Idiocracy or EnlightenmentPondering on the “Where’s Snowdo?” situation, I wondered “Why Iceland?”, Iceland was the first place Snowden originally wanted safe haven. One might look at the events below, and be inspired that peaceful solutions can actually exist.
In an age where a farmer in Africa can hold in his hand more information access than Ronald Reagan had in the Situation Room, would you believe the worlds 13th most developed nation and one of humanities oldest Democracies could have a revolution, oust the parliament, bring up their Prime Minister on criminal charges, then crowd source their new constitution to ALL the people over the internet; and you haven’t heard about it for 4 years? Well it is in process, right now and it began in 2008. I’m betting (like me) you never heard about it either… get a load of this:
In Iceland, the people made the government resign, essentially after their country was bought out by a bail out. One that was never voted on, or even had special session to decide. Iceland’s primary banks Landsbanki, Kaupthing and Glitnir were nationalized with money from Great Britain and Holland. The establishment’s buy out was rejected by the people and the prime minister brought up on criminal charges for allowing it to happen without consent.
A law was proposed for paying back the debts through the payment of 3,500 million euros, to be rendered paid by the people of Iceland monthly during the next 15 years, with a 5.5% interest. The people go out in the streets and demand a referendum. In January 2010 the president denies the approval and announces a popular meeting. In March the referendum and the denial of payment is voted in by 93%. The people decided to not pay the debt, as they did not approve of the bail out.
In the wake of the crisis, Iceland instituted “capital controls” that made it impossible for many foreigners to get their money out of the country. Though designed to be temporary, the controls remain and are among the biggest hurdles for regaining international interest in the Icelandic economy.
Or perhaps they are not hurdles, but subtle planned protections during this all important formative time for Iceland?
Meanwhile the government has initiated an investigation to bring to justice those responsible for the crisis, and many high level executives and bankers were arrested. Effectively destroying their rigid two-party system. A public assembly was created to rewrite the constitution, and all in a non-violent way without serious retribution. A whole revolution against the emptiness of the fractional reserve banking system. Against the powers that be who created the current crisis and pose themselves as the economic savior to take over from the inside, with empty vaults. Or rather, one giant at capacity vault, that just migrates where needed until it comes back again, controlled in secret by a conglomerate of elite narcissist that know best (AKA the Fed, which come to find out is as “Federal” as Federal Express). Just search “Ron Paul audit the fed” and get a pot of coffee. Anyhoot…
Back to the Constitution, an assembly was elected to rewrite a new Constitution. It must be approved by the current Parliament and by the one constituted through legislative elections. They report to include the lessons learned from this, paying special attention to modernizing the banking, technology and privacy pieces. This new crowd sourced constitution, through many revisions and total transparency online, would substitute their current constitution. One that was written hastily to declare a Republic in 1944, to protect themselves from Nazi Germany. It was based upon the original that marked Iceland’s sovereignty from Denmark in 1918. The constitutional assembly started in February of 2011 to present the ‘carta magna’ from the recommendations given by the different assemblies happening throughout the country.
It’s a refreshing thing to see the power of modern-day technology be used for the best that it can be. And this is a far more fascinating story then some third world… ahh never mind. So, what’s up BigMedia? I guess the real question is not “Why Iceland?” but “Why No Iceland in the news?” To busy chasing all the intentional and unintentional distractions? I can’t keep up either. In this story though, I see a beacon of pride. I’d like to grab onto that kind of feeling again. Iceland is showing democracy can survive the times successfully by dodging a bullet hitting most others. Iceland is showing healthy reform in the spirit of a true Republic. What does our example set? What do we even want? To continue to call for impeachment due to one dereliction or another for most President’s since when…, Nixon? I think Iceland is fighting a terrific battle, in a terrific way, to figure that out and make it reality. Are we not hearing about this simply because the media is “to busy”?
