 'built environment' or the 'cultural landscape,' to use just two of the phrases that preservationists like to toss around. They tend to be more impressed by the notion that clothes, towels and dishes will be a few dimes cheaper once the mega-store arrives, and that there will be a sizable increase in the number of part-time jobs available, albeit for low wages and spotty benefits." A statement that seems to be shear fabrication. Wal-Mart is having an awful time getting into Vermont and building another store about 5 miles from here. Working class New Englanders may not worry about "the built environment", but they do worry about their way of life, property values, and the safety of their kids. "The built environment" is an abstraction (but not a chaotic one), and few lay people think in these terms. Nonethelees, it is a real, intimately related to everyday life, and the object of struggle. Marsh Feldman Community Planning Phone: 401/792-2248 204 Rodman Hall FAX: 401/792-4395 University of Rhode Island Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kingston, RI 02881-0815 "Marginality confers legitimacy on one's contrariness."
[PEN-L:3625] Power and Method
Hi, I'm teaching a research methods course this spring, and one of the things I do early on is to have the class understand the politics of methodology. I would like to have a reading relating "scientific method" to the development of 20th century capitalism (e.g. focusing on the rise of big science, the relationship between positivism and the need to control through indirect means, etc.). Can someone suggest something suitable? Thanks. Marsh Feldman Community Planning Phone: 401/792-2248 204 Rodman Hall FAX: 401/792-4395 University of Rhode Island Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kingston, RI 02881-0815 "Marginality confers legitimacy on one's contrariness."
[PEN-L:3626] Reinvent Government
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] RE: Libertarian Economics - The New World Order The new "fast lane" people are quite Libertarian. Legalize drugs (or don't enforce the laws ), privatize as much as possible, they desire and need a society of low taxes and high returns - little regulation. (torte reform) - the new economics requires new fast developing institutions, spin offs, free competition, and creative enterprise. Unlike the traditional capitalist, these firms are information rich, rather than capital or labor intensive. Innovation is the name of the game - re-tool every five years, next generation products are always in the pipeline. How about re- inventing government - really re-inventing government. Spin off to the states or regional grouping the administration of welfare, education, health, unemployment and social programs. Privatize not only Air Traffic Control but Social Security Administration ( as much of Medicare is ) make Medicaid a HMO with private contractors (Several states are trying to do this) - Close down HUD, Energy, put Labor in with Education as Human Resources, Agriculture and Interior as Natural Resources (Some trees now are Agriculture others are Interiors), Seven Agency Plan: Dept. Of State Treasury (include commerce ) Defense Law Enforcement - Atty General - DEA - INS - ATF - Natural Resources (Agriculture, Interior, Energy) Human Resources (Health and Social Services, Education, Labor, Veterans Affairs, HUD) Transportation Science and Technology - NSF - foundations - Smithsonian - Misc. The New Deal agenda was a response to the excesses of industrial capitalism. Social insurance, unemployment benefits, workers compensation and welfare, labor relations, even farm policy was a political balance of majority interest, (there are more workers than owners) to smooth the edges of corporate capitalism. The Democratic Party was a sort of Labor Party, plus minority interest, big cities, plus academic and media liberals. The decline in unions, central cities, ethic minorities (of the type organized by city political machines) has led to the decline of their traditional coalition. If the new model organization is high tech - information rich, fast, flexible, Z style organization - MicroSoft Campus like - 3M - enterprise - adventures then the social requirements are freedom of action, without excessive regulation, taxes, or interference. Regulation has been used by the big old firms to limit change - telecommunications being a prime example. The Air Traffic Control System demonstrates the problems of big bureaucracies in keeping up with the rapid change in technology. the bottom line: gopher://sunny.stat-usa.gov :70/00/budget95 Fednet - commerce - If you have $1300 in monthly income and have fixed deductions of $1000 it gives you a net check of $300 - and your cost of living - rent, food etc is $550 you are in trouble - (fixed payments, $220 interest, $350 Social Security, $150 Medicare, $90 Medicaid, $70 retirement, $100 social welfare, misc $60) What everyone should know: You have to cut somewhere or/and raise income. THERE IS NO WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET (even by 2002) without new taxes, and a major reduction in defense and benefits. The figures include receipts going up 300+ B - or 45 b a year - 1350 b to 1650 expenditures do the same, from 1550 b to 1850 b. leaving a structural deficit of 200+ billion a year - a debt of 5,000 to 6,500 b or our current GDP. The interest costs are killing us now - if we had a lower debt we would have a lower deficit -- Interest = deficit = 200 b - little - figures give some idea of what is required; Defense would go down by 10 b, and non-defense by the same amount - Cabinet Agencies: Agriculture (excluding International Programs). 14,052 15,018 14,170 14,241 Commerce... 3,2163,6324,1874,502 Defense 262,617 249,979 252,850 244,200 Education.. 23,696 24,354 26,060 26,305 Energy. 19,262 18,614 18,010 18,282 Health and Human Services 31,608 34,318 35,414 36,193 Housing and Urban Development... 25,524 25,105 26,064 33,537 Interior...7,0787,5127,2317,346 Justice9,3159,376 12,144 14,343 Labor..9,920 10,561 11,694 11,987
[PEN-L:3628] Request for references
I am a writer and independent scholar. Presently I am researching the possibilities for small businesses and community enterprises to generate employment. I am especially interested in looking at the issue from the perspective of such enterprises being a political force. I would appreciate progressive and clearly written references regarding localized business and job creation. I would especially be interested if anyone knew of anyone who had incorporated such research into larger economic models, via computer or other means. If I can't find that, I would be interested in finding computer-run (or not) economic models whereby I could do such work myself. Presently our economy relies on a great deal of through-put of resources to maintain growth and employment. We can't do that forever. But the political ramifications of economic slow-down are potentially unpleasant. I am interested in looking at the potential for localized business to generate jobs, and, as part of a larger movement, create a political force to counter the stresses of industrial decline. Thank you. Trung Nguyen [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[PEN-L:3627] Re: Salvi Freemason Conspiracy Theory
"Peter E. Pflaum, Ph.D. Institute for Human Resources (904) 428-9609 [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]" [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] TO: List RE: F A Masons July 5, 1994 American Heritage Forbes Inc. Mr. Richard Snow, Editor 60 Fifth Avenue New York, N.Y. 10011 Dear Richard: It was very kind of you to forward my letter (attached) to Mark Carnes. He was kind of enough to write to me. My reply is attached. I'm afraid this kind of study is part of the problem. He skips from the founding of the modern Masons in the late 17th century quickly to the case that increased Anti-mason feeling in the 1820's. In another article on Rumford, the often quoted remark by Franklin Delano Roosevelt that the native American men of genius; Jefferson, Franklin, Theodore Roosevelt, and the Frenchman Napoleon had a were "many-sided". The Royal Academy and modern science shared beliefs in "natural law" and right reason with the politics of liberation as they were understood in the age of reason. I am shy about saying more. Maybe you should do your own research. I studied Rumford for my masters in Modern History at the University of London (LSE) in the early 60's. The fact that he was a spy for General Gage was just being revealed. It was reported that the information of Rumford was used to organize a raid on a store of arms at Concord that let to serious conse quences, a shot heard around the world. The group that had the arms (minutemen) was a lodge. Rumford corresponded with John Q. Adams in Greek and Masonic code. He was interested in how he would be received in America, even though he was a officer in the British Army on the other side. His ex-wife and granddaughter tried to make him into a patriot, which he may have been but for the British Empire. The facts of the role of Freemasonry in the American Revolution remain out of sight. Dr. Carnes is part of the problem in that he does not take it seriously. It just another boys club. Like the odd fellows. He knows nothing of the Sufi roots. He knows nothing of how character can be shaped by practice. Last Letter: Many years ago I meet a high ranking Freemason in upstate New York. I followed his