Defund the Police… wait WHAT?!

 

It’s been almost two years since we first heard the slogan “Defund the Police.”  In those two years, crime has skyrocketed nationwide, and it is not getting any better.  For every action there is a consequence, and this may take the cake for one of the worst ideas in American history (right up there with giving free crack pipes to drug addicts… but I digress). 

The purpose of government is to ensure American’s individual freedoms and the rights that our creator gave us of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.  Everything that comes across the desk of any leader should pass what I call the “LL&P test.”  Leaders should always ask themselves: “Does this idea/legislation/executive order/mandate (or whatever) pass the Life, Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness test?”  Defunding the police is not only the worst idea I have seen (out of countless bad ideas I have witnessed over the last year) but fails the LL&P test abysmally.  The very purpose of police is to keep the order and protect citizens rights… to keep citizens’ rights to LL&P and protect the population from others who are hell-bent on their own self-interests which trample the rights of others.  Murder, rape, aggravated assaults, armed robbery and all other horrible deeds criminals commit violate others rights which is why we have police in the first place.  Oh, if you had told me two short years ago that I would actually have to make a case for having a police force, I would have thought you insane.  But here we are.

Many politicians who were all in favor of defunding the police are now seeing poll numbers (not crime statistics) that say voters are against defunding the police, so they are walking their comments back.  Meanwhile, other politicians of the more extreme variety are doubling down on their calls to defund the police.  Imagine… doubling down!

The first time I heard the shocking phrase, I remember immediately trying to think like a police officer.  That is when it occurred to me that governments defunding the police wouldn’t be necessary as they wouldn’t have any police left to defund after a few short years.  When you treat people like garbage whose job is to protect you from harm and create order in a sometimes order-less society, there will be consequences, like it or not.  How have some people in this great country become so ungrateful of an entire group of people who protect them?  How could people expect anything less than lawlessness and skyrocketing crime to be a result of this madness?

Today, the CMPD (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department) has a need for over 2,100 officers.  As our county continues growing faster than almost any other county in the U.S., the need for police officers is growing exponentially.  The CMPD currently has about 1,800 officers and that number is dropping weekly.  I have spoken to many police officers who are literally counting the days (and sometimes hours) until they can retire.  One example of how bad it is getting is that Charlotte ranks as the 6^th worst city in America for human trafficking and yet has only allocated 4 people (2 detectives) to combat this epidemic of modern-day slavery right here in North Carolina’s largest city.  CMPD is having trouble filling its recruiting classes as nobody wants to start a career that pays far less than other bachelor’s degree careers pay and have to wonder if the people they are going out to protect even appreciate it or worse, will rise up and try to murder them while they are doing their job.

The good news is that the damage done is not irreparable, as the quiet majority of citizens (what I call the “moderate middle”) of this great country are beginning to stand up and show support for our LEO’s (Law Enforcement Officers).  The morale of the police cannot go much lower, but we are learning how important they are to all of us in a whole new way.  This November, you and all your neighbors have the opportunity to elect new leadership in this city, state and nation who will not only FUND the police but support them as they put themselves in harm’s way to protect our freedoms.

I would like to make Charlotte and our state the place where human trafficking goes to die.  State and local law enforcement need the tools and manpower to take the gloves off when it comes to fighting crime and protecting exploited children. Period.  Our leaders in government must make punishment so extreme that the desire to perpetrate the crimes will disappear altogether.  We can start by enforcing the 13^th amendment to the US Constitution.  This amendment bans slavery and human trafficking is exactly that.  We MUST get tough on crime, or we will become a society of anarchy and mob rule.  We are already beginning to see what that dystopian world might look like when we observe the direction of crime in our major cities like Chicago, New York and San Francisco.  But like a cancer, it will spread nationwide.  The time to act is NOW. 

Help me change the course of where we are headed in our city, our state, and our nation this November.  I humbly ask for your vote for the NC State Senate and ask that you consider a donation to my campaign to help me get the word out.  The time to return to a government of, by and for the people has arrived!

If this email has been forwarded to you and you would like to hear more from me, click here:  www.RobesonForNC.com

Mark Robeson

PO Box 11993

Charlotte, NC  28220

www.robesonfornc.com

@robesonfornc

robesonfornc@gmail.com

Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2022

In addition to being the pre-eminent civil rights leader of our time, Reverend Dr Martin Luther King, Jr was a Reverend first. He loved Jesus. His speech on the national mall encapsulated all that we are as Americans by sharing with us his dream of reaching our full potential when we stopped judging people by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. He knew that God created all of us equal as His children.  Equal. The same. And that government didn’t give us our rights, its only job was to insure and protect the rights that God had already given us.  

