During McCuistion TV’s episode on Corporate Governance and its impact on China and the world, they address three questions related to the credit crisis and corporate governance:

- How do the Chinese see our economic situation?
- How has trade impacted what multinationals do?
- How has American economic and foreign policy impacted the rest of the world?

Guests include:

Angelina Kwan: Managing Director and COO, Asia Pacific, Cantor-Fitzgerald
The Hon. Mario Mancuso: Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, Former Under Secretary of Commerce

One of the points that host, Dennis McCuistion, addressed was that by-and-large we as a society do not often talk about China when discussing the American credit crisis and corporate governance, although it does impact them. He asked Angelina Kwan for her perspective.

Ms. Kwan believes that,

“The US is China’s best past and present trading partner. China wants a strong dollar. China really thinks that America has a great entrepreneurial spirit and it will get out of the current trade deficit.”

Ms. Kwan states that China will continue to work with the US and not in an adversarial role, but first and foremost as trading partners.

Dennis agrees, “We, the US and China, need each other. China is the largest creditor of the United States. We need to both figure out how they [China] will get paid.”  Angelina Kwan tells us that the US needs to look at how it’s dealing with their dollars and its fiscal policy. China and the US are having serious discussions about China exporting less and the US having less dependency on exports and not relying so heavily on Asia and China.

The guests agree that trade is good for both partners. Mario Mancuso adds,

“A prosperous China is in the best interests of the United Sates and vice versa. Both being prosperous is in the global interest. These are the two largest economies in the world, and we agree on our ultimate objectives. We just can’t figure out how to implement those objectives- that’s the irony.”

He tells us, 95% of our customers are outside the US and if we build a wall, we close competitors out.

“A rules-based trading system is advantageous to competitive parties and the US is the most competitive in the world.”

US consumers benefit with better products at cheaper prices…

“An additional point, I take a backseat to no-one in terms of levying criticism, at the same time I don’t think the final chapter has been written on US economic leadership.”

And a special thank you to the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance,University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management, (http://som.utdallas.edu/iecg/) for providing the guests for this 4 part series on Corporate Governance.

Tune in for the rest of the story as continue to talk about things that matter with people who care…

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer

***

1809 – 11.22.09

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Amidst the financial meltdown over the last few years, there has been  a seeming breakdown of the ethics of corporate executives. Some observers believed that the regulatory changes under Sarbanes-Oxley legislation passed in 2002 would eliminate illegal and unethical behavior, but is that the case?

Joining Dennis McCuistion to discuss this and other issues surrounding this question are:

• Sharon Allen: Chairman of Deloitte LLP
• Todd M. Bluedorn: CEO of Lennox International,Inc
• Jared Richardson: Sr. Counsel of Energy Future Holdings

Todd Bluedorn tells us that essentially corporate ethics are about basic compliance, “you don’t lie, cheat or steal.” He believes that there is  more to this though, “It’s about selfless leadership…  and a balance, not just being selfish. It’s also courage and an internal and moral ability and willingness to speak to  truth.”

Sharon Allen tells us that the overall outlook for corporate America is good, it’s encouraging. Companies are focused on being good, ethical citizens, extending that to their employees and the individual stakeholders they serve. “It’s important to instill that… It’s too easy to say, ‘that’s business and that’s personal.’ No, ethics are ethics.”

Jared Richardson tells us that in any industry there is a code of ethics.  A company is its “Ethos – which develops from the people that make up the organization.”

Dennis mentions Enron, one of the biggest debacles and corporate bankruptcies in history and asks about Enron’s corporate ethics. He mentions that Jeff Skilling had been interviewed by us in 2001 and made  a point of referencing the companies 64 page ethics manual. Skilling also spoke to a group at Southern Methodist University that day- and  he shows a short clip of that presentation, asking “was a lack of ethics involved in the downturn of Enron?”  Todd’s comment:  “Skilling would have failed the selfless test!’

The guests agree it’s important to differentiate what has happened in the last 18 months from “just” ethical causes. The meltdown was as a result of much more-  structural issues and other fundamantal causes.

As Sharon reminds us regarding Sarbanes-Oxley,

“No oversight will ever solve internal  problems… It still comes down to  how an organization presents and governs.” Sharon cites a Deloitte study, that employees first look at ”their  manager and then their direct supervisor for their moral compass,” before other factors such as positive reinforcement, compensation and their peers.

