Empty

Ever awake to a feeling of aloneness? Not loneliness but aloneness? I know the terms seem the same but for some reason they feel very different to me. Why is that? I have no idea. I just have this feeling from time to time that there simply isn’t another person around that mirrors my reality. Very very alone.

Yes there are those who feel lonely from time to time but do they ever feel truly marooned and without another soul available to talk to, listen to, bump up feelings against?

It’s like being in a bar with lots of people, noise and jumbled strains of music and conversations. The liquid flows that makes people loose and convivial. The crowd is present so no one is alone. But yet they are. Watch those who sit alone. Who stare into the glass. Those whose eyes slide up the wall to the ceiling and examine every dimple, cobweb and dust mote to be seen. They see those things; others do not see him doing it.

That person is alone. Down the bar or at the corner table are others sitting apart from others.

There is company in the room. Not fellowship. Connections are unplugged. Stray wires and filaments in need of joining but never quite make it.

These are tough times to be alone. Is there ever a time that isn’t?

I know I’m in a funk about the elections. I’ve never disavowed a President before; if he wins the election then he is our President. I said this about George W Bush until he overplayed his role in Iraq and no weapons of mass destruction were found. It seemed at the time the President had snookered the American people. I still feel that way. He no longer had my support to be president. Oh he had the legal right and he exercised that. But all of his decisions became suspect to me and a host of others. Not blind politics any longer for them. They saw and knew what it meant.

Checks and balances then kept Bush in check. Cheney not so much. But then he had limited powers and the Congress didn’t let Bush do everything he said he wanted. The Supreme Court provided some balance. Senate Democrats did the rest. Gridlock resulted and remains this way today.

However, with Trump set to take the oath of office on January 20, 2017, things are different. The House of Representatives remains under Republican control. The Senate remains in Republican control although there are some arcane vote margins that remain in place and that will keep Republicans from running amok totally in the Senate.

Whether the Supreme Court winds up with a Trump supporting role or not depends on who is named to fill vacancies on the court. There is one vacancy currently. There will be at least one more during Trump’s first term. So the weight of conservative versus liberal on the court remains an unsettled issue for now.

America’s federal government is hanging in a delicate balance. Trump has the White House. He claims he will make decisions that will up end undoing many regulations, executive orders and other policies that have White House authority. It remains to be seen what he actually does, and then even more, what the consequences of those moves will bring to the rest of us. Consequences there will be. How fast and how severe is the big unknown.

Undoing trade pacts will have an immediate effect on consumer prices. They will rise, or the goods will be unavailable in American markets. Also, American goods will be less likely bought and sold in international markets. Unemployment will spike in America as a result.

The nature of trade pacts are two sided, never one sided. There is always a quid pro quo. It takes some time to realize the consequences. But the underemployed don’t have time to add to their misery.

Disruption in labor markets in America are not caused by trade pacts. They are caused by aging industries unwilling to switch to lower cost means of manufacturing and they are then moved to lower cost labor markets overseas. That and technology shifts that are huge. Those are the causes of dying industries in America and higher jobless rates among manufacturing trade unionists.

If those same industries would innovate new manufacturing methods, materials and product designs, they can save themselves. If they are unwilling to do those things, then their industries will ebb away like the buggy whip industry.

A great deal of disruption to our economy is about to play out because the house, senate and white house are all in the hands of one party. Furthermore, that party claims to be the party of conservative ideologies which serves not laborers, but owners of wealth and corporations. Who do you think will get hurt in this environment?

And the Supreme Court may very well fall victim to the conservative ideology as well. Then where will we all be?

Did I hear someone say the system is rigged? I guess it is. And it isn’t rigged in the direction the accuser was claiming. The shoe is now on the other foot. I wonder how many of us will soon be barefoot as a result?

November 30, 2016

Lament

I’m ill at ease. Angry, too. Upset that so many people are inarticulate about what they want out of life and what role others play in those wants. Are others to blame for what you don’t have or get? Are others taking something from you? From me? If so what?

Peace? Calm? Civility?

Democracy is an easy concept to understand but difficult to live. One person equals one vote, unless you are wealthy or you control the wealth of a corporation and can direct it towards political ends. In such cases your vote strength is magnified. All because of money. All because you paid someone to say something or misrepresent facts to distort a message that would attract more votes to your position.

This is dirty politics. It is engaged all the time. If there is a rigged system this is it – selling influence to the wealthy so they get their way to protect their interests.

Yes, this is the American rigged system. Money talks. Money gets.

The sad truth is this has been the American way since the beginning of the nation. We don’t like to admit this travesty but it is historical fact.

Perhaps we can lay it at the feet of “to err is human” and human nature is basic and will not be denied?

If we do accept this then I think we have admitted defeat for principle, truth and honesty.

I really don’t need you to be happy. I can be happy on my own. However, I can be happier if I know you are working with me and not against me. Right now I distrust nearly everyone. I’m not sure they are honest or trustworthy.

In the past I accepted my nation and its governments (local, regional, state and national) as human enterprises rooted in doing the right thing but prone to errors. That’s alright; errors can be repaired when discovered. But untrustworthy governments are those that can be counted on to protect the influential and not the people themselves. They do this for power and access to personal wealth for themselves. It is self serving behavior that is the root of this evil.

With the latest national election I’m not sure where we are as a nation. I see wealth speaking with a loud voice. I am not a person of wealth. I do not see talent speaking with a voice of influence. I do not see reward going to people of accomplishment and innovation. I do not see sharing of power and influence based on truth and fact. I see in those places bigotry, ugliness and ignorance.

I have fought against those very same negatives most of my life. If I knew they were present I took a stand. If I didn’t know they were present I took no notice. But ignorance of fact, truth and history are now being ignored on a wholesale basis, almost with pride! Yes, with pride. “I won; you lost”. That is the message being told.

No. You didn’t win. We all lost. Prove to me that your position is correct and constructive, not vindictive and destructive. You won? At all costs? Even your honesty?

You see, the crux of the problem is emotions are being taken as fact and truth. I don’t deny that emotions are real, but they are not reflections of true facts. They are a reaction to perceived negatives. There is a difference here. And if I have to lecture you on what that difference is then more has been lost than we had imagined.

Ignorance is not a disease. Wanting ignorance and willingly accepting it, is the disease.

Public education was thought to have eradicated it. Evidently not. When a people feel wealth is more important than education and understanding true reality, then I guess ignorance is licensed by that society to replace knowledge.

Money is power is our society. Used to be knowledge is power. Is this what it comes down to in the end? Knowledge or money?

The latter does not respect how it is earned or amassed, just that it is. The former takes work and discipline. It builds character. It builds lasting futures. Money does not.

Take heed America. We are on the edge of losing all that we worked so hard to gain. And if you personally do not understand this then you are already lost.

Can you yet be found?

