Top Public Issues for 2019

Issues are with us whether we do anything about them or not. So, I thought I might make a list of the issues I think are most important for America in 2019. These are the ones that affect us all in some manner and need attention. 

1.      Too many gun deaths; what will change that? How do we make society safer from gun violence?

2.      Too many unwanted babies born without viable futures; what would reduce this problem?

3.      Too many people unprepared for change; how do we help them, reduce their painful adjustment, make the best of it?

4.      Too much poverty in the world; here and in other nations. How do we reduce poverty without taking anything away from the unwilling?

5.      Broken immigration system; what would an efficient, well run system look like? How can we acquire this in the next few years?

6.      Social justice: equal access to opportunity; an end to discrimination (gender, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation). How can we address this complicated issue without making it worse?

Each of these issues is a hot button for divisiveness in our country. Politicians manipulate these issues for power, votes and money. They play on fear and injustice without doing anything to lessen the problems. No solutions. Just animosity. How do we manage this context so the rest of us can focus on the problems and actually achieve desired results?

I think most problems need attention in these three areas:

a.      Serious attempt at defining the problem; what is it all about? What are its effects on our society? How large is the problem? How many people does it affect? How much does it cost our nation to abide with this specific dysfunction? What do we need to do to better understand the problem itself?

b.      Identify all the causes of the problem. Clear factual research on understanding how and why the problem works as it does. Knowing these elements, are we pointed in potential directions for solving the problem, or at least massively reducing its ill-effects?

c.      Identify all possible solutions to the problem. All the solutions, regardless of cost, complexity or simplicity. Work out realistic social costs to implement each solution; conduct a cost/benefit analysis on each. Choose the top three solutions for broader discussion and debate.

Let the nation decide which solution is best for implementation. The selection will be affected by resources needed, time allocation needed to achieve desired results, and costs to the citizenry. Let the democratic process work. Believe in the wisdom of the people. Once the selection is obvious, implement it with all due speed.

Of course, the listed issues are interrelated. So, prioritize them; which should be tackled first? Which second, and so on until all have been prioritized.

Work with the issues in priority order. It may be that only two per year can be engaged rather than whacking away at all of them simultaneously. Besides, fixing one issue may reduce the scope of other issues, making their solutions easier and less costly. Keep the priorities straight from the beginning.

There are many other issues that need attention. We will get to them eventually. First we have to solve the larger problems that have created gridlock and dismay.

Now, who can we count on to get this work started?

November 30, 2018

Personality Defect

I had a colleague state triumphantly on the day after election day, November 2016: “now you liberals will learn what we felt every day with Obama in the White House. Trump will restore balance.”

I’m wondering if this fellow is still feeling triumphant? Is the balance where he wants it? Are we a great nation once again? Have our values soared to new heights? Are you proud now?

I don’t speak to this guy anymore. His sense of a healthy nation does not mesh with mine. Only sparks would result. I favor peace. I also know that ‘balance’ will instruct his take on reality one day. Then he will know.

Yes, I am upset every day with ‘he who shall not be named’ is in the white house. I have trouble capitalizing his name, the white house, or the names of the political parties. The reality of our national values are so at odds with what we knew and treasured.

I remember once when a California republican ran for president; I don’t remember his name offhand, but he announced his candidacy at the base of the Statue of Liberty. He pledged his support for closing the borders and fixing the broken immigration system. I wept at his misplaced pledge. At the base of the Statue of Liberty where it states: "Give us your tired, huddled masses yearning to breathe free..."  I could not be consoled. The irony was poison to my soul.

Today, that candidate's name is not remembered. He didn't finish the primaries. He was not in the running for the presidency. Yet, there is another person of the same ilk occupying the white house with the same aim.

We are an immigrant nation. All of us breathe the air of freedom. Others on the planet yearn for what we already have. They are not yet here. We are. We have taken the torch of freedom and saved it for ourselves and for our future generations; and for all the past generations who came before us. We inherited this treasure from them. It is ours to carry forth to others.

There are those, unfortunately, among us who feel those others don't deserve that freedom. Not yet. Not without other conditions are met. Not without passing 'go' and bowing down to some unknown power or icon?

Yes, the immigration system is broken. Has been for decades. But for some hideous reason our elected officials in Congress refuse to address the problem. They let the office of president deal with it, where it can be an even more distorted political football.

Fix the system. But, maintain and deliver the promise of freedom to those who need it. Asylum seekers are granted asylum. They are welcomed into our midst to receive safety. They need this. From us. And we need to provide it to them to keep our social DNA intact. This is who we are.

Or allow our past and future to fall to the defective personality who is the current occupant of the white house.

If this is not what we want, what then do we do about it? And when if not now?

November 29, 2018

Recalling…

Maybe this is an aging thing? I can be involved in practically anything and an idea pops into my mind about something that happened many years ago. I know that this happens to all of us, but as we age do we have more ‘down time’ that allows us to recognize these pop up thoughts? Maybe at younger ages we have these thoughts but are so busy with other things we pay them no mind?

Well, that’s a possibility. Another possibility is the younger you are the less you have to remember? Think about that a bit to see the logic. So clear we miss it.

Now you may wonder what sort of thoughts are popping into my mind. If so, here are a few.

·        Remember my father giving my mother a fancy watch for their anniversary; it was 1947 or 1948. I was 3 or 4 years old. I remember because I wanted to see it up close and the clasp on the watch snagged on mom’s sweater and broke it. Right then as she had just received it!

·        Hail and snow storm on the Mojave Desert; must have been 1948 or 1949. Frozen precipitation in the desert was a major event. We had a few inches, then it rained, melted the snow and hail, and soon we were dealing with flooded streets. I remember this event. The rest of the family had to deal with the mess because I was too young to do anything about it. I simply remained out of the way.

·        Smelling lilacs blooming in southern California one spring. I probably was 6 or 7 years old. The aroma was tantalizing; we were back living in Altadena, fresh off the desert.