Todd reminds us that,”It’s important to have structure and compliance and to force people to face commitments. It’s not only relying on good people and leadership.”

Jared agrees, that yes, it’s about the tone at the top and the direction from senior leadership and establishing a culture of ethical compliance.  But, he says,

“It goes beyond that, beyond the legal limits, if you will. It’s more than just the folks at the top, it’s at every level. The person you hire today at a starting  analyst position may be a senior manager tomorrow.”

In response Dennis introduces a Pinkerton study that says 30% of the population  not only will steal if the opportunity arises, they will create an opportunity to do so. Forty percent will steal if there is little danger of getting caught, and 30% won’t steal at all.

The guests discuss the pressure that organizations are under to produce, most especially in business downturns. They touch on the global economy and how there may be “unique practices acceptable elsewhere but not here.” Yes, global organizations are coalescing around acceptable standards.

Statistics on why people make unethical decisions in the workplace are discussed:

• 80% Lack of personal  integrity
• 60% Job dissatisfaction
• 44% Financial rewards
• 41% Pressure to meet goals
• 39% Ignorance of code of conduct

They concur that at the end of the day- its still about personal integrity.

Todd Bluedorn leaves us with a thought that summarizes the theme behind this program, “If you live for today, you’re going to lose tomorrow.”

And a special thank you to the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance,University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management, (http://som.utdallas.edu/iecg/) for providing the guests for this 4 part series on Corporate Governance.

As always, thank you for joining us to talk about things that matter with people who care,

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer

***

1808 – 11.15.09

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The federal government took many quick actions in the wake of the credit crisis in order to stop the damage. Now it wants to implement new regulations to prevent future problems.  In this episode of McCuistion TV, we examine changes in corporate governance.

Joining Dennis McCuistion, for a lively discussion on this issue are guest experts:

Edward J. Durkin - Director of the Corporate Affairs Department of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America

Francis H. Byrd – Managing Director and Co-Leader for the Corporate Governance Advisory Practice at The Altman Group

Robert Royer – Partner in The McPherson Group and former Legal and Legislative Counsel to the Securities Industry Association and former General Counsel to the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress and Counsel to the House Administration Committee of the United States Congress

Would you have believed me if  I had told you in 2007 that these things would happen…

• Bear Sterns and Lehman Brothers disappeared
• Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG have been nationalized
• Washington Mutual became the largest bank failure in history
• The $300 billion auction rate securities market disappeared
• Merrill Lynch was bought by Bank of America
• Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are now bank-holding companies
• Congress approved a $168 billion economic stimulus package in February 2008, a $300 billion homeowner relief bill, and a $700 billion bailout of the financial system
• The Treasury has guaranteed $1.3 trillion in money market funds
• FDIC has increased deposit insurance to $250,000
• The Federal Reserve has injected over $1 trillion of liquidity into the banking system

…and if you were in DC at the time, what would your response have been?

The discussion on corporate governance focuses on what Government has done thus far and what it is likely to do.

Robert Royer tells us of the mood in Congress and that it (Congress)  “is  fashioning a  broad yet specific approach to the problems of meltdown.”  He informs us that there has been some legislation produced by the Administration and the House Banking Committee while while the Senate Banking Committee has been fairly quiet throughout the process.  The two banking committees, House Financial Services and the Senate, are “the two principle engines of any change that might take place in this area.”

Ed Durkin tells us about unions, their funds, and how they impact our economy, while Dennis reminds us  that union pension funds are huge, saying that “People think of unions, from a ’40-’50′s perspective.” Durkin addresses this issue by discussing that Unions were the first to put in place employment pension funds.

According to Durkin, “unions are in a unique position to blend the interests of their members as workers as well as the interests of their members as owners.”

He believes we need to come up with a long term approach of value enhancement, reminding us that “the idea of workers owning America is one that people don’t understand.” Presently, there are over 100 pension funds in the country. He says, “we invest in the market.”

Francis Byrd tells us that board governance has now changed dramatically. “Share holders are far more interested in oversight of management and risk, strategic planning. They are on top of management, a huge dramatic change.”

Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)

The Securities Exchange Commission is a government agency.  Their role is to protect investors, not just institutions but individuals.

Has the SEC fulfilled its responsibility to its investors?

Royer says, there was a  lack of oversight and responsibility under Secretary Christopher Cox citing the SEC’s handling of Madoff.  They believe the SEC should have been tougher as the SEC did not have the most capable people with the best knowledge of exotic financial products.

With Chairman Shapiro there should be improved disclosure on companies and they concur that he is the right person for a very big task. They believe that Cox did  few good things, such as modernizing disclosure, but the new group will be more aggressive.

Federal Reserve and the Treasury

The panelists talk about the Federal Reserve and the Treasury and the power plays between them, over who is going to be that “over-arching regulator.”  The prediction:  The Fed will probably continue being in charge as the systemic regulator, despite  past missteps.

From the move to control executive compensation to amending proxie votes so brokers can not use shareholder’s votes to elect corporate directors, to proposed new regulations and the political environment – The Government’s Response to the Crisis in Corporate Governance gives us a well rounded education on what we must do to reduce future risk and negligence in corporations today.

Overall the crisis and meltdown may have caused much needed scrutiny. Thus, we are looking at longer term value creation for the good of all concerned.

And a special thank you to the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance,University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management, (http://som.utdallas.edu/iecg/) for providing the guests for this 4 part series on Corporate Governance.

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer

***

1807 – 11.08.09

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The virtual loss in 2008 of the large investment bankers on Wall Street was shocking. The forced sale of Bear Stearns, the bankruptcy of Lehman, the controversial sale of Merrill Lynch and the changes at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have rocked the world.

This program addresses several areas that led to our system almost going down:

- Where were mistakes made and by whom? What changes are needed and by whom?
- What is the current mood of investors and how do they feel about corporate performance?
- What about Madoff, Stanford and other frauds?

Panelists Include:

• Max D. Hopper: Founder, Max D. Hopper Associates
• Robert J. Potter: President, R.J. Potter Company
• Shad Rowe: President, Investors for Director, Accountability Foundation

Dennis McCuistion starts by chronicling the above, “our nation’s source of building capital has instead become merely the capitol of greed.” He follows the statement by asking Shad Rowe why he is so angry.

Shad replies,

“I don’t look that angry. But I am angry at what’s happening in corporate America. Our system almost went down the drain. Why? The real cause in my opinion is that corporate boards are not representing owners, not thinking like owners and are allowing chief executives to make ‘heads’ I win; ‘tails’ shareholders lose, bets that have jeopardized our system.

Shareholders are directly represented by their corporate directors. It’s the law, but it’s not conventional wisdom and… it needs to become so, so we can preserve and enhance our system … Ownership is the litmus test. Private companies treated money like it was their own money. Directors are the legal representatives of shareholders!”

Bob Potter adds,

“Directors are absolutely responsive/responsible to stockholders. In the companies I serve as director, we have created incentive plans to management that are tied to stockholder performance. Some companies have allowed management to not act in the best interests of shareholders. We see excessive salaries, for instance. But they were approved by the compensation committee.”

Max Hopper says,

“Most corporate board directors really do represent shareholders. But some companies have gotten so big, that directors can not get their arms around what’s going on within the companies themselves. Too large a growth may be detrimental to their shareholders.”

All agree that more stringent rules need to be applied and that directors must act in the best interests of the shareholders. They also state that most companies are in fact doing their best to do so, yet we hear the bad news, not the good. Tune in for lively, straightforward talk about greed and Wall Street and what needs to happen to preserve capitalism.

As always we’ve been talking about things that matter with people who care. Thanks for joining us.

—

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/ producer

And a special thank you to the Institute for Excellence in Corporate Governance, University of Texas at Dallas, School of Management, (http://som.utdallas.edu/iecg/) for providing the guests for this 4 part series on Corporate Governance.

***

12.27.09 – 1810

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The Tea Party of 2009 began as a protest to the stimulus plan supported by the Obama Administration. But there quickly became other reasons for its protests. This program examines what Tea Partiers want and why, how they influence political conversations and perhaps the last election, and how they will continue to protest government involvement in economic decisions.

