Just A Thought...

How do we fix our economic situation? (Note: I will be writing a seperate entry regarding the debt ceiling and jobs).

What we REALLY need to do is completely do away with our debt-based economic model. We need a resource-based economy, one that thrives on innovation, invention, and people working for the betterment of everyone. The advent of technology makes this 100% possible. We have to change our way of thinking, and I think we will, and I think it's already happening.

Our system is not sustainable. The reason regulation won't fix anything is because it's too late. It's like installing seatbelts into a car that's already had an accident. The design itself needs to be changed. I'm not suggesting we all go back to being farmers, but what we need to do is the following:

1) Reform our education system into one that teaches applicable skills not only for personal survival and prosperity, but also for societal benefit (such as what Finland does... our test-based rote system is incredibly stupid).
2) We need an economic model that is not based on making obscene profits, or gambling on budled mortgages, but rather on what people can contribute to society. This means innovation, invention and technological development.
3) We need a health care system whose sole purpose is to cure disease. Treatments hinder research for cures, because treatments are what drives profits. Cures are bad business. We need a health care system that focuses on preventative medicine. This goes back to education, which should also include how to live a healthy, sustainable life.
4) We need to do away with agri-biz. Local food production, I believe, is what will sustain us after the collapse of Capitalism (mainly caused by what we've done to Capitalism), which, to all of you deniers, IS going to happen. Please reference how Cuba thrived after the fall of the USSR. It's fascinating.
5) This is absolutely critical. We have to find a source of energy that is not a fossil fuel. This means natural, clean, sustainable energy, be it from the Sun, wind, ocean or geothermal sources.
6) We need to reinvest in infrastructure. We need high speed electric rail connecting our cities.

This is just a thought.