The next logical question is, in your heart of hearts, can you really see our administration(s), whether Bush or Obama, allow such a movement as this to fully transpire and effect such a powerful change, peacefully, in the US?
It’s a fascinating story, one that is still developing. And quite frankly can be further updated as there have been developments, but it’s seems difficult to get a solid understanding of just what those are. I guess we need not get any fanciful ideas… This read article “In just three years, Iceland went from collapse to revolution and back to growth” was good.
4/25/13 – Digital Democracy in Jeopardy
Interesting Facts:
- Iceland, (population est. 320,000) one of the world’s oldest democracies, ranked as the 13th most developed country in the world by the United Nations’ Human Development Index in 2013.
- The US State Department’s assessment of Iceland’s demography reveals some fascinating religious aspects built into their social fabric.
- The Iceland Defense Force (IDF) was a military command of the United States armed forces from 1951 to 2006. The IDF, created at the request of NATO, came into existence when the United States signed an agreement to provide for the defense of Iceland, which did not, and does not, have its own unified defense force.
- A free-market economy with relatively low corporate taxes compared to other OECD countries
- In 2008, the nation’s entire banking system systemically failed, resulting in substantial political unrest.
- Maintains a Nordic welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens.
Some History/Notes
Beginning on 20 May 1944, Icelanders voted in a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate the personal union with Denmark, abolish the monarchy, and establish a republic. The vote was 97% in favour of ending the union and 95% in favour of the new republican constitution. Iceland formally became a republic on 17 June 1944, with Sveinn Björnsson as its first president.
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After the State took over, the official currency (krona) plummeted and the stock market suspended its activity after a 76% collapse. Iceland was becoming bankrupt and to save the situation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) injected U.S. $ 2,100 million and the Nordic countries helped with another 2,500 million.
Iceland opened a criminal trial against its former prime minister, Geir H. Haarde, becoming the first country to prosecute one of its leaders over the financial crisis of 2008. Iceland’s special prosecutor has said it may indict as many as 90 people, while more than 200, including the former chief executives at the three biggest banks, face criminal charges.
Mr. Haarde is charged, in effect, with doing too little to protect the country against the depredations of its bankers as they pursued wildly expansionary lending that resulted in financial disaster for the country. He was indicted in 2010 by a sharply divided Parliament, charged with violating the laws of ministerial responsibility.
Geir Haarde, the former prime minister of Iceland and the only politician in the world to face prosecution for his role in the 2008 financial crisis, has been found guilty of failing to hold emergency cabinet meetings in the runup to the crisis. But he was cleared of three more serious charges, which could have jailed him for two years.
Part of the 1992 exercise included lanes training as part of the United States Army Forces Command‘s “Bold Shift” initiative to reinforce unit war-fighting task proficiency.
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http://idiocracyorenlightenment.wordpress.com/2013/06/27/why-no-iceland-they-are-having-revolution/
The “Iceland Solution” should be the single best example, of how we can take our country back.
As far as I’m concerned, Icelands’ people are some of the bravest in the world. They should be proud of themselves. I’m ashamed that Americans’ have been so slow to react. One of the reasons is that we are so full of illegal aliens that vote and are given free money, they don’t want to work. Many Americans don’t want to work, they’re f#@king lazy ass hats.
You don’t see many illegals in Iceland, that’s for damn sure.
The truth hurts.
Apparently the ONLY country with the balls to boot the banksters, and put at least SOME of them on trial.
Well, it looks like some of you are finally waking up to the fact that we are the people & don’t have to do anything that is not part of the Constitution or Bill of Rights, especially, if we do it in MASS!!!!!! Continue to fight for Liberty ,Freedom & Truth
Iceland has the oldest parliament in the world from around the 8th century. Some say it’s the British parliament but it isn’t so; that’s just a few hundred years old and only looked after monied interests who were not born into the aristocracy. Working-class men didn’t get a vote until the late 19th century and women less than a hundred years ago so it was always exclusive.