Universal Tarot * basic income * equanimity

That’s a tent on the island across the intersection from you. And when I turn right under the freeway overpass there’s another row of ‘em, and on the other side of the street there is a matching row, ‘cept over there ‘tis some propped up pallets and haywire and the whatnot under a stained mosaic of tarps, blankets and cardboard. Ain’t life grand, in northwest Oakland, where the monied have moved in, and the impoverished are left to man their streetside tent cities.

And apparently we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet, as before the only thing certain was death and taxes, we now have a new little sumpin’ sumpin’ on the scene, and her name is mass automation.

Forecasts are for forty percent of our jobs to be erased within a quarter of a century, with half of us at risk to losing gainful employment by mid century, if not before. There is a slack demand, even for skilled workers, and under a “gig economy,” the newly coined “precariat,” lives from gig 2 gig, minus the heretofore usual benefits. Meanwhile we have a military industrial machine that taketh away one of our every two taxpayer dollars, no questions asked and with no strings attached. We have no maximum wage, and with an unimaginable American excess at the top of the pyramid, with top execs which once upon a time made on average about twenty times the lowest paid employee in their firm, now making in excess of 400 times the lowest paid person.

Our U.S. economy is unbearably top heavy, and while most of us raise but an eyebrow upon news of the bank bailout or with the retinue of military excess. We think to point fingers at globalization and economic inequality, and concede that capitalism is without an answer.

What has been floated about in response is an annual flat rate disbursement, or what is better known as a Universal Basic Income, an unconditional guarantee that in theory, will be monies enough for basic food, shelter and clothing. It’s an emergent concept in France, Canada and the Netherlands, and where they’re ready to give things a go in Finland, and here in Oakland.

Others see it as yet another unjust (government) handout and are worried ‘bout peoples incentive/motivation to get up and go to work, albeit truth be told ain’t no UBI that’s gonna be cause enough to keep your fluffy slippers on for the duration, as recall driving around a local homeless man who received payment of $960/month, which was barely enough for him to tender a visit to the local Burger King and tavern (no judgment :) . Peoples are gonna need to cover the gap in expenses, albeit again hopefully minus the bureaucracy and without penalty.

Historically we have lived asunder taxation without representation, adjunct criminalized poverty in urban America and the resultant burgeoning prison population, and with a military that has erected a slew of 300 some bases in post world war Germany and Japan and lords over near another 100 of ‘em in soon to be WWIII South Korea. Other countries all together worldwide, total maybe 30 bases outside their borders. For every one of them, we have near 30 bases to ourselves, with 400 something domestically and perhaps more than double that internationally, not to mention 170 military golf courses (no judgment :) . We are living inside a militarized zone, at home and abroad. As robots replace our rank and file, we live by an artificial intelligence.

Are we better than that ?? Alaska has its permanent fund, and we’ve all watched how Universal Health Care has fared, or more of late floundered. Would an income floor cover our basic living expenses ?? Would a basic citizen’s income help empty our jails and provide a semblance of a safety net while our workforce recalibrates in the face of our information age of automation ??

Estimates for the cost of such a demogrant, at $10k/year/person, avalanche at a coupla few trillion dollars/year, tenfold of that which is now spent on social services. Can we lessen the fear and trepidation of our elderly, fathom the thought of a child’s allowance, and for kid’s (sake) that have (had) it less than Jake. And do we stop there ?? When running for President, Bill Bradley suggested free tuition/education at all community colleges. And what about worker owners of local coops ?? Is there more to that story ?? Hawaii has proffered a directive to their legislature to explore the possibility of UBI, ‘specially in regards to their native homesteading population.

MLK was a proponent. Life is a love story, and her song our lantern. Light the way my friend.

equanimity * two of crystals * Voyager Tarot by James Wanless * Way of the Great Oracle

Is yours a fear of involvement ?? Do you value an even mind and a level head ?? Amidst uncertainty and ambiguity, you choose to distance yourself in order to best gain clarity. You believe in the equanimous mind and a dispassionate analysis, and to get away from it all to see of the truth. That noninvolvement begets a nonjudgmental awareness. You like stability.

Or are you of the belief that only perfection and perfect order is acceptable ?? You think in terms of proportion, beauty and balance, and can veer toward the haughty, and that I am better than thee ?? And we ask of thee, how is it to see and accept the good and bad as equally so ??

Keep moving the mind to continuously adjust to new realities. Truth and fiction will collide. Consider to move on from the perfectionist and to create with precision. Real eyes that perhaps wisdom doth best come forth from at rest and to chance that pure state of awareness that transcends the thinking mind, and which allows of your all knowing (priestess) consciousness to evaluate and decide according to laws and values of the universe.

Live in accord with spirit. Go on a vision quest and meditate. Be at peace.

Be positive and optimistic and recall that you have a powerful voice.

Tune in and dial it up.

cool Priestess blue....