Panelists include:

Mark Davis: Radio Talk Show Host – WBAP
Thomas Brunell, PhD: Professor of Political Science University of Texas Dallas
Ken Emanuelson: Head of the Dallas Tea Party

Join us as always as we talk about things that matter… with people who care.

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer
Co-founder

In Part One of this program the guests discussed the costs and causes of addiction. One point stood out: that addiction is a chronic brain disease.  As such, one time treatment is not going to stop addiction.  Dr. Kevin Gilliland makes a key statement, that 80% of those who leave treatment relapse in 2-3 months. Initial treatment is only the start – then it gets tough.

Panelists include:

• Christopher Kennedy Lawford – Actor, Author and  Public Advocacy Consultant for Caron Treatment Centers; New York Times bestselling author of Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption and Moments of Clarity: Voices from the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery
• Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D- Clinical Psychologist and CEO of Innovation 360
• Bill Teuteburg – Interventionist associated with The Caron Foundation and a long term residential program known as Renaissance.

Christopher Kennedy Lawford talks about his history: family issues, the brutal assassinations of his famous uncles, John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Robert Kennedy, his parent’s divorce, and how as a 13 year old kid he looked for a way out. He was angry, he was terrified and drugs and alcohol were a way out. He mentions, “drugs allow us to deal with the world, then it takes you down this horrible path.” Chris, successfully in recovery, believes we have a responsibility to look at the disease and treat it. He claims it is often misunderstood and in fact still a stigma we don’t want to deal with. He predicts that someday people will routinely say, “I’m a drug addict or I’m an alcoholic.”

Bill Teuteberg talks about intervention and its many forms. He tells us that intervention used to have a negative connotation and is now developing a positive one.  “When you love someone, (intervention) is stepping up to the plate and telling someone, we’re afraid of losing you.” Intervention is many things and more than just about the person needing treatment. It’s also about what to do when there’s nothing left to do, when the pain for everyone is overwhelming, when so many things have been tried and do not work…

Dr. Kevin Gilliland counsels that treatment includes Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), support groups, therapists and physicians. It is not just being sober in between relapses. He believes the way we think concerning addiction is a challenge.  Often times people will assume that you can simply stop addiction by making one decision. However, it’s not simply an “episode” that once someone receives treatment, it’s over. In truth, once one gets treatment the chapter is just beginning.

Christopher Lawford Kennedy says, “until they diagnose themselves (an addict), is not going to get sober.” It’s about the addict saying, “I’m an addict. I’m an alcoholic.”

Bill tells us that no one ever does anything about addiction until there is a challenge, a consequence, “there has to be some kind of crisis.”

Chris says, “It’s like an elevator going down. I hit bottom for 9 years before I got sober.”

The guests talk about the psychic change that must occur before one can get sober, that there is a spiritual solution to the disease as well and anything else will fail, without this component.  We learn that the family of the addict is sometimes just as sick, if not sicker.

Bill tells us, “I refuse to do an intervention until someone in the family agrees to get treatment.” In fact, he tells us some families enter treatment in the same way the addict does.

Chris emphasizes that, “AA is the biggest social invention since Christ. It has helped more people than any other program combined.”

Bill says,

“It’s the hardest disease to raise money for. No one wants to be the poster child for alcoholism. We learn that 2.2 million people a year seek treatment for their disease- a small fraction of those afflicted. And while there are over 13,000 specialty clinics in the US, 54% have no physician on staff.

Yet, Dr. Gilliland raises some hope,

“In the past 15 years 3 medications for treatment have been approved by the FDA… more than in the last 50 years.” He says that pills are not going to solve everything, “but they help address the symptoms. It adds up to more sober and clean days and the more sober and clean days, the better the prognosis.”

Christopher Lawford counsels that society needs to have compassion. And the panelists tell us that until one is ready to stop addiction, to make a change, and accept responsibility to make that change… nothing will happen.

Bill asserts, “I was in 4 treatment centers in my life. The rooms of AA are where I got sober. You can’t do it alone.”

Tune in for some sound information on what to do about addiction and how to look for help as panelists discuss how to stop addiction and offer hope.

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer

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Addiction is the country’s #1 health problem. It affects business and disrupts personal lives. It costs businesses and individuals.  Joining Dennis McCuistion in this two part series are professionals  who proactively work to educate the public on addiction causes, the costs and the solutions to addiction.