We can only hope for your soul and ours.

November 29, 2016

Black Friday, et. al.

The Holidays are here. Thanksgiving Day is in the past now and Christmas shopping is full upon us. Black Friday is the ‘traditional’ day following Thanksgiving feasts when Americans hit the stores and malls to grab door buster deals on goods great for giving on Christmas Day.

There are those of us traditionalists left who don’t fall prey to shopping mania. But for the most part we are the lower income, retired people who don’t get excited over Christmas presents anymore. We don’t have the personal need for them. We have no place to store them, unless of course those gifts are means to eat out in restaurants with our favorite cuisines! Or maybe books to round out our reading lists?

Oh, OK. I can be persuaded to get re-engaged in this hoopla, but truly, it is an expense better avoided. At our ages it is hard enough to keep gas in the car, food on the table regularly, and the medicine cabinet full of what the doctors prescribe. That’s just the lifestyle we are in these days. Not a good thing or a bad thing. It just is.

So keep us involved in your family gatherings but let’s skip the present sharing part.

Now, related to the holidays are these issues.

First, the holidays are for all of us, whether the central attraction is Christmas, or another religious hallmark date with a strong focus in your religious tradition. I will take no offense if you wish me Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa or Happy Holidays. I get your point and appreciate your sentiment. You don’t have to conform to my religious tradition. Keep your own traditions alive and healthy for you and yours. I can do the same for mine. We can hope the others will do the same for their traditions and families.

Second, stoking the retail success of retail chains is not my business. I have all I can do to keep my sock drawer stocked and underwear, too. Shoes are another matter, but they are more costly and are replaced verrrry slowly. I have plenty of shirts and will concentrate on wearing them out and then tossing them out eventually rather than adding to the number of garments rarely worn. Think tiny house and discard! Or at least wear out what you have.

Now I understand why old people often look ‘out of date’. They are conserving and making do. That’s a good thing to do, so Amen to them!

Third, sitting out the consumer-mania of the season also reduces the tensions on those who want to participate but cannot. They do not wish to be the focus of charity or public fuss. They just want life to go on without the pressure of performing in ways they cannot possibly afford. This is very true of  30% of households these days. So give them a break and don’t pressure them with gawdy displays of your wealth and excess. I’ve done plenty of that in my day and now I regret it.

Fourth, every day people need things. Some are physical, some are emotional, and yet others are service oriented – things they cannot do for themselves but need help with. Those needs are real 24/7/365. Best we attend to them each and every day. It is good for them. It is even better for those of us doing the ‘doing’. It makes us better people, both the doer and the receiver. Our society is healthier for the effort. Dig in and ‘just do it’.

While you are at it find some peace with moments of quiet, to think, read, ponder what is important in your life. Resolve to stop doing something that is pointless. Resolve to start doing something that has more value to others. Then organize your routines to make room for this new focus on life.

Doing this accomplishes a more appropriate sensibility for the holidays and gaining a head-start on your New Years resolutions. How great is that?!

November 28, 2016

Muddling Through

Facebook is a quick scan these days. Look for updates from friends and family. Not political stuff unless it is from people of similar mindset to mine. We need this support at a time like this.

The negative feedback from others we don’t need. Theirs is racist and anti-feminist. It is anti establishment as well, but they are the new establishment. Always were. But they don’t know that because they were not paying attention.

So many others have been attempting to get good things accomplished. Not ideological crap or power oriented. Just services and programs directed at solving problems that cause suffering among our people. Not centered on ourselves but centered on others for their benefit. The belief: if all are doing well the nation will do well. Pretty simple really. And effective. That’s the beauty of centrist thought. Make the best of what you have and improve upon it for the benefit of others.

Racism destroys. It dehumanizes targeted people. It demeans them. It does not celebrate their beauty inside and outside, nor does it recognize the talents and value embraced by the total person. Racism done viciously will destroy the spirit and turn off the bright light contained within him or her.

We cannot afford to turn off any bright lights. This is our national treasure.

That’s racism. It remains on our list of things to work on. But other items are on the list as well including:

• Anti-feminism
• Anti-education, especially Liberal Arts
• Anti-abortion, anti-choice; control over women’s bodies and lives; it is a different face of anti-feminism
• Anti-intellectualism
• Anti-science, applied or otherwise 

All of the above take work to understand. I think that’s precisely why we have these issues to deal with. Lazy people don’t read or think or learn. They follow the path of least resistance. They rob themselves of the thrill of discovery and expansion of talent and understanding in their own lives. If they don’t care, they unconsciously restrict access for others to educational fulfillment because they resist public funding of such programs.

The nation loses directly as a result. We must invest in our people. Their minds through education; not propaganda mills but thorough education that teaches people how to think for themselves critically. Learn, grow and prosper. That’s the pathway supported here.

If a person is aware of their own dreams, limitations and progress toward understanding, they will adapt to changing conditions. They will realize their career is progressing well or becoming cut off from future growth opportunities. Their industry may be heading toward the historical scrapheap and they will need to make changes in their skill sets so they can continue to earn a good living doing work that is well suited and interesting to them. Without such awareness and willingness to adapt, they will eventually lose their job, move from lower paying job to lower paying job until they run out of money and become a ward of the state. Or die of indifference. Or disease that feeds on dispirited people.

Healthy curiosity builds potential and possibility. Visit any incubator entity in your area and observe the people excited by new discoveries attempting to morph them into new products, services and industries. This is the cutting edge of change and a place where you can catch the new upbeat spirit that will transform your life. These people are doing this for themselves because they have to. They don’t see the opposite view of not trying. It is in their DNA but it is catching for those who do not have this DNA component.

Change begets change. Adaptation is healthy and opens new vistas to experience and live through. The old and dreary downward spiral has an opposite opportunity. We need to help people find it. We have to empower institutions to help others find their new way to prosperity and self reliance. This is the brave new world. This is the face of America that has been in hiding for the past 20 years. Why? I have no idea.

But it does not rely on trumpisms. It relies on self motivation and helping hands.

Might you be one of those hands? If so, let me know. I have several institutions looking for your kind of help.

November 25, 2016

Leaning Into Life

A Friday morning I wrote this. Wednesday evening is past but the memories persist. Eight teenagers in a circle with one intern present and me as volunteer leader. They are 15 to 17 years of age. One girl, the rest boys. All in various stages of adulthood formation, maturing from kid to adult. But not yet.

All are addicts. Some are more – abusers of alcohol, sex, self, and others. Some have been to jail; some are convicted car thieves, drug dealers and gun/ammo runners. All at this early age. And some in deep denial of their reality. Perhaps the reason for the drugs?

Last night one kid – smooth skinned, pleasant, calm exterior – admitted to me in group that he was having a hard time, shaky. His eyes pierced mine with a plea for help. This is a lad who has twice attempted suicide. And he senses the dread of yet another episode? In a group setting like this how do I help him? How do I reach out and assure him of help coming his way right now? When he needs it, and as he needs it?

