Frank -
Again, Happy New Year - just re-read your message of the 29th and wanted to add a few thoughts.
Thanks for your encouragement to "keep going" re: my activist tendencies. It is difficult to do that at times.
When I've heard Catherine Austin Fitts refer to a "breakaway civilization," she's been referring to the pathologically secretized "national security state" hairball she encountered at HUD. There she found that major funds were being siphoned into the Black Budget by the CIA and that this was "legal," according to their legislation. But, yes, a happier form of "breakaway civilization" is the one we're planning...
I also read Robert Steele's book, which you mention. Someone on the last Thrive event mentioned it. I recalled seeing Steele in a video a few years ago. What I find useful about his book is that he has the credential of having been on the CIA payroll, willing to offer broad criticisms. Outsiders can lead the charge re: reform and almost always do. But, at some point, you need insiders to "agree." This is where I see the value of Steele's book. Some of us have been suggesting everything he's mentioned in that book "plus much more" for decades. Just that we're completley ignored because we're grassroots activists that have no related funds and institutional powers behind us to induce public support. Instead, an individual can join the dysfunctional CIA - realizing they're part of something funky but shrugging their shoulders - earn 100k per year, travel the world and live like a lord. This is how people in our world tend to make decisions.
Steele is pulling from many sources who've pioneered the concepts that he represents and, for the most part, he acknowledges this. There's always been a grassroots element advocating disassembling government secrecy entirely and various non-profits working along such lines have come and gone over the past fifty years. As Steele mentions, James Bamford has been writing exposes about CIA and NSA malfeasance, corruption and waste for thirty years. He didn't mention that Gary Webb and a recent Rolling Stones reporter were both assassinated for documenting CIA control of the global drug trade, etc. Hate to be ungrateful, but as much as I welcome Steele's book, it's still way too little, too late. There should've been tons of such whistle-blower books by now, decade by decade. Still, yes, we need to leverage all such assets and I'd be interested in doing a Google Hangout with Robert to discuss areas of mutual interest.
The real problems, in my view, trace back to Mr. Rothschild's observation that social patterns are led by that which puts food on the table. Governance, rhetoric, media and lifestyles have all arranged themselves around that. Also, humanity is led by that which is socially-acceptable. But this, too, tends to follow the material rewards trajectory and we know how innate loyalties to God and country have been "ritually abused."
Not to start the New Year on a negative note, I am optimistic about the future. We've now been able to avoid the "prison planet" scenario, nor will there be a major WWIII scenario, I'm sure. Still, it would be so nice if progress toward the Better World we want to see would accelerate.
I picked up you also go by FRANKLIN - let me know if you have a preference. I go both by THIS and THAT. I would like to connect soon by phone or Skype, to learn more about your role and plans within the "NEN" projects. Best wishes for the new year!