Ethical Leaders Network

Notes on The Future of Success: Working and Living in the New Economy
by Robert E. Reich, 2000

What is most intriguing about this very accessible work by Robert Reich is his analysis of the forces in the “new economy.” He points out that the increases in communication and technology spurs globalization and brings Americans a greater variety and higher quality of material goods than ever before. These changes are fuelled on our ability to choose what we want with greater ease: what we buy, where we live, where we work. The ability to make these choices decrease the stabilizing forces of consumer loyalty and the idea of the “company man.” Mobility is high. Producers and employers must work harder to keep consumers and employees. This is done, however, not by creating incentive packages (including health care and retirement benefits) to bind employees to a company for life, but rather by offering higher wages to those innovative employees in greatest demand. In all industries, from software to sports, people move from one employer to another constantly. Increasing competition bought us more material options but less stability.

RESOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN ETHICAL UNION (AEU)

Reaffirming support for equal rights for Lesbian, Gay,
Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning and Queer people

PROPOSED BY THE NATIONAL LEADERS COUNCIL
AND ADOPTED BY THE 95TH ASSEMBLY OF THE AEU
SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, JUNE 2010

WHEREAS, Ethical Culture / Ethical Humanism affirms the worth and dignity of all people and supports equal rights for all, and

WHEREAS, We have repeatedly opposed discrimination against people because of sexual identity, sexual orientation, gender expression or affectional preference,

FROM THE NATIONAL LEADERS COUNCIL
OF THE AMERICAN ETHICAL UNION

DECEMBER 8, 2009

The National Leaders Council of the American Ethical Union opposes President Obama’s plan to dramatically increase the number of troops involved in the conflict in Afghanistan as unreasonable and unjustified. Increased military operations will result in increased deaths of both civilians and armed forces. Further, means of force will not solve the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. It is the wrong means aimed at the wrong enemy.

In my last column I wrote about plans for programs in accordance with this year’s theme, “Sustainable Living.” I indicated that I planned to take a “three pronged approach to advance sustainable living: raising consciousness, challenging the status quo, and promoting remediating actions.” Here’s an update on some of those plans:

Of late I have been making efforts to raise my consciousness by looking for articles related to sustainable living in newspapers and magazines, listening attentively to NPR radio broadcasts, and reviewing some of the multitude of web sites that address the topic.

Patriotism and Pride: Affirmations of a Grateful American (1)
Michael S. Franch
© 2003, 2007

I sat down to write the original version of this sermon on Veteran’s Day, November 11th, which I still think of as Armistice Day. Going toward my front door that morning to get the newspaper from the porch, I took my flag out of its box in the umbrella stand and when I got outside I put the two sections of the pole together and put the flag in its bracket on one of the porch posts. I generally put the flag out on national holidays. It was this sort of thing that caused a friend of mine to call me a patriot.

I was taken aback. “Patriot” was one of those terms that seemed to be something that I wasn’t. Patriotism had a vaguely right wing connotation to me. I shared Samuel Johnson’s suspicion that “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”