Another kid sat quietly, almost stoically. Not his usual stature; no, he is usually the life of the party and distracting group process with silly antics. He is usually not a thinker or moper, but tonight he was. I asked him why? And he mumbled an answer until he raised his volume and demonstrated a perfectly cadenced rap in monotone outlining his story and concerns. Of course this was incomprehensible to me. He is 16, I am 73. His language style and delivery are unfamiliar to me and I struggle to understand. But the kids in the group echoed my realization that his message was a perfect rap. The only missing element was music – but successful rap does not always require beating drums or screaming music and wailing voices. No; the words themselves hold the weight of the meaning.

He was not in a good place that night. He is frustrated and feels the pent up anger of not being allowed to live life his way. And I think he realizes that ‘his way’ will preclude him being the cop or fireman he yearns to be. And maybe keep him from also meeting and being with all the girls he desires. Yes his libido is larger than you or I can measure. And this is no joke.

Yet another kid, the youngest of them all – 15. He has been living opposite the law since 11 when he began drinking and drugging. And let us not forget running with bad dudes, guys he wants to be with for some reason. He hangs out on the west side of Chicago. He runs drugs between dealers and users. He runs guns and ammunition between dealers and buyers, even running them to points in Michigan, across state lines. Do you realize the trouble this guy is in? Do you?

He attends a special alternative high school. Twenty-seven students taught and led by 36 faculty, all big dudes with 250 to 300 pounds of muscle to enforce their leadership! This is the only way these 27 students get their lessons. Still, they do not want to be there. They want freedom. This young guy wants to bust out and stretch his arms and legs and run and beat on someone. His look was borderline wild and I knew he was near violence. I could sense it. The group could too. But we reeled him in. He didn’t bust us or out of the room, either.

I see their faces and their body language in my sleep. This morning at 3 am I awoke with the realization that maybe all of them needed a hug, you know, the kind when you were very young and mom or dad folded their arms around you, maybe curled up with you on the sofa? You felt safe then. You felt protected from the dark places in the world.

Safe and loved. Cared for. An island of safety just for me.

Remember those special moments? Remember when you doubted the safety of the world outside the home? Wondered how you would get along ‘out there’? I do. It is not a far stretch to remember such feelings even now 68 years later.

Some of the kids are clearly uncomfortable in the group. They do not mirror the experiences of some of the others. Some have dreams of professional lives following their formal educations in interesting institutions scattered about the nation. Theirs is a life dream of upper advancement and success, just like their parents’. These are the kids you and I expect from our youth. Instead they are in a group rehab program to recover from drug and substance abuse that the law of our land says they have broken. If the law says that the purpose, then, is to rehabilitate these young people so they have a good chance at making a success of their lives.

But I wonder. I wonder if a group experience is what they need or just a hug, a curled up ball of safety around them so they feel loved, and wanted, and valued, and purposeful.

Who will provide this to them? Teachers and counselors cannot touch. Volunteers, too, cannot touch. And mom and dad are too scared to know what to do; that’s why the program is an act of their faith in getting their kid some help. But the professionals in the program have rules, too, and they cannot touch.

Are we a nation of arms-length relationships? When do we allow contact to care?

Did I tell you that all of these kids are white, bright and come from financially secure homes? Does that surprise you at all? Does that tell us we are losing control of our most precious treasure? Our future generation is hurting and struggling. And no it is not all about being bad.

I think it is about needing to feel loved and safe. Maybe we should give that a chance.

November 24, 2016

Prose & Poetry

Or song lyrics. Or music composed to express inner thoughts, feelings and mood.

Prose. To write sentences filled with common meaning and words, logic embraced to trace the path of ideas from inception to conclusions. Thoughts fully formed and applied to real situations. Explaining what is happening, or how something physical came to be like a mountain or canyon or river or sea.

When we know something in our mind we write prose. We explain and elucidate. We share so others can know what we know and gain from it.

Poetry. We write this with words but with different relationships and meanings to the other words. We are expressing something we cannot do with logic or pathways of formation. These are concepts, ideas, feelings, moods, emotions.

When I do not know something for certain – I am at sea – I still need to express myself. That’s when poetry comes on the scene. To express the inexpressible. That’s the job of poetry.

For those with musical talents as well the poetry can leap to the music and become a song, an aria, a hymn, a cantata, and opera. The story of inner self must be told. Few tools are available to do this when understanding is totally absent but if words are there, then a stab at meaning is machined by the mind. The result is often a poem of some sort and then related arts come to bear with the result.

Presently I’m struggling with writing kind and gentle thoughts. My mind is not in that mood. I am feeling angst in the full meaning of that German word. Roiling, twisting feelings pulling at the mind stem. Pain coursing down the spine to nerve clusters throughout the body. Tension. Aches and pains. Tightness of chest. Sleeplessness. These are the symptoms of the angst (awwng-st). The signals are accumulating and I know what they mean. And what I must do.

Express myself. Unload the data banks of feelings. Let loose the emotions. Do so constructively. Remain a civilized person and citizen of the community – of the global community itself. Even when others around me are not so arranged in their mind and soul!

Turmoil reigns in many corners of the earthbound civilization. It is not all cocktails and parties, or dances and banquets. No; rather it is work, cleanup, sleep and commuting. It is toil and labor in clean rooms and dirty work spaces. It is pressure laden and stressful. It is life in its routine. Not always very nice; often ugly. But nearly always fruitful to one end or another.

How then do we find footing in these tumultuous environs?

That is a good question and one we will explore in coming weeks. We will use tools from the past, like Meg’s story and check up on how she is doing in these days. We will hunt for the enigmas and seek their meaning. We will solve some puzzles, no doubt, along the way, but those will be temporary discoveries which will have to wait for fuller understanding.

Meanwhile, we are left with feeling and emotion. These need expression. To relieve built-up pressure.

I began writing a poem in this space but ran into a wall of silence after only a few stanzas. Days later I have given up and realize now that prose serves me just as well. I guess I can still articulate what I feel and mean or question the unknown fairly well.

When I cannot do that, I will resort to the emergence of poetry to express my feelings. Until then…..

November 23, 2016

             

Racism in America

Growing up in New England (Western Massachusetts, 1954-1960; Upstate New York, 1960-1965) I became aware of racism in my country. This awareness was a surprise to me: that racism existed at all in my country; that the injustice of it was palpable; that the history of racism in America began before our nation’s founding (late 1500’s); that it continued through the Civil War hundreds of years later (1865); that it continued with hideous riots, beatings, lynching’s, discrimination into my post college years (1965).

