"The general consensus among economists who care to look is that about 300 trans-national corporations presently control 25% of the world’s productive capacity. Read those numbers again." Jon Rappoport The Secret Behind Secret Societies, 2003

Do you want to act with your money in powerful ways? To do so, we need to understand where our leverage is, so we can align our power and resources with a vision of the world which is marvelous for generations to come.

To this end some of us have looked to the SRI community to provide leadership and manage our money.As it turns out, the large SRI funds and websites are actually affirming and channeling significant investment into many of the most corrupt corporations on earth.

In this seminar, successful Wall Street investment banker and entrepreneur Catherine Austin Fitts reveals:

• What SRI is and how it works
• The main critiques of SRI
• Why much of SRI is hazardous to our wealth
• Your steps to becoming a strategic investor

Catherine always says, "Nothing will change until we change how our money works." So here is Part I of the Beyond SRI Miniseries, on where our leverage is and how we begin.

1. Introduction
   – Harry Blazer
   – Catherine Austin Fitts
   – Core Concepts: Popsicle Index, wealth, The Tapeworm,
       SRI, and liquid/illiquid global/local
   
   
2. What is SRI supposed to be?
   Meant to be aligning your spiritual/ethical values with financial transactions, reflecting analysis of financial criteria with social criteria, implemented thru:
   1. Screening
   2. Shareholder Activism/Corporate Governance
   3. Community Investing
      
      
3. History of SRI
1. Most growth in SRI has been in the 'global liquid' sector
2. Now we need to de-centralize toward 'local liquid' and illiquid
   
   
4. How would I come into contact with SRI?
1. This is for investors, small business entrepreneur investees, and for anyone interested in voting with their money (jobs, spending, deposits...)
2. Our analysis focuses on the larger liquid SRI mutual funds
   
   
5. Who's who in SRI?
1. Groups interested in progressive values
2. Groups that are faith based
3. The leading industry associations


6. Critiques
The ten failings of SRI plus comparison of Dow Jones Index with the largest SRI Funds in Group A & B (see if you can guess which list is which!)
1. The 'Fails to Deliver' critics
2. The 'Just Make Money' critics
3. The 'Sound Money' critics
   Reference quote from Reginald Howe re: Gresham's Law (below) stating that bad money drives out good
4. Systems thinkers vs. rule makers -- what we need to have a healthy financial system:
   – Sound money
   – Transparency
   – Equity System
   – Decentralization
   
   
7. How SRI is Hazardous to Our Wealth
1. Lacks reliable map of the economy & the who's who of Social Irresponsibility -- lacks a clear understanding of how the tapeworm economy drains our neighborhoods, whether in Iraq or Main St. USA -- investors and/or advisors must have that map
2. Affirms the corporate model and the centralization of political and economic power
3. The 'siren song' of 0% diversity -- without good maps our investments are at risk because we are invested 100% in the tapeworm which is highly dependent on government contracts, government credit and the US Treasury -- you're betting the ranch on the war machine
4. Looking for yields that match Dow Jones -- we have a naturally feasible yield; when we depend on rigged markets to get unnatural yields that depend on people or the environment losing you're going to destroy the planet -- there is a way to get good, sustainable returns building real wealth using fundamental economics measuring your wealth in ounces, acres, hooves...
5. Supports centralization -- this is the greatest threat investing in a large global corporations is not be socially responsible; our biggest opportunity is to support de-centralization
6. Supporting the corporate model where corporations have rights of individuals without being held accountable
7. Fraudulent inducement of the American consumer
8. Making Economic Hitmen and the Warfare Economy look good
9. Reference Sierra Club's SRI fund (see Paul Hawken's SRI report referenced above)
   
   
8. Bottom line
1. Lacks a good performance standard -- i.e. what does this investment do to the Popsicle Index?
2. We need to build a financially intimate world
3. Summary of Hazards: (1) lacks map; (2) supports centralization; (3) lacks diversification; (4) current corporate model in combination with corrupt government is financially and ethically insane
4. The SRI industry is full of good people and good infrastructure -- how do you go to the next level
   
   
9. What can I do today?
1. Build a great map using real deal media; our audio seminars distill the material and include all the links, references and research (beginning with Navigate the Falling Dollar or the Introductory Collection); and solari.com is loaded with real deal resources and links
2. Vote with your money -- reference Where Would Jesus Bank? resources and audio seminar Beyond SRI Part II - Solari Portfolio Strategy to start with
3. Avoid the hype and seek out responsible investment advice -- reference Questions to Inform Investment Strategy and Criteria for Selecting an Investment Advisor
4. Start your own conspiracy -- a solari investors circle is an investment club with people you know and trust to learn, explore and invest together
5. The wealth potential is enormous when we generate profits and capital gains by making the wealth pie bigger
   
   
10. Invocation by Elianne (3 minutes)
    

See Catherine's comprehensive compilation of annotated links and supplemental resources for this seminar:

Here is the quote from Reginald Howe referenced in the Outline above:

Complete Solari Audio

1. The Special Introductory Collection Audio Seminar Collection
• Navigate the Falling Dollar
• Building Real Wealth
• Where Would Jesus Bank (and other good folks too)?
2. The Investors Collection (order as a set or individually)
• Navigate the Housing Bubble Parts I&II
• The Precious Metals I-III Miniseries
• The Beyond SRI I-II Miniseries

1. Questions to Inform Investment Strategy, by Catherine Austin Fitts
2. Criteria for Selecting an Investment Advisor, by Catherine Austin Fitts
3. Portfolio Strategies for Building Beautiful Lifeboats, lecture slides by Catherine Austin Fitts, October 2005 (if you do not have PowerPoint click here for pdf version minus the animation)
   
   
   

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More on Catherine & the Solari Team

• Learn more about Catherine and Solari at solari.com.