When Your Kids Turn 50

I kind of remember what my mother said when she wished me a happy birthday on my 50^th. It went something like, “Just imagine what it’s like to realize your youngest is now 50! That makes me 81!!”

Well, I’m not 81, but not far behind. I am 78. I was 28 when my youngest was born. And yes, the 50^th birthday of one of your kids causes you to think.

What was I doing at 50? Well, for one, I was newly divorced and entering a totally unknown chapter of my life. One that was alien and scary. Add to that the reality that I was a late bloomer gay man who finally owned up to his sexual orientation. 50 and ready to explore a strange new world.

At the time my kids did not know about the gay thing. I had not told them yet. My oldest had just graduated from college and was living with me at a new townhouse near the old family home. That home was the only one the kids knew. It was my wish to stay close to their friends so they would not feel isolated from their roots.

My son was a sophomore in college and newly transferred from University of Missouri to Illinois State University. He had found just the right major closer to home and that suited us just fine. Closer and less costly!  A winning combination! He also lived with me when not on campus.

So, newly divorced, owning my own home, two nearly adult kids living with me, and still one year away from starting up my own business. The times were clearly unsettled, and I had a lot of growing up to do that no one would have imagined. Least of all me.

Leap forward 28 years and my oldest child is now 50, a wife and mother of two girls. Their oldest is a junior in college and on an international student exchange program at Oxford University. The second daughter is a senior in high school. And mom is a seasoned professional working remotely at home for a nationwide team of insurance and investment sales executives.

My son is 47 and a sales executive working from his home. He has two young boys 5 and 7 years old.

My family is settled. They are mature family people with issues like mine at the same age. They are no longer the young kids we nearly always think of, belying the passage of time.

Belying the passage of time. A common theme in so much of living our lives. I doubt I am the only one doing that. You too?

Just think back 50 years and see how sit feels.

November 9, 2021

 

 

Bits and Pieces

Infrastructure Bill: Finally, congress has passed the spending bill for infrastructure. Please note that over half that bill’s funding was approved in other legislation long ago, so the actual increased spending is less than $600 billion. But it is a start.

This is not a feather in anyone’s cap. Infrastructure is like a house. We invest in buying a house, condo or tent in which to live, to house our family. It is an investment in ourselves. So too, roads, bridges, dams, power grids, airports, public safety hardware and the like. We pay for these investments with taxes and improved economic functioning. If the economy grows, tax revenues grow. These are used to pay the ‘mortgage’ payments on the debt that funded the investment in the first place.

Our thinking needs to expand to include new things that are infrastructure. Things like internet expansion to improve access by most if not all Americans. Like the airwaves that carry TV and radio signals (and cell phone conversations), we all benefit from technology only if it is broadly available and accessible. This is an economic reality reliant on technology access. Fund it for God’s sake!

Such spending is a society’s way of improving itself. It is not republican or democrat. It is not even American. It is universal.

Expressway Shootings: Freedom. To think, move, live one’s life pretty much as they want to. As long as we do not trample on the rights and freedoms of others, then what we do should be OK. Of course, there are shared values and limitations to be observed (public decency, respect for privacy, and public safety to name a few).

Random acts of violence like drive-by shootings, whether on a neighborhood street or on an expressway, limits the freedom of the public. Our safety is threatened. Our freedom of movement is squashed. Our peace of mind is jarred, even erased.

To say gun violence is hazardous to public health and safety, is obvious. So too vaccinations; they protect the public’s health and safety. In turn, that protects our freedom of movement, thinking, health and commerce.

Random acts of responsibility could counter the other hazards. If only we were not so stubborn. And selfish.

Joe Biden’s Success: The President’s job is to help develop the nation’s agenda. What needs to be done, when and how. What are we missing and how do we fill those gaps? Where should we focus our attention for now and the future? What vision do we follow, create and amend? These are the functions of leadership.

Whether the followers follow or muck it up is on them. Whether loyalists or opponents, it is not the personality that suffers wins and losses. It is the people who do.

American politics have failed to understand that the job of government is to support and nurture living forward. Not backward. Forward with invention, hope and peace.

Are we doing that in our nation? I think the answer is a resounding NO!

That’s not on the President. That’s on the rest of us for allowing jerks to distort our system of justice, equality and freedom.

Shoutout: Daughter Elizabeth’s 50^th birthday is today. From the hospital in Elmhurst, Illinois, to home in Wheaton, and all the places in between then and now, Liz has graced so many lives in those five decades. We wish her happiness in all things and long life! 

November 8, 2021

 

Emergent Dreams

Most of you recall that I am a SCORE mentor. Have been for 7 and a half years. My management specialty is in strategic planning while most of my career was spent in the nonprofit sector. The latter makes me a bit unique. Most people don’t realize that 14% or more of our economy rests in nonprofit organizations. That does not include government or government agency enterprises. Those operations likely account for another 15% or more of our economy.

The thing I like about nonprofits is that they are driven by the passions of their founders and leaders. They are committed to the value structure they serve. For example, credit unions are nonprofit financial cooperatives originally formed to help low income wage earners. They provided financial services in bits and pieces to help the small guys in the economy. They still do, but credit unions have matured into much more sophisticated financial institutions in the last 30 years. They did so to survive. Today they continue their mission in helping people grow financial strength however small that definition is.

Day care for low income single mothers is another nonprofit field of enterprise. Covering operating costs and eking out measly earnings to the daycare workers is hard but necessary work. The kids benefit. The single parent homes benefit. A generation has a better chance to prosper.

So too battered wives and kids. Safehouses are created and operated by nonprofits. Same for private schools serving low income families. Centers for art education in poor school districts which cannot afford art education programs.

Readers of my blog know I care about quality of life issues. So many of these issues exist it is frustrating for me to witness society’s failure to adequately address these. However, many nonprofits enter the picture to address those very issues.

My work as a SCORE mentor encounters many entrepreneurs willing to create nonprofits to address these issues. A few recently emerged.

Gun Violence: a family suffered two sibling deaths by gun violence over 18 years. The first death plunged them into the reality of the issue. They responded by developing programs that help communities lessen gun violence in their midst. The second family death energized them to expand their operations significantly. That is what we are working on presently.

Gifted Child Education: three teachers with nearly 60 years’ experience combined teaching gifted kids were disappointed with school employers shutting their doors. These institutions could not sustain operations, so the teachers thought there was a better, nonprofit way forward. They started their own school. Four years later it is thriving. A true nonprofit, they are led by a talented board of experienced educators from across the nation. Who knows? They may just be inventing a successful template for gifted education to be copied by many communities nationwide.

Homeless Veterans: a woman client is heartbroken that homeless vets appear frequently in her community. She is committed to housing them and teaching them the skills that will help them graduate to permanent housing solutions.

There are other issues and nonprofits forming to address them. Too many to list here. The point is that there are people who care enough to take action to solve problems. This is not government in action. This is individual effort. In many instances these programs are a result of government inaction or inadequate resources.

In my career I have watched and worked with people who care about others and value quality of life they think all should share. At the very least, these people struggle to provide access to such quality of life elements.

This witness has been the source of my positivity. I believe people can do great things alone and in team. I believe this because I have seen it happen over and over again. Nonprofits are a little recognized asset to our nation. Thank God for them!

November 5, 2021

 

 

Sidewalk Supervisor

The title recalls comics and funny papers from the 1940’s and 50’s. In those days, plywood ‘walls’ were constructed between downtown sidewalks and construction sites to keep pedestrians safe from building activities and dust. Every few feet, however, ‘portholes’ were cut at head level so pedestrians could see what was going on with construction progress. These viewing holes were for the curious who were called ‘sidewalk supervisors.’