Celebrate Reverend King today as he truly was God's prophet in the mid 20th century. A prophet that changed the way we behaved as a society toward ourselves by seeing and treating each other as we truly are.  Equals and all God's children.  Happy Martin Luther King Day and may God bless you!

Mark Robeson

PO Box 11993

Charlotte, NC  28220

www.robesonfornc.com

@robesonfornc

robesonfornc@gmail.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR... 2022!

 Happy New Year everyone! I’m Mark Robeson, candidate for the North Carolina Senate in Charlotte’s District 42.  If you are like me, you are ready to be “out with the old” and “in with the new” in 2022! For the first time in a long time, I think we can look forward to a new year full of hope and promise! 

 Charlotte (and America as a whole) is the land of new beginnings which is why thousands work so hard to come to our “shining city on a hill” legally every year. To get a fresh start and second chance at life where the only thing holding you back is your own imagination and will to succeed. We have a chance at true renewal this year here in our city and a big part of that is in the voting booth in November. 

 We can change and get that fresh start from the endless spiral that we’ve been caught up in electing people who only care about themselves and destroying what we have worked so hard to build. We can vote for new leadership, both in our city as well as state and nation. 

 Over the course of my campaign, I will talk to you about issues facing North Carolina and Charlotte in particular. Issues like combating a skyrocketing violent crime rate, our education system and how to get it back on track and a state budget that seems to forget that Charlotte is its biggest contributor. 

 I hope you will join me on this trail whether it be financial support, as a volunteer, hosting an event or just putting a sign in your yard or bumper magnet on your car. My fellow Charlotteans, let’s have true renewal in 2022 and put all the ills and mistakes of the past behind us. It’s going to be a great year and may God bless all of you!

Mark Robeson

PO Box 11993

Charlotte, NC  28220

www.robesonfornc.com

@robesonfornc

robesonfornc@gmail.com

Microfinance Commentary 4Q 2011 | A Look Back and the View Ahead

When the concept of microfinance was introduced in South America and most notably Bangladesh in the 1970’s, the concept of loaning money to the working poor to start businesses was inconceivable to the banks of the day. Banks simply saw the poor as “bad credit risks” and quickly dismissed the idea of microcredit as a passing fad that would end in bankruptcy for the institutions making the loans and over indebtedness for the world’s poor. The world is now viewing things a bit differently. Those traditional banks of that time are turning out to be “bad credit risks” themselves and even some investment banks of today are looking at microfinance not as a “fad” but as good business practice.

Today, over 150 million people globally are taking and repaying loans to microcredit organizations around the world. With historic default rates under 2%, microcredit is looking more and more like sound business practice, especially as Europe continues bailing out not only banks but entire countries that haven’t had any luck balancing their budgets and sovereign checkbooks. Americans and Western Europeans alike are finding themselves completely overwhelmed with mortgage and consumer debt and are defaulting on their obligations at a dizzying pace.

The element of microfinance that gives it such a solid standing is that the vast majority of it is NOT in consumer lending but in business loans. Helping the poor start businesses with loans ranging from $50 to a few thousand dollars is just the kick start that the world’s working poor need to get over the hump of poverty and begin a life of taking care of themselves and their families by starting and expanding their small enterprises. The business aspect of this is astonishing… if microfinance lenders are seeing loan paybacks in the 98% range, they can be profitable. This is good for shareholders but even better for the poor. Why? Because they can continue expanding their services through better products, lower interest rates and more branches and staff to service and offer loans.

It is currently estimated that over 1 billion of the world’s poor need a loan and could pay said loan back. And with only 150 million current borrowers, large banks and institutions are seeing “double bottom-line” possibilities. Reaching untapped markets of consumers who pay their loans back is very good business practice. HSBC bank predicts that the need is soaring for microcredit services and that demand is 10 times the current supply.

Microfinance Investment Vehicles are gathering more and more assets to put towards this sound business practice on investing in the poor. With assets over $10 billion USD, there is much room for growth and investment returns range from good to fantastic. Global Microfinance Partners is at the forefront of this emerging investment movement and at the intersection of Impact Investing and helping the poor through this hand-up philosophy. If you want to make a difference with your investment assets, contact us today and join this global movement to change how the world does business and enjoy the possibilities associated with excellent investment returns coupled with impacting the world for good.

