Tag Archives: single-payer system

Author Amy Cortese on the burgeoning “locavesting” movement, and how we can harness it in Michigan

By Mark | October 25, 2012

Next Tuesday, October 30, Think Local First will be bringing author Amy Cortese to Ann Arbor to discuss her book Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit From It. Following is my interview with Amy, who, in addition to being a published author, has written for the likes of the New York [...]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Economics, entrepreneurism, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Retail, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Accelerating Community Capital, American Sustainable Business Council, Amy Cortese, Arbor Brewing Company, blood funnel, blue sky laws, butchershop, buy local, CDFI, Chamber of Commerce, Clare, community development loan funds, Cops & Doughnuts, crowdfunding, CSA, Dante Hesse, economic development, interviews, investing, Jobs Act, Judy Wicks, Jumpstart Our Business Startups, Kickstarter, LION, lobbying, local investing, Local Investing Opportunities Network, Localist, locavesting, Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit From It, Main Street vs. Wall Street, Matt Greff, Milk Thistle Farm, move your money to a credit union, Obama, Occupy Wall Street, Port Townsend, Port Townsend LION, private placement, public offering, Rene Greff, SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission, Slow Money, Small Business Administration, Stacy Mitchell, subsidies, tax loopholes, tax reform, The Big Box Swindle, The Brinery, Think Local First, unaccredited investors, Woody Tasch, Zingerman's | 7 Comments

BALLE founder Judy Wicks on the origins of Urban Outfitters, the birth of the Localist movement, and the necessity of local ownership

By Mark | June 23, 2012

Recently, while in Grand Rapids, I had the occasion to meet Judy Wicks, the founder of the White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia, and the woman who, ten years ago, brought the Business Alliance for Living Local Economies (BALLE) into being. Since the meeting, we’ve been chatting by way of email… Here’s the interview. MARK: Having [...]

Posted in Economics, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Sustainability | Also tagged 1983, American Sustainable Business Council, Amy Goodman, ASBC, BALLE, Ben and Jerry's, Ben Cohen, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, buy local, Chelsea Green, Chiapas, corporations, corporatocracy, democracy, Eskimo, factory farming, Fair Food, fair trade, fast food, Free People’s Store, George McGovern, Going Local, Good Morning Beautiful Business, Guy Bazzanni, Helen Caldicott, Honest Tea, human scale, Jim Hightower, Jim Slama, Joel Soloman, Judy Wicks, Lester Brown, local economy, local food, local food production, Localist, Michael Shuman, national chains, Odawalla Juice, ownership, Philadelphia, re-localization, Richard Hayne, sense of place, social change, Social Venture Network, socially responsible business, Starbucks, Stoneyfield Farms, Ted Rouse, The Body Shop, Tom’s of Maine, universal health care, Urban Outfitters, White Dog Cafe, Wicky Wacky Woods, Zapatistas | 10 Comments

Ben Cohen on Occupy, independent business networks, and defacing currency to save our Democracy

By Mark | May 19, 2012

I had the opportunity yesterday, at the BALLE conference, to hear ice cream magnate Ben Cohen, of Ben and Jerry’s fame, talking about the point of intersection where the local business movement, Occupy Wall Street and the campaign to “get the money out of politics” converge. Here’s video of his presentation, during which he unveils [...]

Posted in Economics, entrepreneurism, Marketing, Uncategorized | Also tagged Affordable Care Act, BALLE, Ben and Jerry's, Ben Cohen, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, campaign finance reform, corporate takeover of politics, currency, defacing currency, dollar bills, get the money out of Washington, Grand Rapids, health care reform, ice cream, Mark's big ideas, Move to Amend, Obamacare, Occupy Wall Street | 13 Comments

Robert Reich and Molly Ringwald answer questions on Reddit

By Mark | May 2, 2012

I doubt that they coordinated it, but, a few days ago, at roughly the same time, both Robert Reich and Molly Ringwald were on Reddit, answering people’s random questions. Following are some of my favorite responses. I was going to specify who said what, but then it occurred to me that it might be more [...]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged antitrust, Bill O'Reilly, Breakfast Club, campaign finance reform, Citizens United, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Earned Income Tax Credit, fear of Communism, Glass-Steagall Act, health care reform, income disparity, infrastructure, Joe McCarthy, Judd Nelson, McCarthyism, Molly Ringwald, Plutocracy, Robert Reich, tax reform, the growing gap between rich and poor, unions, Wealth and Poverty, Works Progress Administration, WPA | 10 Comments

Could a Supreme Court decision against Obamacare lead to a public option?

By Mark | March 28, 2012

As you know, the Supreme Court has been hearing arguments this week on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, or what’s become known as Obamacare. Specifically, the Justices are considering whether or not the government can, in accordance with the Constitution, compel the citizens of the United States to purchase health insurance. The decision [...]