Today I sit at my ‘office’ window in a fourth floor condo building. I look westward into a construction site that once was a vacant lot between our building and city hall. The new building will house severely disabled people who otherwise would be homeless. The facility will have 24 loft apartments suited for handicapped persons. Programs will be provided in the building to help residents learn skills for self sufficiency elsewhere. The building is considered transitional housing but in all likelihood, it will be long term housing.

The building will be four stories with residences on the top three floors. The first floor will be for reception, offices, program spaces and building mechanicals and utilities.

Watching it go up has been both a treat and a frustration. The frustration part stems from two sources: first, it is slow and marked by delays; second, the site ate up at least eight parking spots used by our residents. Some of those will be returned to our use after construction, but not until then. Thus, our parking is tight and poses problems.

Construction began in April. So far the land was cleared, underground utilities were brought in and capped, the foundation was poured, followed by the first floor slab pour. More drainage and stormwater plumbing were installed. Finally, the elevator shaft was built. Currently the driveway and parking lot underlayment has begun along with finalization of groundwater drainage facilities.

From my aerie I wonder when the walls and floors will be built for the rest of the building. I also wonder if the skeleton of the building will be concrete block or steel caging. Of course, the exterior design is pondered; will it be modern or classical? Will it be brick, stone or walls of glass. As a neighbor we wonder these things although we doubt parking and auto traffic will be a concern. Blind tenants don’t drive! Neither do severely handicapped individuals. So, staff parking will be the norm plus delivery and utility purposes.

As winter is nigh, we all wonder about snow removal and parking access during construction. As a retiree, I am not terribly concerned about any of this; just curious. And expectant. I’m dreaming of a flashy new building in our downtown neighborhood, one we will be proud to share space with.

Change is good. It motivates the brain. Supervision whether from the sidewalk or a neighbor's window, builds suspense.

November 4, 2021

 

Global Energy Market

For most of history, nations have managed their own affairs internally. When problems doing this occur, they seek other nations’ help to solve their own problems. International trade grew to meet this need. Buying and selling goods and services not available, or not in good supply, in one nation automatically creates a demand for those goods and services where they are available. Swapping goods and fair value is the basis of all international trade.

What is normal is often challenged by differing values and beliefs. Some trading nations withhold their goods from some customers because they substitute price for power. Russia has done this for many years in the energy markets of Europe. Energy is not in huge supply in Europe. Energy is not much created in Europe. It is created in the Middle Eastern nations and places like Russia. And China as well, but China has its own towering demand particulars and must buy energy externally to meet its current needs.

Russia, however, has plied economic markets for political power. Building natural gas pipelines from its vast resource fields to supply Europe’s hunger for energy, has been a staple of commerce for Russia. However, Russia has played their energy strength to gain power over European nations by shutting down pipelines when it harms customers the most. Ransoming supply artificially is the Russia's technique.

International energy markets abound. Imbalances of supply and demand abound. Europe’s energy demand is a challenge to fix. Some of the problem is technical, some resource related, while the balance resides in inventing long term solutions. It is the latter that poses the largest challenge.

Pooling resources will go a long way in addressing challenges. Whether energy, transportation, healthcare, climate change or research and development, nations working together can and will solve complex problems. Resources joining forces is not just money; it is also know-how, education, research, creativity and a host of others.

Supply chain issues has always been a component of supply and demand. It becomes a problem to overcome when persistent imbalances occur. How should they be addressed and repaired for the long term? That is the critical question in need of an answer.

I have no doubt we can find the right answers working together. That unity of purpose builds friendships and partnerships. It also builds peace. It does double duty by weakening the political strangle hold wielded by unfriendly nations.

Something for Russia to ponder: your abundant energy resources hold little economic value without customers. Reliable supply makes for reliable customers. Mess that up and you lose the long term objective.

November 3, 2021

 

Bits and Pieces

Getting Along with Enemies: the world is a complicated place. Seven billion people plus. Hundreds of nations and their unique histories. Cultures vary with religion, history, values and belief systems. Knowing these and understanding them is a challenge. A multitude of languages complicates the situation more.

If we have learned anything we should understand that who we count as friend or enemy is highly variable. Diplomacy is a career that studies the means and methods of agreeing with those we are different from. Knowing and understanding are two different aspects of the same issue – How do we get along with those we do not truly know? That is the crux of foreign policy. Who is a friend in one season may turn out to be a competitor or enemy in the next season. Enemy and competitor are also not automatic. Most of the time we get along with and respect our competitors. They are not enemies necessarily.

Iran and American relations have been in turmoil for many years. The dynamics of the relationship change over time. Now is a good time to find a way to work with Iran to calm the Middle Eastern chaos.

To win we do not always have to be the winner. Know this and work it!

Job Market: most businesses – for profit and non – are short staffed. What they do cannot readily be accomplished without people power within their organization. Businesses do not run people; people run businesses. Another thought, people need other people to do things they need and want; that’s why they go to the business to buy the goods and services in the first place.

Having that line-up straight is essential to understanding the current labor market. Supply and demand for services and products exist. Both sides of that equation. The volume ebbs and flows constantly, but its existence is not in question. Just a matter of scale at any given moment.

Equilibrium within markets is a critical economic element. Balanced supply and demand are expressed in stable pricing and movement of goods. Imbalances create too little supply for the existing demand, or too little demand for the inventory of available goods. Prices will settle the matter quickly. High prices attract more resources to the equation; people get paid more and come to work for the organization that will support their compensation expectations. When that fancy passes, employees will seek the next hot spot.

A lot depends on career parameters. What one person chooses to do for a living is not what another person would choose. Specialties emerge in this manner. Employers know they need some career staff to always understand the inner workings of their business if the enterprise is to be a success over many years. Some businesses thrive because it has the right mix of talent working for it. Products and services are up to date and beat the competition in quality and features. Who produces the goods is not as important as the design and engineering of the product.

The American job market today is a witness to enormous imbalances. Far too many people are sick and tired of the old work routine. They want something different. They know something different is out there and developing. They are adjusting to a market of different needs and expectations. They are changing. Employers need to match their own needs with what available workers are willing to do. And for what compensation.

It is the moment employers need to change their approach. There is no labor shortage. There is a huge mismatch within the employment market – the buyers and the sellers.

November 2, 2021

 

 

Good Grief, November!

Passing swiftly, time nears another winter. It doesn’t seem possible. Just the other day we were wondering why spring was hanging back from its expected appearance. Now that is behind us and so, too, summer. Fall nears its end as hard as that is to believe.

An adage claims time passes quickly as you age. It is true. Even with time on my hands to read, nap and loll in front of a TV screen, time melts away. Resting after breakfast, it is soon afternoon. Then it is time to make supper decisions. Bedtime arrives soon thereafter.

This does not mean nothing is done or accomplished during the day. No, a lot is read, digested, thought and written about during daytime hours. Meeting with colleagues to advance work for clients takes place as well. There are studies and reports on all this activity and that draws attention. Time speeds through engagement and participation. Those two terms are not the same, but both absorb attention and concentration.

Rummaging about for today’s topic, I did not get farther than saving the opening document with today’s date. November first. Yikes. It doesn’t seem possible. Soon we will prepare for Thanksgiving, soon after Christmas, then New Years, and the many holidays that follow. Guideposts of the calendar, whisk us through another year. The rhythm does not staccato; it thrums, beats, pulses. There is no slowing down or going back.

The other day a reader did not like my use of the term ‘history evolves.’ Like time, I meant that we encounter history as it is being made, afterwards with a look in the rearview mirror, then study and assessment of what happened and what it means – then and now. With little passage of time we witness that same history differently. The context of then and now are different. Tomorrow it will take on new meaning as well. That is the result of knowing more, uncovering more, and realizing the weight of a happening when bumping up against different circumstances.

