[snip] Our current society has set up ways and means to handle this [distribution of goods and services required]. Government already has its structure and rules in place. Different levels of government may or may not be prepared to handle all the implicaitons of Y2K at once, but most of the rules and regulations and structure to administer its various progams are in place.

Those who are planning to operate at the community level, which I am understanding to be smaller than city level, often the size of a small village or neighborhood, need some mechanism, whether called a government or administration or council or whatever. It has to be set up to administer whatever programs and resources are on hand, or developed or received by the community. The communities are expecting to have to operate outside of or independent of the governing structures they are used to but in some fashion taking those same functions normally performed by government and bringing them down to a much smaller group of constituents. The questions are related to the operation of that community. The longer it operates, the more issues will have to be dealt with. If there is a supply of food, or blankets, or warm clothes or money, someone has to protect that supply from thievery (internal or external). Someone has to decide who gets what and how much. If someone violates the rules, some discipline has to be imposed. What happens if supplies run low?

Someone has to mediate disputes and disagreements. If there is an expectation of continuing on a somewhat long term basis, arrangements must be made to replenish supplies that are depleted, whether thru normal use, damage, theft, etc. so that the community can continue. Competition vs Cooperation. Will there be a levy against what is produced by or within the community to support the administration of the community or will it depend entirely on donations from its constituentcy?

These are just some ideas to explore regarding community preparedness. There may not be a single correct answer. Different communities may operate different ways, but the issues will likely be the same or similar.

[Any ideas on this?]

-- Dave Hunter (dhunter@revenue.state.il.us), December 23, 1998

Answers

Dear Dave, I answer you with due respect, however, I think these questions are not the ones we need to be asking. Why, because they are moot. Moot because without an authority to enforce these decisions, they mean nothing. Secondly, we need to be concentrating on creating lifeboats for everyone, so, again, these questions would be irrelevant. How do we create lifeboats for everyone? As I have stated in some of the other threads, self-sustainable neighborhoods globally before 2000. How could this be done? By mobilizing all y2k aware people, encouraging every y2k website to have as a major focus an ever-improving list of cheap, simple, and funky ideas that can be implemented in a short time. Especially within 3-6 months from now when everyone will be aware of inherent disastrous possibilities y2k presents. Then, there will many people willing to make this effort if such a list is available. Do you agree?

-- Tom Osher (bagelhole1@aol.com), December 26, 1998.