Even with the 1964 Civil Rights Act the problems were not over. By the early 1970’s I thought America had turned a corner in race relations but of course I was wrong. Racism simmered below the surface of civil society. It may have seemed abated but it truly was not. Simmered is a polite word that shrouds deep undercurrents of hostility and ugliness that occasionally broke through the surface.

Later events would demonstrate how raw our racism was (Rodney King episode). Talk with most African Americans today and simply ask how their lives have been affected by racism here in our land of opportunity and equality! They will mostly shudder and gently inform you of things you probably haven’t heard before.

In the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential election racism is on full display yet again. I supported and forwarded a Facebook mention and photo thanking Michelle Obama for her graceful eight years in the White House. Although many likes and nice comments resulted, a bunch of nasty comments also followed that literally transported me back to the 1950’s and 1960’s. It was pure ugliness.

America still suffers from severe racism. Although we usually think of this as anti African American, it also extends to Hispanics, Asian, and immigrants of all nationalities. The common thread in this racism is pretty simple: If you are different from me visually then you are inferior and suspect as to your value to the American culture. I don’t really want anything to do with you and prefer you to be invisible or go way.

That’s an ugly picture isn’t it? It makes my blood run cold that any of us in America would feel this way about another human being, especially someone living and working among us. And for generations, even!

I know some will say this is normal human behavior. It isn’t. And more importantly in America this is totally unacceptable.

I know that those who are victims of discrimination have negative feelings about America in general and toward the mostly white population. Those negative feelings embrace mistrust, misconceptions on the fairness of our society in general, and outright hostility. All worthy reactions to injustice.

Breathless with this realization I examine the broader reality of discrimination and racism. They are very much the same having their roots in difference from the norm. Gay people are separated by many because they are different from the norm. Smart people are likewise separated from the rest of the population – their grasp of issues and complex facts and theories makes others uncomfortable. Asian immigrants have acclimated to America beautifully but they are not understood – they look different, have a radically different culture and cuisine, and are very well educated and accomplished in most life choices and careers. Because Asians are perceived as very different (but light skinned!) they are left alone in the main. Many Asians think of themselves as invisible. And that is the form of discrimination with which they live. Not nice.

Jews face continuing discrimination and distancing by the general population of America. And because of that there are millions of people who believe the Holocaust was a fiction of history, not a fact. The ugliness of the Holocaust is so huge many people choose to avoid it and not believe it happened. Six million people and more were exterminated. The facts are real and true.

The discrimination against Jews allows Americans the ‘freedom’ to discriminate against all other people following religions different from their own. So Islam becomes a target. India’s polyglot of religious practices becomes another mistrusted center of attention.

And of course immigration itself becomes a focal point of differences and religions and cultures that are so very different from the rest of us. The seed of discrimination born to full life becomes racism in many forms.

This story is America’s story. Immigration and assimilation. Adaptation of differences. Time to get to know new people and appreciate them, see them as whole individuals with blood, sweat and tears. A movement of doubt throughout all of our history has produced the greatest melting pot of cultures in the history of mankind. And that is the focal point we ought to be dedicating our lives to.

If you are ignorant of history, or lack appreciation for religious thought in its many forms, or cultures and cuisines that spice up our public life, then you are likely to fall prey to discriminate against others who are different from you.

This is a mark of ignorance, not superiority.

Best we deal with this scourge once again. We have lazy people among us who refuse to learn about the basics of social skills. They miss out on so much that is rich and exciting about life. They are the poorer ones, not the rest of us who get it.

And yes, the racism seems to be housed in the victorious Trump supporters. How very sad.

November 22, 2016

Reality, Mine

Here’s a scenario millions are living with in America each day. Ponder it. Embrace it as your own. Either this is what awaits you or not depending on your luck and successful planning.

We awake at 5 am daily. Start with a potty break, move on to the den and turn on the lights. Then the living room lights and opening of the drapes. Into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Pull out cups, saucers and spoons. Set those up in the den next to the computers.

Read email first, then respond to emails, then open my blog site and eye the results of the previous 24 hours, and finally post my blog for the day. Usually the blog is written a few days earlier and is entered to the blog site, edited again, and then published.

Then a quick scan of the internet news feeds of the day. When finished I move on to some favorite blog sites to view, and then I turn my attention to today’s calendar.

I scan the commitments of the day, mostly SCORE clients, committees and projects. Then on to church committee assignments and related topics.

When the office is tidied up for the day, shaving, shower and dressing is next in line. Then breakfast followed by project work or a sit in the chair with the latest book read.

The mail comes and bills with it. Scan the checking account balance and determine if enough funds are available to pay the bills; if not, wait for the next social security check.

We live solely on social security income. The reasons are many but center around health issues and a slightly earlier than planned retirement. Investments were used to retire debts so we could downsize living arrangements to fit with income. It is a tight fit but it works. Barely.

Rent is paid on time. it consumes a huge portion of our monthly income. The car loan is our next major obligation but it keeps us mobile and reliably so. Next is the food budget closely tied with medical expenses – Medicare premium ($212/mo for the two of us), private insurance premium required ($187/mo for the two of us), medications out of pocket ($100/mo for me; $115 for Rocky), electronics ($200/mo for internet, cable TV and cell phones). If any one component shifts higher, something is removed. We are about ready to cut cable completely to save $100/mo. We already toy with food and meds as needed. Eating out is a luxury rarely done unless someone gives us a gift card or we find a cheap place that allows us to eat near the cost of eating at home.

If an insurance premium grows large less gas is bought, fewer miles driven, less volunteering accomplished, etc. If the food budget is tight then a meal is skipped and light snacks tide us over for a few hours.

If something breaks it is thrown out. Clothing budget supports new underwear and socks once or twice a year. A new shirt or two is bought at the resale shop once per year. Shoes are polished and kept, not replaced.

Travel is no more. Only TV allows us a return to memories once lived on the road or in hotels.

Yet we find this lifestyle sufficient for our needs. The brain requires more sustenance and is fed regularly by reading, interacting with a broadening group of people, and volunteer work that empowers others to make the most of their lives and talents. That is the fuel that keeps us going. Writing blogs, counseling teen drug addicts and coaching new small businesses into being or mentoring struggling small businesses toward success and self sustaining futures. Those are valuable gifts to share. And the rewards are many.

No one has to understand me or our situation. I just want you to accept me as I am. And I want you to do no harm to me and mine, too. Do not upset the delicate financial balance in which I find myself. There is no escape from it at my age. This is the way life is and it is OK. Just don’t rattle this little world of mine.

I’ll try to do the same for you.

November 21, 2016

Tolerance and Acceptance

The nation is reeling from an ugly election season that seems to have been nonstop for the past 24 years. That’s bad enough but when the most recent season harps on emotional weaknesses and biases, then things really do turn ugly.

America is a diverse nation despite what many think. We are not a Christian nation by culture, practice or decree. A lot of our people and their families were raised in a Christian tradition home. That does not make us all believers or faithful practitioners of Christianity.

