Local Government & The Feedback Cycle
As should now be apparent, all organisms operate upon the self-regulating principles of cyclic interaction, feedback, and correction, and government is no exception. These natural patterns will guide the most effective forms of any human grouping and should be recognized as the Creator's divine blueprint. At present, even with its limits, the American form of government with its three branches illustrates this emerging pattern:
What may seem at times to be gross misconduct on the part of our government, is simply a propensity to stray from the principles upon which it was
founded. One branch or another may seem to be falling under the influence of forces that are, one might say, less than enlightened. Yet, because these respective branches can add varied perspectives to the issues of our time, the
opportunity for self-correction remains in place.
When each branch sticks to its respective role and carries out that role in the best interest of the governed and is not swayed by political consideration and future elections, or vested interests and their monetary assets, then the process can operate in a pure environment. When these respective roles are subverted, the entire system suffers and no one branch can effectively correct the missteps of any other.
This form of government has several of the enlightened puzzle pieces in place, yet still contains judgmental assumptions and unclear lines of responsibility that promote infighting, conflict, ineffective communication and development---all of which can be rectified with the precise understandings of the trinity of self.
There exists in society at this time an institution which can play the role of bringing about such a rectifying. Unfortunately, it lacks the understanding of what these Lessons are trying to express. Were it to adopt this new paradigm, it would be in a position to begin to influence other institutions, such as the type of government that was created for the United States to operate under.
The first of which is the entanglement of economics and the legislative process, which limits the amount of feedback that is considered in the policy making decisions. Another is the removal of unnecessary controls that attempt to legislate morality or cultural value. Another still, is the removal of excessive regulation and taxation which interferes with, an often prevents, free enterprise. All such changes flow from the spiritual adjudicator, and eventually will come about through the internal forces of the needs of the people.
What is being referred to in the first case is simply influence paid for by vested interests which donate generously toward re-election campaigns. The second refers to influential religious groups that claim to represent voting blocks and, thus, attempt to influence legislation. The third is the evolution of bureaucratic departments which develop a life of their own and begin to exercise power far beyond what any of the respective branches of government ever intended. The correction of these mis-directions lies in the bowels of the human spirit and can come forth in the proper environment.
At present, the judicial branch can only evaluate against existing, often conflicting policies, and is severely limited in its empowerment and often does more harm than good. Many such judges, base decisions upon doctrine of sin and evil and further stymie the developmental progress of the nation. This branch has now become entangled with more administrative functions in carrying out corrective actions according to existing, and often flawed policies and laws. Their evaluations and suggested corrections often breed further intolerance, victimization, isolation, and loss of personal freedom.
There has been a resurgence in the judicial branch in recent years to presume that acceptance of the taking of human life under what are considered to be justified circumstances is in line with the moral guidelines of our society. Such actions have only resulted in demeaning the quality of life itself. In short, such actions have and continue to be counter-productive.
If this branch is to be at all effective at balancing power, it must clarify its role of evaluation. It must have ultimate authority to render decisions that are fully aligned with the spiritual adjudicator to ensure that legislation---even the constitution itself---and all forms of correction stay within the bounds of the divine design. With the final authority of natural law as evidenced in the emotional patterns, all cultural laws can be correctly evaluated so that all guiding policies continuously evolve to match the divine design.
This may require the stretching of understanding beyond the limits of religious dogma and tradition. It may require the acceptance of ideas that stretch beyond the limits of Judaic-Christian culture. It will require, at the very least, a willingness to seek guidance more from within and a trust that this is where all true guidance dwells.
Representative Government - The Value of Each Voice
Like a body attuned to all of its cells, a government is indeed "of the people, by the people, and for the people." Enlightened governments are based primarily upon the input of the people they serve. Those that are based upon rigid worldviews, competitive economic interest groups, and limited ideologies discourage the purpose of self-development and shall relegate their members to daily doses of spiritual pain. Indeed, like the body, a government guides the development of the public mind---a mass reflection of the individual minds which comprise it, with equally important fluidity in its chosen beliefs and cultural strategies. Most governments remain in rigid adherence to value judgments handed down from earlier days wherein religious worldviews dominated governments.
While the old expression, "You get what you pay for", might be all too appropriate in our current economic/political situation, in the American system, citizens do end up with the kind of government practices they have come to tolerate. The fact is, like the governments we have come to expect, our cultural outlook is subject to the same limitations of our traditional way of thinking which are reflected in how those who govern us think and perform.
