Reclaiming the Dollar: A Civic Money System for the Common Good
The Civic Dollar is a public money reform plan to replace the Fed with a democratic system that funds Universal Basic Income and infrastructure through Treasury-issued digital dollars—rooted in the Constitution, aligned with John Adams’ Moral Algorithm.
Introduction: Returning to the Moral Algorithm
In a time of growing inequality, institutional failure, and public disillusionment, we stand at a crossroads eerily familiar to our founders. John Adams once wrote that government is "instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men." That guiding principle—what we now call the Moral Algorithm—is the compass by which we must measure every action of government, especially how we issue and control money.
The Renewed American Blueprint lays out a plan to restore this foundational principle. One of its most urgent recommendations is the establishment of a new Civic Monetary System—centered around a Civic Dollar, issued through a public institution, guided by constitutional authority, and delivered via a revitalized Postal Banking system. This is not a radical vision. It is a return to our origins and a leap toward a just and democratic future.
The Problem: Private Power Over Public Money
Today, the U.S. dollar is not the issue. The problem lies in who controls its creation and for what purpose. Currently:
- The Federal Reserve serves financial markets, not public needs.
- Private banks create most money through debt.
- Government pretends to "borrow" its own currency, paying interest to the private sector.
This system is producing:
- Soaring inequality
- Exploding household debt
- Housing unaffordability
- Political paralysis
- Climate neglect
- Widespread distrust in capitalism
The cracks are wide. A realignment is not just possible—it is necessary.
The Solution: A Civic Dollar Rooted in the Moral Algorithm
A Civic Dollar is still the U.S. dollar, but under new rules, new infrastructure, and a renewed purpose: to serve the common good. It embodies the philosophy of Adams, the constitutional charge to "promote the general welfare," Rawls’ principle of fairness, and Elinor Ostrom’s model of commons-based governance.
Expedited Action Plan: Launching Postal Banking and UBI Immediately
We begin with the achievable:
- Leverage Social Security Infrastructure to deploy a Universal Basic Income (UBI) over time to every citizen starting at age 16.
- Paid monthly through the Social Security Administration.
- Funded through progressive reforms: remove the payroll cap, create a financial transaction tax, and initiate a sovereign wealth fund.
- Revive Postal Banking at 30,000+ post offices:
- Provide free checking, digital wallets, and debit cards.
- Integrate with the Civic Dollar and UBI distribution.
- Restore banking to rural, poor, and urban communities abandoned by commercial banks.
This isn't innovation. It's restoration. Postal banking served Americans from 1911 to 1967. It was dismantled not due to failure, but because it worked too well for everyday people.
Foundational Structural Reforms (5 Phases)
| Phase | Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1. Legal Foundations | Assert Article I, Section 8: Congress has the sole authority to coin money and regulate its value. Repeal or amend the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. |
| 2. Institutional Realignment | Replace the Federal Reserve with a Public Monetary Authority (PMA), chartered by Congress and accountable to the people. |
| 3. Treasury Direct Issuance | Shift monetary issuance to the U.S. Treasury. Issue new money directly into People’s Wallets, Postal Bank accounts, and for infrastructure, without borrowing. |
| 4. Digital Infrastructure | Create a secure, open-source Public Digital Dollar system. Privacy-by-default. Citizen-owned data. Anti-capture design. |
| 5. Popular Sovereignty Protections | Pass legislation or amendments to: |
- Prohibit monetary privatization
- Guarantee citizen oversight and transparency
- Enshrine monetary issuance as a public utility |
Key Institutional Changes
- Disband the Fed’s Private Ownership
- Regional Fed banks are owned by private member banks.
- Replace with public institutions.
- Create the Public Monetary Authority (PMA)
- A federally chartered agency with public oversight.
- Mission: jobs, sustainability, infrastructure—not just inflation.
- Empower the Treasury to Issue Debt-Free Money
- If real resources exist, money can be issued without borrowing.
- Keeps inflation in check by linking spending to real capacity.
How It Works in Practice: Civic Dollar in Action
| Scenario | Action by Civic Monetary System |
| Pandemic | Instant direct relief via People's Wallets; public health jobs funded directly |
| Recession | Treasury issues Civic Dollars to fund job guarantees and small business support |
| Inflation Risk | PMA raises taxes on luxury goods and speculative finance to reduce excess demand |
| Climate Crisis | Civic Dollars fund reforestation, flood defenses, and energy transitions |
| Local Collapse | Regional Postal Banks issue community credits to support rebuilding |
Why It’s 100% Aligned with the Moral Algorithm
| Principle | Civic Dollar Alignment |
| Adams: Common Good | Ends private control over money creation; funds public priorities. |
| Rawls: Fair Rules | Guarantees dignity and access regardless of station in life. |
| Ostrom: Commons Governance | Citizens co-govern monetary policy via democratic institutions. |
| Constitutional Duty | Reclaims Congress’ sovereign power to issue currency. |
Conclusion: A Republic Reborn Through Civic Money
The Civic Dollar is not a utopia. It is a constitutional restoration grounded in our founding values and built for a just, sustainable future. We are not proposing to tear down the dollar, but to restore it to its rightful purpose: as a tool of freedom, dignity, and democracy.
The question isn’t whether we can do this. We already have the laws, history, and tools to make it happen. The question is whether we will.
As John Adams warned: "The true source of our suffering has been our timidity... Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write." Let us now dare to act.
It’s not revolution. It’s restoration. The Moral Algorithm demands it. The Republic requires it. The people deserve it.