SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

this is rated P for Politics by (me!) sandra, tvgp

this is rated P for Politics   -and I do believe we should warn people the same way we have learned to warn audiences about language and nudity;  -/and for the exact same reasons.



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so, for those of you still tuned in:

***

as usual, I have done no actual research, and speak solely from an average, laypersons point of view.

one day,

when, I don't remember or care, but one day, I started to notice these stamps on certain products I purchased at the local grocery store

and then I saw them on retail products  -jewelry and home décor

and the stamps were some kind of certification and icon for 'fair trade'

and my layperson understanding gathered from a sentence here from this person, and a sentence there from that person, and some vague internal intuitions mixed with common cents

I gathered that the 'fair trade' graphic indicated the following:  some group/organization has the task of checking on various businesses/manufacturers, etc. and making sure they are not entirely exploiting people in the making/selling of a given product;  -that some standard has been met regarding employee wages/conditions which seems 'fair' and not exploitive/abusive.  and when the standard is met, the product packaging receives the 'fair trade' stamp of approval, and consumers can purchase given product confident their purchase is not further contributing to corruption, exploitation and greed.

 -something like that.

k.

and so, as I have mentioned a number of too many times, I do not have the time, energy, drive required to be an activist,

"but if I did!"

here is one of the many things I would most certainly do:

I would create a task force, very much like the one written about above.   and their task would be to visit U.S. businesses of almost every kind, and check on/report on three things:

1.   highest paid person in business (CEO, for example)
2.  lowest paid  (clerks, for example)
3.   % of pay discrepancy between the two


and there would be a standard...     and if that standard was met, the business would get a stamp..

and I haven't quite worked out what the icon/text would read, but many different design ideas come to mind,

anyway,

then consumers could purchase/support businesses with confidence they are not contributing to further corruption/abuses and greed.

because,  I will make up numbers, because I have no time to fact check, but..  I have seen many interviews and know that of what I speak is true, so i'm just providing imaginary numbers, but they speak a truth:

in the 1970's/1980's  CEO's earned 27% more than the lowest paid employee on the same team of the same business, contributing to the same overall goals

and in the 90's forward that discrepancy grew from 27% to like, 93%

and you

and I

and anyone reading this

all KNOW

   -it just ain't write.

but, honey..  if you even whisper an injustice...    republicans, conservatives, capitalists..   they so immediately cry "socialism!"    "communism!"

and you

and I

and anyone reading this

all KNOW

   closing a greed gap between the highest and lowest paid employees is NOT socialism or communism

it is just an awareness of greed, and the curtailing of it

and the results of closing/shrinking the gap result ONLY in more people  -who are working/contributing to the greater good being fairly compensated

and CEO's being less way over compensated

it is in my layperson, working woman, pedestrian,  grateful, humble US citizen opinion,

the write thing to do.

and, because greed is a negative spirit; thriving in anti-transparency zones

I rather think we need two stamps..

1 stamp would indicate a 'fair %' is distributed to everyone in a given company   -not equal!  do not panic...    the CEO should in fact make more than the clerk

and the other stamp would indicate   GREED

where an excess of, say...    I don't know really,

65%

I making up numbers,

but, if you were to buy a

mirror,

or shoes

or refrigerator

or even a hamburger/French fries through a drive thru

and there was a stamp that read,   97%

which indicated that the CEO receives 97% more than the lowest paid employees EARN..

at least you could KNOW whether you were contributing to more greed, or more people earning a living wage..

    -that is my idea

    -I approve this message

in Jesus holy spirit name   ~amen.

***

may I close with discussing 'spirits' of generosity or greed

they ARE NOT associated/correlated in any way whatsoever with FINANCES/MONEY

that seems counter-intuitive at first..   greed/generosity, giving money, exploiting for money

seems like it IS about money

it is not.

YOU HAVE people who have next to nothing, but who are willing to give with a generous heart.
you have people who have next to nothing, and they hold on tight unable to give a penny..

YOU HAVE people who have amazing amounts of wealth, but who can't part with a penny
and people who are financially blessed and who generous bless many others.

facts.

and so, if having a lot of money, or a little money is not the factor in being generous or greedy

-what is?


iJnA.

posted by SHE @ 3:00 PM