·        Roaring silence of sitting outdoors on the desert near mountains and rock outcroppings. Dead silence. So quiet you thought you could hear the deep blue sky! The ears strained to hear anything, so you scuffed a shoe in the sand to be certain you hadn’t gone suddenly deaf.

·        See a train today and remember seeing a long freight train crossing a vast desert stretch in my far distant youth

·        My first real snowfall was at age 11 in Massachusetts. Tantalizing. It soon grew to 13 inches!

Of course there are many other memories from early years; triggers must be present to connect the recall mechanism. The how is known; the why is not.

Heard a piece on NPR Sunday that called this process a yearning for the past, as though the present is lacking something we need. They termed it a form of depression, linked to nostalgia.

Let me make this clear: I am not being nostalgic! I am simply remembering solitary moments. Interesting banquet of thoughts. Some fun, some not. This process has given me insight as juxtaposition to present day. I am sitting back and enjoying the experience.

Still wonder if this is an elder thing. If you know, please share that information.

November 28, 2018

True Spirit of America

With each passing day it is clear that America is a land filled with good people living their own purposeful lives while all the time sharing with others to help less fortunate folks. America has a generous heart and gives year-round. It also expects its national government to do the same. Just because it is a good thing to do.

This spirit has been around for a long, long time. An example: following World War II America created the Marshall Plan to rebuild war-torn areas. It did so for many reasons. The world needed to get back to work; helping rebuild destroyed regions would help make the recovery self-sustaining through economic revitalization. In turn, this proved to be terrific foreign relations. Other nations jumped in to help as well.

America did this good work because it felt impelled to do so. But we also had the wherewithal to make it happen. This work built foundations for international relationships that have prospered and lasted many decades. Strong institutions sprang back. The United Nations expanded and matured mightily during this period. So did international banking, trade and cultural exchanges.

The world community came to expect American generosity. They were not disappointed. In education, research, deep scientific discovery and development, the global community learned the breadth and depth of America’s sinew.

In the last two years the American reputation long-earned, has suffered dents and bruises by the current White House administration. Increasingly, however, that damage is attached to the person of the current president, and not the American people.

Although America’s allies are questioning mr. trump and his aims and motivations, they are secure in the knowledge that the American people do not reflect the same values. They know us well. They don't know donald trump.

Breathe deeply the fresh air. Pause for a moment of silence and peace. Then resume your activities as in the past. The anomaly of trump will pass soon enough. If we hold up our end of this commitment, we will survive for the return of America’s reputation. Shading the trump persona and ignoring it, is a good first step toward normalcy.

The press should report the routine presidential exclamations but avoid detailed coverage. Instead they should report on continuing relations and progress that matter throughout the nation. That’s where the work is really done. That is where discovery and invention happen. That’s where our values reside. Not in the White House at this time. That is just a fact of history made clear.

So, business as usual people. We have much to be thankful for. And much work yet to be done.

Let’s get on with it!

November 27, 2018

Three Co-Equal Branches

Checks and balances. Checks. Balances. In the Constitution. Put there by our nation’s founding fathers. To guard the people then. And now. They knew. They knew from experience the infidelities of individuals, reaching for power, exercising power, whether legitimate or not. That is why we have the Constitution. It was the Founding Father’s hope and dream that our form of government would serve its people – us! – with truth, justice, and integrity. For the ages.

So, they built in checks and balances. Three branches of government – Legislative, Executive and Judicial. Each with its powers. Each with independence. Each with its purpose.

How aware they were. They had it right. The three branches of government have generally worked well together for many generations. They have had their difficulties, their spats. And yes, they have even had harsh times of condemnation of each other. Those times, though, have cooled and order restored.

Each branch will receive its complaints and verbal assaults in time. Each assault will be misunderstood to some degree; and on the mark at times. Skirmishes are expected as each branch stretches its limits. That’s how it learns the boundaries of its power. Each branch will do this. Has done this. Is doing so at this very moment.

Polite manners usually are demonstrated. Beneath the calm is creative tension that yearns to seek power from co-equals.

Mistakes have been made. In all three branches. Over time, however, the mistakes are abated and paved over. History will revisit the most important ones from time to time and alter their effect. This is sanding down the rough edges created earlier. It will work out in time. The Constitution makes it so.

Meanwhile, we the people must endure the struggles of the three behemoths as they engage in their bullfights. And we ought to egg them on to do their jobs. That is why we sent them there to do our business. They will not get along all the time, but they will work it out in time. If not, we have redress. And then it is only a matter of time before we have our say.

We did such in the Mid-Term elections. One of the three branches was given oversight that had been overlooked for two years. That will alter what the Executive Branch does and gets away with. But then the Judicial Branch will have hegemony over the Executive, and the Legislative Branch if it oversteps its boundaries.

It may seem slow to us. But it is deliberate. It allows the process to work. Carefully and rambunctiously.

Have patience. This too will pass. Hopefully with good results. But in time, always correct or corrected!

November 26,  2018

Black Fridays

Target Corporation has announced it will close two stores on Chicago’s South Side. The communities are up in arms. They demand investment in their neighborhoods and expect Target to remain. Meanwhile they are calling the company names with darkest meanings.

This is unfortunate. Target did invest in their communities. They hoped for others to do the same. They also expected the city to step up investment in the area, too. But spontaneous investment did not happen and Target Stores were left marooned in an economic field that could not sustain store operations.

No doubt the communities need and deserve the stores. After all, that’s what the stores believed when they made the decision to build new stores there. But the actions of too few have made this a mission of folly for Target. Belief in neighborhood and community is a group thing. It is a self-springing dynamic that builds sustainability. Without it the neighborhood is just a collection of people housed in old, deteriorating buildings and streets. Hopelessness follows and quality of life drops to new lows.

Target has done its job. The larger community did not do its job. Blame does not belong on Target.

