ECONOMIC RESEARCH GROUP

MEETING

July 16,2008

Chairman Tom Keefer called the meeting to order at noon with 35 Members in attendance. Tom asked if there were any items the members wished to discuss or if there were any announcements to be presented. One member wished to know if there was anything in our by-laws that dictated why we did not meet during the months of August and September. No one could give any historical related reason other than the December date would interfere with holiday preparations.

The inquiry by the member was formalized to a motion that the membership would meet 11 months of the year with the exception of December commencing in the year of 2009. Seconded and passed.

Note: upon examination of the minutes of past meetings it was noted in 1981, at the founding of the Economic Research Group, 11 monthly meetings were to be held with exception of December. In 1984 this was amended to 9 meetings with no meetings in July and August.

Chairman Keefer then proposed we consider amending the dress code of the group from business attire to dress casual i.e. no ties. The members also passed this recommendation to begin in 2009.No further business was brought forth and the luncheon commenced during which we were entertained by some jokes delivered by Dale Schmidt.

After lunch member Ken Neumann was presented as both the Speaker Chairman and the speaker. Ken then gave background on the author (his daughter in law) of the theses on which he based his talk “Soft Power as a Tool in the War on Terrorism.” Note: Virginia Neumann is presently stationed as a State Department employee in the Middle East. Ken had reduced over 1000 pages of the theses to 7 pages for his presentation. Historically confrontation has been a mix of war vs. negotiation beginning with pre Roman conquests and the ultimate destruction of the Roman Empire, continued to the present. Which is the most effective? In our recent history we can see success at times for both. It looks at present the US is migrating from force to diplomacy i.e. Soft Power. This will align the US with our more reserved European associates and the United Nations agenda. It must be remembered that both Hard and Soft Power can be effective given the circumstances. Present sentiment (European and Mid East) favors Soft Power.

A question and answer period followed.

Thank you Ken for a well thought out talk and a balanced presentation to a complex diplomacy problem.

Our next meeting will be held at the Dominic’s Coyote Point on October 16, 2008. The meal selection will be a choice of Veal Parmesan or Shrimp Louis.

William Schinagl

Secretary