Mark Robeson
President
Global Microfinance Partners, LLC
Tel +1 704 332-9390
mark@globalmicrofinancepartners.com
www.globalmicrofinancepartners.com
“Connecting Capital Markets with Village Markets”

Microfinance Commentary 3Q 2011 | Economic Meltdown vs. Microfinance?

CNBC was taking a survey this morning to see if viewers felt the world was plunging into a global Depression. Since 2008 we have heard about a Recession, the “Great” Recession, a “Double-Dip” recession and now the word “Depression” is being thrown around the airwaves. The History Channel has been giving an awful lot of airtime to “The Nostradamus Effect” and other titles of shows using the word “Armageddon.” Ok, we get it. End of the world, global economic meltdown… the sky is falling… we get it.

Banks in Europe are on the verge of collapse, banks in America are taking it on the chin and our own Treasury debt has been downgraded from its historic and never-been-changed AAA rating. Greek default, Spain, Italy… the developed world is not looking so hot right about now. So with credit card defaults approaching 10%, the price of gold skyrocketing and then plunging and skyrocketing again, home foreclosures through the roof… is there anywhere safe to put your money? How about the mattress? Nope… what if your house catches fire? Okay, that’s enough sour grapes for this commentary. Now on to the good news.

The best way to analyze any kind of investment is to view its success rate over a long period of time. The US has never defaulted on its debt i.e. it must be the safest investment in the world, right? At this moment, take a look at this investment idea: Over 35 years, this debt asset class has a default rate of less than 2% with better than average fixed income returns. Its corresponding equity asset class is seeing its average annual returns exceed 20%. What is this iron-clad solid investment? The global poor. Microfinance business loans to the world’s working poor is skyrocketing as lenders and even major investment banks like JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Citi want to stabilize their lending portfolios by lending via microloans to people who traditionally pay these loans back like clockwork… the world’s poorest of the poor.

Half of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day. About 150 million people around the world are current microfinance clients while about 1.1 billion want a loan AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY THE LOAN BACK. Demand for loans is 10x the current supply. But the idea of lending to the poor still seems strange and therefore risky. The clients repay their loans because they want another loan and they work harder than anyone I have ever seen- bar none. They have families to feed, kids to put through school and don’t understand the concept of “default” or “going bankrupt.” They pay their loans back… period.

As global banking continues it’s metamorphosis to stay afloat, the winners will be the ones who see the world’s poor not as a risky and pitiful place to assign capital but as the safest bet of all. Change the world and help the poor… and have a better bank and organization for doing it. This is no longer charity… Microfinance may very well be a powerful cog to help get the global economy moving again.

If you have money on the sidelines and are cynical about the current financial markets or simply want to diversify your portfolio, give us a call. And if you want to help the poor while realizing investment returns... contact us right away!

Mark Robeson
President
Global Microfinance Partners, LLC
Tel +1 704 332-9390
mark@globalmicrofinancepartners.com
www.globalmicrofinancepartners.com
“Connecting Capital Markets with Village Markets”

Microfinance Commentary 2Q 2011 | Helping the Poor: Just Charity?

Throughout the Christian Bible and most world religions, caring for the poor is a central theme and more importantly, a command. In the Bible, we are instructed over 2000 times to care for the poor… that is more references toward any one area in life than anything else in the sacred text. So should we give to the poor? Yes. But is there more we can do?

I say the answer is a resounding YES… and so do a growing number of other people around the world. Christians and Muslims, Americans and Europeans, Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals. Giving to the poor makes us feel like we are doing something good… and for those of Faith, helping the poor fulfills our marching orders. But what if we actually want to roll back poverty instead of just alleviating its symptoms, like taking some aspirin in the face of a raging cancer? Let’s see what some pioneers in philanthropy and the microfinance movement have to say.

"When we want to help the poor, we usually offer them charity. Most often we use charity to avoid recognizing the problem and finding the solution for it. Charity becomes a way to shrug off our responsibility. But charity is no solution to poverty. Charity only perpetuates poverty by taking the initiative away from the poor. Charity allows us to go ahead with our own lives without worrying about the lives of the poor. Charity appeases our consciences."
-Muhammad Yunus “Banker to the Poor: Micro lending and the Battle Against World Poverty”

Giving a “hand-up” rather than a “hand-out” has become part of the philanthropic lexicon… and thank goodness for that! “If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he will eat for the rest of his life” is an ancient Chinese proverb that is beginning to sink in with more and more people. Perhaps most importantly, with investors.

