The main objective of our time can be "captured in one word: Security." Roosevelt argued that the term "means not only physical security which provides safety from attacks by aggressors," but also "economic security, social security, moral security."

• The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation.
• The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation.
• The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living.
• The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad.
• The right of every family to a decent home.
• The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.
• The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment.
• The right to a good education.

PEAK OIL

There has not been a single refinery built in past 30 years. The oil companies have known for a long time we are at Peak Oil.

What's going to happen to our way of living? Ask the average Joe in Uzbekistan or Georgia about the economic collapse of the Soviet Union. Or John Howe in Waterford, Maine.

COMMUNITY

If we are only thinking every man for themselves, our property, my taxes, we will not make it. For this to work - to survive as a species let alone citizens of Maine - we will need to make sacrifices like we have never imagined. Else an avalanche of events that will take away all our options.

EFFICIENCY

Portland has just lost the Whole Grocer - bought out by another large chain. What choice is left to someone in Portland wanting to support local businesses and producers?

What choice is left to the local producers?

Albertson's just sold out. The ownership of one of our major food chains - Shaw's - is now yet another step removed from the producers and the end users. Presumably it will be more efficient, now that the new chain has three times as many stores.

But it will be less robust, less able to stand change. More dependent on cheap energy, cheap labor, debt leverage, on tomorrow being like today.

And there are some things that will NEVER be efficient. We will NEVER find a way to operate DHHS efficiently. Health care is not efficient. Our communities are not efficient. Life is not efficient.

CITIZEN ECONOMY

A citizen economy means reasserting citizen control over unfettered business. By what authority does FPL get to chop up the fish in its turbines and turn around and export the power for its own profit? By what authority do GenPower and Sappi get to pollute our air, water and soil forever by burning trash? Why don't the citizens of Maine build their own statewide non-profit, membership based health care co-op? Why does the CEO of Anthem deserve a $50 million or so bonus because Anthem DOES NOT serve the Maine community? As citizens, if we want health care, we need to own our own provider.

NO-GROWTH ECONOMY

Not only is growth no longer possible - we must find ways to shrink our footprint. If somehow we built and fueled 700 nuclear plants - without fossil fuel - we'd reduce our energy footprint on the planet only by a quarter. Not enough.

If we keep building houses as we are, by the end of the century there will not be a single buildable quarter-acre lot left on the planet.

DECENTRALIZATION

Power and control over our communities needs to be pushed back down into our communities. It won't be as efficient - but who has the time to walk to Augusta?

REDISTRIBUTION

Growth - the liberals tell us - is good because then we don't have to confront the gross misdistribution of wealth - not only in our country but around the world. But unfettered growth has turned to cancer. We have hit the limits to that growth.

While we still have wealth, before it dissipates into entropy - into iPods, stock market bubbles and real estate speculation, taller and taller mountains of trash - we need to reinvest in our communities. Rails, public health, energy conservation, retooling at all levels.

When will the airlines shut down? No matter how far away we think that day might be, it is too soon and we have too much to do.

The pie is going to shrink. We need to work it out together; it will not be easy. It will be harder the longer we wait.

GO LOCAL

Homes and communities must grow much of their own food. $10 a week of local food is only a start. We must teach our own children in schools to which they can walk.

DEPARTMENT OF PEACE

When resources run short, so will tempers. We don't need more police and jails. We need to deal proactively with domestic abuse, domestic violence, poverty, theft and hunger.

YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS

If we act now as if the pessimists are right, then maybe we can have the future the optimists hope for. If we do not act now, there will not be a seventh generation to consider.

The world can't wait.

Maine can't wait.