The reader is right. History does not change; its interpretation changes, it evolves. The facts, however immovable, remain open for analysis and articulated understanding. The issue of immigration is an example; native Americans populated North America long before the European white man arrived on the scene. The immigrants then were seeking a new world and opportunity. The scattered population of Native Americans were an impediment to white man’s objective. So, Indians were demonized as the dangerous enemy; out of defense, they became that very thing although not their intent.

The outcome was removing natives from their property, herding them into inhospitable regions, and ignoring them for centuries. Much of their story has been erased; even they are nearly erased. But that tragedy is not complete. There is still time to learn their story and share it.

It is high time to do just that. the question is how and who. Financial resources should come from the federal purse. Procedural and programmatic details should be accomplished by the native people themselves. Collegial assistance ought to be readily available. Guidance available, however, is not authority of. We have been down that road before and it delivered us to this day’s predicament.

The issues of Native Americans is prologue to our national immigration policy and programs. No wonder immigration has been so colossally mismanaged. We did not understand the basics from the very start.

November 1, 2021

 

Winners and Losers

Every now and again I think about odd issues that develop unexpected results. For example, why do professional football organizations seek public funding for a stadium suited to their needs? Football is big business and money floods their coffers. A stadium these days costs upwards of $1 billion. Why should the public foot this bill for an organization that makes a lot of money?  Their paid personnel each make millions each year. Not everyone, but certainly a large portion of the payroll. If that much compensation is affordable, why not space costs in which they play?

The argument usually goes like this: a municipality invests in its image to gain the amenities that attract other industries willing to invest in their local economy. A stadium is a draw to a ‘winning’ sports franchise. The stadium can be used for many other purposes, especially as venue for other high price events. The cost of the stadium is thus spread over the earning power of many events in a year. Besides, stadiums are financed by a municipality using municipal revenue bonds. Big money investors seek such bonds for tax free income on their investment portfolio.

On the way up the economic development ladder, urban areas can easily pay for their stadium. However, the downward spiral is a quick death path. Facilities can be left high and dry with few users at falling rental rates. The bonds can become worthless paper. After all, who wants an empty stadium with a sports franchise moving to another, brighter region?

The winner in this scenario are sport franchises. The losers are municipal taxpayers.

Another example: big money energy corporations. These people control the supply of their type of energy – electricity, natural gas, oil and its byproducts including gasoline – by exploration and drilling for future energy supplies. Proven reserves can be held in reserve and prop up prices for their product. It is done all the time. Energy producers have played this game for over one hundred years. At first favorable tax treatment was embedded in the notion of depletion allowances on the product extracted from the earth. In early days congress allowed a 20% depletion allowance for tax deductions. The theory was that an energy reserve would dry up in 5 or so years, thus the 20% allowance. Yet actual depletion rates were far less, say 8 to 20 years. The oil industry hid many billions of profit dollars from the rest of us. In short they were subsidized by the very people paying the bill in the first place!

That extortion was eliminated many years ago, but the stink remains. Other tax breaks replaced the depletion allowance and energy giants have reaped untold riches from special treatment by congress, the same people charged with protecting us from such shenanigans. The winners and losers in this game are obvious.

But there is another chapter to the energy industry. As electric vehicles and decentralized power grids develop, the oil industry continues to seek protection for its high pricing designs, and the eventual worthless assets in proven oil reserves. Alternative energy sources become hampered, not protected. A burgeoning electric vehicle market proves a point – access and cost for plug-in recharging stations are very high, thus discouraging their development. The winner here is the oil industry once again. The loser is not just the alternative energy industry, but we the taxpayer and users of new product development.

Another example? Climate change and the enormous cost to live with the catastrophic results. Properties in harm’s way (coastal regions) continue to sell at high prices while the public deals with the cost of disaster recovery and insurance rates. All the while this nonsense continues, doing little to nothing about climate change means all of us are losers when our planet becomes unable to support human life.

The stakes are incalculable. Why don’t we tackle this problem? Because individuals and their special interests are still working out how they can take advantage of it for the short term.

Sad. Very sad. All the while congress does little to address the situation because they are owned by very corporations who benefit from this travesty.

Always ask who wins or who lose in a public issue!

October 29, 2021

 

State of American Journalism

Journalism is a foundational block of our democracy. A free press was viewed as the voice of the people. As such it was granted freedom to pursue stories, facts and people to ensure that government was transparent and functioning for the benefit of the people. Unbridled freedom of the press was supposed to unearth misdeeds and skullduggery of authorities and government agencies. The press was to champion truth and facts to maintain the American Way. I doubt people today think highly of the press.

Today press spokespeople fight for TV ratings and visibility in what remains of the print media. As America shifts to electronic media, we have lost the depth and dedication to facts that print media brought to public attention. Transparency was a given in government functioning. No longer. The press is not omnipresent to view and discuss the details that comprise our government’s functioning.

Sound bite telecasts provide little attention to detail or focus on matters that matter most to the soul of the nation. We spend precious news time celebrating sports, entertainment personalities, and watching detailed projections of weathercasts.

What passes for news are topics that journalists feel will worry the public. Consequently, they worry over negative economic forecasts, faulty crime scene coverage, public health issues, mainly confusion contained in those subjects and mostly created by reporters themselves.

To wit, confusion over the COVID vaccines.  No confusion exists. The reports from NIH, FDA and CDC are carried on newscasts and minute differences and matters of timing are exaggerated to present a nonunified sense of public health management. Instead, please let the experts in medicine and science do their job and advise the public on the best course of treatment and protection against the pandemic. Journalists ought not be the focal point but they are. They produce their own personality cult to support ratings, not facts. Impressions are not facts. Opinions are not fact. Stick to the facts so the rest of us can make our own conclusions. Meanwhile, pubic discord over mask and vaccine mandates are pushed forward bringing more chaos to a complicated scene.

I used to read daily papers in depth. Two of them each day. I looked forward to the nightly newscast on TV and trusted what I witnessed there. Today newscasts are less than 15 minutes per half hour focused on news spread over many ‘stories.’ There are fewer facts in the reports on topics that matter than there are on sports, weather and entertainment. We get less news today than we did in the past, plus more advertising. News is big business for TV networks. They make a lot of money from ads but do not re-invest those funds into news gathering and news research. Just window dressing to attract audience. Sad.

Each network used to have major weekly newscasts that treated a few topics in depth. Like 60 Minutes, these programs were like news magazines that delved into details and followed stories for months. Today, very few electronic news magazines exist.

I also scoured weekly news magazines avidly; for me it was Time Magazine. The most important news items were arrayed first, then lesser ones followed. Departments were included for the sports junkies, economics and commerce fans, as well as the arts and entertainment nerds. You read the sections most interesting to you. I had choice in those days. I could follow key issues closely and read more in depth studies elsewhere. Today that is not possible unless you are a researcher or aficionado in Foreign Affairs or National affairs. I am; so I get specialized journals in those arenas.

We are left today with journalism in disarray and weak. They have few resources to dive into the most important matters of our public’s life. The result is a poorly informed citizenry that makes poor political decisions and easily manipulated by false facts and opinions.

If journalism is to regain a respected position in American life, Fox News should disappear, public opinion ‘columnists’ on TV should disappear, and separate sports and entertainment shows should provide interest to those audiences separate from news programming. Weather continues to be needed to understand if an umbrella or overcoat is needed for the next day’s commute. Nothing more unless weather, as climate change, is a featured current topic.

Get real. Get serious. Question what the journalist is reporting. Who wrote the copy? How much research was devoted to getting the story straight? And finally, question whether the topic being reported is important enough to deserve your focus and attention.