• Christopher Kennedy Lawford – Actor, Author and  Public Advocacy Consultant for Caron Treatment Centers; New York Times bestselling author of Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption and Moments of Clarity: Voices from the Front Lines of Addiction and Recovery
• Kevin Gilliland, Psy.D- Clinical Psychologist and CEO of Innovation 360
• Bill Teuteburg – Interventionist associated with The Caron Foundation and a longer term residential program known as Renaissance.

Christopher Lawford Kennedy begins the discussion on addiction causes by touching on his own experience with addiction, mentioning that he was a highly functional addict and how that played out in his life. He touches on how addiction is psychological, sociological and environmental. He likens his experience to the result of a “perfect storm” of events. He touches on his traumatic childhood, from the divorce of his parents to the brutal assassination of two of his uncles. He mentions that at the beginning his addiction saved his life, “they (drugs) stopped working,” he says, “but they saved my life in the beginning.” Eventually, he says,  the addiction takes over and you’re dancing with an 800 pound gorilla.

Bill Teuteburg discusses the disease and how it  is even more  lethal than many  realize. “It’s not very often that you see alcoholism on a death certificate.  But you will see heart attack, falling off a ladder…” and the actual cause is an addiction.  Bill, now  an activist,  discusses  his personal experience. He has been in recovery from a heroin addiction for 24 years.

Kevin Gilliland touches on addiction as a  a chronic brain disease  and not solely  a moral  or responsibility issue. He discusses the  mixture of genes and environment and that individuals may have different reactions to drugs or alcohol, even in the same family.  “You just don’t know if you are the one that will have one sip and then your brain will be hijacked.” Like Christopher, he emphasizes that addictions may seem to “work”   but then they become a runaway freight train.

The panelists discuss our drinking age,  and if it should be lowered or not. This episode on addiction causes is truly an eye-opening episode that will leave you waiting for Part Two, where each of the panelists discuss what to do about addiction, how to get treatment  and the hope for resolving the problem.

***

1805 – 10.25.09

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Homelessness in America is a growing problem. Today’s recession may force over 1.5 million into homelessness over the next two years, according to estimates by The National Alliance to End Homelessness. In a 2008 report, the U.S. Conference of Mayors cited a major increase in the number of homeless in 19 out of the 25 cities surveyed.

On average, cities reported a 12 percent increase of homelessness in America since 2007. Estimates of actual homelessness vary, depending on the methodology used to survey the homeless population.  Numbers also vary substantially depending on whether a measurement is taken on a single night or is extrapolated to a given year.  To date, estimates range between 2.3 and 3.5 million people who are homeless. According to a 2008 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report:

An estimated 671,888 people experienced homelessness in one night in January 2007.  58% of them were living in shelters and transitional housing and 42% were unsheltered.

The face of homelessness in America is changing.

Joining the discussion are panelists:

• Mike Rawlings - Appointed by the Mayor of Dallas as Dallas’ Homeless Czar
• Mike Faenza – President and CEO of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance
• Bill Thompson - Executive Director of the Union Gospel Mission
• Lynne Sipiora – Executive Director of the Samaritan Inn, McKinney – Collin County, TX

Although homelessness is a difficult number to measure definitively, it appears that more people—especially families—are sleeping in shelters, living in their cars, and taking up residence in tent communities.  The definitions of homelessness can differ based on context, however, homelessness is generally defined as a person who “lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence.”

Many cities around the country have taken major strides in working with the homeless in new ways with great success. New Ways of Transitioning the Homeless focuses not so much on the root causes of homelessness, mental health and addictions, but ways to successfully transition them to permanent housing.

Homelessness in Affluent America

Lynne Sipiora’s situation in Collin County, TX, one of the most affluent counties in the nation, is somewhat shocking.  The Samaritan Inn shelter has 130 beds. Ms. Sipiora states,

“At one time every head of household in the shelter had a college degree. The economy is causing episodic homelessness, people who have lost their job.  People who at one time may have been volunteers in the shelter or donors, now find themselves clients of the Samaritan Inn.”

She points out that the face of the homelessness has changed due to the economy.