To make good things happen in its place, the community’s phoenix stage must appear to design its own destiny. That’s how these things work. It comes from within. It is a micro-economic process. Big enough it may become a macro-economic process. But that is way off in the future.

It takes a few people with vision to build a community’s future. It also takes collaboration and support from within the community to power the building of that future. It will take loyal patronage and attention for that future to live long. The process can be helped by outsiders like corporations, city and state government agencies, and a host of other folks with keen minds focused on the problem. But it is the within that must be there in the first place.

A phoenix comes when it is ready. And willing.

November 23, 2018

Phoenix Building

From ash heaps come new beginnings. Like the fabled Phoenix, the urge – the inner demand for renewal – forged new history. A city was rebuilt, like Chicago. Better than before. More stable and better planned. Future was envisioned. Purposeful use of land and space was provided. The people returned, new ones came, and industries formed. The brawny shoulders of Carl Sandburg’s Chicago came into being.

California wildfires cleared the land. Ugly and despairing. Spirits will come forth and rebuild communities, economies and future. It is the time, the place and the spirit of the people. From the ashes will come bright and brazen futures.

Companies, too, experience this cycle. Sears is going through it now; it was forecast; the greed of one person for many wrong reasons took the company down. For naught; he miscalculated; the land and buildings he thought would bring unending wealth became nearly worthless. He did not anticipate the Amazon’s of the world relegating him to a footnote of history. Lampert-ism will be that footnote.

He, Lampert, has created the ash heap of one of the largest retailers in history. From this will come another phoenix, small at first, but mighty later if cards are played well. Perhaps many phoenixes will pop up from this long-suffering debacle?

Building anything new is upon the foundations of the past. Whether it is virgin land to our eyes, there was something there before us. A culture, a people, a crop, a building, a something. Much later we have happened upon this spot of history to build what is new to us. Done right, it will thrive. Done poorly, it will sputter for a time and die. Like the times before this.

Remaking man’s tale on this planet is a constant becoming. Maybe it is ‘practice makes perfect’ in motion, continual and ever present? We can hope it is so. With it we can do much.

Fresh thinking and perspective make many good things come to life. Like a forest fire, a renewed forest is seeded for the next generation. It is the heat of the fire that breaks open the seed pods of giant trees. This is biology at work in timeless progression. It takes a fire to bring new growth.

Mankind gets some things right; some things wrong. His new beginnings often fritter away in the night. But a few of his strivings go on to become a bright light for a few generations. Then the inevitable happens and re-invention is needed.

We are at that point perhaps? Is this our time for the phoenix’ return? What fire will be required?

May it happen soon. And quickly.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 22, 2018

Global and Liberal

These two terms in geopolitics today have dissimilar meanings but are related. Closely. The term ‘liberal society’ is defined as openly democratic, transparent. It is the America following World War II. The world community had been challenged by two foes – Germany and Japan. Worse, these foes embodied ideology of powerful central governments that held all sway over their people. They were the opposite of democracies. The latter are of, for and by the people, with clear roles played by all to maintain that democracy.

The war unsettled the global community. Hegemonies keep power to a few, an elite group, with usually a supreme leader. That certainly describes Adolf Hitler, and to a lesser degree the Emperor of Japan and his henchmen. Both nations embraced an all-powerful, authoritarian government in their name.  Not so, America. A large and capable nation of workers and industries, America came to the aid of the world to defend against the fascist and communist forces building in Axis nations.

World War II demonstrated a coming together of many nations to defend the entire world against a common enemy. Together they prevailed. Each of those nations were democracies in which citizens held elected office and joined hands to govern their nations. That demonstrates the meaning of the term ‘liberal’. Thereafter, those same nations banded together in common cause to battle against communism and authoritarianism. 

The Cold War resulted. Long decades of positioning and military posturing followed. In time the cost of maintaining the Cold War bankrupted the communists, at least those who participated in the struggle. China mainly rabbled on the sidelines without getting her hands too dirty. It was Russia and the USSR that led the opposition to NATO, Europe and America in the Cold War.

Today, the ‘liberal’ cause of democracy is still alive but faces a weakening resolve in the face of nationalism. Populism is more a descriptor than nationalism, I think. Within these allied nations are populations of folks who feel left behind. They feel the separation from their countrymen and grow angry to know why this is so.

The real cause of the separation is change. Change. Inevitable change within each of our lives. We each either cope with change, adapt to change, or anticipate and get ahead of change. Those who do lead challenging and rewarding lives. Those who don’t suffer stagnating incomes and lives. They need help to reach higher ground and build fresh lives of promise and purpose.

Shortcuts to improved lives do not serve well. These inevitably lead to distorted leadership hopes and political disaster. Cocooning within our own national borders and building distance from allies does not build a strong nation. Self-exile rarely leads to healthy results.

Democracy and an investment in both self and fellow citizens, is a healthy way forward to a stronger nation. Sharing ideas, resources and common cause with other nations makes them and us stronger as a result. The example is World War II.  

Global community is not a negative term. It is a hopeful gathering of nations that care about each other and gain from common effort and purpose. Peace results. Higher standards of living result. A stronger bloc of nations builds defense against common enemies. With the Cold War over, a Warm War has begun. China and Russia seek hegemony over the rest of the globe. They have benefitted from the Global Community but want more. They separate themselves from the rest of us. But only at their peril.

Far more beneficial would be their joining with the rest of the world community to live in peace and harmony. This is the Global Community. This is the Liberal World of democracy.

There are those among us who would have us understand these terms differently. They are wrong in the face of history and foreign affairs.

How do the rest of us deal with such ignorance among our own fellow citizens? The tempers run hot. The stakes are very real. How are we to turn down the heat long enough to reset common understanding of the real world?

This is not a problem that fits labels like republican and democrat. Rather, the labels are Liberal and Global. Please, only the classical meaning of the terms should be used.

November 21, 2018

Where Are The…?