At present, those governments based upon this democratic input process have enjoyed the most success, but many still suffer the pitfalls of excess economic dividers. As long as representative government promotes competition at the expense of cooperation, there will be factions of power instead of the free opportunity for all to become empowered. The laws will follow the reinforcement of the "haves versus the have-nots" as those empowered become the loudest voices in the input process. These are the modern vestiges of institutionalized dividers along lines of blood and class, which forced many historical revolts as human voices raged in spiritual anger.
When 5% of the population ends up with 80% of the wealth,
economic injustice is bound to prevail. Such economic power ends up being passed down from one generation to the next. Wealth buys the influence to protect those who have it. This state feeds a level of discouragement which can't
help but grow toward mass indifference toward the political process and a social level of anger expressed in violence. Hence, more crime, prisons and public executions.
To have the principles of
freedom stenciled in concrete around the statues of those who helped found a government, apparent for all to see and believe; contrasted against a compromised system which seeks to maintain economic inequality, is to breed a level
of spiritual anxiety destined to result in a continuing level of decay. A government, like a parent, must allow some opportunity for learning through mistakes, as long as no serious harm is done and opportunity for corrective
action remains in place.
When the government servants of an electoral system spend more of their time concentrating on acquiring the economic resources to get themselves re-elected than to attuning to the physical, mental and spiritual needs of their constituents, then the system suffers and declines.
Each community can readily observe the spiritual symptoms of its folly should it choose to avoid resistant defense. Black markets, economic subcultures, overcrowded prisons, exorbitant health care costs, welfare states, self-abuse, addiction, and violence comprise a veritable chorus of resounding voices which now falls upon deaf ears. Each social problem contains its own solution when the underlying needs and emotional patterns are addressed rather than ignored, denied, or written off as sinful or incompetent human nature. Good governments actively seek out these voices and effect immediate resolutions to the lingering malaise following the needs and purposes of spirit.
The cynic proclaims, "People are just no good!", while forgetting that he/she make the very species they condemn. Too often, those who hold political power delude themselves into thinking they are separate and a step above those they are elected or appointed to serve. Thus, their time is spent listening predominantly to those of like mind and stature.
For example, most governments struggle against the human desire to experience altered states of consciousness by imbibing chemical substances. Likewise, many struggle helplessly to combat the sale of sexual services. They struggle because these offer, at present, necessary human learning experiences. As long as there is a demand for certain experiences, there will be a supply in the grand marketplace. This is simply in keeping with the trial and error nature of human learning, the hedonic inner movers, and the nature of free resource exchange---all inherent in the Divine Design.
The greatest government resistance is against those substances which can not be taxed. Those substances which are heavily taxed by government, become the subject of an economic addition when governments come to rely on the revenue resource. But the deeper problem is the general lack of understanding of human nature and its need to explore its surroundings. Also, it should be understood, that a life of frustration can sometimes lead to "chemical" escape.
As we now know, all experiences are moral if they serve as learning experiences, and steps in natural individual development. In fact, many of the current desires are based in defensive escapism due to the lack of self-understanding and the predominance of institutionalized disempowerment and pain. The demand for such experiences will dramatically reduce once more unifiers are in place.
To imprison people for initial mistakes may be educational in intent, but the company of warped attitudes present in such an environment seldom leads to a state of spiritual enlightenment. Further, if the economic system continues to punish people long after they have "served their time", then further violations of law are almost inevitable. Rehabilitating the wrong-doer should take precedence over punishment, and this requires understanding and compassion.
Although the answer of simple removal of unnecessary
restrictions would profoundly improve the efforts of
government, these symptoms are ignored and denied. The
voices are given no official validity. Likewise, there are many positive voices which speak of systems, ideas and
values which are working because they bring long-term
pleasure. Thus, a truly representative government must actively search, listen, and decode each of its positively creative as well as negatively symptomatic voices.
Fortunately, despite historical upheaval and revolution,
many of the enlightened ideas have taken root here and
there, for spirit does indeed push humanity in purposeful
directions.
Government should be in a constant state of revolution, restrained and controlled, but guided toward the intent of constantly improving the opportunities of its citizens to express themselves in creative ways. Only in this full level of opportunity can spiritual enlightenment survive and thrive.
