Still a few seats available for “How the Cook County Assessor Fails Taxpayers,” with ProPublica Illinois (and former Chicago Tribune) investigative reporter Jason Grotto. It happens this Tuesday (January 9) at 6:15pm, is free but you must preregister. Details.
Also, two sections of our Progress & Poverty course start next week (January 16 in Evanston and January 18 in Chicago). Find out more by attending Introducing Progress & Poverty this Thursday (January 11), or see the class schedule.
For Evanston, preregistration is strongly encouraged, while for Chicago it is absolutely required due to the way building security works. Preregister by email.
We’ve scheduled two sections of our flagship Progress & Poverty course in January, one in the Chicago Loop and one in Evanston. These instructor-led ten-session courses are based on Henry George’s classic book, but are being revised somewhat to use concise video presentations created by Lindy Davies of the Henry George Institute. While students are encouraged to read the original text, Bob Drake’s “abridged for modern readers” version, which exists both as text and audiobook, is also available, as are otheroptions.
This course is intended for thinking people who want to understand how the economy works, and particularly why poverty continues to be a problem even as productivity multiplies. You need not agree with Henry George’s conclusions to find the course worthwhile (See what some of our students have said.)
To find out more about what we have to offer, attend one of the free Introducing Progress and Poverty sessions, in Evanston or Chicago. Note also that you’re welcome to attend the first class session of any course without registering and without paying the $25 registration fee which is the only charge for the entire ten-session course. But due to building policies at our loop location, you do need to let us know that you’re coming so we can put you on the list for admission to the building. This can be done by simple email message.
Thanks to HGS graduate Robert Blau for reminding us that Emma Lazarus was a fan of Progress & Poverty, even writing a sonnet about it. En route to confirming this info, we tripped over a list of about 200 significant individuals (including sources and quotes, starting about halfway down this page) who have endorsed Progress & Poverty and/or Henry George. And found that Progress & Poverty has dozens of reviews at Goodreads, mostly 5-star with comments such as “Once you read it, you’ll never see the world the same again,” “profound and transcendent,” and “literally the most important book ever written.”
All graduates of any HGS course are cordially invited to our Henry George Day celebration in Evanston on September 4. More information and RSVP here.
Distinguished philosopher and community organizer Dan Sullivan will help us see how economic terminology has been hijacked and distorted on Wednesday, September 13 at Overflow. More info and RSVP for his talk on Orwellian Economics is here.
Because nobody in Springfield seems concerned about collecting the state’s earnings, an update of Illinois is not Broke will be provided next month also, but time and date are not finalized.
We have a new edition of Progress & Poverty, courtesy of Robert Schalkenbach Foundation. It’s annotated, which means that in addition to HG’s original footnotes it has lots of explanations and elaborations of George’s historical and philosophical references. The entire text has been re-set, and now requires only 488 pages (including three prefaces, two introductions, and contributor bios) compared to 600 pages in the 1971 edition. Also it has a new index. The original book and chapter numbers are retained. The 2017 edition is available for $65 (sale price) from Schalkenbach. It can also be obtained at higher prices, in hardcopy and DRM versions, from Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
And there will be a Progress & Poverty course starting in October, with another in January. Stay tuned.
Race & Ethnicity in Chicagoland 2010, from Wikipedia
“Segregation is not only an issue in low-income communities or communities of color. Everyone pays a price, measured in lost income, lives and education.” Alden Loury, Director of Research and Education for the Metropolitan Planning Council, will present some findings from the Costs of Segregation study which he’s been conducting along with the Urban Institute. Having found that “segregation holds back the entire Chicago region’s economy and potential, costing all of us,” the project is now moving on to recommend solutions.
Join us on July 11 to learn more about how this work was done, what solutions might be recommended, and how it relates to our study of political economy. We’ll meet at 6:15 at Overflow, 1550 S. State. Of course the event is free.