I wonder where these special people are in our society?

The Peacemakers, those who work to bring opposing sides of wars, skirmishes, fights and arguments to a cooler understanding of each other.

The Lovers, those who literally forget their own needs and fall hopelessly in love with another person, actually getting lost in the other person. And then meeting his/her and their needs.

The Inventors, those who see an unmet need and figure out a practical, accessible solution.

The Artists, those who find unique expressions of their thoughts and thus communicate with others in ways no one else can.

The Teachers, those who impart knowledge to others by sharing facts, history, process, scientific reason and logic. This is not sharing wisdom; that must be earned internally; but the teacher brings the pupil to a point where wisdom can be created and used by the pupil in living a purposeful life.

The Caregivers, those who see the needs of others who cannot do for themselves, and then provide that same assistance, usually in situations of illness, infirmity and decline toward death.

The Volunteers, those who hear the call for help from individuals or organizations and answer it with helping hands, strong backs and patience.

The Helpers, those who recognize the need to collaborate and cooperate with others so complicated work is managed and done.

Each of these are worthy souls who step forward and accept responsibility to make life as good as possible in specific situations. We most likely think we are up to this task and that we have done so many times in our lives. That in all probability is true. But are we in tune with our surroundings well enough to be aware of all the needs? Should we do more? Can we do more?

At the risk of burning people out, yes, I think we all can and should do more. The how is the question. 

I guess all of these are you and I and everyone who gets outside of themselves to make a difference. That pretty much describes all of us. If that is true, then we truly are our brothers’ keeper.  Who would have thought that?

November 20, 2018

Mood of a Nation

Not sure which clues are most powerful in measuring national mood. Is it consumer spending patterns and their shift trends? Is it replacement frequency of automobiles? Is it personal clothing and style changes? Is it volunteerism? Voter turnout?

So many indicators of moods and shifts of same.

I like watching crowds as they go about their routines. Do they smile at one another? Or are their faces flatlined, focused on doing? Do they frown or grimace as they walk down the street? Or are they engaged with their phones either in conversation or message reading? Are they aware of others around them and polite toward them? Or do they barge ahead as part of the crowd rumble?

In an elevator, do the passengers greet one another? Or do they demur the effort? Are they bashful and shrinking, or are they responsive and smiling?

As I write these blogs each day I am aware of my moods. They shift while writing. Of course. They propel my thoughts and words appearing on these pages. Sometimes, though, the moods are opposite the message.

Odd isn’t it? I may feel a swell of doom and depression but continue writing the positive urgings on others. You know, the pushing them toward long term success or victory over hardship. Other times, I may be sharing an opinion on the troubles of our society while feeling buoyant and upbeat. I’m not sure why such conflicted feelings accompany this activity. But they do.

I recall a time when my mother was acting strangely. Dad was at a loss to explain it and shared that in some of his letters and phone calls. Living 1800 miles apart, I told him I thought she might be entering a period of elder depression. I wasn’t sure what this is, but I suggested he talk with her doctor. Sure enough, she was diagnosed with depression. Transitory to aging. That’s what he said. A few pills should get her over the hump. She was insulted at the suggestion, but took the pills and two months later snapped out of the mood swing.

I’m the age she was then. I can feel the mood shift between positive and negative. Sometimes the weather is the catalyst. Music is often the agent that boosts me out of it. News is often depressing, not the acts of nature, but the troubles caused by acts of human behavior. Political nonsense mostly, but such often creates problems the rest of us have to live with. And pick up the pieces. With the realization the whole mess could have been avoided with proper policy.

This is the context of our times. I should be feeling better knowing the recent elections appear to have restored some balance to the national and regional political scenery. Time will tell if that will happen, but patience is needed. Aging tests patience more than youth did.

Perhaps that is the sticking point in elder moods? Patience and dwindling time? Ever present and known. The countdown to timelessness. Patience indeed!

November 19, 2018

Finding Help

For over a year I have helped a friend and his wife with their social issues. First, they were unhappy with their living arrangements; they wanted to live a more independent lifestyle as normal civilians; they were living in a senior housing complex under a subsidy program. Second, he needed some help because his wife, 71, has early stage dementia; the complication is he is 80. Third, while focusing on their housing needs, their 33 year old son (now 34) 8 months ago presented a problem with alcoholism.

The three problems became a bundled mess. The son wanted his parents to house him in their apartment; this was not allowed by the housing complex’s regulations. The son went on to lose his job, continue to sink into an alcoholic daze, and exhibit crisis health events that required repeated hospitalizations. While this was going on, the parents did not focus on their housing issue, but helped the son with funds they needed to pay their rent, and now face eviction.

Meanwhile, the wife’s dementia has worsened, the husband’s stress level is at a crisis point, and the son now lives in a homeless shelter. Although he has been sober for 30 days, his mental health is of questionable stability. He is attempting to get a job but is easily distracted with his fears and phobias.

Through all of these months of effort, calls for help have gone out to their county social services office, state social services department, and several nonprofit social service agencies. So far not one person has answered the phone and discussed their case with them. At this point any help would be gratefully accepted, even if it is steering them toward a network of  agencies capable of helping them.

What is missing is a clearing house of social services. The collapse of the State of Illinois’ budget and financial condition has left counties without funds from both federal and state programs to fuel social services on a local basis. The counties cannot or at least do not help. Calling non-government organizations (nonprofits) is not productive; they are swamped by callers who have not received help from their government agencies.

So, our communities and nation face a gridlock of social services: the needs exist while programs and funds are inadequate for the demand.

What to do? My suggestion is a consortium of NGO’s form a clearing house function to field the calls, sort them through, and steer them to agencies that can manage each case. If each NGO shares their resources on ineffective answering systems and related staff, the clearing house function should be easily financed.

It would help if a federal agency helped fund the startup of this agency, or if regional offices of major charities like United Way took leadership of this issue.

