Bits and Pieces

Kaepernick and Black Lives Matter: Of course Black lives matter. So do ALL lives matter. Kaepernick’s one-man protest seems hollow. He is a person of immense wealth and power. Yet he is protesting in a manner that does not help solve the problem he identifies with. That’s why I’m upset with him. So much is being done already to address the injustices he spouts. A lot of people – black, white and brown – are doing this work for everyone’s sake. But he makes the public grandstand that somehow elevates him? I think not. Put your money, time and energy where your mouth is. No sitting on the sidelines please!

Brain Disease and Robin Williams: We have learned that Robin Williams had a brain disease that affected his mood, emotions and cognitive skills. The disease could have been treated to ameliorate the condition but not cure it. However, the presence of the disease was unknown while he was alive. Only an autopsy showed its presence. How very sad he suffered so without help. Much more research on brain disease is needed. Such research will benefit Alzheimer patients, too.

Coffee House Ministries? (Discussions) Back in the 1960’s when the civil rights movement was alive and well and when Viet Nam War protests were rising to hysterics, American society was in disarray and upset. Public affairs and issues of moment were many and deeply embedded in our daily routines. At the time people were still attending church services regularly but even then the decline in attendance was showing. Their concerns then were on the civic unrest over the injustices of America towards black brothers and sisters. And also the heated dialogue of Viet Nam war protesters. It was an ugly time.

Martin Luther King’s assassination occurred in that time frame of unrest. So did Bobby Kennedy’s assassination.

At our church in Oak Park, Illinois some of us talked about the incivility of public discussion, the growing discontent on politics as usual and the need to address injustice of our society. To do that we started a Coffee House Ministry. Simply put this was a weekly Friday evening discussion group at the church held in a comfortable living room setting. Topics were chosen each week in advance with a credentialed speaker key noting the evening’s discussion. Then open discussion was invited and moderated only for civility and  compassion. Heated rhetoric was tamed so participants could deal with the facts and substance of an issue to better understand where everyone was coming from.

The coffee house ministry was named Nexus and it ran for 4 years straight without one week off. We planned speakers at least one month in advance so we could release publicity in a timely manner. Actually we worked up the topics and speakers list two months in advance to properly manage the related tasks and continuity of the program. Nexus was a success. Calm and reasoned discourse was restored to the lives of people who cared about the issues under discussion. At the same time our minds were broadened and made more caring for differing views of our same reality.

The same sort of program is needed today in 2016. My current church is considering doing so.

Read a Book; Support your Library: We all know a lot about many different things. How all of that knowledge comes together into a meaningful whole is another issue. Often we grow in our views and understanding of the world imperfectly because we are not exposed to other views. Perhaps our news reading and research exposes us to that wealth of thought, but most likely not for most people.

That’s where reading one book a week comes into play. Strolling your local library will help you identify what is on America’s reading list these days, and expose you to issues you hadn’t thought much about. So that would provide the opportunity to read a book on the subject and broaden your understanding, your world view, at least a mite!

At the same time you will be helping the library maintain relevancy and value to its community. Talk about a win-win!

Opportunities exist everywhere for us to see the world with fresh eyes. Exposing ourselves to things we hadn’t looked into before is a good start. Read a book. Join a discussion group. Get involved in a service project.

It all boils down to becoming engaged.  After the election, reach out for that engagement. And take some time away from the hustle and bustle once a week to visit the library and select a book to read. You owe it to yourself to set aside this time for yourself.

October 31, 2016

Medical Update – Rocky

Rocky has been on a diet that depletes iodine from his body. He has suspended his medication for thyroid hormone replacement. The objective is to starve his body of these elements and prepare for a radioactive isotope iodine treatment.

His diet started on Monday, October 10^th and continues until the isotope treatment dissipates after 9 days of the treatment. He had a blood test on the 24^th at the local hospital. Results were ready the next day and the radiologist declared them perfect for the treatment. He has ordered the isotope dose. And the treatment has been scheduled for November 1 in the afternoon.

Then begins a 7-day radioactive depletion schedule during which Rocky is kept pretty much in isolation to protect others from radioactivity his body is emitting. This means our dog will be the house guest of our neighbor Pam for three days. I’ll be able to walk her, feed her and visit her but Rocky won’t.

