Comment by Christel Hignett on Friday, Jan 11 at 10:32 AM

I don't think Yunus' idea is all that new. Think of the beginnings of the US. When the people (mostly immigrants) were given land to build farms, which was followed by doctors who then took care of these farmers (driving many miles to visit the sick and often without pay). Then these farmers got together and built schools for their children, and teachers worked for very little to get these children educated. They built this country where everyone was free and took care of each other(except for the slaves). Then the Industrial Revolution began, which created jobs for the masses. These Industrial Giants (most starting as poor immigrants) started building universities, libraries, art museums etc that everyone could go to. The workers (who by the way also started their lives in the US as poor immigrants in the ghettos of our big cities) became educated, they became self-relient, could afford medical insurance, cars, homes. Even the Government came on board providing Social Security for the aged. In the 30's work was created for the poor in the process of starting our National Parks, building our infrastructure. The downturn began when Government began taking over every aspect of our lives. Now, one of the dirtiest cities in the US (Washington, DC) cannot even hire the many homeless or the prison inmates to clean up the streets, to fix our infrastructure etc because Government regulations make it illegal. We outsource those jobs to foreign companies who then bring in their own people while our people become jobless. Our big businesses outsource the manufacturing to China and other countries because it increases their bottom line. Then we allow foreign car companies to take over our car industries because we don't buy American. And the big Special Interest Lobbiests (many of them representing foreign interests) who have bought up our political campaigns and our Government have made the American Dream disappear.