Is anyone listening or reading this message at the moment who can help?  If so, please respond to me by email: saffordcu@gmail.com. Together we might make a huge difference in what is now a nasty situation.

November 16, 2018

Fresh Start

Yesterday was layers. Today it is a new day!

A fresh start in seeing the world day by day. Peering out at purpose and past. Pondering the future with time aplenty. An odd statement from someone 75, but there is time to think, to do and to be. We can choose how that time is used.

We have done that in the past. Whether clearly or not, we have consumed time with or without purpose. The occasional nap is viewed by many as purposeless, but I would disagree. We have done countless crossword puzzles and there are those who pooh-pooh such activity. And yes we have labored to help others in time of need, or organizations that focus on the needs of others. Time spent with others; time spent on others; time spent seeking something we know nothing about.

An exploration of discovery. Is that what it has been? Is this a mystery drama of the mind that spends our bank of time? how aware are we that we are doing this? Conscious or not? Wasteful?

Letting loose a bond or two with others gives us a glimpse of a newer freedom. A vacation does the same. Might we let loose long enough to refocus the mind? Can we fit the mind, spirit and emotions together in a well-suited bundle? Will they last long enough to unlock fresh meaning?

Jettisoning a relationship that has become onerous helps find new freedom. But will that past relationship be missed? Will a void become evident? What will I do with that void should it occur?

In that question is the seed of freedom. To spend time in a unprogrammed manner. No expectations. Just a read of the surroundings, the needs and the possibilities. A new journey beckons. It has already begun. Where will it take me? What discoveries await. And how will this remake the me that has become so tired?

We shall see. One door closes. Another opens. Just like my grandfather told me. A new direction is in the offing.

November 15, 2018

Layers

So many layers to life. Personalities. Organizations. Buildings. Landscapes. Dimensions of all sorts. Meanings of all types. They come at you at whizzing speeds. Do I come at others in a whizz? Hmmm.

I have a dear friend who travels a lot. She embraces experiences both foreign and domestic. Some are challenging in their differentness; some are comfortable in allure of newfound familiarity. The Southwest United States is a magnet for her. The desert, art forms, landscapes, mountains, animal life, flora – the entire montage of life there. It excites her. Her imagination is on full alert. The camera comes out to keep a nanosecond of it alive forever. It does that for her, but also for others who are privileged to view the results.

She has journeyed to Europe in many places, especially a river cruise far into the Eastern European countries with breathtaking vistas and histories. Currently she is on a 3-week odyssey of Australia and New Zealand. The land of mysteries and Hobbit kings and all sorts of Tolkien creatures. Magical. Breathtaking settings that make pale much of what we treasure here in the United States. She lives among the layers of these places.

And we live our lives in and through the layers of life. Time, place, climate, family, friends and others.

All of it is expansive in meaning. We grow our own meaning from it; impart some meaning to it, too.

Learning to live with people is the challenge. All so different. Some easy to be with. Others a task to abide. Still others who partner in thought and deed to make good things happen. These are blessings; some are just too difficult to take for long. Both good and bad. And everything between.

Especially the everythings in-between.

Maybe it is the everythings that are the layers?

I wonder? I’ll have to think on that for awhile.

Until then, smile sweetly on the day.

November 14, 2018

Invent the New

Alternate universes have been talked about for years. They entice us to think big; or perhaps small! Which dimension will it be? Enormous beyond belief, or small in which we walk among atomic particles? Will the alternate universe you communicate with be a natural outgrowth of your interests? Your hopes and dreams? Or a shocking counterpoint to all of that?

Leaping between universes – or however it is done – may uncover the elusive solutions we have toiled for for many  long years. Never quite found; exploration stunted; discovery eluded. Disappointment now confronted in a manner that finally answers questions. The big questions.

What kind of existence happens after earthly death? Who do we see again after our death if there is such a thing as ‘the afterlife’? Are there bathrooms in Heaven? Who mows the lawn in the Peaceable Kingdom? And does it ever rain there, or does the sun shine all the time?

Do we need calculators in the afterlife or do our minds freely calculate in nanoseconds the mathematical results? Will computers be needed if we have full recall and universal connection to the databases whenever we think of them?

How will we spend time in Heaven? Or is time a construct only for the earthbound? Will we produce answers and communicate them to other realms of existence, so they can be used to benefit others?

What is the meaning of life? Is real peace possible? What are the boundaries of common good? Who is responsible for the well-being of the common good?

How free is free? How big is big? How small is small? Dimensions only in thought or in tactile reality?

Yes, those big questions. Will we be able to travel between universes? Come and go and return as well? What is the value of entering an alternate universe if we cannot return home? Maybe the travel alone is the expansion of being and ability that does not require a return to home base?

These thoughts are flighty, aerodynamic, virally explosive in shape shifting. Minds are bent and stretched. What is being asked of us? Will we respond? Can we? Do we want to?

If we can invent in this way, what will we produce? A planet protected from all forms of pollution and ruin? Universal power sources that come from atomic and cellular structure without burning up anything? A perpetual motion machine that powers all of the earth’s needs? And clean water for all people everywhere on the planet.

What of the global community? Aren’t we all citizens in common of this world? Is nationalism a pure enemy of globalism, or is it a part of the whole making it stronger and more successful? Why then, do we fight it so much?

So much to consider. So much to understand. So much to invent.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for this. When does it start?

November 13, 2018

Chaos Reigns

Elections may be over, but the chaos before and after continues unabated. That’s just how the donald wants it.

Toss out a major TV White House reporter just because; demonstrate you can; but wait for the consequences, donald.

Fire AG Sessions and replace him with a sycophant; hope to derail the Mueller Probe. Can’t do that. It will continue under Congressional authorization; and it is nearly done anyway. Mueller has a message for the white house staff. All but the actual words are known. The donald is worried. He should be.

The election was a plebiscite on the donald. He refuses to believe it. The results, however, will yield consequences he fears. They are already building.