I will sleep on the sofa or in my recliner. We can inhabit the same room as long as we remain 6 feet or more apart. All laundry, bed linens and towels must be washed separately by each of us for our own laundry. His bathroom facilities must be maintained separate from mine. Food preparation can be done by either of us but clean up must be separate. Disposable plates and utensils will be used and trash removed quickly.

The radioactive isotope dissipates quickly so trash and waste water are harmless if disposed of properly and frequently. Home furnishings and permanent surfaces do not absorb the radioactivity for very long and dissipate quickly as well. No permanent solution is required.

The best policy is to keep a safe distance and maintain safety in handling materials personally used by the patient. All will be well.

The objective is for the isotope to be readily and hungrily absorbed by the body tissues and cells reliant on iodine. The cancel cells that may be present and lurking in neighboring tissues near the site of the thyroid removal will die almost instantly. That means very little chance remains that a sole cancer cell or two will survive the treatment. A CT Scan will be done on November 9th to see the effects of the treatment. Then and only then will Rocky's diet end! He's already planning a feast!

To be certain Rocky will be tested annually for a few years to determine if any wayward cancer cells pop up. If so treatment is repeated. In similar cases treatments are not needed. This form of cancer readily yields to the treatment protocol and any chance that Rocky will have a recurrence is nil.

This is all good news. But we are still living through the process, never a good thing. The subtle changes the body goes through during the process are surprising and minor. Spooky just the same.

I know Rocky and I anxiously await the end of this process. It is a pain in the ass and something we will manage until it is over. Other than that it is a breeze. Well, not so much for Rocky, but for the rest of us it is easy peasy.

So, now you know what we know. More news when this is over.

October 28, 2016

Foreign Policy and Friends

Hundreds of years the US has been on the world stage of international relations. In the early decades America was dependent on the help of others, but because of isolation imposed by some world traders in those early days, America learned to be self reliant and grow its own food, build its own textile industry, construct its own infrastructure, and blossom its skills and trades so it relied no more on other nations.

By the mid-1800’s other nations came to America for help in their relations with other countries. In peace time and war those friends learned to rely on us as a nation and supplier and collaborator on many projects. Especially in time of war and protection friends asked for help and got it.

By 1950 two world wars had been waged. Millions of people lost their lives. Billions of dollars of infrastructure was destroyed. And America helped rebuild war torn regions including those of our enemies. We restored them to health so they could manage their own affairs on their own. And we created new friends in the process.

Along the way many nations came to rely on America’s broad umbrella of safety and protection. NATO was formed and prospered. The United Nations was built and prospered. SEATO was formed and prospered. And the OAS, too, was formed and prospered. Not all of these treaty organizations have prospered all the time; not all negotiations were easy to agree to, but for the long term, they did work and work well.

Now many generations later leaders in some of these nations have gotten their own wind of power and are seeking their own pathways. Philippines is one such nation. Under Duterte a new order is in view. He is anti-American and now pro China and soon to be pro Russia. That is fine. He will learn soon enough what such partnerships mean to him and his people. His people are forever. He is not. And under such short term circumstances he will learn the friability of his negotiations. I wish him well. But I doubt he will be a generous spirit as much as others have generously provided for him and his nation.

There is no payback for being a friend or enemy of the USA. Ours is not a goal of hegemony over the world. Ours is a goal of peace and prosperity for the entire global community. Some will argue this but they will be wrong. Others will argue that our goal is too out of reach of reality. But they will learn eventually that only peace and prosperity for all is the actual motivation for everyone on the planet. Any non-peace lover will upset the balance of the whole and cause the pain of their own making.

America will prosper on its own or within a sphere of compatriot nations. It has learned well how to do this. And it will continue. We need not be hermits on the world stage; nor do we need to be emperors of other nations. That is not in our nature nor our desire.

May this always be so. Meanwhile, other nations will feel their sinewy strength and march off on their own. May they find the resilience and inner strength they need to complete their journey. And may their peoples find prosperity and peace as well.

