‘It’s good to share’ Video

Do you care about the world? Are better health, reduced violence, more trust, improved child well being, and a faster growing economy important to you? Well, it turns out that all of these are related to the level of wealth sharing. Countries with higher levels of equality do better in all these areas (and others). Countries with lower levels of equality do worse.

So, for example, an economy is slowed when money must be spent on protection – armored cars, body guards etc. – as happens in highly unequal countries, like Brazil and Mexico. Whereas, in countries that share wealth better, like Japan and Sweden, this money is put to more productive use.

When a cruise ship is sinking, it begins to list to one side, the furniture slides, the engine may fail, the passengers may panic and become abusive. Time and effort to address each of these problems will yield results. But, fixing the leak and pumping out the excess water is the best use of the crew’s time, as it helps resolve all the other problems.

Wealth sharing is like fixing the leak and pumping out the excess water on a sinking ship. This may be the single best thing we can do to help ourselves and the world at the same time. If you doubt this, consider that the financial crisis is the result of millions of people doing the worst deals around closed credit products, where known downstream implications of a purchase, like wealth destruction and exacerbating inequality, were intentionally obfuscated.

By contrast, open products like organic foods, hybrid cars, and renewable energy, come with more information on downstream sustainability. Open products empower us to be the change we want to see in the world through the informed choices we make. If you want change, why not maximize your impact by joining with all the other people who’ve agreed to share wealth by opening their pay? By the way, it turns out that countries who share wealth better even recycle more – just in case you needed one more reason. Take a moment to check out our video, and tell a friend all the reasons why it’s good to share.

Leonard Gets It. Obama Gets It. Does your CEO Get It?

During Obama’s first speech to Congress he pointed to Miami Bank CEO Leonard Abess, as an inspiring example of CEO behavior. Leonard opened his pay to nearly 400 of his employees, and over 70 of his former employees for a total of $60M.

Leonard gets it. Obama gets it. Congress gets it. (They gave Leonard a 35 second standing ovation – second only to the 49 second standing ovation given the troops.)

Does your CEO get it? Want him to open his pay, like Leonard?

Then, sign up. Get your colleagues to sign up. Openyear will help all of you to get your CEO signed up. Together, we can put more money in more hands!

Bill Maher Says Super Earners Must Create Jobs

On HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher proposes taxing super earners more when they don’t create jobs. Congresswoman Maxine Waters agrees and says jailing corrupt super earners is a prerequisite for real change. Bill’s proposal and Maxine’s call for punishment are the sticks. But, what about the carrots? Author-Editor  Tina Brown goes there when she talks about resetting the ethical culture; pointing out that business doesn’t have to gouge, and they can make money doing “good stuff”. We agree!

Is a Big 3 CEO smarter than 100 UAW heads?

The CEOs of GM, Chrysler, Ford, and the head of the UAW, are seated left to right as they request bail-out money for the auto-industry. With the American auto-industry at risk of collapse, Congress saw fit to invite the 4 people in Detroit best able to save the industry. It’s interesting to note the 100X+ difference in pay between the UAW head and the CEOs. Surely, the CEOs know more and are more capable than the UAW head. But,  one wonders if they’re more valuable than 100 UAW heads.