[URPE] Replacing the permanent war economy - with what?

[John D. Bostrom]

I wish I could afford to attend the upcoming URPE conference, but
unfortunately, there's no way,  in either time or money, that I can do that.
However, I'd like to pose this question for consideration. I know this isn't
a discussion list, but if anyone would like to respond to me directly I
would appreciate that. 
 
As an activist with Peace Action, I've been trying to get Seymour Melman's
"economic conversion" project revitalized for over a year.  I've come to the
conclusion, regrettably, that the peace movement is simply too invested in
saying NO to war and nukes etc to sustain the positive vision needed to
create any sustainable economic program.  
 
My current thinking is that we have to go outside the peace movement for
this. Not to academia - Melman tried that, and all the people who were
working with him have apparently moved on to other things - but to the
climate change/ecology movement.  The issues are after all connected.  War
as practiced by the USA is almost completely about economics, and about
energy in particular.  Defending and acquiring non-renewable energy sources.

 
My question for URPE is, where's the vision of a sustainable peaceful
economy?  Something that will replace the war economy? What do we have to do
to make it work?  How would it work?  Something that would employ everyone
now employed in making nukes, missiles, tanks, airplanes, guns, ships, etc,
in an economy that would enable us to cut back on those things really
drastically?  How do we convert the military bases to ecology and alt energy
sources?  How does that work?  
 
Is it economically feasible?  If so, why aren't people working on it?  Why
isn't it being promoted?
 
Until we have that positive YES to offer the American public, all the NO
war, NO nukes, NO this and NO that will fall on deaf ears. 
 
Can URPE provide some answers?  Some realistic solutions?   Where's the
private industry/academic collaboration on this?  We certainly have it for
military stuff and commercial stuff.   Isn't peace commercial?  Isn't peace
economically viable?  Where are the centers, the projects?  Where's the
academic/govt/industrial basis of a New "New Deal" that will transform the
war economy into a sustainable, renewable, positive and survivable economy?
 
John Bostrom
jb at panys.org
 
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