The economic tidings of rising energy costs, inflation, the Bear Stearns debacle, and a looming recession have been trumpeted loud and clear in recent weeks by the main stream media. In my travels throughout Maine in recent weeks, these economic signals are made very real and tangible by the stories of everyday people regarding their continued struggle to survive under globalism. What the average Mainer intuitively realizes, yet the main stream media fails to discuss, is how we’ve let our economic system become increasingly separated and removed from the reality faced each day by our fellow citizens. The economic crises that we face today, didn’t appear out of thin air. They’ve gradually developed in response to our nation’s attitudes and beliefs about how we do commerce. We must remember that the economic system we live and work in has been intentionally created, not by chance, but by will. Likewise, the crises we face now will not go away by chance, it will take dedicated efforts and a will to work through the problems to create the future we want for ourselves.

Today, we live and work in an economic system that most of us do not fully understand. We live under it, not seeing all of the consequences of our choices. We struggle to make sense out of the inherent contradictions of a system that witnesses multinational corporations with their enormous wealth and influence do whatever they think they want in an attempt to maximize short term profits. We see the enormous 9-digit salaries paid to oil CEO’s juxtaposed to long distance truckers struggling to pay $4.20 for a gallon of diesel so they can haul us our groceries from 1500 miles away in all directions. We head to the big box stores to “save” money, yet fail to realize that in return we’ve made our wealth become Maine and the Nation’s biggest export. Those that have stock portfolios or 401k’s look at the growth of their funds and rarely connect the dots to the degradation of their State or their Hometown.

We conduct ourselves within our economy too often as if everything from a 401k to shopping for lettuce happens in isolation. We fail to see beyond the thin bottom line of the incomplete ways we measure profit and loss and ROI. We need to claim and support better attitudes of commerce that will build and strengthen the real economy – the one on Main Street, not Wall Street.

It’s time for us to change course. Collectively, we need to stand up and state loud and clear that enough is enough. We have remained on the sidelines for too long. We have not been clear or intentional with what we want the state of our commerce to be; subsequently we have allowed ourselves to be victimized. We need to awake and claim our collective strength to build an economy that works for our people and our communities.

To start, we need to remember those age old values that previous generations of Americans built their lives around: Take care of your family, Be a good neighbor, Help those that you can with what you have, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and Live honorably – always.

When we integrate this traditional thinking that lies within the hearts of our communities to how we talk about business, and how we do business with each other, we can change the driving forces within the local economy and beyond. WE CAN GENERATE A LOT OF WEALTH! By strengthening our communities and working towards solutions at the local level, we can fix our country’s economic woes without leaving our own hometowns - the “bottom line” is that we have to rethink what the bottom line really is.

Filed under Tom's Journal. Date: March 28, 2008, 12:05 am |

Filed under Snapshots. Date: March 26, 2008, 9:53 pm |

Empire Dine and Dance, in Portland, will be the location for a casual Meet Tom Ledue event on Monday March 31st. From 5PM-7PM Ledue and team members will be on hand to hear what’s on your mind as we move towards new leadership in Washington. Refreshments and a cash bar will be available.

If you have not had a look, www.TomLedue.com , is a great introduction to Tom and the campaign. However, the best way to really learn about the campaign and this unique candidate is to meet him in person at one of these events.

At each event there will be opportunities to become a campaign supporter, sign up to join our team of dedicated volunteers, and to donate.

If you would like to invite Tom or a campaign representative to an event in your neighborhood, send email to: events@tomledue.com

For directions to this event, see - http://portlandempire.com/directions.php

Filed under Events. Date: March 25, 2008, 10:44 am |

Come on over and be a part of the team!

• Orientation sessions in our Sanford office; 9:30 -10:30 AM, and in the Portland office 2:30-3:30 PM.
• Volunteer training with the remarkable Jen Lawrence in Sanford 11:00AM-12:30 and in Portland 4:00-5:30 PM.

Please join us and bring a couple of friends!
Send us a message at info@tomledue.com if you would like more information about the event.

Filed under Events. Date: March 25, 2008, 10:40 am |

The campaign is growing.

This Friday we will be having a campaign update and strategy session to continue to build our base of supporters and volunteers. We also focus on the coordination of our online campaign efforts and ways you can become a “good inviter” for the campaign.

Space is limited to 50 people, please email info@tomledue.com for more information and RSVP for this event.

Filed under Events. Date: March 25, 2008, 10:38 am |