George Menninger will teach One Hour Henry George to college students in a paid focus group. We’ll be at Overflow Coffee Bar, 1550 S State St, on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 6:15 pm. For more information, see Earn $25 in one hour to learn economic principles
Join us for an open introductory discussion about wealth, poverty, justice, and community, the second Tuesday of every month. Our initial time and location will be 6:15PM, at the Overflow Coffee Bar, 1550 S. State. The first topic, February 14, will be No Wall, No Privilege: How True Free Trade Can Raise American Wages and End Poverty. Subsequent programs (subject to change) will cover:
March 14: America’s #1 Problem: Low Wages.
April 11: How the Personal Income Tax Differs from Slavery. Introducing Progress & Poverty
May 9: Introducing Progress & Poverty Illinois is not Broke
Based in the cloud but active on the ground. Image credit: Mr. Shane Lear
Having lost our space at 30 E Adams, we spent the summer looking around for a new location. It was a big distraction from our main mission of education, but had to be done. HGS VP Scott Walton suggested that, rather than enriching another landlord, perhaps we should try a virtual operation, “in the cloud” if you will. This doesn’t mean going on-line, tho we may do some of that. Rather, we will operate without a dedicated office/classroom space, instead borrowing or renting locations as needed. Not only can this save money, but it allows us to more easily offer classes and events in various neighborhoods.
Unfortunately, this required that the Sam Venturella Memorial Library be moved, at least temporarily, to a private location. Also, several cabinets of archival paper files have been relocated separately. In both cases, HGS volunteer Board members secured space at no cost to the School.
Our postal address has changed, but the phone and email remain the same, all as shown on the contacts page. As always, our coming events are listed on the events page.
Jim Frederiksen, Al Katzenberger, and David Harrell work the booth at NCSL, August 9, 2016. HGS photo by Chuck Metalitz
We still don’t now where the School is moving (expect classes to be in several locations), but that doesn’t keep us from progressing with smart revenue ideas, our traditional Henry George Day observance, and a much improved mailing list.
ITEM 1: Henry George Day. As is our custom, we celebrate the first Monday in September as Henry George Day, gathering in a rustic Evanston back yard for food and drink, conversation, and a chance to meet other Georgists. Everyone who has ever completed any Henry George School course is welcome, and should feel free to bring a significant other and/or minor dependent(s). THERE IS NO CHARGE. It’s great if you can bring a dish to share, or money to contribute toward expenses, but neither is required.
What is required is that you let us know you’re coming, preferably by email to info@hgchicago.org no later than Friday September 2 noon Sunday September 4. You’ll get a response including the street address (which is near bus routes 97, 49B, 215, and a mile from Howard Red Line terminal.) Festivities start around 3PM (which is when we get some shade in the yard) and conclude at dusk or later.
ITEM 2: Join our new email list. Unlike the haphazard emails we’ve sent before, this is to be an organized endeavor, with a somewhat automated process for joining and leaving. You can join the list by clicking here, filling out your name and email address. This will generate a confirmation email; when you respond to that you’ll be on the list.
The list will carry messages about class schedules and other events, no more than one message per week. If you have any trouble getting on [or off] the list, let us know
ITEM 3: Useful things we have been doing. The photo shows Jim Frederiksen (wearing a tie, of course), Al Katzenberger (back to camera), and David Harrell (on the right, behind the table) explaining land value tax to attendees at the National Council of State Legislatures conference earlier this month. Public Revenue Education Council, of which Al is the chief, has done this work for twenty years, aided by local Georgists around the country. Jim is a surgeon and medical researcher who was formerly on the HGS Board until his relocation to North Carolina. David is a current HGS Board member. Adam Kerman, John Kelly, and Bob Jene also helped out during the three-day conference. In 2017 the conference will be in Boston, and volunteers are needed.
All graduates of any HGS course are cordially invited to our Henry George Day celebration in Evanston on September 4. More information and RSVP .png)