The democrats do not have to press the donald. He does that by himself. But the congressional powers will spell trouble for the white house regardless of what side of the issue you reside. Mitch McConnell has no power to stop that. He is a hangman who’s time has come. He knows this.

So does Pelosi. A good and able person as Speaker, but the House needs new leadership that is inclusive, diverse and open to hearing both sides of an argument and making compromises to gain traction on solving problems we all face as a nation.

Meanwhile, young energetic newbies have entered the House, governor mansions and state houses the nation over. The tide is turning, has turned. Watch how this is done. One generation takes over from the two previous ones. There are elders to mentor them and teach them the ropes; but they will wield those ropes in their own fashion. This is change. Generational change. It is good change. And inevitable.

The agenda of a nation awaits new players who will make a difference. The old, white, male guard cringes with certain knowledge of this. Long overdue.

We need people with the diversity viewed in our mirrors. That is us, the new us, building and shifting over many recent years. Get out of the way or get trampled. The fresh excitement is strong enough to smell and feel.

November 12, 2018

Thoughts on the Election

My overall feeling about the elections is relief. And buoyancy knowing balance has a chance to return to the House of Representatives with a democratic majority. This can be a check to balance the white house if it is played correctly.

In the past two years many issues have been jerrymandered and distorted. An overplaying of executive privilege in the main, but still, with a salivating republican horde in the House anxious to prove willing lapdogs to the inexperienced and callow president, much damage has been done.

DACA repair is needed. Immigration management revisions and engineering are needed. A decent discussion on gun controls is needed. And fiscal responsibility is a must to build sustainable strength for the economy.

Speaking of which, our economy is currently weak. The stock market is seriously overpriced. Commodity markets are in complete disarray. Tariffs are mucking up the works. Employment may seem high with very low unemployment, but that doesn’t take into account the structural unemployment that is a serious social problem – more education, career development, and re-employment of skilled, experienced workers who were pushed out of the labor market by massive changes to their industries. Those employers will not be hiring them back; those jobs are gone forever. This is the face of change. But shouldn’t we all be helping those people get back to work? Without such help, depression, suicide and high social costs soon follow. It is in our interests to be caring and supportive of these folks. And it is good business, too; employers will use these people if they are re-tooled for newer jobs coming on line.

Tax cuts for the wealthy need to be moderated; revenue streams need some restoration. I’m not in favor of any more tax cuts until the revenue and expense streams are in better balance.

And let’s stop the talk about ‘entitlements.’ Social Security and Medicare are insurance programs funded by mandatory premiums shared by both workers and employers. The federal government does not fund these two massive programs. We fund them; we the people.

It is wonderful to know two of the most conservative power mongers of the congress were our local congressmen – Roskam and Hultgren. They lost their seats because they did not listen to their constituents. They did not serve their districts. Their callousness was on view in full scope. Sad. But now it is good riddance while others learn how to govern more fairly and in tune with the people.

We have elected blacks, browns and many women as well. A healthy diversity is growing. Not in full bloom as yet, but getting there. It is time the faces of our government reflect the faces of our people.

The agenda going forward ought to be a healthy discussion on what we want from our government in the next 15 years or so. What kind of people are we and hope to become?

Making programs and policies conform to that Mission and Vision takes time and will come when ready and right. No sudden moves, please. Let’s do this carefully and build for the ages. Short term goals are most likely poorly done tasks that create longer lasting problems difficult to fix. Witness the bad business of past funding of public pension programs. That debacle needs never to be repeated. The damage that has been done needs to be undone. This, too, will take time, but this issue is huge in Illinois and other states, and a burgeoning problem on a national scale, too.

Let’s get it right this time. More of the right people are in place to make this happen. Support their efforts but watch them carefully.

Oh, and thanks for voting! None of this would be possible without the votes that made it happen.

Congratulations, America! You have another chance to get it right.

November 9, 2018

Passages

As I write this on election day (11/7/18), I remember 57 years ago. I was 18. My brother’s first born came on that day, November 6^th, 1961. I was a new freshman at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. It was exciting to think of myself as an uncle. With Sherm and his family in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, I could only wonder at their excitement over this day.

Now, 57 years later, Doug is an executive in a major, national corporation. He has his own family expanding by the month! It is a time for babies and grandchildren. The generations just keep coming. And that’s one of the grandest rewards for living I can think of.

Two days and 10 years later, November 8, 1971, our first born came into the world. Elizabeth will be celebrating her 47^th birthday tomorrow. She has a family all her own and one that is following much in our footsteps. Her oldest is now 17 and will go off to college less than a year from now. We are hoping she will attend Knox College, too, but that decision awaits. Hers and the college’s. the application has been sent, and to several other schools as well.

Generations coming and going. Earlier this year my mother died at 104 years of age, the last of our previous generation. Now we are the elders. And our kids are progressing toward the same status. And their kids face managing a society and nation and world that is as perplexing to them as it was and is to us. At that time, I thought we had the answers!  I thought we had the best interests of mankind in hand and mind. I’m certain we did, but things didn’t work out as I had hoped. The world then was a mess; today it is a mess.

Today’s election presents the opportunity to make things better, or make things worse. Both are likely outcomes simultaneously. That’s something I learned over the years.

Passage of time; passage of generations; passage of hope and striving.

Passages all. Each different. Each holding a solemn pledge of loyal discernment. Each requiring our best efforts to do good in the world. The good God knows I’ve held tightly to this pledge. And labored accordingly. Still do; still hope; still work for the best ends.

Others don’t, but theirs is a pledge as well, to do the best they can; it is just opposite my belief and value system. It opposes what I support. And all of history echoes this theme endlessly. It is the challenge of our times for each of us. Each of us is in a different time slot and process of discerning. Each of us gathers what makes sense to us. Pity it is so different from others.

Why? Why is this? And can anything be done about it?

We dare to ask that question. With effort, we will attempt to answer it. Anyone else interested to go on this ride together?