Although our history is mainly of white races, we are not all white. In fact we are less than half white statistically. And the rest of the population is comprised of racial, ethnic and blended families for a very long time.

We are an immigrant nation – built by them, for them and of them. That is the cornerstone upon which America rests.

Looking at our masses we are also made up of men and women in nearly equal parts as one would expect. We are also straight, gay, bi-sexual and transgender; like it or not, it is true, and each of us knows or loves someone who is not straight. Each of us. If you think not, then some of your closest allies in life are too afraid to share this information with you for fear of your reaction. Think about that. Just think about it.

Someone long ago asked if I were a feminist. And I said yes. Why wouldn’t I be? I have a mother, two grandmothers, 5 aunts, many grand aunts, a sister, and now a wife (then ex-wife), daughter and two granddaughters and a daughter in law. By marriage I have the same in the extended family units. Why would I be against the well being and just and fair treatment of the women in my life? I must stand up for them. It is a very simple fact of life.

Immigrants built our nation and each of us is in one form or another an immigrant. The only differences among us is when we or our families became American, and under what circumstances. Our cultures have become merged with the rest of us and we have become one America. That is as it was designed to be and why our Constitution is such a marvel.  Not perfect, but still a marvel.

If I cannot accept or tolerate someone different from me than I am actually not tolerating myself. This may sound illogical but if you ponder it long enough it will make sense to you.

It is hard to accept or tolerate an angry, hard nosed bigot staring me in the face. It is hard to accept or tolerate a smug, wealthy know it all who makes light of the hardships of others. It is hard to watch people who abuse women, children, the poor and the lame for their own financial gain or elevated sense of self.

It is even a fearful realization when one considers those same people mean you harm and/or death. If you are a Jew from the World War II era, I know you know what I mean. If you are a Jew today, I know you know what the past has taught you, and us.

I am gay. Do you think I feel safe all the time? No. That would be unrealistic. Do I feel intimidated now? A little, but not a lot. But then we just won the right to marriage and have had the wedding. Now it could be taken from us. And it will if enough of America doesn’t stand up and stop that from happening. Just like the Jews and the Holocaust.

My son married into a marvelous, Hispanic family. Enormous (to us!) but loving and caring and bright and forward looking. They are treasures. And they have the same problems and issues that the rest of us do – the fight for good and stable jobs, careers, a just economy, gender issues just like our own and so much more. We are one and the same.

My daughter married into a family of eastern European origin. It is large, complex and extended beyond our wildest experiences. All nice people. All with hopes and dreams like our own. There are no differences among us. We suffer and emote the same. We have similar problems and successes fighting them.

Accepting something makes it a real part of our life. We may not understand everything or like it but we must accept it. Then we can deal with it. Then we can internalize the differences so they mean something – good, bad or otherwise.

The move of America to an era of Donald Trump carries a message of change. Whether the change will be administered with kindness and love remains in doubt. If you are female, gay or foreign, you have a right to be worried, even frightened. The rhetoric of the campaign was stark and hideous. Violence was waged in many places. Violence is threatened today in many places.

But if we allow fear and intimidation to control our lives, we will have given into the bigots, misogynists and ignorant. Please don’t let that happen.

Mr. Trump seems to be unaware of what he has unleashed all the while stirring it up to win the Presidency. It is now his job to quell his supporters and make peace. That is what a leader does. This will be his first task to accomplish.

Time will tell if he and his team are up to the task. Meanwhile the rest of us have our usual jobs to do to earn a living, and our jobs as citizens to watch those in authority to do their jobs by the law.

We are in this together. So act like it and support the dream of what we know America can be.

November 18, 2016

Making Sense of the Incomprehensible

Wednesday nights I meet with teen addicts. These are kids who are using drugs and maybe some alcohol to alter their reality for some reason or another. This week’s session was eye popping; I missed the previous week due to family medical reasons; at that meeting one patient ‘graduated’, and three new youth joined the group; this week two more joined in. We now are working with 10 young people.

They are all intelligent. They come from good homes, mostly stable, some divorced parents, but decent household incomes and hopes for the future. But they are using drugs. Some have been caught by law enforcement and are in the program by court decree. Others were corralled by their parents and placed in the program. Most have been nabbed in a serious drug induced state or near death moment; those have been relegated to lock-down rehab facilities in another northern Illinois city. From there they come to our rehab program.

Making some sense of their individual circumstances is not easy. What led them to their use of drugs? Why did they persist in their use of drugs? Do they see where this may lead – their impairment, physical decay, or death? Do these ends alarm them in any way? And if they are alarmed, do they willingly display the alarm?

Who is in denial here? The patients, the staff, the family, the courts or society at large?

That’s a good question. And although many answers are quickly offered the truth is that no one has the real answer at any one time. This is a crap shoot most of the time. We don’t know for sure what we are dealing with because each patient is unique. Norms exist, we measure the state of their health both mentally and physically, and draw some conclusions from those indices. But in the main it is a person who strayed into the drug world for a reason.

What is the reason? How do we help them solve, placate or ease the reason enough for them to get on with their lives? That is what our volunteers are there for: help bridge the patients from rehab support to the real life outside so they can self sustain their lives with purpose and future.

In many cases the kids don’t admit they have a problem. You cannot build a bridge for them if they don’t recognize the shoreline exists. Or the gulf over which the bridge is to be built!

Parents are our allies but we never meet them. Our allegiance is with the kids. But parents are present in attitudes, fears, love and mistrust. The environment is heavy with the homes from which these kids come. And with good reason, because it is back to those homes these kids return to each night.

I told them this week that they keep me awake at night. My mind tries to piece together the reasons and logic of each kid. What makes him or her tick? Why do they act the way they do, did and will? Why the quiet, somber faces? Why the silly grins with no substantive comment? Withdrawal, too; and distracting antics at times. But oh so much pained silence. Like being in church when they don’t want to be. Very similar situation. They are there because an older person or authority said so. It is up to them to make sense of the interaction; or not. And mostly not.

In time – if they give us enough of it – most of the kids recover well enough to return home and school, finish high school, and begin their lives with a bit more purpose. Hopefully enough purpose to build an education of value and a career with utility and happiness included.

I would rather hope that they return to the real world as engaged, creative persons who build interesting and soul searching lives that matter to everyone else, mostly to their own credit. They have worth. They don’t know how to value that at this point in their life. But it is up to us to help them see life as a process and journey that only pays off when engaged and struggled with.

We learn about our inner selves under such circumstances. Me too; that’s why I do this volunteer work in the first place – not because I know, but because I need to. So do the kids need to experience this and process what they learn into their lives as a tool for successful living later on.

Well that sort of sums up what we do and why we do it. The results are not conclusive. Often they end in tragedy as a young life ends quietly one night. That leaves us wondering what we could have done differently. But the lesson is not lost on the survivors; they are sobered and contemplate the meaning. It is writ large on their face for all to see.