I only ask they recall who were their friends when the chips were down and they faced extinction. Recall those days of terror. and remember who came to your aid.

For the rest of the global community we have much to attend to:

1. North Korea is rogue and needs to be controlled before they cause the deaths of billions of people in their own distorted view of reality
2. Africa needs loving care and assistance to safeguard at least a billion people now living under despots and psychotic dictators. Innocents are dying of health plagues and violence to say nothing of starvation. Such suffering is unconscionable but it has gone on for hundreds of years. When will the rest of us help put an end to such ignominy?
3. Quality of life is highly mismatched region by region upon the face of the globe. What will the rest of us do to minister to such needs? Does it fall upon us to help? Of course it does. We have the means and the knowledge. The question is when do we lend a hand? And will we necessarily do so alone or with the help of compassionate nations the world over?

Meanwhile, we have our own injustices at home that need attention, too.

With so much on our plate, we best be getting to work.

October 27, 2016

Foreign Correspondence

Going about my errands the other day I listened to PRI (Public Radio International). News correspondents were talking with American journalists about foreign perceptions of the American presidential election and campaign. Interesting comments on both sides of the conversation. What do people understand about the American political system, and why does it matter – if at all!?

Well, I got the impression that people outside of our borders think a lot about American culture and life styles. They see a world of plenty and lots of sparkle. Whether the latter is accurate or merely a poor reflection of the glamour they see depicted on TV or movie screens, I don’t know. But I suspect the glamour is over estimated, and the glibness, too.

America is not glib in reality. It is forthright mostly. People do live out their personalities in the main but they also monitor themselves and keep from tipping over too often. The question of want and projection outward from the contained self is not all that free in America. There is constraint.

As we spiral ever more outward with exuberance, I think we catch snippets of images of ourselves and are sobered. Life is not all celebration. And it is definitively not all glamour.

There is plenty of grit: poverty, suffering, ill health, injury and disability. There are run down living conditions and miserable commutes from home to work or to school, and back. There is poverty of aesthetic surroundings. There is poverty of food and kindness.

Especially kindness. We need so much more of that. But our nation is one of volunteers and generosity. Millions of people everyday help others with basic needs. And many help with the personal and motivational needs so the beneficiaries of such help can soar on their own and be able to help yet others in turn.

Americans are not all jaded. No, we are not so enamored with ourselves that we have lost touch with reality. Far more factual is the worry and fretting over failure and fault lines in our lives. If anyone wants to capture what it is like to be an American at this point in time, it is concern over failed attempts to be better. At a lot of things: happiness, financial independence, health, job prospects, political unrest, growing worries over tumultuous times, injustice in many communities, and poverty striking friends and colleagues. A land of plenty that is sometimes not generous to the failed plans of others.

And then our political system which is open, transparent and free. So open. It is transparent by design. Complaints to the contrary are bunk. Politics is a rough and tumble game that is not for all people. So the rest of us sit on the sidelines and watch, knowing that we have a role in it because we get to cast our votes. Our vote. Just one vote per person. Oh for many different positions but only one candidate per position.

We have our say. It’s guaranteed in our constitution. And it is truly provided for and counted. Each of our voices.

Between elections – between the times our say counts officially – we sustain the buffeting of a culture that sometimes appears to have gone mad. Crazy nuts mad. A rich man who inherited his starting stake in life and was protected ever after by family wealth during failed times, is still now a wealthy man. And he has his say throughout his private kingdom of wealth. He has power. Now he runs for the highest political office in the land expecting it to be his because he wants it and is wealthy. Will he be denied?

Yes he will be denied. Because America does not grant wealthy people political power with the exception of their largesse purchasing influence. Yes, that goes on in America. It is a sad reality. And in a land in which the courts have said corporations are people, too! So they have the right to spread their wealth to all corners of the political system and make their influence known.

Of course that is wrong headed, but the US Supreme Court has made it the law of the land for now until we the people overturn their edict with a constitutional amendment which I feel certain will happen.

For now the wealthy Mr. Trump feels certain of his power. But he has none. There are voters who will vote for the man mainly because he is gross, glib, angry and seemingly powerful. But he truly is uninformed and self-centered. He may be a demigod in his family and corporation. But he is just another citizen among the rest of us.