The Bridge

The city of Dallas, TX is setting an innovative pace for other U.S. cities with an aggressive 10 year strategic plan to end homelessness. The city has built a campus called The Bridge, a housing coalition that serves as a transition for those who can then go to permanent housing.

Mike Rawlings and Mike Faenza talk about the work of The Bridge and its revolutionary concept, which provides education, job counseling and health care under one roof. The Bridge pulls together a number of associations that collaborate on the concern, leveraging government and private funding. It is a true one-stop shopping concept – one location that handles severe persistent mental issues and focuses on the chronically homeless as well.

The Bridge was initially started with a $23 million bond election 4 years ago. The founders argued that this was better than the alternative – having people on the street.

As a result of The Bridge there has been a 59% decrease in those sleeping out of doors or abandoned buildings and a marked decrease in crime in the area.

Union Gospel Mission

Bill Thompson with Union Gospel Mission tells us their mission which focuses on the inner core of an individual and their spiritual side.  They focus on the failure in a person’s life that may have gotten him or her to the place of being homeless. Union Gospel Mission introduces standards to its clients by which they are going to live the rest of their lives and gives a sound stable foundation. It addresses the causes of homelessness not its symptoms.

New Ways of Transitioning the Homeless paints a grim picture of what can happen to those who may not have a safety net. It also gives hope that people do care and cities are working hard to alleviate this growing concern.

Once again, thanks for joining us as we talk about things that matter… with people who care.

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer

***

1822 – 05.23.2010

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Giving charitable donations is the focus of today’s episode on women and philanthropy.  The Boom generation may be one of the most talked about cohorts in history. Born between 1946 and 1964, (though some experts, such as William Strauss and Neil Howe, state 1943 to 1960) they changed the social landscape.

Panelists include:

• Margaret May Damen, CFP, CLU: President of the Institute for Women and Wealth and co-author of Women, Wealth and Giving
• Niki Nicastro McCuistion, CSP: Co-founder and producer of The McCuistion Program, consultant for non-profits internationally, and co-author of Women, Wealth and Giving
• Becky Sykes, President, CEO of the Dallas Women’s Foundation
• Jim Falk, CFRE, President, CEO of the World Affairs Council of DFW

After World War 11, American couples married in unprecedented numbers. In the next several years the US experienced a birth explosion, 78 million baby boomers were born. This generation became one of the most polled, analyzed, interviewed and criticized generations ever. Who they are, what they want and how they have influenced America continues to be news today. The references, beliefs, values, and convictions of our society have been largely shaped by boomers. They control the wealth, direct governments, businesses and the social and political policy of America. Today the producers of most TV shows and movies are boomers.  Our technology wizards, from Bill Gates to Steve Jobs are boomers. The President of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, as well as the President of the United States, Barack Obama- yes- they are boomers. As is Hilary Clinton and our first lady, Michelle Obama. And the list goes on.

Every hour 330 baby boomers turn 60 years of age and 50.8% of these are women. Retirement is fast approaching for many in this group, although the economy in the last couple of years has changed this expectation somewhat. There is much that ties this generation together, not the least of which was the advent and influence of television. In 1948, 172,000 US households had TV sets. In 1952 that figure had jumped to 15,000,000. Music, news, lifestyle and politics greatly influenced this generation, much of it watched on our TV sets.

This was the generation of flower power and free love, civil rights and women’s rights, marches, protests and picketing, the Beatles, Motown and Woodstock, Haight Ashbury, sex, drugs and rock and roll.  The outcome was a free-wheeling, free-spirited, individualistic group, of activists and idealists, oriented to social causes and who absolutely believed in their capacity to change the world. Not just their capacity, but their mandate to. From President Kennedy’s, Ted Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s assassinations to Nixon, Watergate, oil embargoes and high divorce rates, it was a generation raised not to trust anyone over 30.

Yet this activism and skepticism was channeled into an idealism that made the boomer want to change society for the better, most especially since they as a collective group had formed much of the damage. It is of the good as well as the history, that Women, Wealth and Giving focuses. The television program airing this Sunday talks about a small part of the of the research undertaken by Margaret May Damen and myself, that chronicles, through extensive research and interviews, the Boom generation and what they want today.