Not all of adult life is this laid out for us. Most of it is accidentally encountered, dealt with or ignored. We take from it what we can at the moment and move on to the next challenge.

These kids, however, don’t have the tools for that yet. Maybe next session?

November 17, 2016

Building on Rubble

So, the election is over. The dirtiest, most awful Presidential Campaign season I have ever experienced. And I know I am not alone in celebrating its passing. Thank God It Is Over!

But now we face the inevitable building of workable teams in government. The two parties will regroup and consider what their future plans are. They will either lick their wounds or celebrate victories. But both parties now stand wounded. In front of their own people. In front of all American citizens.

Yes, you Mr. and Mrs. Democrat and Republican. Both parties are wounded now. They do not represent the sensibilities or values of our nation. We are better than the face they placed on our nation during the campaigns. We are kinder, gentler and more inventive of solutions to our shared problems. We care about each other more and work hard in silent, unheralded organizations and charities. We do the work of America. We really do.

A political party does not do the work of the nation. It merely assembles leaders who they think can get things done but first they must have the reins of power to make things happen. So the money bags come out; ads are bought. Skulduggery teams are built and they go to work. They research the polling data and they identify countless issues in countless communities to determine where the strength of voters will make a difference in the next election. They will team up against imagined or real political enemies and cut them off at the pass. They will ambush them and taint them and otherwise destroy their reputations so the candidate field in the future is simpler and clearer for them.

The only problem is their opposite party is doing the same thing. So it is a wash or at least a tie on the old gridiron of play! And so it goes. Another election, another generation, another era of lost opportunity and possibility for building something positive. Negativity wins the day yet again. And the cycle starts all over again.

Or, we could agree among ourselves – just you and I – that this past political season was the absolute worst and must never again occur. We must set the standard high for a return to principle and purpose. So I’m suggesting we look at the following as a possible framework to use in this struggle into the future.

First, decide to actually discuss the big issue in front of us: Is our society to be a big government or a little government society? Indeed, what do these terms mean and portend? My hunch is that a full discussion of this issue will lead us to a better position of agreement, something like this:

1. Government has purpose and needs to be allowed to do its job
2. Government should be funded and managed to do its tasks efficiently and with excellence of output
3. Watchdog controls within government should effectively guarantee the latter two points.
4. The size of government will fit the task it is being asked to do:
1. Military establishment must be up to the task of defending the nation
2. Social Security is the largest and most effective safety net of its kind and must be retained and kept healthy for future generations
3. Medicare is the largest medical care safety net of its kind and must be retained and kept healthy for future generations
4. Infrastructure standards must be set and supported long into the future

                                                              i.      Size and health of electrical grid

                                                            ii.      Size and health of natural gas distribution system

                                                          iii.      Energy policy that minimizes international threats to stability on a global basis; research and develop non-fossil fuel energy base

                                                          iv.      Highways and bridges maintained to national standard

                                                            v.      Dams and storm water management engineered and maintained for maximum public safety

                                                          vi.      Water and sewer systems maintained at the highest standards of quality and safety

5. Education standards must be set and maintained to support

                                                              i.      Research and development of science, math, and technology that leads the world in manufacturing, education and public services

                                                            ii.      Increase access to all education levels for each citizen so they maximize their value to themselves and society

                                                          iii.      Control costs of access to education so individual citizens can afford such access

6. Maintenance of National Commerce system to meet world competition

                                                              i.      Banking system strong and without fault lines within its structure

                                                            ii.      Inflation controlled so as to do the least damage to the quality of life for the entire public

                                                          iii.      Trade agreements engineered that protect labor and capital assets fairly while allowing breakthrough developments in international trade and competition healthy for the nation and global village

7. Environmental protection for continued healthy living quality long into the future: protect the planet for future generations now and always 

Second, develop a prioritized list of these issues that must be worked on for long term health and prosperity for the nation. Not all issues can be effectively addressed at the same time. They must be taken in order of their underlying support for a social system that functions well. Education is certainly one of the highest priorities. Without investment in our people and their minds, we will surely be lost! But of course, military issues are probably even higher than education. And other issues, important of course, even vital, must take their place in an orderly set of priorities so that we eventually address all issues. Just not all at once. Some we can do concurrently with others. Many of the issues of importance are not in collapse but well along in development. We continue such work while more important issues are managed to higher levels of performance.

We are not a nation of unlimited resources. All of us have limits. Time, energy, spirit are among the rarest of resources. Money is much farther down the line in importance. But our collective intelligence and will make a huge difference if we use them well.

Without the self imposed misery of political parties perhaps we can actually get at what is important to us?

If so, let’s demand this form of leadership of all of our elected officials. If they don’t perform or demonstrate the necessary discipline, then mark them for removal at the next election. We don’t need a party structure to make this happen. We just need common sense and engaged citizens to make this happen.

Please consider all of this within the next several weeks. We have the opportunity to make a difference. The only question is will we? And that is up to you and I.

November 16, 2016

Finding a New Normal

So much has happened in recent years we have all mumbled many times – “when are we going to get back to normal?”  I understand the sentiment; I’ve muttered this phrase many times.

Going back 10 years was the start for me. A whole rash of ‘what’s normal?’ exclamations poured from my mouth! It began with the George W. Bush administration in Washington, DC. At the time his administration and congress were allowing regulations to tumble into oblivion, industries to run as fast and in as many directions as they wanted, all to make money and gain power. The inevitable road block loomed only they didn’t see it.

Policy wonks, like me, just knew in their bones that a serious recession was on its way if not already brewing in the recesses of our daily lives. And sure enough! There it was, finally in 2008 we realized that 2007 was the onset of the actual statistical recession. But its roots were nurtured in policy missteps for a few years before the explosion was heard.

By 2008 it was clear we were in a serious recession and by 2010 we understood fully how desperate this recession was in comparison to all the others. This was the big one that could have slumped into a great depression. Only quick action (reluctantly at that by the republicans in congress trying to hamper then President Obama’s work) saved the US financial system from crashing completely. International repercussions were enormous. And the global village was humbled and sobered by the seriousness of the calamity just missed.

Still there was much pain. Exactly what happened, in what order of time, and because of what causes will never be fully known. The world is a complex place. But the interaction of all things is systemic and holistic. Screw it up and it will bite you in unexpected places. We know that is true. We’ve lived through it these past 10 years.

The normal we pined for never came back, did it? Wages and salaries remained at historic lows in comparison to GDP, careers shifted in content and skill sets, tens of millions of people were displaced from their jobs and their careers, never to see them return. No; they needed to change their skill sets and their career definitions to return to meaningful employment and a reasonable household income. This was a slow go for most of us. Not all were affected in the same manner. But most of us were.