Plus, he is not a nice man. He is surly, mean tempered, disrespectful of women and ideas that do not conform to his. And his sense of power is greatly distorted. His emotional stability formed by anger and inner frustrations make his public judgment unpredictable.

All in all he is not a good and worthy candidate for public trust. In the face of well trained and experienced talent in others, he would be a poor choice indeed.

So to our friends (and enemies) in the global community, know that America understands the Donald Trumps of its nation but will not vote them into power. We will reject him handily on Election Day. And the system will not be rigged. It will be orderly and operated totally within the law. We are good at the voting process. It is reliable and functions very well.

On November 8^th the American people will have their say in the ballot box. Just wait and see. I am confident of the outcome!

October 26, 2016

Early to Rise

Woke early. 2:27 am. Unsettled. Wondering what is happening and do I understand it.

Got out of bed then and there, dressed hurriedly and tickled the computer to life. At this hour only one email from the evening before and then internet news.

The final presidential campaign debate was held and now over. Hillary Clinton skunked Trump. Good. That’s as it should be. Reports all seemed conclusive that Trump failed to move the dial of American sentiment in the polls; indeed, Hillary appeared to pull a lot of support.

And the Chicago Cubs baseball team handily beat the Dodgers 10 to 2; a slugfest to overcome their weak performance during the previous game. All’s well on that front, too. [As this is written the Cubs are now in the World Series which begins tonight; Go Cubs!]

So what niggled me out of sound sleep? Well, last night was my weekly meeting with the teen addicts. Nice kids, really. In so many ways wholesome and pleasant. Exuberant, too; God yes – exuberant. That’s a good thing. But I had asked them to think on a question from last week to discuss at this week’s meeting. The question: ‘If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?’

And unwilling but able, they haltingly offered their view one by one. One said tolerance for people who are different or have differing views; another agreed with that point; another wanted to remove all corruption from government; one wished authority over others to be removed completely or greatly reduced (parental authority, teachers, schools, police, etc.); one fellow wanted higher education to be free and broadly accessible to students who wanted and needed it.

That latter ‘wish’ was from a teen that is rarely serious in the group, always unsettled with the group setting; interacts with others well and with animation, but a little silly and seemingly uncomfortable. There lurks a serious side to him after all! That’s a good thing to know, and welcome.

Of course we revisited these issues they raised. We attempted to understand them more a bit better. Not much clarity, though. Sweeping statements about government corruption were not supported by specifics but he will bring that with him next week. The overstatement will be interesting to struggle with next week and see if we can moderate the view and bring it back to human scale. Not all government is corrupt. In fact very little of it is corrupt. Misunderstood most likely. Mis-calibrated, probably. But room to learn more of what he means and what the world really is like.

Authority over others is too great? Of course a young person would chafe at authority directed towards him. It is natural. And needed as well. None of us are truly free to act anyway we want. A lot of freedom, yes; total freedom, no; unless of course you view annihilation as free choice. Self destruction is always an option for each of us; rarely chosen and then only due to severe imbalance and duress. Understood. But learning is what we all do. Limits give us cause to think, restrict actions, and understand surroundings.

It is a maturing process we go through. Authority external to us is not total or smothering. But it does exist and we are guided by it until we understand the limits and why they are there. Anarchy is destructive and demeaning. Order and calm are necessary.

Our discussion was at my request. I had unleashed ideas and feelings among the group that I didn’t know how to control (other than sheer imposition of authority!). It was uncomfortable to me. I didn’t want the authority. I didn’t want to impose my views on them, yet, they are so unformed in their experience, knowledge and understanding.

How do we help them see the world more fully and positively. It is not all negative. In fact the teens said how they liked that I was positive most of the time. They told me I see so much good in the world and possibility.

Well, at least I can feel good about that! Because I know there is opportunity and possibility abundant in our world. With so much choice and options life is overwhelming to those unstructured to deal with it. But it is positive; not negative.