November 8, 2018

Idle Thoughts

Aging is interesting. At the very least. Challenging and painful at times; but is that the worst?

Can’t do what I want to do, but I’m not certain what that is anymore. I’d like to write a book, but I can’t focus on what topic without gadding all over the place. So, I demur the book.

I would like to travel country lanes and stop at small town diners. I’d like to talk to the people there, but not at this very season; the elections are near, and I don’t want the conversation to be distorted. Maybe a few weeks after the mid-terms?

With interviews in mind, I’d like to report on them and ponder their meaning vis a vis current events. What is the temper of America? What is its dream? Is there a forward thrust of the people toward something that matters? Would that be the dream or a variant of it? Just wondering, you understand.

Contemplating days when our long-loved dog will no longer be with us. There are signs. She is irregular in both poop and pee. She eats irregularly, too. And she is slowly losing both her hearing and eyesight. Familiar people and smells perk her up. Routines do as well. She is alert but most often asleep. Comforting to us; hopefully to her. But when will there be a sudden gasp or rale and then nothing? It is a cruel thought. Quickly pushed away.

With each leaf fallen to earth fall is setting in. soon flurries will be upon the breeze. Flowers will be absent, and shrubs will catch our ready attention. Quick glances at surfaces – roadways and sidewalks – inform of safety; no ice to hinder movement. Or lead to injury.

I wonder if a relaxed salon of discussion would be productive. You know, the kinds of New York City through much of the 1800’s and 1900’s; and also, of France for hundreds of years, especially in Paris. Those settings welcomed people of differing views to talk about their ideas and how they meshed with others or messed with them!

Good natured discussion in which participants entertain each other with wit and serious thought; where history and facts are raised to inform conclusions. These were the hot spots of new ideas in government, economics, history and social sciences. Yes, even medical science was aided in such places. Sharing science and posing questions to research were often the center of discussion.

This reminds me of today with so much information pouring around each of us in an unending torrent of digital debris, we finally wonder what it all means. And then pose questions, logical and meaningful. These are the questions that press us forward to fuller understanding of the world’s meaning at any given moment.

We need such places and such discussions, today. They must strive to be friendly and civil, so we can hear each other. So, we can ponder the open questions and consider possible truths. We don’t know the truth, we discover it fresh each day if we are lucky.

And civil.

November 7, 2018

Classy Positive

Considering political advertising is now 24/7/365, one would think we could hear an intelligent discussion, explanation and essay presentation of how we could make our governance work better, be more effective, and benefit the well-being of the American people. I’m not talking just national elections, but regional, state and local ones, too.

I’m looking for material that presents a clear definition of a problem or condition, and then suggests we need to do something about it.  Like immigration, for example.

Immigration is a large topic and in today’s ideological climate, a hot button issue. In my mind, immigration is as natural as, and American as, apple pie. Our nation is made up of people who all have immigrant roots in their family tree. The tiny portion that don’t share this trait, are pure bred native American Indians. The rest of us have roots from other nations, continents, and some would say worlds!  Now that would be alien!!

With that backdrop fully understood – and accepted, please – let’s turn to what’s wrong with our current immigration situation. We have large numbers of people who wish to live within our borders and share our freedoms. This is a good thing on one hand, and a challenge to deal with on the other hand. Too many people flowing into our country at any given time stresses our infrastructure and social norms to properly care for it. So that is a problem to be defined.

How many people can we adequately absorb? Over what timeframe? And where? How can we properly manage an orderly flow of new immigrants that helps us and them at the same time? Over the long haul we know immigration renews our social wealth, our knowledge base, and our humanity. It is what defines America. So we don’t want to turn off the source of our own cultural enrichment. Our unique enrichment.

The question is not shutting down immigration or opening the gates 100% for all comers. The question is how to we manage the inward flow of new people wanting to be citizens? What is a good flow rate? What kind of support do they need to be productive and orderly in their adoption of a new home? What issues affect those of us already in country that may need better care and management?

Those questions are all good ones and deserve proper study and understanding. Then we need to determine the range of options in managing the situation in the best manner possible. And how to pay for it. We have done this many times in our history; some eras were done well; others poorly. So, through our journey, we should be able to determine an optimal methodology.

Let us also agree that one word or short catch phrases do not serve our understanding of this complicated issue. Immigrants are not criminals, misfits or terrorists, certainly not any more so than our own population. We have our own criminals, misfits and domestic terrorists. We accommodate them; we can do so with the immigrant variety as well.

Calm discussion and study. That’s what’s needed. And the application of our combined genius to address the problems that inevitably occur.

It might interest the reader to know that both conservatives and liberals think similarly on this issue. Over time these two sides have held similar views on what the end result should be. They just differ on the how part. Both republicans and democrats have addressed the challenge and several times at the same time. George W. Bush and Senator John McCain worked on this with key democrats early in his administration. But conservative republican leaders shut them down abruptly. Democrats had already agreed to help address the problem, but republicans insisted it was not the right time to do so. That is only one instance where bipartisan support was present on this issue. There were many other instances, too.

So, instead of beating each other up during the never ending political campaigns, why don’t we focus attention on the issues that matter, agree to do something about them, and then vote on the solutions that seem best for the good of the country? Sound appealing?

Then why haven’t we done this. Logic tells us we need it. Our emotions and frazzled nerves tell us we need it. What is holding up reasonable people  from working together to solve our shared problems?

Enough of the campaigning. Let’s sit down and talk like civil adults. Let’s focus energy on problems we need to improve on. Not fight over. Endlessly.

November 6, 2018

One Day to Go

We voted two weeks ago. Crowded. Complicated process, too. Seems there were data base issues and electronic voting was not possible for us. So we voted paper ballot. Mail ballot request messed up, too; so in person early voting employed.