Retirees were heavily hampered. Middle aged workers were decimated. Early retirements abounded. Living on small and fixed incomes was the new standard people were struggling to get used to. The entire social security safety net was in doubt, but managed to survive. Same for Medicare and Medicaid. Both severely challenged to maintain some form of normality.

Social benefits down, employment down, bankruptcies up, foreclosed mortgages soaring, homes lost, nest eggs dissolved, retirement plans kaboshed. These were the markings of the new normal we desperately fought to get out of. It was a mire then, and still is, but things are improving.

On the cusp of this we get the Presidential Election of 2016. Half the population was sold a bill of goods that one candidate was a liar and dishonest. The other half believed that their country had failed them and someone was to blame. So they supported a candidate who didn’t know how to govern but had a big mouth ready to spew whatever he felt others would embrace because it made them feel good.

And the race was on.

I say no. This is one race that had a false start. To follow it to its end we would have yet another horrible crash of another sort from which we would fight to define another ‘new normal’. But here’s the thing: the new normal is what we make it. It will be what we the people want it to be.

There is much more positive alive and well in our American society than negative.

Oh sure, there are those who are worried and down at heart, but they need a hug and a pat on the back to get back up and see what’s good in our own land. And from that we can re-start this race to a new normal on a better footing.

Stop blaming others. That’s the first step in this process. The second step? Start imagining what we want as the normal we can aspire to. We have done it many times in the past 400 years and we can continue to do so. It’s in our blood and DNA. We know how without thinking. Just do it.

So list what’s important to you and the one rule that remains – Don’t take anything away from someone else. This is about building up our nation and our people. It is not about power over other nations or other people inside or outside of our own borders.

Education important to you? Then make it a high priority for you and yours and the nation will benefit.

Access to affordable healthcare important to you and yours? Make it a priority.

Infrastructure we all rely on healthy and prepared for the future? Make it a priority.

Elections held without big money influences and special interests? Make that a priority.

Peace within the global village everywhere? Make it a priority.

You see the pattern? List what you feel are important elements of an America that makes you proud. You might consider tolerance for those who believe differently than you, but that’s just my bias talking.

Have at it people. This is your land. This is your future. Make it happen!

November 15, 2016

Feeling the Peace?

I wrote this post on November 4^th. I titled it the way I did because I’m hoping that once the election is past us on November 9^th, the political ads will go away, news will be focused on other things than the election, and personalities will have begun the process of calming down. What a relief that is. Or will be since I am writing this for the future!  [Note: If you go by the temper of Facebook, the nation is not yet at peace!]

After the election these things will begin to occur, I think and hope:

• Presidential Transition Team will be formed to help the President Elect prepare for action on January 20, 2017. Forming a cabinet and lining up issues high on the agenda to manage will be the primary actions in preparation
• Election losers will have faded into the background while winners are busy preparing for their new jobs or a continuation of their duties retained in the election
• Congress will be analyzing its new reality based on party affiliations that will be represented in the new congress in January; hopefully the Senate will switch to Democrat control; and also hopefully, the House will be more evenly divided and capable of compromise in the next two years
• Families will lick their political wounds and prepare for gatherings on Thanksgiving; this is the family holiday of the year and one that is the most neutral emotionally. That is why it is the best holiday of the year in my book!
• At Thanksgiving family plans for Christmas will be discussed
• Weather will turn chilly and threats of snow will increase. With that snug, warm indoor life will be welcomed
• And thus calm will slowly be restored to the American family scene 

Now do you feel the peace? Or the hope that it will come very, very soon?

At 73 years of age and an observer of the political scene for most of my life, I can tell you this was the worst, most nasty election cycle in my experience. Nothing before it compares with this cycle. I say cycle because presidential elections are now run non-stop for four years between elections. It is pathetic.

Too bad the nation can’t get itself organized well enough to focus its energy on getting things done rather than messing up political leaders in preparation for the next election. It’s been this way since Bill Clinton was elected. Such nastiness at that time and it ran without break throughout his 8-year term. When it looked like Hillary would run all these years later the same nastiness cooked up and now they are threatening to impeach her and she hasn’t won the election at this point or taken the oath of office! Does this tell you something? It ought to.

Seems to me that America needs to spend more time figuring out problem definitions and inventing/creating solutions to those problems on a serious basis. That would be purposeful and of value to the rest of us. And it would remove us from nasty political rhetoric. After all, we are in this thing of life together. It matters that we strive to make the best of our life together, not make the worst of it.

Why people in politics think this is acceptable is beyond me. It is not acceptable behavior from anyone. We discipline our kids when they act this way in the home. Why not discipline public officials and politicians, news anchors and pundits when they act this way? Now there’s an idea in need of development!!

Deep breaths. Cool outdoor air. Crisp morning weather patterns. Cool to cold nights for sleeping. Winter is approaching and with it the need to calm down, find peace and restore clear thinking. Best if this thinking is on pleasant things like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Of course that’s my cultural background – Christmas and Thanksgiving. In whatever land you reside, celebrate your calm and peaceful seasons, too. Whether that is in a Christian tradition, Jewish or Muslim faith tradition, celebrate what matters to you. Also Buddhism and Hinduism! And others I am even less familiar with! You get the idea. We all have a core belief system and we need to be true to it in peace and calm with other belief systems. It will keep our world community at peace as well.

As this season moves on toward other agendas and activities, let us support a kinder and gentler time among us all.

Peace to you. And prosperity as well!

November 14, 2016

Coping; Control?

So many phrases run through my mind these days. All of them come down to this – How do I maintain control over my life when others around me clearly aren’t in control of theirs?

I get it that people are happy with the outcome of the election. They think Trump has the guts to say it like it is. He reflects their frustration and loss of control in their lives. They feel neglected and at a loss over their derailed careers, job loss, economic decline and all the rest. They are at sea in the midst of much loss and along comes a guy who seems to speak to those feelings.

A win for Trump is a confirmation of their pain. So they are happy. And they elect him.

For the others whose candidate lost, their pain is real as well. They too have felt loss in the past several years totally unrelated to the election. It is the election they were pinning their hopes on to stem the losses felt over the past dozen years or more.

What are those losses?

Change in jobs. Stagnation in household income. Career change without happy endings; lack of fulfillment and appreciation for the work done. Social reliance on fun and games rather than substantive meaning, value, mental fulfillment.

Oh there were other losses as well. Include pleasantness of social contacts. Undercurrents of anger and incivility. Chomping at the bit for a voice, the sounding of an opinion you hold dear. Ignorance and lack of caring on the part of others. A sense that my community is not whole and slipping away from me. Similar feelings in family circles, too.

Things are changing over which I have little or no control. Impact on my life, yes; adjustment to them, slow and imperfect. How will these changes affect my life in the longer term? Will these be pleasant or painful?