In the end, I think government is in disarray precisely because journalism is inadequate to the task at hand.

October 28, 2021

 

Broken Democracy

This blog is now in its 11^th year. During that time span nothing much has changed regarding governance within the US. The system we hail and give allegiance to no longer works the way it was designed, intended, or boasted about. Representative governance is not a reality in America. This is why.

Political Parties: once a mechanism to group political ideologies, political parties have become the personification of power and corruption. Millionaires in Congress is the result and proof of the corruption. Ideologies battle each other and distract the body politic from the real battle which is over power and wealth. The very soul of the nation is obfuscated. The original design was to encourage political thought and discussion among many focal points. Today it is a war among two power centers increasingly controlled by white wealthy people and their corporations.

Funding of Elections and Campaigns: corporations fund the greatest portion of political campaigns throughout America. Individual contributions are probably one third or less the source for campaign spending. Political Action Committees are the second largest source of campaign funding. The result: the people do not fund the messages which win elections for representatives. The voice of the people is very much the voice of corporations, wealthy and white people.

Separate But Equal Branches of Government: from its inception, Constitutional America has engaged in power struggles between the Courts, Congress and Executive branches of the national government. Similar struggles in the states exist but at a lesser degree. States have more work to do than the time to continue the wasteful fight for hegemony over other branches of government. Today, the Executive Branch holds much more power than it did originally mainly because Congress has ceded many procedural elements to the Executive branch. The Judicial Branch has stretched its muscles far and wide in challenging the authority of both Legislative and Executive branches.

Equality and Justice for All:  the output, the outcome, the results of our form of government should be unequivocal equality among its citizens and justice for all. If that is the objective of our system of government, then we are a failure by any standard. This is not an idle slam at our national political life. Here is the proof of my statement.

a.       Racial groups do not equally enjoy America’ freedoms. Black America has lower household earnings, lower educational completion rates, poorer housing standards, and stunted economic opportunity. Access to healthcare and quality education is a continuing problem. Hispanics suffer many of the same negatives as Blacks.

b.       Women earn less than men of the same education and experience levels. They are just as capable as their male counterparts, but studies show over and over that men are favored over women for job offers, compensation and benefits.

c.       Women do not have legal control over their bodies. White men in state legislatures and Congress make laws that restrict women’s rights and freedoms. No such laws are directed toward males. The proof is in abortion legislation.

d.       Legal immigrants face continuing discrimination for generations in spite of the core reality that our nation was and is entirely built by immigrants and their descendants.

e.       Justice system discriminates against people of color at all levels of the system. For proof, know the story of Rikers Island municipal jail in New York City. Other large urban areas have similar problems with short term custody jails before courtroom procedures are completed. People of color disproportionately populate the justice system and have for generations.

 People often voice their distrust of government authority. All the above provide the reasons for that disaffection. Where once my pride in nation and region was deep, it is now skeptical and negative. I yearn to return to the knowledge that our belief and value systems do in fact support We The People in their yearning for Life, Liberty and Justice for All.

Clearly we are falling short.

October 27, 2021

 

 

 

Pivoting

If a pandemic can be credited with anything positive, this is what I vote for: pivoting to alternative beneficial actions.

The pandemic taught us to embrace e-commerce and order goods online. In my youth, we ached for the latest Sears catalog. Close behind was the wait for the JC Penney catalog. Paging through 1000 pages of goods was a pastime often engaged. I remember gazing over the possible accessories for my bike or toys. Later it was my idea book for birthday and Christmas gifts. Window shopping with a book. Still later the catalog was used to determine pending choices for updating the wardrobe. And tools, appliances and other goodies.

Decades later shopping malls replaced catalogs in a sense. We could visit a mall and slowly traipse past shop windows and get ideas for gifts and self. Malls became a hangout for teenagers, even pre-teens. The pandemic changed that, but a handy cell phone was quickly already changing that.

The pandemic witnessed a huge pivot to online shopping whether by computer, I-pad, or cell phone. The world was digital and rapidly replaced in-person shopping. We even learned to order groceries online and receive goods by courier or Amazon. Goods showed up at our door within a day, sometimes hours.

Then came Grubhub and Doordash. Even fast food orders were digital and delivered, sometimes with 24-hour availability.

As the pandemic eased and rekindled in stages, digital ordering joined curbside pickup for more options and convenience. To lessen time spent in stores, online shopping offered time to study product choices and then a quick trip to the store sealed the deal after talking with a salesperson. This was especially true for electronic products!

In the world of personal services and consulting, businesses pivoted to more phone contact, then to email traffic, and finally to Zoom video services. Zoom and its many competitors saw an enormous surge in demand. Consulting firms pivoted quickly. Volunteer agencies and counseling services did the same.

SCORE.org is a national volunteer service of 12,000 trained mentors helping entrepreneurs start their own businesses, as well as helping small businesses overcome challenges. All free support, SCORE mentors turned to Zoom sessions and increased productivity by 50%, in some cases more than doubling their contacts.

Working from home became an immediate stop gap measure; now it is a large option for conducting business and employment. Teamwork for scattered workmates was satisfied with Zoom meetings and chats. Productivity soared. Commuting dwindled and with it freedom from harsh train schedules, rugged hikes in snow and cold and the cost of train and bus fares. Even our wardrobes shifted to softer and cheaper options. With it our social sense of style relaxed.

The pandemic taught us to cope in many ways. The result is refocusing on things that matter to us. We don’t waste time on what another person or colleague thinks of my apparel or appearance; instead we focus on ideas that work for client and team.

Family time became a thing again. Homes were spiffed up with paint, new furniture and better electronics. Cars were always a thing in the USA, but in the pandemic they were driven less frequently. Commuting was part of that but so was a drop in errands. Mixing with the public was now a new concern and we chose how to transact our actions more carefully. I suppose this pattern will shift back to previous patterns after the pandemic, but I feel our coping skills will change how we live.

The new way is not bad. There are big positives. I wonder if we will hang on to those?

October 26, 2021

 

Swirls of Time

The other day I noticed it was September 15^th. A few days later it was October 15^th and today it is October 25^th. Time is scooting. I remember times when it didn’t, like as a kid Christmas Eve just did not advance. Or when the school year was over and the family vacation began.

In youth time is eternal. It simply does not move. No action.

In high school and college time sped up as when an exam or term paper was due and I was nowhere near prepared or finished. The good things came slowly; the bad things fast.

In the twilight years time’s tempo is quick. Today is Monday but yesterday was Monday as well. How did that happen?

You and I are not the only two people who have noticed this conundrum. It is ageless. Each of us humans learn time is precious in its own time. whether we notice it or not, value it or not, it matters little. Time has its own merit. We make it matter to us in how we handle it, manage it, make the most of it.

I am reminded of the tale of the squirrel who labors in summer to prepare for fall and winter. The other squirrels are busy having fun and laugh at the squirrel working to gather nuts. Yet it is that squirrel that is prepared and snug for the cold winter months when food is scarce. The others note the value of his frugality too late; they hunger and struggle for survival.

Early in my career I worked for a firm with the tag line, “The future belongs to those who prepare for it.” Much later I developed a career in strategic planning. The use of time as a critical resource was the aim of my work. My mind was focused on the future and preparing for it.

So much was the future my center I forgot the present. Much went unnoticed and undervalued. It took retirement to shift focus to the now.

Years later my value of time is dazzled by its quixotic dance. Fast today, slow tomorrow. Perspective builds from the dichotomies. The biblical passage – ‘through a dark glass dimly’ – takes stark meaning. A dark glass is the hint of future and its meaning; time helps view it more clearly. The meaning becomes better defined. I can readily use the meaning now whereas I puzzled its meaning years ago.