I’m still unsettled about last night’s discussion. Is this what every teacher goes through every day? Good grief!  Good thing I’m not a teacher. I think it would drive me loony. The tough times bring us to the good times. Awareness is born from confusion and chaos. But that order of events is necessary to help each individual find their way through the chaos toward order and productive living. It is a journey with many stops, twists and side trips. Not all is productive with the exception of the final outcome. From the journey come personal power and control and awareness.

I wonder about next week. Will we capture a bit of that order and balance in our discussion? Time for positive thoughts here to get me to that discussion. Hmmm.

October 25, 2016

State of Global Community

Ominous signs all over the place. Here are a few examples:

• Russia calls senior staff home; asks them and their families to return to safety of their homeland
• Russia building air base and military presence in Syria; next in other hot spots of the Middle East
• Russia and China joining efforts to tame their region of the world; keep a united front:
• China building man-made islands in South China Sea; militarizing them and telling everyone else to stay clear in spite of conflicts with international waters treaties
• North Korea allowed by China and Russia to do what they want with impunity
• Japan, Malaysia being boxed in by China and Russia via policy and threats alone
• Philippines breaking away from 75 years of partnership with American military umbrella
• Middle East countries still not stepping forward to defend themselves and their region; relying on foreign powers: USA, Russia, Iran, rogue states
• Isolation of Ukraine by Russia
• Sword rattling by Russia throughout European air and sea lanes; warplane maneuvers over NATO exercise sites; close call attack modes employed; bullying to lure false moves and defensive strikes 

Interestingly, humanitarian assistance is universally requested and given by NATO nations whenever disaster strikes. In China, Russia, Middle East and everywhere else. All of Africa, too. And South America. Where are efforts, caring and materiel from China and Russia in these instances?

India and China sign new treaties and agreements regarding energy. Russia joins support network of same treaty. Who will protect India when the Middle East explodes next? Pakistan, and all the ‘Stans’? India is boxing herself into a corner. Whose aid does she ask for in troubled times?

England is pulling out of the European Common Market. Others may follow. What then does the European brotherhood do for unity and collaborative gains?

There is much separatism building within the global community. This is not a good thing. Disunity rarely yields positive results. Who has their eye on this disturbing evolution?

I don’t trust unilateral agreements or actions. I do trust joint efforts to build peace and harmony. Anything less is gamesmanship to destabilize relations among nations for singular gains. Those almost always spell disaster for some other nation and their peoples.

After so much unrest and regional wars one would expect and hope that mankind would learn the lesson of collaborating. Why is this so hard to do? Peace ought not be about power.  Today it is. I understand why: to get attention and realization of  a serious situation someone takes a harsh stand and has the muscle to back it up. But once the parties are working toward common goals, the power needs to subside into the background.

I sense too much bristling armaments clattering for attention today. Not a good sign for anyone.

It is time to talk and share. Peace comes from these actions. It is the premium for comity. Hopefully peace will follow the calm?

October 24, 2016

Being an Election Judge

You know my political thoughts and beliefs. You know I am committed to my candidates and philosophies. Hopefully you know these to be consistent and congruent with facts and history. I certainly try to be congruent. And a serious student of political science as well!

At any rate once or twice a year I serve as an election judge. This is a lot of work. But managing polling places where America votes and keeps democracy alive and working is important work.

We election judges know we are in for a lot of work. Early morning set up of the polling place; exact requirements for procedures and routines to work seamlessly with the law. And then the greeting of each voter into the polling place and the marshaling of them through the process so they can cast their vote unencumbered by outside influence within the walls of the polling place. That is the law. That is the standard we uphold.

Bipartisan representatives are present, even bipartisan judges. We guard against unfairness and illegal actions within the polling place. And we keep our humor and civility throughout. Not always is this the case with voters. Some enter with huge chips on their shoulders; some seem cowed and afraid of the process. But most stand tall and move assured to cast their vote. These are the voters who have studied the issues and the candidates and are certain they are doing the right thing.

Our job is to accommodate all voters – young and old, foreign and domestic, sick and healthy, halt and lame, experienced and not so experienced.

We get our share of first time voters and their glee and pride! Always a welcome and refreshing experience to seasoned poll workers!