activities for several days, including the settling of disputes. He showed me the code-books used to translate the hieroglyphic messages used in interlodge communica tions. The gentleman had a correspondence with ranking members in Latin America, Europe, and even in the Soviet Union under Stalin. He told me that he knew Franklin Roosevelt, who was also a 33'rd. degree Mason. He said FDR picked another ranking member, Harry Truman to be vice-president because of the trust they had developed as lodge members. He said Roosevelt and Truman had a wide reaching masonic correspondence with critical actors in this country and abroad. My father reported meeting with Truman while he was having an official Masonic portrait painted. I have always thought the issue of the Freemason's was an interesting one. A review of the role of the mason's in American History reveals the influential role of the Free and Associated Masons (F A to separate them from stone masons) in our history. The research quickly demonstrates the importance of the lodges from the time of the revolution to the age of television. The Committees of Public Safety and Correspondence were critical in the organization of the American Revolution. These committees carried out their activities in Masonic code. Samuel Adams's lodge was the home base of the "Indians" of the Boston Tea Party. Ben Franklin, along with Otis of Conn., was the "Founding Father" of the American Blue Lodges. Franklin's financial connections in the publishing trade led to important alliances with Huguenot, Dutch and English Freemasons. (Franklin's printing empire included 37 newspapers. He was the first media mogul.) The secret private loans made by the French to George Washington, at a critical time, were under-written by the Masonic connection. These loans kept the revolution alive. In Washing ton's Army the battle-field lodges were vital in the War for Independence. After the war, the patriotic lodges were a major source of political and business connections. The George Washington Lodge, near D.C. and Franklin's Philadelphia lodge represent a long republican tradition and contain many documents vital to our history. The influence of Freemasons has shaped American Political thought more than any other element. The United States was a child of the 18th century enlightment. The "Age of Reason" was best reflected and promoted by the Masons. The Anti-Mason movements of the 1830's were a reaction to the importance of the secret society in the new republic. Andrew Jackson's masonic connections were openly exploited. Until the age of Television the lodges offered the major path to political and sometimes business power. Lodge connections were vital in building the linkages, what is now called
[PEN-L:3629] Re: Power and Method
An excellent, CONSISE, rundown argument of the politics entailed in social inquiry methodologies is Brian Fay,_Social Theory and Political Practice_, George Allen and Unwin,London, 1975. A 30 p chapter on positivism and technological politics is followed by a 20p critique then a 20 p. ch on interpretive methods and their politics, concluded with a 15 p ch showing how critical theory responds to both inquiry logics but avoids their dominative political tendencies in favor of a critical and potentially emanicpatory one. Chapters 2 3 would do what you want. And its clearly put. Unfortunately, its recently out of print. There are ways to deal with that problem though. I think its very much worth some trouble. On Fri, 6 Jan 1995, Marshall Feldman wrote: Hi, I'm teaching a research methods course this spring, and one of the things I do early on is to have the class understand the politics of methodology. I would like to have a reading relating "scientific method" to the development of 20th century capitalism (e.g. focusing on the rise of big science, the relationship between positivism and the need to control through indirect means, etc.). Can someone suggest something suitable? Thanks. Marsh Feldman Community Planning Phone: 401/792-2248 204 Rodman Hall FAX: 401/792-4395 University of Rhode Island Internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kingston, RI 02881-0815 "Marginality confers legitimacy on one's contrariness."
[PEN-L:3630] Re: Power and Method
A quirky but very stimulating read on the subject is Alfred Sohn-Rethel's *Intellectual and Manual Labour: A Critique of Epistemology*.
[PEN-L:3631] Mixed messages
Pen-llers, I it just me -- or is everone getting long messages about right wing populism on the net? "Government is bad, the necessity of reducing government expenditures and taxes, etc -- and all of that sh__. I this what this net is about, in which case is it time for me to sign off? or what? Please inform? .. Paul Phillips