How much of my life do I have control over?

This overriding doubt becomes a larger presence. Nagging and energy sapping.

And so we begin questioning our associations. Are they positive forces in our lives or are they negative? Who do I trust? Who do I care for? Do they care for me? Not love, care. Simple caring. Do they? Do I?

And so it goes. Trailing down a spiral of doubt toward fear and terror.

Somewhere along that line we stop, take a deep breath, and restart our thinking. Perhaps this is not as bad as it first seemed. Maybe I am overreacting. My emotions are getting the upper hand and I must resist that. What are my options now? How else can I think of this complex of feelings and happenings? Can I do something different?

I walk into a meeting and tensions are high. Good colleagues working on difficult issues but also affected by the outside world. We are a part of it. It is a part of us. We carry the baggage with us into many arenas. So do others – carry baggage. Some are happy while others are glum. Surface tension is broken and Trump gladiators preen while Hillary losers wince. Campaign sound bites are sounded. Inappropriate. Reaction is swift. Uncivil response rapidly follows.

How much more of this will we experience in the coming days? Less and less, hopefully. But the pain remains. The nation is unsettled. This was not between Trump and Hillary. Finding a common theme as reconnection to one another is faulty and hesitant. The face to face is real; the connection is not yet apparent. When will this resolve? And is this the essence of healing?

Basics first: one side is about moving the nation forward in equality and kindness and fixing problems erupting from rapid social change and dislocation.

The other side is about being respected because they experienced loss as well and they want some of that back.

The latter is emotional; angry and frustrated at past happenings. The former is hopeful and practical, finding solutions to problems they are aware of. But do the two parties see clearly that they are suffering from the same thing?

It is only their answer to the upset that bothers them in the first place that is the difference between them.

What is the desired outcome for each party? Are they similar in nature? If so why the chasm between them?

Here’s what I’m afraid of: angry people striking out against perceived threats from others they see differently than themselves and doing damage to the others. Don’t understand gay people, or Blacks or Hispanics or immigrants, people of different religions, etc? Do these people mean me harm? Are they taking something away from me? Are they an enemy that endangers me and requires defensive moves on my part?

Anger yields to bigotry. Bigotry yields to actions. Actions lead to threats. Threats lead to violence. Soon there is chaos and rioting in the streets.

Over differences of opinion? No. This is over powerlessness. And Trump is seen as power and thus got votes. He knew this. He manipulated it to his advantage. The rest of us ignored him as a hateful bigot but the last laugh is on us; he won the votes of those who felt disenfranchised, marginalized.

But those same people don’t get this: I feel marginalized and powerless too. I feel my nation has abandoned basic fairness, kindness and decency. I fear that women are undervalued and made into sex objects. I fear that gay people are viewed as evil and worthy of erasure. I fear popular religious views will trump others and create a power wedge in government circles favoring people of one belief over others.

Violence against others is not always of bone and sinew. It is most often of emotion and belonging.

I get your pain. Do you get mine?

November 12, 2016

Policy Art; and Why

So the FBI in the person of its director James Comey entered the fray of the Presidential campaign. And people wonder why this is a big deal. Whether you were on the side of Trump or Clinton, it doesn’t matter. But I’ll bet Clinton understands this major goof by Comey better than Trump.

Trump seems to be a literalist in all things related to government. It is a black and white issue for him. But we all have come to learn that if Trump thinks something is good for him, then it’s true; if not, then it is not true, rigged, maybe. You get the idea.

But Clinton knows that what people say in government can be construed in many ways. That’s why policy in and of itself is truly an art.

Policy. It is a statement or written protocol that guides use of government power so it serves the most people, not just special interests. It can do the latter, but not as an intended action.

Justice is to protect the innocent and punish the guilty. But in this complex world there are many shades of gray concerning any event. It is not always black or white. Did someone kill someone intentionally, that is, murder another human being? If yes, then the next question is why. If there are mitigating circumstances – such as self defense, fear for one’s own life, etc. – then murder may not be the charge. Involuntary manslaughter might be the case, but then, full on self defense in which the slain person was the aggressor, the killer will most likely escape any charge. And that would be a correct call.

Once while I worked at the University of Illinois at Chicago, I encountered a student who acted very oddly. In further interaction I developed the sense his emotions were like a powder keg likely to explode at any moment. Calming him down, I questioned his situation to determine the cause of his upset. I could find none, at least none that he admitted to. So, I made an appointment to see him later in the day to share some research on another matter, and then went straight to the Dean.

We discussed the haunting thought that he might be a danger to himself – suicide – or to others – assault or worse. We examined our options. The Dean and I thought we had a responsibility to protect both the campus and the student from possible harm. We were not certain we were capable of diagnosing his situation or cause but then we had the tools available to have that brought to the situation (we had a full counseling service and a psychiatric student health service under our division’s management). So we contacted the Chancellor’s office and asked for legal assistance in the matter.

Joint discussions in short order guided us to declare the student a threat to himself and/or others and required involuntary detention for mental health assessment. Later that day when the student returned for his appointment with me, we informed him of the situation, and had a campus police officer ready to escort him to the psychiatric service. We had written notice for him and his parents informing them of the situation and his and their rights to easily take control of the situation.

In the meantime we protected the student and the rest of the campus from a potentially volatile personality and incident.

There are personal rights – both legal and constitutional – that we had an obligation to protect, but also to protect the student and the campus population at large. Not an easy situation to work through, but we did.

That was a policy decision, policy development opportunity, and policy action.

It is not easy to navigate. Not before being called upon to do so, or while doing it, or in any other manner. It is hard work to protect everyone.

But that’s what public policy is all about. It doesn’t protect the government or the employer or the citizen. It protects everyone. And that takes a broad view of reality.

In Trump’s case he is experienced with protecting himself or his business interests. A corporate policy is not like a public policy. The former is mostly one dimensional while the latter is multi dimensional.

Clinton has vast experience with public policy and she understands the complexity of setting policy and implementing it. Very ticklish. Think foreign affairs. Think US Justice Department affairs; think hostage negotiations (Waco, Texas memories, anyone?). Not easy matters to experience and manage.

Comey should have known better than to mix with politics. The Clinton emails issue was a political time bomb easily manipulated by everyone, especially political enemies. Still, no fundamental law was broken. Most elected officials and government agency staff have managed their routines using emails. Past Presidents have; and Vice Presidents, and past Secretaries of State. Where were the calls for justice in their handling of emails, and the deletion of millions of them to escape examination? And Comey knows this better than anyone. His career has taught him the fine points of policy and practice.

But he failed the big test. And now the reputation of the FBI is in question going forward under his leadership.

The FBI’s reputation for fairness and justice has been badly bruised. Sad but true. How will they and subsequent Presidents handle future relationships with the agency?

Keep your eye on this for the answer. It will become apparent.

November 11, 2016