“A new study estimates the potential market for investments that seek financial as well as social or environmental returns at $120 Billion. The good news for charities is that most study participants who said they would put money into such investments said they would draw the funds from their investment portfolios rather than the money they set aside for philanthropy.”
-The Chronicle for Philanthropy October 4, 2010

We in the developed world are at a crossroads in philanthropy and investing. Should we keep investing our money in the old stocks, bonds and mutual funds routine? After all, we can use the dividends or income derived from these investments to give to charity, right? Or is it time to turn this traditional investment model on its head by investing our money in poverty alleviation and other socially conscious causes, in some cases realizing greater investment returns on these endeavors than the aforementioned traditional stocks, bonds and mutual funds?

Enter the developing world miracle that has been microfinance for the last 35 years. But now the old tried and true “sustainable” non-profit model of microfinance is evolving too. Now an entire industry has been born, an industry that is committed to growing larger by the day to reach more and more of the poor to help them escape poverty by helping them help themselves. Microfinance banks around the globe are seeking more borrowers, competing with each other for clients and driving interest rates down. All the while increasing the number of life-changing financial products for the poor. Some call this “philanthro-capitalism.” I just call it just good business sense. Let’s help the poor with a new industry that will grow and grow and grow, not just be “sustainable.”

"So if you want to put your money in microfinance just to feel good, by all means direct it to the non-profit organization that most pulls your heartstrings. But if your objective is to roll back poverty and change the world, don't believe those that have been telling you that returns on your investment are the icing on the cake. It is the cake itself."
-Michael Chu- Professor, Harvard Business School and former CEO of the microfinance organization ACCION

Let’s get to WORK!

Mark Robeson
President
Global Microfinance Partners, LLC
Tel +1 704 332-9390
skype | mark.robeson
www.globalmicrofinancepartners.com
“Connecting Capital Markets with Village Markets”

MICROFINANCE: MORE EFFECTIVE AS NON-PROFIT OR FOR-PROFIT? | JAN 2011

A lot of discussion has circulated recently as to whether microfinance should be done in the traditional donor-driven, non-profit model -or- through the investor-driven, for-profit model. If our goal is to extend credit and banking services to the poor around the world by giving them a hand-up rather than a hand-out, who would do it best?

Since Nobel Laureate Muhammed Yunus made that first loan to poor women in a village in Bangladesh in the mid-1970’s (which was the incubus for the now famous Grameen Bank or “Community” Bank), the donor driven model has ruled. Roughly USD $50BB of credit is now circulating throughout the developing world through about 10,000 Microfinance Institutions (MFI’s) that serve 100 million clients. These clients use this capital to start and expand their businesses and they pay their loans back.. on time.. with interest. This model not only helps the poor by extending working capital to them but gives them something far more valuable… dignity.

However, current demand for microfinance is roughly ten times supply. With a default rate in microfinance over the last 30+ years of LESS THAN 2%, the microfinance sector is getting the attention of some of the largest financial institutions and governments in the world. This includes investments from Deutsche Bank, TIAA-CREF, European pension plans and other institutions that see investing in microfinance as the “new philanthropy” and very good for their corporate bottom-line. Investment returns in the sector astonish even the most hardened Wall Street and Silicon Valley veterans. Debt investments averaging near 7-10% returns coupled with Equity investments targeting and making 20%+ annually make this astonishment a reality. Betting on the poor is most assuredly a good bet.

One year after starting Global Microfinance Partners, I am more convinced than ever that helping the poor help themselves through small loans is the most intelligent and effective way to eliminate global poverty. Grassroots capitalism is taking hold and MFI’s worldwide are switching to for-profit models very quickly. Unhappy to simply sustain themselves through donations, MFI’s now wish to grow larger and serve more and more clients around the world who would otherwise have no access to financial services and business capital. Microfinance investing (or Microfinance 2.0) is the next evolution in an industry that changes lives and give hope to hundreds of millions of the working poor living around the world.

Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIVs) have been in existence for over 10 years and offer debt vehicles to MFIs as well as making equity investments into the MFIs themselves. While the assets in MIVs range somewhere in the USD $10 billion range, this number is expected to rise exponentially as high net worth individuals, institutions, foundations and endowments see this new asset class as a true “Impact Investment.” Receiving a financial return on money that is ACTIVELY helping the poor through this sector is becoming more and more appealing to investors in this jaded time in the financial markets.

What if your investment portfolio could do good in the world? Not just the dividend and yield they make that you give to charity? These are questions that now have an exciting answers!

Mark Robeson
President
Global Microfinance Partners
Tel +1 704 332-9390
skype | mark.robeson
www.globalmicrofinancepartners.com
mark@globalmicrofinancepartners.com
“Connecting Capital Markets with Village Markets”