The modern technological advances are beginning to facilitate the kind of communication and information exchanges that can yield a far more representative government which can Although the answer of simple removal of unnecessary restrictions would profoundly improve the efforts of government, these symptoms are ignored and denied. The voices are given no official validity. Likewise, there are many positive voices which speak of systems, ideas and values which are working because they bring long-term pleasure. Thus, creative as well as negative, a truly representative government must actively search, listen, and,decode each of its positively symptomatic voices . Fortunately, despite historical upheaval and revolution, many of the enlightened ideas have taken root here and there, for spirit does indeed push humanity in purposeful directions. attune to and synergize all such voices . These information exchange technologies will begin removing the judgmental and divisive ideas and mechanisms and can open the floodgates. Administrative governments can interact within their various institutions to gather and analyze each kind of feedback and incorporate it into evolving policies. Then through the ongoing attunement and analysis of the feedback, governments can shape and develop themselves as effectively as the most enlightened mind. It can then allow its people to freely evolve and accomplish the maximum self-development and expression to hurtle humanity forward in enlightened cultural evolution. The government that follows the principles of unity of purpose cannot help but blossom and provide enriched opportunities for fulfillment.
With the communicative systems we now have in place for a significant number of our citizens, the public can make its opinion available to the most responsive branches of our government. Public support can and should guide government actions. Governments, in turn, can not afford the luxury of ignoring the public mind. Even today, our news media is beginning to solicit the public's view on daily happenings. This is an example of an institution taking the lead in moving toward a more enlightened society.
Financing Good Government The current situation of humanity is still far afield from the potential experience of full
creative manipulation of energy and physical matter. The constant energy conversion and physical manifestation is now mostly accomplished through the earning and exchange of money. Thus, the grand natural marketplace has become an
economic cultural resource arena wherein individuals work to receive the financial freedom to design the life course. The empowerment comes through job opportunities to create and contribute in the grand marketplace. Thus, freedom
and empowerment now revolve around the ability for each individual to find an economic niche and make a living. Government then garnishes a bit of these earnings to contribute to the cooperative structures, or attempts to
redistribute resources to the "needy" who are often not held accountable for any form of contribution.
So it is that government plays the role of
arbitrator of the earned wealth of the majority, funneling a portion of same to those they deem in need and giving justification for the ever increasing size of each department in the process. The existence of poverty provides a
comfortable livelihood for those who make up and apply the regulatory hoops the needy are required to jump through in order to get the needed assistance. But there is a movement of late to get them beyond the state of dependency
which, if understood and appreciated, could lead to an increase in enlightenment on many levels, provided it is carried out with the proper level of compassion.
In a democratic system, these swings of the pendulum are regulated through the election process. Where this safety valve doesn't exist, change tends to be more violent in nature. Whatever the method of this warring mentality, it is clear that the nature of this dissatisfaction lies deep within the human psyche and will not be resolved until and unless the true values of human nature are once again honored.
When governments actually find out and provide what people are willing to pay for, they can earn the public trust and can easily sustain themselves upon a minimal monetary contribution from each member. Such contributions will be happily offered, for the fruits they bear will be apparent. Eventually, when a fully cooperative unity has been attained, the financial institutions will be deserving of the term "public trusts" and can serve as direct collection points for governmental taxes, dramatically reducing the need for entire collection and enforcement arms. The elimination of black markets makes all commerce above board, legitimizes each enterprise, and brings all humans into the cooperative whole, and thereby dramatically increases available resources. Once all individuals enjoy just freedom and empowerment, taxation can be likened to a simple banking service or a percentage interest rate charge. Public trusts and representation can even come together into some form of individual designation of how the tax dollars are to be spent. This can allow individuals to put their money where their mouth is. In this way the values which bring the most cooperative empowerment will naturally emerge.
In our present economic environment, corporations do their best to avoid paying their share of the revenue. In some cases, they are completely successful in finding sufficient loop holes in the tax laws to the point of avoiding taxes altogether. In a competitive system, this practice is naturally encouraged. However, since the cost of paying taxes is usually passed on to the customer as a cost of doing business, there can be no justification for avoiding this responsibility other than the mentality of pure greed. A general simplification of the tax laws could be the only practical solution, since it would remove the Murphy Law that more rules created, the greater the opportunity for exceptions.
Public Infrastructures The government can provide many unifying pathways between citizens which can bring the maximum freedom
and mobility to each individual life experience. The public educational system provides a fundamental unifier and the most direct avenue to the task of providing unifying informational resources. It will be discussed later in some
detail. But there are also other structural unifiers that the government can foster and even support if necessary that not only provide safeguards, but facilitate empowering opportunities.