What used to be simple no long is. I was an election judge for several years but have sat out the last three polling events. Don’t know why but did not receive invitation to continue my service. Perhaps the last time I did work the polls was the 2016 debacle in DuPage County? Hmmmm. Wonder if anyone knows why?

Anyway, if you didn’t vote already, please do so tomorrow. It is the latest chance you have to make your opinion count in a way that public opinion polls don’t. Cast your vote and make it count.

This is the only way we truly have to exercise power and control over our government. We elect people to office to do our will, not theirs. If they do not represent us fairly, then we have the opportunity – and duty – to replace them with someone else who we think will fairly represent us. That’s the system. That’s how it works.

All the complaining and politicking doesn’t matter. Your vote does.

In the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, congressmen are elected every two years precisely because they were accountable to the electorate in that manner. Doing a good job? Retain. If not, replace. Senators are more policy oriented and focus more on international affairs. They maintain their seats for 6 years so there is continuity. Every two years one third of the senators are up for re-election or replacement.

The president is elected for a 4-year term. He should beware the shifting sands of the House and Senate in elections if he wishes to maintain his leadership role.

State elections are similar, but the issues more local. If you are a local elected official – county, agency, or municipality – then your focus is not just your immediate locale, but also the state’s policy role in your work. It is a vertical power grid, not horizontal. Same with Federal government – vertical, not horizontal.

Get those basics firmly set in your mind and you are able to discern which segments of government you need to focus on for which types of issues. If we wish more control over any of this, the system becomes more complicated. It is already complicated; please don’t make it worse.

My point today is simply this: know your government’s structure; focus on their actions and mindsets. Then get familiar with the stands of present candidates and choose carefully. Then vote accordingly.

Pay no attention to political advertising. They are all misleading and miss their purpose: to inform you about the stands of the candidate. These days political ads are all attacking the opposition. This demeans our process and misinforms the voter precisely of the information he needs most.

If we reform anything, let it be on political advertising.

November 5, 2018

Fear

Motivation includes success, money, power, luxury, freedom of wealth and ego pleasure. The opposites are: poverty, injury, pain, sickness, embarrassment and fear. The yin and yang of life. The ups and downs.

We hope for something and work for it. We fear of something and work to avoid it.

Marketers know this. So do politicians.

Seeking the positive is less powerful. Avoiding the negative is very positive. It causes people to take action. Now.

This is why the president cancels treaties, trade agreements, installs fresh tariffs, bad mouths people, chides and bullies others. He upsets the status quo and demonstrates he can change things. This makes his enemies fear more of the same. More unsettledness. Discomfort and fear of loss – of power, of freedoms, of economic ability.

Fear is powerful. It is the title of Bob Woodward’s newest book on trump.

Trump’s base believe his antics are working. He is causing a reaction among his opposition. That is a delight to trump supporters.

For the rest of us, we abhor what he does and says. We think it is out of ignorance; it is, but it doesn’t matter, because what he does unsettles the laws, the courts and the markets. While everyone handles the fallout, he is merrily bouncing toward the next move.

It comes to mind that managing this is similar to handling a toddler. Ignore the kid. Go on with life and duties. Ignore the tantrums. The toddler will still act badly but he won’t get his way. That may cause him to change his methods. Those could be better or worse. But don’t give him audience. He is peddling tripe and we have serious work to do.

Same with the press: document actions, statements and all the rest. Ignore him otherwise and attend to those grownups in our midst who actually accomplish things in the name of the people of America.

This tactic may develop other problems and unforeseen issues; but we will just have to learn how to deal with those. Meanwhile, wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t see the trumpster’s face every 15 minutes?

Time will show this man the exit soon enough. Meanwhile, let’s make the best of it. Get on with the business of America.

November 2, 2018

Bits and Pieces

Let’s see what’s at the top of the list:

·      In the midst of chaos he stirs, and with the media – both profession and social – reporting on same, the trumpster continues to blame the media for all of society’s ills. That would be wrong, but he knows it. It is his script. Just like his quips about ‘lock her up’, build the wall, and lower taxes, eliminate entitlements, and all the rest. None of the script is factually correct; but no matter; the supporters eat it up and keep the political forces moving toward some end the rest of us can only guess at. Yes, I feel certain he is the problem; and his supporters for giving him the freedom to range dangerously out of control. Not good for any of us or them.

·       Hillary hints at running in 2020. No; I don’t want her to be exposed to the hate, killers and violence prone nut jobs. Whatever reason exists, she polarized a lot of people and played right into trump’s hands. It is now her time to be wise, work tirelessly on her foundation serving global issues. That is the right work for her to do. And it will pay huge dividends for a peaceful world led by adults who care for the problems of all people. That’s what good people do. [Update: reports of her interest in running again in 2020 were falsely reported by others, not Hillary.]

·       Took a day off on Monday of this week. An early sunny morning, we headed west to farm country and a fresh breakfast. Took the dog; Willow was pleased but nervous; she shakes for an hour or so then realizes she is on a ride for fun and not a relocation in her foster care memories. Sweet dog who has given us much calm and pleasure. We visited one diners and sat among the residents. Life in those areas are calm and focused on living. Small towns and rural highways are oddly comforting to me.

·       Mass shootings: we are every man woman and child. We are all religions and ethnicities. We are immigrant and emigrant. We are all political ideologies. We are all political parties. We are we. All of us together. No separation. No differences. Just thoughts, feelings and dreams. We share those, too. They may clash but they are not life or death. Weak people striving to overcome their inner demons pick up an available gun. They plot to use it. Will it be wild game? A target range? Or people. We will not know until they do it. We have faith it will not touch our personal space. But then…

·     

         We voted early. Got it done. Now the TV ads take up time and space, but not our minds. They are rubbish anyway. Best to rely on our own research. That’s what adults do. Soon this madness will be over when polls close and the winners are announced. Then we shall see what it all means.

·        

      Until then, be pleasant to yourself and others. Help others prosper. And keep the peace. 

November 1, 2018