Over all the years I have done this work I think the thing that impresses me the most is the patience and solidity of voters in all sorts of conditions. Long lines or short, dark hours or bright sunshine, rain or snow or heat and cold do not deter their presence and voting. They are there each time to do their duty. They are there to vote and be America once again. The privacy of the voting booth is like an altar or confessional booth. It is sacred and taken as such.

In good times and bad the voter still steps forward and does her/his duty. Just as we need them to. Just as the system relies on them to do. It is an easy act but one which comes after much soul searching. Good thing. The issues are complex but important. We all need to understand them well to perform our function well. And although voting is only once or twice each year, it is a yearlong activity that takes discipline, alertness and research. Learn the issues. Understand the personalities. Separate fact from fiction and campaign rhetoric.

The time to be an American is on election day. Then it is our time to tell the candidates who is boss and what we expect from them. They work for us, after all. We do not work for them. Our reward is an open and intelligent nation able to do its own work and to help others succeed as well.

It rests on those of us who take this role seriously. Do you? Are you serious about your commitment to read and study and research the issues? Or do you push this off on others and fall victim to manipulators and power hungry charlatans?

It rests on you. And me, too. Are we up to this responsibility?

November 9^th will tell the story more fully, won’t it?

October 21, 2016

Dreary

The weather has turned dreary. Omens of future weather, too. Clouds dense and dark. Moving clouds over all the sky for as far as the eye can see. Dark. Ominous. Some rain now and again and then a downpour. Lightening and thunder, too, although less frequent. But rain, yes. Mists and soft rains; hard rains and cold ones. Wet. Damp. Dreary.

And the landscapes turn fiery colors at this time of year but soon lose luster with falling leaves, bare branches, and starkly dark tree trunks and limbs. Just the outline of a tree with no soft leaves and bushiness. Don’t forget the damp ground, dark with sodden weeds now flattened and leaves piling up and rotting. The smell of dank and mulch-forming rot. That is fall. That is the end of the growing season and the beginning of hibernation.

Winter is around the corner. Some snow then lots of snow. Then ice and more snow. Cold winds and difficult travel. Cold and buffeting temps and winds. Not pleasant. Until a fire is lit in a fireplace, the crackle and pop of burning wood and the smell of smoke now tamed and rushing up the chimney. Warmth radiates the room. Blankets over knees and ankles complete the picture. We are snug and at rest. Safely indoors away from the bluster of winter.

Thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and the rush indoors to be with other people we love and like. And the food, too, of course! Thanksgiving, the season of gathering and sharing each others’ presence. A time of family and close friends. A good time.

One wonders if it would be so good if the weather outdoors weren’t so awful?

I remember growing up in southern California. We had Thanksgivings, too, but the weather was in soft and kind in the 60’s and 70’s with an occasional 80’s. The wind, though, came more briskly and yes, some of our trees lost their leaves. But not all. No, not massive nudity among the forests and woods. We had plenty of trees that kept their clothes on through winter! Of course we had pine trees, too, and the palm trees. Both of them kept their greenery throughout the autumnal recess.

With Thanksgiving, comes the welcome to the Christmas season. The happiness and rush to generosity with one another. The season of sharing good times and good things. In modern times a bit too much and over the top. But then that’s how people act over time – stretching good times far beyond original intent. It is up to the rest of us to keep the balance and perspective.

Christmas is a time of love and respect and togetherness. Not apartness. And the weather somehow makes certain we are pressed into this behavior. At least in the north lands of America and the Midwest. Winter is cold and an indoor time. If you like the cold outdoors life, then skiing and sledding and ice skating are your pastimes. For the rest of us respite indoors means a fire, food, and repose.

Dreary. We started with dreary and wended our way to bright firesides. Adjusting to conditions. From dreary to warmth and cozy.

May we get out of this dreary campaign season soon and return to the warm and cozy so needed by us all.

Be kind to one another now so you can enjoy the presence of family and hearth in the coming weeks. Cast your vote and close your mouth. Keep the peace. And be the love we all are asked to be.

October 20, 2016

Angry at Whom?

In this political season anger seems omnipresent. I hear people complaining about a system that is rigged. I hear few ideas expressed on actual programs debated; just personalities. And when personalities are tossed around it is nothing but innuendo, unproven statements, and angry, nasty twists of words. And faces. Don’t forget the facial muscles twisting into tortured patterns!