Age does that. It teaches, weighs, assesses. Time is not a passage between then and now, it is a resource, an asset to be spent doing the things that mean we are living life fully. It is temporary. It is finite.

Best we work it well.

October 25, 2021

 

Blot on Record?

With the death of Colin Powell, the phrase “he only suffered one major blot on his career”. That blot is the time he testified before congress that ‘weapons of mass destruction’ were harbored by Iraq and military action was necessary to combat the threat.

OK. Yes, that was a blot on Powell’s career, his reputation. After all, it was his reputation that sold that point of view and off we went into another wasteful war with little to show for it. A trillion dollars here, a trillion there, what does it matter?

But I don’t hold that against Colin Powell. Why? Because his entire life’s story is much more than one mistake.

We all make mistakes. Some huge, some tiny. All count in the end, but the overwhelming pulse of a person’s life is the sum of the good as well. Powell’s lifetime score is very positive.

The blame game takes a toll we can ill afford, both nationally and globally. Mistakes happen. We make judgments that are not fully supported by the facts. Of course, all facts are not known usually when we do make decisions; that is life. That is the risk we all take when making decisions or uttering something we wish later we had not said. In real time there are no edits.

Heroes slip up from time to time. Regrets are part of all biographies. Making decisions always comes with risks. Unintended consequences tend to appear long after a key decision is made. There is no going back, only the present to repair the damage as it is noticed.

Colin Powell’s life is a monument to calm thinking, applied logic, and a commitment to be involved in the important matters of life. He dedicated his life to public service to his nation. He was not a politician and avoided entreaties to become one. He knew deep down he could not be a politician. Yes, he served politicians, but observed what they had to contend with; it wasn’t for him, and he said no quickly.

We are stronger for that. Powell continued to provide perspective, caution and advice that helped us navigate dangerous times. We enter the future without his guidance and that is a scary thought.

We can hope that other ‘Colins’ are among us and ready to step forward to serve. With distinction. As he did.

October 22, 2021

 

  

Kidnapped Charity Workers

Twelve charity workers – missionaries, really – were kidnapped along with their five kids in Haiti by a local gang. At the time of this writing no progress has been made in freeing them. Government agencies at the highest levels are working on this problem and we can only hope that it is resolved well and soon.

However, another truth has emerged from this incident. Haiti has been dogged by serious earthquakes for many years. It takes many years to recover from each of them, especially the major one in Port Au Prince. The most recent quake was on Haiti’s southwestern peninsula and devastated the communities in that region. While all this is happening, the exodus of citizens to other nations demonstrates the frustration and insecurity of Haitians. Even after living in foreign lands, they moved towards the US borders to become Americans. The flood of immigration is uncontrolled and comes at a time of South and Central American emigration.

Haiti has had a long history of incompetent political leadership. They have not done well taking care of their own people. Foreign lands step forward to help with housing, healthcare, education, and the economy. Infrastructure remains poor with frequent damage from earthquakes. The nation is challenged to survive let alone prosper.

Yet unruly gangs kidnap the very people willing and able to help at no cost to Haiti? The irony is breathtaking.

No, America is not the only player here. Nor should she be. This is a world community issue in need of proper attention. The United Nations should be front and center in delivering Haiti from its many ailments. China and Russia, where are you in this matter? Your desire to be world leaders requires you to be helping Haiti and many other nations in need, too. Where is your leadership, and yes, your volunteers and funding?

Meanwhile, Haiti needs to get its act together and provide the leadership to govern itself.

October 21, 2021

 

 

60 Minutes vs Football?

Sunday night in our home is saved for 60 Minutes. During fall months, however, football games starting in late afternoon almost always push 60 Minutes later into the evening. I resent this practice.

First, 60 Minutes is not just a news program, it is much more. Like an electronic magazine, the program goes into detail and discussion of an issue. News bites are for encapsulated news programs at 6 and 10 pm. Those programs provide headlines and scarce details. All the data they can cram into a 15-minute broadcast allows very little else. And of course, they add the jokes about the weather and jock talk about sports. A half hour is filled but news is less than half that time allocation. Much less.

My point is that news programming is an ad factory for networks while 60 Minutes is a serious news vehicle. Serious until a sports event takes precedence. Serious news usually takes a back seat to sports.

I object to this practice. Our values in a democracy should support an informed citizenry. More and more that value is absent when competing with sports. I enjoy some sports. The strategy, the playing conditions, the rivalry of certain teams, and the athleticism and talent it takes to compete in sports. All of this is good stuff and worthy of our attention. Just not more important than understanding our world and current events. That takes work for all of us so we are informed adults able to support our democracy intelligently.

Core values are more important than lip service. We need to be serious about our news and avoid displacement by cultural elements.

CBS needs to decide if they are serious about news depth and breadth, or profits earned from entertainment programming. Yes, sports are captivating but not life and death important.

Every broadcaster needs to decide this issue. Often NBC on Sunday evenings does not have news programming at the 5/6 pm time slot, or it is a shortened newscast. Evidently NBC feels entertainment is more important than news.

I dislike being a drudge about this, but a democracy is more delicate than we treat it. We need to understand the news, its context, trending, special interests and viability. What is important and what is not comes in many packages. If it feels like entertainment, it most likely is.

News programming deserves more time and budget support. It is in the public’s interest. That is why news programming has been considered a public service in the past.

It is time to get serious about professional journalism. Now is good.

October 20, 2021

 

 

 

Bits and Pieces

It is fun to write ‘bits and pieces’ from time to time. I do it to cover several news topics that are in wide circulation. I give short takes on each of these, so I do not take the time to advance the discussion, just make comment. It is sort of rapid fire and fun to do. Like…

Immigration Ills: so many issues we read about. So many problems that tax our ability to solve. But one of these issues is central to the definition of what America is. Congress, however, has chosen for decades to back away from solving immigration problems. Why? Because their lack of accountability is lost in the crowd of cowards just like themselves.

Manchin, His Role: this rogue senator from West Virginia does not represent the views of his constituents. He does gather federal funding for many services his state needs by maneuvering his vote for support of bills which specifically benefit his region. The block and trade tactic for Joe Manchin works as active ransomware. That is his chosen role. Too bad he doesn’t help make good things happen for the rest of us.

Anti-Vax Crowd: a vast majority of Americans believe in the efficacy of vaccinations. A minority fights being forced to get vaccinated. No one is forcing anyone to get vaccinated. Mandates are made to obtain and preserve public health and safety. If a person doesn’t follow the mandate, that is OK. They do have to live with two consequences of that decision: sickness/death; or not participating fully with other citizens in the activities they are barred from doing.

Football Pettiness: given the problems we face locally, nationally and internationally, sports is only a distraction for our entertainment. We revel in the physical fitness of the athletes and their abilities to do what we cannot. However, they are not a substitution for real life problems begging for our attention and resolution. Never forget: sports is a pastime; life contains the more important things.

Economics 101: we make choices – what to buy, who to work for, what career to pursue, how to live within my income. When alternatives appear, we rejoice in our freedom. Some do not; they complain about rising prices or scarcity of some goods. These are all opportunities to make a choice. Do I buy something I really do not need and pay a high price for it? Or, do I do without or find a cheaper alternative? Choice is part of the fun of our freedom. It is not a burden. If you have enough money for the basics then you have the freedom to buy or do without because you can. That’s real freedom!

October 19, 2021

PS: See how easy that was?

 

Reliving Memories?

Back when I was running my own consulting practice, I did a lot of driving. My southern clients preferred I work with them during spring and summer months while my northern clients preferred the winter months. It took me a long time to determine why this is so. Before learning the lesson, however, I thought having both northern and southern clients would be great. I would experience a very prolonged fall season of colorful leaves!

