The constitutional right to associate gives such an individual the legal standing to join with others and to form any grouping, so wished. A political party, a professional association, a community service club, a social work gang are all groupings that actively recruit members to further an objective. Precedents are widely available to charge, prosecute and to convict such organizations and their members, who engaged in illegal activities. Once the facts supports the claims that these individuals, so charged, planned, executed and profited from any criminal behavior, the remedy is set out in law. If however, the organization’s objectives are deem illegal, it will simply be changed, and as to who is responsible for setting such objectives, is virtually impossible to prove in a purposely, loosely structured grouping.
The freedom to worship offers a poignant example as Muslins worldwide can attest. If laws are aimed at organizations rather than individual actions, it will cast a wide net, capturing and punishing innocent faithful members. History being a guide, should point to examples of religious persecution, tribal segregation, and racial profiling as triggers that toppled the walls of, so called, great societies. Every grouping has and will have its radicals and extremists, preaching love for those of similar conditions and mindsets, while the message of hate for others in being endorsed. The law must pursue those individuals, without damaging the organization’s image.
Freedom of expression is and should be a basic human right, giving an equal voice to minorities. Sustainable development can only be truly accomplished with a fair exchange of ideas, lifting people out of poverty, enhancing healthcare, improving literacy, reducing unemployment and crime, involving all members of society, helping, caring, boosting, supporting and correcting each other. Laws are already in place to prosecute persons who entice or direct others to commit crimes, noting that many cases involving organize crime families were legally registered corporations carrying out legal operations but with intimidation and violence, and corrupting good people.
Freedoms should and must not be at the expense of others. Too many good, law obeying people are turning away from and saying nothing to law breakers, choosing not to get involved, mining their own business or leaving it up to the police, while still complaining about crime levels. Hence, the moral dilemma ripples throughout societies, what is right and what is wrong? One suggestion is based on the effects on the majority, a simple example, of a landowner diverting a natural watercourse away from a town, and another is based on the rights of the individual, such as to access water.
A common-ground solution is more suitable, which is based on a fair, transparent process, inviting all proposals and criticisms, and allowing the resulting majority to prevail, until a preset condition invokes the process again. It is also suggested that the process, itself be subjected to re-examination and alterations only at designated times. Hence, the process should not get in the way of resolving issues or law-making. The obvious weakness is not in this suggested process, but, as it is presently, in the electorate’s ability to understand the issues involved, separating the surrounding noise of a campaign, to embrace a common sense solution, in other words, the educational levels of the voting public.
This suggested process therefore, attempts to address the stated weakness, by the power of recall, restarting the process at designated times and by the gathering of a preset percentage of the defined electorate’s legitimate and verifiable signatures. This will allow the electorate, to basically change their collective minds, having seen the effects of their votes and become more knowledgeable on and about the issues, to before much damage is done, to engage the process again. The process will deal with issues, that themselves, maybe far reaching and numerous, but this process will bring about a very important change in the conversations or politics of the society, as well as in the morality of legislators, forcing a vote of conscience on each issue rather than towing their respective political party lines.
Attempting to move your thoughts away from party politics to issues driving the quality of life, it is crucial to understand and accept, no matter which party is presently in control of the treasury and the executive suites, prevailing economic factors, limited by current market conditions dictate the financial allocation in health, education and social programs, and if insufficient, can delay capital development programs. Noting that, such investment in new or refurnished hospitals, schools and other infrastructural works are essential in caring for and developing the said electorate, the people. The very same people that are asked by leaders to produce more, earn more foreign exchange and pay more taxes into the treasury.
This economic cycle, to spend on infrastructure and provide public services which develop a healthy educated and skilled population, is based upon sector and industrial development. A society gross income is derived from the sale to the wider world of its natural resources, its processing and transportation capabilities, and its intellectual property, which basically refers to and includes its talented people. An industry that exports natural resources, with little or no value added, at competitive prices has a finite life span, and must utilize financial strategies to invest and replace the eventual loss of the revenue from such resources with income generated from other industries. Remembering, these funds, invested and set aside for future generations, are administered ultimately by the legislature.
Processing and transportation adds significant value and allows for pricing that can result in greater income levels, but if the raw materials into the process can someday become extinct, early research into succession planning; the replacement of such raw materials or other viable usage of the processing plant and equipment, and the diverse usage of transportation ports, is essential to achieve sustainable development. Allocating funds, in the national budget, for research can and has become a political football with each side accusing the other of misuse. It may be best to allocate such funds to educational institutions, directly engaged in the particular industry and develop both research and researchers. Again, such decisions are ultimately made by the legislature.
The society’s intellectual property holds its greatest value. The collective talents of its diverse peoples, is truly its most valuable asset. Sports (individual or team) and culture with its many manifestations, may lead the way, but patented innovations and inventions earns long-term royalties. The endorsement and merchandizing industry is unquantifiable as collector bids, from across the world, raises the ceilings on specialty items hourly. The collection of national treasures; art, music, costumes, etc. as an international traveling exhibit or a feature on tourism brochures can generate additional income. Investments to develop scientist and other professionals are made in the form of allocations to tertiary and technical educational institutions and individual grants and scholarships directly from the public purse, without any claims on future innovations and inventions earns, only depending on national pride. But yet again, such decisions are ultimately made by the legislature.
The electorate must recognize that sustainable salary jobs, which provide a decent standard of living, are only created by (entrepreneurs) risk-takers, who develop ideas into industries. Connecting the dots, industries that export product for sale and products that invite tourist both generate foreign currency which is mainly used to purchase foreign products or take foreign trips, while, the circulation of local currency is administered by the executive to provide public service inclusive of tax collection and maintain or build new infrastructure. Without such foreign currency revenue generating sectors and industries, and other local spinoff economic activities, tax revenues will decline to the point of reducing the speed at which capital development can be implemented, causing economic stagnation and maybe recession.
Spending to develop new sectors and industries, which can generate foreign currency and pay taxes, now may seem to be simple common sense. Promoting a culture of respect, understanding and appreciation for (Entrepreneurs) Risk-Takers and the benefits they, have and will, add to society through eco-socioeconomic development and in creating jobs, with all the necessary support mechanisms accessible, by professionally educating, encouraging, developing and guiding ideas into viable, sustainable, economic sectors and industries. This is not about political credit nor is it a short-term solution. This is about national development and the quality of life.
This is a perfect example of a moral decision, which faces legislators worldwide, requiring them to vote their conscience on issues surrounding sustainable economic development, which clearly offer benefits to the future of the society at the expense of budget cuts, belt tightening in current social handouts and ultimately, votes. Greece is again teaching the world. The call for job creation, as reported in releases from the G8, G20 and most recently from, the BRIC nations including South Africa, is really a call to examine and exploit efficiencies, to focus efforts on economic sectors and industries in which a clear competitive advantage is identified and to budget and spend only on activities that benefit sustainable development.
In other words, this dilemma is a moral decision which places long-term benefits over present political gains. Directing stimulus packages at entrepreneurial development, to help graduate more employers that unswervingly create long-term jobs, must be legally enshrine as a permanent measure in the national budget, similar to scholarship grant funds, and placed above short-term politics, so that industries can flourish. Profits, from new or revamped enterprises, are to sustain jobs, while a portion of the tax revenue must be recycled to stimulate entrepreneurs and give investors such as, pension plans, an income to, at the very least, maintain current standards of living.
Rationale
T.A.J & Associates Company Limited uses this occasion to comment on topics that have been covered, both academically and by the mainstream media, to add its opinion and point out investment opportunity, not to invoke any social action.
