60 Second Guide to Monetary Reform

There are only 2 basic choices for who issues a nation’s money:
1. we the people; or
2. banks.

The second alternative -- believe it or not -- is the case today -- for nearly every nation on earth.
Think about this. Which do you want?

The issuance of the nation's money is the most important power – even the very definition of sovereignty.
• Without it, a nation CANNOT be sovereign.
• Without it, a nation must borrow.
• Without it, a nation must borrow all its money from bankers; and yes, they do charge interest on it.

Remember what Proverbs warns:
”… the borrower is servant to the lender.”

That’s why nations can never get out of debt under this system, because all our money is borrowed from bankers. To reduce the National Debt is to quite literally reduce the national money supply; in other words, create a money shortage. Politicians tend to ignore – or don’t understand - this embarrassing fact.

Governmental “austerity” measures will not work. Why? It’s the interest – the interest on the U.S. National Debt is growing faster than any likely cutbacks in spending. This never-reported fact is what is overwhelming every governmental budget everywhere around the planet. That's why 2011 in the U.S. will be the year of municipal and possibly even the first State bankruptcies in American history. Why? Because as interest rates rise on municipal bonds, interest payments owed by States are going to skyrocket. This is in addition to declining state tax revenues and certain reductions in Federal contributions to state budgets.

In 2011, we will reach the tipping point. Nothing can fix this short of a basic restructuring of our debt-based money system. No More National Debt.

From Bill Still's book page.

Bill Still's Speech at Bromsgrove 2010

Opening remarks from Bill Still at the Bromsgrove Monetary Reform Conference 29th October 2010.

Letter to the Editor of the Newbury Weekly News: 28 March 2011

Dear Sir,

It was with a wry smile that I read the many letters in last weeks paper from political representatives of the main parties, attempting to claim to be apolitical in their decision making, or protest organising, regarding the cuts to Day Care Centres, all of them avoiding the word. I wonder, have I struck a nerve?

It was my intention in establishing the Apolitical Democrats Party, to hold a light up to the hypocrisy of tribal party politics within Local Government.

I have for many years now, witnessed the process leading up to the Local Elections, where the two main parties on West Berkshire Council run around cajoling, pleading and sometimes bullying people into standing as candidates for the 52 seats on the District Council. Each side sees that the inability to field a full complement of candidates would be seized upon by the other as a weakness, a lack of support.

Agents and activists from both sides spend the final weeks running up to the deadline for nominations, pleading with reluctant potentials to allow their names to be put forward, sometimes to the point of promising that there is no chance of them being elected.

Once campaigning starts proper, the goal posts are moved, and these seats are actively targeted on behalf of a person who doesn’t want to win. Reason? To remove the big guns from the opposing benches.

Party HQ in London sends a celebrity big name MP, to come and be seen by the electorate as they flood the ward weekend after weekend with activists. Their intention is to oust the better person.

This process drives down the quality of our representation within the Council Chamber. Someone who may have devoted years to the community they represent, is replaced by someone, who is at best, a reluctant participant. This is beneficial to the Parties, as it leaves the Council Chamber full of yes men, half of whom couldn’t be trusted to sit the right way on a toilet seat, and the ruling executive can implement at will, directives sent down from their party masters in Whitehall. At which point Party Politics in Local Government becomes less about good governance than about control, and ultimately about power.

The promotion of Party Politics in local government is the worst expression of tribalism after racism.

Yours faithfully,

David Yates

Local Shop for Local People

I don't know why this has got up my nose to the extent of blogging it, but really!

My MP, Richard Benyon's website bears the credit "Designed and Hosted by Ravensloft". OK so I can live with not getting a chance to pitch for the business, but this Ravensloft proudly trumpets its credentials as offering:

Web design, web hosting and technical solutions in Cefn-coed-y-cymmer, South Wales. Specialising in web engineering, technical support and graphic design for small to medium sized business, organisations and charities.

Covering the areas of Merthy Tdfil, Abercanaid, Aberdare, Aberfan, Trodyrhiw, Pontypridd, Blaenau Gwent, Mid Glamorgan and all other surrounding areas.

In the light of the Conservatives' much vaunted localisation agenda, could Richard Benyon really not have found a local outfit to do the work? Local to us, not local somewhere else. Or at least a company outside the constituency that didn't actively brag about being local in another country?

But when one's estates are so very extensive, what meaning localisation ? Pip pip!

Prescription Charges

On Wednesday MSPs voted to scrap NHS prescription charges in Scotland. Wales and Northern Ireland have already removed the charges.

Today "The Government" announced that the cost of prescriptions in England will rise by 20p to £7.40 per item from 1 April.

Scottish government health minister Shona Robison said lifting the charge would reduce the long-term cost to the health service and would no longer put people off going to see their doctor. However, this argument appears not to apply to English people who are expected to pay up or die young to reduce costs!

If the Scottish government is discussing the risk of people in England travelling across the border to claim free prescriptions, then we have got to stop pretending that there is not a problem.

The news today is that Wales has had another devolution referendum and they've now voted to be able to pass laws on devolved areas without involving the British government. That's great for the Welsh, even if the turnout was pitifully low.

So why does the "British Government" refuse to give us equal rights in this so-called “United” Kingdom? It's time for England to have a referendum on devolution. May is looking good...