There is always the need for some baseline of uniformity so that all can maneuver safely and comfortably within the parameters of reality upon which we have collectively agreed. Just as rules must be in place to foster the smooth function of automotive travel, so society needs to agree to certain rules of interaction to most benefit from one's surroundings.
Major infrastructures such as transportation and communication networks, public works, public health, and community utilities are all necessary to an unconnected body. Governmental guidance and assistance can develop and link private enterprises and increase need-meeting opportunities for all and ensure equal access to survival resources. They will draw upon the inner motivations to welcome all citizens into the collective, cooperative fold and foster the honor and responsibility of creative, meaningful membership in the world community.
Even the human body could not function in an operative manner unless certain understandings of how physical health should be maintained were not innate to all levels of consciousness. If and/or when a particular portion of the body or mind began to overstep its boundaries of influence, a state of dis-ease would surely develop. Just as the Captain and crew of a ship know that an indifference of one portion of same can result in disaster for the whole, so a broadening perspective among all portions of society toward the well being of the whole is necessary for the preservation of life in this spaceship we call Earth.
The primary governmental task is to open the free market doors and ensure that the maximum amount of resource exchange and trade can occur. At present, a great deal of infrastructure is controlled by administrative government, which could just as well, if not better, be taken on by private enterprise. The governmental hand is best when gentle, temporary, and guiding rather than firm, permanent, and controlling. A government that forms itself around these innate tenets, shall arise as the most effective, economically successful, and creatively helpful to the unfolding evolutionary destiny of the human species.
In the economic arena, government serves best by holding private industry to the task of serving public need satisfactorily, while remaining with the confines of justifiable but modest profit. Private enterprises may even compete for the right to acquire that limited responsibility, so long as competition does not become an end in and of itself.
We can now examine the specifics of the cornerstone equalizer of any good government, an enlightened public educational system.
Global Government Mission Statement To faithfully, actively, and cooperatively honor divine providence by offering universal guidance in all ways which safeguard the natural interactive
processes and resources of the planet, and foster purposeful, connected, creative evolution of the human species.
Declaration Of Unity In acknowledgement of
alliance with divine biological predestiny, we the people of the planet Earth declare that:
1. By divine providence all humans are created equal; with the innate biological goodness, impetus, ability, guidance, and rights to freely control their individual destiny in cooperative concert with one another.
(Note the similarity to the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence.)
2. With the right of willful destiny comes the self-evident responsibility for humanity to purposefully, intelligently, and responsibly use culture to design systems, technologies, social structures, and cooperatives that align with and enhance natural predispositions in order to provide the most fulfilling experience for all life forms.
(Universal freedom cannot survive without an equal share of responsibility.)
3. Creative diversity shall be encouraged, in agreement that any cultural assumptions, values, beliefs, institutions, and activities shall strive to rest upon the solid foundations of natural universal principles found in the creation itself, and no longer seek to judge, defile, or deny the divinity, purpose and sacred value potential of all living beings.
(Nature, itself, can be the best illustrator of life values.)
4. There shall be no undue organized interference with the exercise of individual, willful acts of purposeful self-preservation of body, self-development of mind, and self-expression of spirit, within the guidelines of the global cooperative unity and dictates of natural emotional dynamics of adaptation and evolution.
(Freedom should predominate over outside regulation wherever possible.)
5. There shall be active, cooperative, and creative efforts to establish global freedom and equal opportunity to every human being as basic, just conditions which meet the non-negotiable inborn needs for freedom, power, and connection; toward the goal of reducing deficit states which prompt fear, anger, isolation, and competitive defensive responses, and enhancing those desirable states which prompt joy, trust, compassion, and unified purposeful responses.
(Private citizens should have built-in avenues of communication to encourage the process.)
6. There shall be active cooperative, and creative efforts which foster social structures to enable all humans to meet the secondary needs for esteem, creativity, and meaning which foster desirable states of faith, inspiration, courage, honor, and creative delight, without undue interference with the cultural choices of other members of the global community.
(In a fostered environment of cultural exchange, this can happen.)
7. There shall be a global effort of cooperative defense to prevent, reduce and correct any violations which interfere with the free empowerment for individual countries and persons to pursue the happiness derived from purposeful value fulfillment in manners they so choose.
(For a limited time into the future, this may
require a form of military action.)