The resulting work of the same title focuses on the Boomer woman, and how she has turned her idealism toward a new frontier philanthropy. Our research showed that Americans are the most generous group on the planet. In fact more Americans  give charitable donations than vote. In 2008, even when the economy took a downturn, Americans gave over $307 billion dollars tin charitable donations. And of this group it is women who are the most generous. Management guru Tom Peters says, “women are the largest national economy on Earth.” The Harvard Business Review, September 2009 issue backed this up, “As a market women represent a bigger market opportunity than China and India combined.”

Women today control 60% of the wealth in the US, initiate 74% of all new business startups and employ 13,000,000 people.

An economic force to be reckoned with, they are opening up their purses and giving charitable donations that systemically impact society, and as program guest Becky Sykes, President and CEO of the Dallas Women’s Foundation states, “most especially to women and children’s issues.” Currently there are approximately 175 women’s foundations in the US, with the Dallas Women’s Foundation the largest in asset size.

Jim Falk, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Dallas Ft. Worth, says,

“Women do sometimes have a different objective.  A man I recently met with for fund raising for the WACDFW was interested and talked about networking. On the other hand, a woman I met with later that day asked and talked about, how can I make a difference, in this society? It really crystallized the difference for me.”

And as Margaret mentions: “It’s not about conspicuous consumption anymore. Women are rewriting the rules for a caring society.” I believe, that more than in any other venue, the achievement of financial independence, the freedom to decide the use of money, has made women equal partners in the decisions to save the worlds we have created. The “power of the purse” is the power to rewrite the rules for a caring society, not only through its use in philanthropic endeavors but also in how money is invested in the financial and business institutions that control our capitalist system. The “power of the purse” has an exponential advantage as women unite, network and agree on the importance of particular causes.

As one of our book interviewees, Dallas boomer, Brenda Pejovich said,

“By increasing our participation in the competition for ideas, women will continue to contribute to a better society. It’s our checks that influence and it’s never been more important to open our wallets and give.”

Her sentiments are echoed by Marilyn Wechter, a Clayton, Missouri boomer and psychologist, who tells us,

“We are experiencing a paradigm shift that well may change our lives forever. This new world has us moving from consumption to collaboration and we’re staring to realize what’s really important- and recognize how little it takes to make us feel valued.”

In the aftermath of the financial debacle, credit crisis and government mishap of the last couple of years, Women, Wealth and Giving offers more than hope; it offers a philanthropic business strategy to direct all of our, men and women’s philanthropic initiatives to put us back on course.

Thank you for joining us as we talk about things that matter… with people who care.

Niki Nicastro McCuistion, Co-author of Women, Wealth and Giving

***

1821 – 05.02.10

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Philip K. Howard joins Dennis McCuistion to discuss the flaws of the legal system today.  Philip K. Howard is the Founder and Chair of Common Good, a nonpartisan national coalition dedicated to restoring common sense to America.  He is the author of Collapse of Common Good: How America’s Lawsuit Culture Undermines Our Freedom and Death of Common Sense: How Law Is Suffocating America.

Philip K. Howard, whose purpose is to simplify government, wrote the forward to Al Gore’s Common Sense Government. He has worked with OSHA on safety regulations and assuring that safety plans and regulations for companies make sense and real people can abide by them. He states that people don’t act sensibly. From teachers to doctors, he discusses the need to change the rules so teachers can teach and doctors can doctor, without the restrictions that impose higher costs and inflationary standards.  He continues on and addresses how schools are drowning in law, demonstrating his point via a three foot long flow chart, what a school must go through to suspend a student. All in all, a simple process that took minutes now takes several months. Host Dennis McCuistion comments, “When I was a kid if I didn’t listen to the teacher, I got paddled in school and doubly at home.”

Not today, cautions Philip Howard: “We thought that to correct real abuses we would guarantee fairness. Kids today are trained that they have rights… 78% of teachers have been threatened with lawsuits. It’s a reflection of the corrosion of authority.”

He claims that there is something seriously wrong with our legal system: “Politics trump common sense and partisanship.”

Philip K. Howard, a practicing lawyer himself, lays a practical game plan to restore our country to sense and individual responsibility, the premise of our Constitution.

As always, thank you for watching as we talk about things that matter… with people who care.

Niki Nicastro McCuistion
Executive Producer/Producer

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1820 – 04.25.10

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