New York, Henry Holt &Co.,2014.
The solution is clear now--Elizabeth Warren points the way, along with other books I have referenced in my work: Dietz and O’Neill’s Enough Is Enough: Building A Sustainable Future in a World of Finite Resources and Tom Friedman’s Hot Flat and Crowded. We need to ‘fix what’s broke’ first—usury, dishonesty and subterfuge in business, law and politics—then, with the excess money saved, perhaps we will support (even subsidize!!) education, infrastructure renewal and honest research instead of overpaying CEO’s, rock stars and ball players.

As the steady state experts say, a small difference in income should be enough incentive to inspire creative work or compensate those doing less desirable jobs. Once the playing field is reasonably level, excess money from football tickets or other popular endeavors can be made available to create jobs repairing roads and bridges, supporting motivated students, and exploring new information and technologies.

Even the tougher problems could be tackled—like the relocation needed as the oceans rise and harsh weather forces us to move north. Maybe some excess money could be directed toward rebuilding efficient rail transport and sustainable energy systems, creating jobs while curing addiction to fossil fuels that now threaten our safe and healthy existence.

I suggest reading Elizabeth Warren’s A Fighting Chance first. Her story begins with her fight against the horrifying effort to tighten bankruptcy laws and ends with her equally horrifying battle to win a seat in the U.S. Senate. She makes her points clearly by sharing the details of her personal experiences, feelings and ideas as if she were talking to a close friend. There is no doubt that her axes to grind are hewn with deep concern, honest emotion and conviction.

Most of us care about our personal ethics. We don’t lie and cheat as a matter of policy. Neither should our politicians, bankers and businessmen, Warren insists. We are better than that. We deserve and should expect integrity.

Once we regain American integrity, we can embrace Tom Friedman’s “Code Green.” We can reverse the trend away from democracy that occurs in countries flooded with too much money. He makes a strong case that it has happened with too much oil money. We can also reverse our bad example and provide the world a good example in how to create a good life for all, without using up the world’s resources.

It will take a new paradigm that gives human well-being and a healthy Earth top priority above “money uber allus.” The guidelines are crystal clear in books like Enough Is Enough. We might even find solutions to social and religious dilemmas—like education and equal rights for women—that keep the human population growing at an alarming rate.