I could not have been more wrong. Northern clients (Minnesota and northern Wisconsin) cherished their summer months after a long hard winter, so they preferred I visit them for strategic planning sessions throughout the winter. Southern clients preferred summer months because their weather was milder in winter and fall and they wanted to spend personal time outdoors during those months. So, the long and short of it was I traveled in the heat in southerly climes and survived brutal winters in northern Minnesota near the Canadian border!

This meant my air conditioning in the car had to be terrific in hot months. Alternatively, my car had to be a great road car for winter extremes – 50 below wind-chill, icy roads, and blinding snowstorms. The latter worried me about sliding off slippery highways into a ditch in solitary locales. I was so worried about that happening that I changed cars. I bought my first Mercedes. It came equipped with cell phone service and satellite emergency connection telephony. If I happened into a wooded roadside ditch covered in snow, I knew the car would notify the Mercedes network and a rescue squad would eventually find me.

I know that sounds a little off kilter, but I found Mercedes ownership very calming and satisfying. That first car racked up 100,000 miles in less than 3 years. I replaced that car with a more expensive E-350 sedan with more gadgets and even better communication! That car was traded after 2 years and 72,000 miles for another Mercedes, this time one with full voice recognition for all the goodies packed into it. I could turn on the radio, switch from four built in radios (satellite, weather band, AM and FM) with a simple voice command. I could place calls and communicate freely hands free. I could also operate the navigation system easily with my speaking voice. Loved that!

Not quite two years into the last Mercedes I got sick with triple whammy ailments. I was essentially disabled for 18 months and eventually closed my consulting firm and retired. That meant selling the Mercedes and getting something much more practical financially. Since then, I have driven several used cars – one domestic sedan and a domestic minivan, plus some Korean autos. The domestics were surprisingly good by engineering and quality standards, but they were still not up to German standards. The Hyundai’s (three of them) were all quite good and very reliable. Size and comfort were a challenge but other than that, they were as good as the German engineered product.

I raise this issue because my last Hyundai neared lease end and I bought out the lease to gain the strong value it had in the current used car market. Last week I tradded it in for a used – very used – 2006 Mercedes R500. That car is very clean but 88,000 miles. The features take me back to my 2006 E350 sedan. The R500 is a station wagon body style with the space to handle our two walkers and some other handicap supplies. It is easy to get in and out of for Rocky and very comfortable. And it has a large V8 engine, something I haven’t had for many years. A lot of features come with this car. Over 600 pages of instructions were found in the glove compartment!

So here we are, studying late into the night how to use this car and its earlier technology. It takes me back to those days I first met Mercedes. Even then I needed to learn how to turn on the windshield wipers. Now I have to check if the current car has that same feature. Re-learning pre Bluetooth technology for handsfree cell phone use is another task.

Even with its age and failing air conditioning, this car is a trip down memory lane. It is a pleasant journey and one I hope to maintain until I no longer can drive.

Here’s hoping the AC can be repaired without having a car loan. For the time being my ride has no monthly payments. That’s a joy in itself! Wish us luck.

October 18, 2021

 

The Nation’s Agenda

Much of what we think America is no longer tracks true. We have fallen off the rails. We need to repair and redirect our efforts and attention. A lot of work is needing to be done. I am not happy we are in this position. But we are. To hell with blaming anyone for this set of circumstances. We are here regardless. Now we need to get to work.

Joe Biden is the duly elected President of the nation. There are those who disagree with this, but the court system has ratified his election. It is what it is.

The condition of the nation is what it is. We must make the best of the situation and get to work. This is not Joe Biden’s agenda. It is ours. This agenda is to fix and improve on our situation. For all our sakes.

A defeat in congress of any part of the agenda is a defeat for the nation – you and I. Congress appears out of step with most Americans. Last I checked here is what the majority supports:

1.       Defense of the nation in diplomatic circles; well thought out diplomatic policies

2.       Defense readiness of the nation militarily; remove us from debilitating military skirmishes; let the global community take on that job

3.       COVID-19 defeated as soon as possible; if this requires mandated masks and vaccinations, so be it.

4.       Reimburse landlords for lost rental income during the pandemic and block evictions; help states administer the hundreds of billions of dollars already disbursed for this purpose

5.       Get to work on rebuilding our infrastructure; this is to fix or replace the old, but also build the new and technologically advanced

6.       Focus on competitive advantage of America in the global marketplace

7.       Reduce poverty and it effects greatly in our nation if not entirely

The economy will benefit from creating new jobs to accomplish the above. Lives will improve because of the above. Standing in the way of these accomplishments is shooting ourselves in the foot. The national debt will be managed just fine so focus on the other stuff.

That is all. Have a nice weekend.

PS: Joe is not running for President. He is the President. His age makes it most unlikely he will run for re-election. He was elected to avoid a repeat of the previous guy and to fix the overwhelming problems left behind. Let him do the job and get on with our lives.

October 15, 2021

 

 

Learning

After ten years writing this blog, I think I have gained some knowledge. When I started out posting daily, I was asking questions and wondering about things. This blog is a commentary of what is on my mind. Oh sure, I pieced together what I had learned in past yea. I tried to use that information to make sense of the unfolding history we are now living. Along the way I learned new things. I also learned new relationships among various bits and pieces of history, science, medicine, and philosophy.

All that is good. Then I began to offer my own thoughts on a lot of things. This process turned out to be rather expansive. I was often in uncharted territory for me. I simply did not know or was very thin on background. So, I wondered aloud with readers. I posed theories, possible data linkages and the logic that then flowed forward to an unknown horizon.

I fully admit I was not certain of my logic, or even the accuracy of my recall. 

I reached out and read literature with more depth. A neighbor gave me a subscription (several years, now) of Foreign Affairs journal. This is a bi-weekly publication with essays by experts in foreign affairs and history. Deep material that clearly has the expertise and authority I lack. And just the other day a colleague in our volunteer work found a gift subscription to the New Yorker magazine I could use.

Both publications do the deep diving into issues that I write about. They present writers and thinkers who have devoted decades to their fields of study. And what do you suppose I learned from this?

Good question. I am still an amateur dabbler in many topics, but the logic seems to be solid. My theories and suppositions have been mostly correct.

This has taught me two things: first, logic is a good base to build thoughts and ideas that either prove true or false; the logical process saves us from making ghastly conclusions based on weak work. Second, I learned that many people are thinking and writing on many of the topics I felt are important and lamented that too little focus is devoted to these areas. Not so! Many thinkers are doing heavy work for the benefit of the rest of us. I am on the right track. I don’t feel so lonely now.

Well, not so fast. The rest of us still need to do our homework and be aware of the accomplishments of these other thinkers. They are onto things that our nation and our democracy need to attend to. The wise and educated should be heeded.

Democracy does not mean mediocrity governs. Far from it but it does mean that if we allow it.

Don’t!

October 14, 2021

 

 

Personal Life Questions

These days are different from earlier ones. These days I question who I am and where I’m headed. I look back for clues, but none are there. The passage of time is the culprit of all this. Used to be I imagined what I wanted to do and made it happen, maybe not all of it, but some. As I age, I have come to realize that limits exist. Mostly it is time, but physical abilities are a limit, too, money for sure.

I love houses. Architecture. Interior décor. Many styles and moods have an allure. Very few of them have materialized for me. I never lived in a starkly modern home with appropriate furnishings. The cost was prohibitive for one, timing bad for another, and let’s face it, it takes a lot of agreement in coupledom to get what you want when yours is not the only opinion or yearning in contention.