Lots of fear mongering, too. “The budget deficit will soar under so and so,” or “Watch the decline of justice in this country,” or, and this is my favorite, “He/She is in it for the money, just watch what happens after the election!”

Money? Fear? Honesty? Character traits? Crookedness? Liar? Twisted?

These are school yard bully words. Childish epithets tossed among kids and meant for kids. When adults use them it gets ugly in a moment.

And dirties all who participate in these exchanges. Yes, even the audiences are dirtied by merely being there and whooping it up and cheering on this behavior. It cheapens them. And us if we watch it on the news. We won’t even mention the news media which crams this material down our throats at every turn.

Yes. I’m angry. For many reasons, I guess, but mainly at the people who truly don’t understand what they are doing or even why. They think they have been wronged? How? Who did what to them? And what did they do to avoid whatever it is they are angry about? Do they even understand the US Constitution or its history? Do they follow government activities and news events throughout the year to understand what is happening and why? Are they participating in voting as intelligent, informed voters?

Or are they looking at their bank balances and wondering why things are tough for them? Are they looking at what they don’t have but want anyway, regardless of the value of the stuff? And are they certain they understand who is responsible for all of these outcomes?

Angry, yes. But at whom and why? Outcomes derive from many causes and decisions, and missteps taken by many participants. Economic realities come from many actions and circumstances. Not all circumstances are controllable, either. If you appreciate chaos theory you will understand controllability and lack thereof.

Here are some things you should know as baselines to understanding American political realities:

• Money is powerful; it buys influence in decision making circles; it feeds personal greed which then morphs into influential arm twisting to acquire conformity among pals in decision making circles
• Power is another form of greed; a power hungry person seeks unending supply of power because it makes him/her feel omnipotent over other people; it is a huge ego game for them
• American elections are for sale to the highest bidder; have been for a very long time; mostly this involves powerful industries that make lots of money like military industrial manufacturers, bankers and investment bankers, and real estate moguls and developers. These people control vast funds and wealth development for others. They serve the few and the rich.
• Elections are open to everyone but intelligent, informed voters are a small part of the electorate. Most are uninformed and easily manipulated by fear and misinformation
• Governance involves complicated decisions to support program design, development and implementation. Funding is the power card moderating decision making. Think education, medical care, banking and insurance regulations and the like. Program designs are frustrated by financial decisions made by people who don’t want key outcomes; they are afraid such will reduce their wealth. 

But the really big elephant in the room is this: Big government or Small government?

The conservatives want small government. They think this is what the framers of the Constitution meant. They want to keep things simple. But mostly they want government to be cheap and not intrusive in their lives. This means hands off by the government. And keep taxes low.

Liberals want government large enough to accomplish needed tasks that protect human dignity and individual pursuit of happiness without endangering others. Liberals seek outcomes that focus on quality of life: education, healthcare access, police and criminal justice system, national defense, and commonsense regulations that protect the people from greed and power hungry predators.

Centrists desire the efficiency of the conservatives AND the protection of ‘life, liberty and pursuit of happiness’ of the liberals. Life is complex and compromises must be made to govern well and effectively. Regulations are a form of governance and are necessary tools.

These three ideological camps exist in competition with one another. While the discussions, arguments and deal making go on among decision makers, the electorate is mainly out of the picture. Their voices are not heard or considered. The complexity is the factor that allows this to happen. However, our government is transparent in the main and open to view for those who wish it. In the past media organizations and journalists did a lot of the heavy lifting in this arena. Today the media is weak and splintered by competitive chaos due to cable network expansion. Ratings control viewer behavior; ratings control ad budgets and revenue; journalism and fact finding is lessened; the public gets less news of quality reporting.

The result is an uninformed electorate that is targeted by ad campaigns during elections and bad decisions are made as a result. Gridlock in legislative bodies is an example of that election outcome. So too is leadership compromised by special interest funding of campaigns. And so it goes, spiraling down toward lowest common denominators among us.

Lowest common denominators.