Cars are another love of mine. I have owned several that were very special to me. I have yearned for more and made some of it happen. Not all, but some. Aches are present to be soothed, but money and time are in short supply. Practicality is a harsh master.

Travel is another love but like most people, travel equals time and money. Both of those are intimately related. Years ago, I traveled annually to Arizona and New Mexico to visit my parents. I loved those trips – the topography, vistas, weather, and open road freedom. At that time, though, I was in business for myself. If I was working, I had plenty of cash flow but no time; vacations used time and money but produced no income. The tradeoffs were stark. I chose to work and travel less to ensure cash was adequate for year round living.

The other day I bought out the lease for my car. It was due on February 1, 2022, but I was anxious to get the lease behind me. Besides, used car prices are ridiculously high right now, and I knew I couldn’t afford to buy the car off the lease for long, nor would I be pleased with the used car or its price I would have to pay to replace it. Nothing but disappointment lay ahead.

So, I chose to buy out the lease for roughly $16,000. The car’s value is $23k low to $27k high per market analysis resources. That should net a cash difference of $7000 to 11,000. If I sell my car myself, I might capture an average stash of $8000, maybe $9000. My thought is to buy a used car with that money that would meet our minimum needs.

Those needs are ease of entry for Rocky with his medical issues, room to easily load and carry both of our walkers in the trunk (need a large trunk), and the car should be large enough to protect us if it crashes or someone hits us. That requires a well built auto like a Mercedes or Cadillac. Both have models on the used market at the prices I mentioned above. But all such cars have 70,000 to 110,000 miles on their odometer. Both models, however, are well made and should last many thousands of miles more if we don’t push them. All we need is local transportation to doctors, drug stores, food markets and the occasional Target for clothing. E-commerce has simplified much of our shopping needs, and we don’t travel anymore so, the car should last until I can no longer drive. Of course, we have lingering doubts about reliability. I have owned older cars with more than 100,000 miles on their odometers. They were reliable but not our only means of transportation.

Of course, I worry about the perception of others toward us having a fancy but old car. I can’t control what others think, however, so I’ll leave that topic alone. The issue mulled over above really has much to do with the limits imposed by finances and age. I am trying to manage toward a soft landing out of consideration for both age and finances. It pays to be realistic. It also helps to know yourself well and live well for all the right reasons. Things don’t matter. But money doesn’t matter either; I simply cannot take anything with me where I’m going at the end of life. None of us can.

The issue is to do the best you can with what is available. Knowing all the facts is tougher than making reasonable decisions, however. You all will know what I mean when this special time arrives in your lives.

Wish us well.

October 13, 2021

 

 

 

Common Myths

Public Debt: We buy cars on credit. Rarely does a consumer have $30,000 or 40,000 sitting around to plop down on a new car purchase. We arrange auto loans for this purpose. We trade in the old car, add some cash maybe, then the balance is carried by a loan for so many 100’s of dollars per month. Financed properly, the payments are painless, automatically deducted from our bank accounts and we hardly notice the cost. Same with buying a home. Mortgages are big deals in our economy. Even corporations buy property with mortgages or debt instruments of some kind.

So does government. Municipal, county, state or federal, our government units buy a lot of goods and services in the name of the public. Not all of these are paid for with current cash. Big ticket items are bought through negotiated debt instruments. That is what a treasury bill or bond is. It is federal government debt financed by individuals, investor organizations and financial institutions. We buy bonds, earn money, and know the government will pay us back what they owe plus interest. We know this is true; we trust it.

Highways, bridges, a dam, or public school building, these are big ticket items. They are paid for with debt instruments in the main. Their costs are amortized over months and years, and current cash accounts are debited accordingly. They are paid for bit by bit just like our mortgage or auto loan payments.

In the end, public debt is what we owe to ourselves as a nation. A debt ceiling is a management concept and not a real barrier. It was normally not a problem. In recent decades politics has manufactured the debt ceiling as a major public issue. It is not. We should be conscious of our public debt and how best to manage it, but there is no policy, rule, regulation, or law that tells us what to do. It is political nonsense made huge by people who pretend to be in power. Know this and ignore them. This will strip them of their self-importance. This is just another case where the emperor has no clothes.     

Mandates are Bad: law is mandate. We do something or we pay the penalty of not doing what has been legislated. Some mandates are imposed by executive authority for jurisdictions involved in the matter. Restoring order to a local school is the province of administrators of the school; they may request assistance from local law enforcement resources, but in the main the administrators have the authority and will of the public to keep the school safe. We follow those mandates. A mandate from a governor or President regarding public health and safety, is another example of a request that has the force of law. It is a matter that is for the common good. Cooperation builds safety and better health.

That is what the vaccine and face mask mandates are in a health pandemic. If one is ill, the health threat will spread to others. Who and how many remains an open question; the consequence of noncompliance is apparent. We even have statistics to prove it. Reasonableness is established and we conform to the mandate.

Failing to do so breaks the public’s contract with itself. Not a good thing, these people should isolate themselves from others to protect the common good. That is how this works. For everyone.

Compromise is Weakness: coming to an agreement on something where total unanimity is not present, is called negotiation and consensus. There is general agreement that something should be done, just not what that action ought to be. Negotiating will help find a way that is less onerous on one party while achieving the end for the common good all agree on. Compromise is a must in a complicated world where opinions multiply and diverge. Compromise keeps institutions and governments working. Maybe not perfectly but functioning as we need them to.

Celebrate compromise. Eliminate the all or nothing mentality common in today’s legislative bodies.

October 12, 2021

 

Perceptions

There is a lot going on around us. Each of us. News. Culture. Personal life. Work. School. Thinking about the future, the present, and what it all means. Lots of stuff to think about. And then we turn on the news.

What do we hear and see? Catastrophe or the fear of one coming soon to a neighborhood near you!

Along with that are stories on events and responses to those events. What do people think about those events and the responses to them? Is this held in a positive light or a negative one? Is shade being thrown on the players involved in this event? Is blame being assigned or hinted at?

These and similar happenings are chronicled, continuously. The instant world has engulfed us. We cannot escape the constant barrage of messages about what is happening or possibly about to happen.

From all of this we form impressions. Are we feeling positive about these things? Are we building a negative sense of our environment? Are we hopeful or fearful? Are we in control or not? Do we have confidence that people in the know will handle these problems well and allay our fears? Do we have confidence in them?

Do we have confidence in our government and other public institutions?

BOING! That is the question that continually pops into my mind about our modern world. Do we believe good will prevail over evil? Will the good beat back the bad? Do I have anything to worry about?

Erosion. The wearing away of our group confidence in the people and institutions we have trusted in the past. Are they still trustworthy? We know glitches occur in technical systems and products. We even realize that policy and procedure does not always work in all situations as intended. We know there are problems. We know that life is not perfect, but deep down, don’t we really believe that our institutions will do good by us?

In the past I thought this was true. Today I am not so sure. It seems little is working as it ought. At least the news media throw doubt on most everything. Maybe we are living in an age of complete delusion and distrust?

If you begin thinking this way, how much of it is true and how much not? Besides all of that, what must others think who are not one of us? Foreigners – both friend and foe – do they perceive us to be strong, weak, or failing? Might they see us as weak and vulnerable? How might they manipulate that against us?

Perhaps we should focus on more positive things; do not ignore the problems and reality, but address repairing those problems or finding ways to avoid them entirely. What capabilities do we have to build better and stronger? What skillsets do we have available for the tasks? What resources must we have, and do we have enough of them to do the job?

In the past we have tackled the difficult and even the impossible. We have made terrific things happen. We could do it then. We can do it now.

Why are we so down on ourselves? Is the picture accurate or distorted? Whatever it is, are we motivated to do something about it?

America is a nation of can. Have we lost that to can’t?

October 11, 2021

 

Opportunity Collapse

Once again the Democrats have collapsed on themselves and failed the nation. We need investment in infrastructure. We need to recognize technology and its creation and manufacture as infrastructure. We need investment in people – their education, skillsets, inventiveness and ability to collaborate with one another, especially people with diverse backgrounds. We need to invest in healthcare delivery to all who are in need of it. We are in need of reforming our governance structure so that it is able to return to a process of compromise and action.

These items are all on the agenda in Joe Biden’s administration. They are not on Congress’ agenda. Conservative versus liberal; progressive versus libertarian; democrat versus republican. Road blocks all. And the cost? Massive dislocation and disinvestment. And national weakness real and perceived.

Disinvestment. I repeat that term. If investment is not happening, then disinvestment automatically happens because change is always present whether we like it or not. Doing nothing is an option. In this case the result is disinvestment in people and ability of the society to manage its affairs effectively.

Pretty simple when the starkness is uncovered. We can either continue to let this happen or actively pursue alternatives that will address the nation’s needs. On the one hand individuals are getting rich and powerful by blocking what needs to be done. On the other hand the disenfranchised and overpowered by the minority continues to weaken along with the middle class and the future of the nation.

Want to define the methodology of defeat in the face of our competitors, whether political, ideological, foreign, domestic? This is it. Welcome China to our land of opportunity! Welcome Russia to our shores.

By blocking progress of any kind other than emergencies, we give up on ourselves and our identity. I know this is an unintended consequence. But there it is writ large.

Stark. Real. The evidence is present.

What are we going to do about it?

October 8, 2021

Issues That Matter

A lot of topics have passed through this blog over the last 10 years. A whole decade of bits and pieces that deserved discussion and perspective. The wonder of it all is the same topics pretty much exist today as they did a decade ago. This reality does not support any claim that we are making progress!

However, progress is needed. I have suggested all along that many problems or issues are consistent companions of life as we struggle forth on our journey together. Of course, we each do this, but we are massed as humans, so yes, we are together however fitfully.

From time to time I find it helpful to raise my sights higher, to sense the presence of what really matters. This practice helps me gain perspective and realize that the big issues are comprised of many smaller issues. Those smaller items are very important; we should not lose sight of them. We tend to think mainly on them and fail to get to the big issues that should be our focus.

Here are some examples.

1.       China wants to expand its world influence and power. It doesn’t do well unless there is a threat attached to the engagement. The ‘do this or else’ mentality does not work within the global community. It does work on the school yard. Bullies usually get their way in the short term but they lose the war in the long haul.

2.       If any nation wishes to engage on the global stage they need to step up with the responsibility of helping others. That is why others wish to engage; they need help and reach out for what works. Self-sustainability ought to be the objective. That makes for stability of the community, and reduces institutional charity. China, are you willing to help others become stronger and self-sustainable? Or must you control the markets, the ideology, the military strength? None of those strengthen you or the global community.

3.       Managing pandemics is necessary for the good of the planet. Plain and simple. Cooperation and collaboration are the keystones of good management. Any grandstanding eliminates trust among the whole community. China, you are suspect in both the cause and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. You have much to prove to the contrary. Denial is not a good strategy. Prove your position.

4.       Climate change is likely true as science has warned. Working to abate its effects is what we are faced with as a global community. This planet is not ours alone. It belongs to 7+ billion people. The people, not their governments. Solving this problem, or at least managing its effects on us all is a task that belongs to us all.

5.       People ‘own’ their national government, not the other way around. Placing trust in citizenry is a must if freedom is to be true for all. Military resolutions happen when governments declare war on each other for power or financial domination over another. That is ideology in control of all human behavior and adopted by a few who control the apparatus of government. That is wrong. That is why we have wars. Work for freedom at home and abroad. This is a gift we can share. It is not ours to control or impose. This is the entry fee for international relationships.

6.       Religious thought and belief are for the individual, not imposed on all. Religion is not a bargaining chip for any law, negotiation, or relationship. It is a private matter best eliminated from all governance activity.

7.       Education is the great emancipator. Provide this to every human being based on their ability and interest. They will soar to become all they can become, and society will reap the benefits accordingly.

8.       Healthcare is a right. Make it accessible for all.

That is the sum and substance of what I think are the issues that matter. At home or abroad, these eight will make for a world at peace with itself. Let us make this happen.

October 7, 2021

 

 

Governance

Ours is a democratic form of government. We Americans know this because we have been taught this over and over again. A person has a vote and casts it on election day. The votes are counted and the candidate or proposition in question is settled. A winner is declared. The processes of government continue.

Actually, we are not a pure democracy. We elect representatives who then sit at the seat of government and legislate what they feel we would support them doing. The process is much more complicated than that, but this is what is meant by ‘representative democracy.’ Ours is also a republican form of government; it is another term for representative democracy. We elect people to act for us. All 330 million Americans do not sit in the same building and vote; nor do we cast a vote on every single issue being considered for the public’s good. Congress does that on the federal level; state legislatures act for us on the state level. County and municipal governments follow a similar representative process.

Trouble: the more complicated the process or representation, the more elected officials can hide from accountability to the electorate. In a nutshell, that is what is bedeviling our nation today. As long as elected officials can escape their duties, nothing much gets done. And what does get done is often in the interests of those officials rather than the common good of the public.

Solutions: there are many we need to examine and research. However, nothing will happen if we do not agree there is a problem to be fixed. That is the first step we need to take.

Our form of government has not worked well for quite a few decades. It needs to be tuned up at the very least. Part of the problem is too many people are elected to serve the people’s interests. The more elected officials in the Congress or state legislature, the more divisive the process and interests are. That multiplicity alone provides the ‘cover’ from accountability. One way to address this is to cut the representation in half. Instead of 435 congresspeople and 100 senators, reduce those number to 216 and 50, respectively. Population areas would be increased, and the elected official must represent what is best for all the people regionally, not just special interest groups. Finding the key principles to consider in such a case becomes more principled, not less.

Our form of government needs to be based more on consensus than base agreement. Consensus supports better compromises over time rather than bald agreement that maneuvers power.

Removing corporate and special interest funding from campaigns would improve the system as well. The government is of, by and for the people, not of, by and for corporations or commercial interests alone. Election Finance Reform paid from tax funds on a formula basis would place every candidate on a level playing field. This alone would greatly improve the quality of governance in America.

A few other guidelines or principles should be considered. One of the first is the role of religion in governance. It ought not to be a consideration. Right and wrong, yes; faith or not faith, no. Abortion is just such an issue affected by religion. The inception of life is not fertilization of an egg; it is the viability of the fetus to survive outside the womb at whatever stage of development it emerges. Not viable? Not a person. Abortion does not kill a person; it ends the development of what could become a person but is not yet a person. One is feeling; the other is science and logic. Feeling is supported by faith issues and religious creed. It is fine for a person to live their life by, but it is not fine to force others with differing beliefs to live by those beliefs. If you do not like governance by Taliban beliefs, then you see the lengths of why this is important. No religion in government. Values yes, but those are not purely religious values. Murder is a wrong philosophically as well as religiously. So, we outlaw murder. And so forth.

There are other principles to embrace in our governance design, but exploration will uncover those. Meanwhile we need to consider how all of this will be authorized and managed. That is a challenge given the ineptitude of Congress and state legislatures. Perhaps a plebiscite on a new constitutional convention?

Whatever the method, people with more wisdom, energy and youth than I are needed to handle this. The when is now. The how is still an open question.

If we do not do something like this, we can kiss the USA goodbye. Yes. It is that serious a problem. Just look at all the millionaires serving in Congress preserving their own skin, money and special interests!

October 6, 2021