You want something good? Reach for the stars! You want to achieve great things? Strive toward great things! You want to understand what’s happening? Read and study the facts and reliable reports!

Those are elements of the highest common denominator. Not much of that is on view these days, is it?

No. I didn’t think so either. And there’s your answer to why things are the way they are. And the anger? Yes, understandable. But the direction of that anger comes back to the people who caused it to be in the first place.

Look in the mirror. It is you and I. We are the ones responsible for the anger and frustration! What do you plan on doing about it?

Huh? The move is yours.

October 19, 2016

Defining Dirt

Defining or finding dirt seems to be the sole pastime of politicians these days, including their supporters who fan their own appetites with the gore. Stuff and gore. Crud all.

What do we know? What do we suspect? What do we feel?

These three baselines of experiencing life are very different from one another. Knowing is based on fact. It is real. Whether the facts have meaning the finder hopes they have depends on what their expectations or suspicions were in the first place. Aha! I thought so! Look what I found. This is proof that my suspicions were well founded.

Well, maybe not. Twisting facts so they appear to support a preconceived notion is not actually fact based.

What do I suspect? Well, this depends on what your bias – or if you have a bias – is in the first place. Why are you looking into something? Is it based on what you think the person in authority did wrong? Or are you looking for the cause – effect – result  that actually developed into the fact we are living with in the present tense?

For example, a robbery takes place. One wonders what they took, how valuable it is, who sustained the loss, where did this take place and so forth. The who, what, where, when and why. This is fact finding work. The why is the last thing attempted. That’s the motive of the action under investigation.

The why is often the first thing contemplated in political discourse. It seems to me we need to reverse that thinking and aim for learning What is happening or has happened; How is the event described fully in scope and particulars; Why did it happen in the first place; and Who is involved in the occurrence. This does not begin with Who. It begins with What.

My life’s experience informs me that if an article or report begins with the Who, then the item is most likely political in nature.

American culture dotes on blame: “Who’s to blame for this happening?” “What were they thinking?” “What do they get out of it (the Why!)?” You get the idea. Politics people. Blame and shuddering.

Instead we should be focusing on what happened and what we would rather the result to have been if things were working properly. What’s the idea compared with the actual outcome? Then how do we get the next outcome to be more aligned with our idea? That’s goal driven behavior that repairs things, improves upon things.

If we learn later that a poor outcome was the result of poor performance on the job by some authority figure, then steps can and should be taken to correct that problem. If that person was motivated by personal gain and that caused the poor outcome, then the authority figure should be removed if not prosecuted in the justice system.

The Why of things ought not to be a blaming process. It should be a causal discovery so we can fix things. Do you see evidence that today’s political discourse is operated in this manner?

No. Tossing around accusations seems to be the only thing political events, stunts and ads tout these days.

In the presidential campaigns Trump claims Hillary is a liar and crook. No evidence has ever been found and prosecuted to prove these accusations. Ever. Just name calling and assertion. I guess they feel if they say it enough times then people will believe it. But belief does not rest on fact. Smoking guns? Smoke and fire? You’ve heard these canards so often you don’t even hear them anymore.

The facts tell a different story.

Trump is a womanizer, an abuser/assaulter of women, and acts on it. That is his story for decades now and there are even investigations and court cases that document it.

Hillary is not a crook or a liar. She has been investigated and sued by her enemies over and over again for over 30 years and still they haven’t found anything that sticks. It is all conjecture and bias and make believe facts that hold no water. Same for husband Bill. The enemies went after both Bill and Hillary and found nothing. Proved nothing.

I like Bill. I like Hillary. I trust both with my life. When all the acrimony and accusations have subsided, Bill and Hillary have accomplished much for everyone else. Along the way they earned money the old fashioned way – they earned it. By researching issues, writing speeches and authoring books. They have created programs on a global scale and executed them well. Millions of people have benefited all across the globe. That is their strength. That is their gift to the world community. Women’s rights, access to health care, the fight against AIDS, economic development in poor nations, the list is long and enviable of their programs and accomplishments. That’s what the Clinton Foundation does. It is not an employer or wealth generator for the Clintons.

I don’t like Trump. I don’t trust Trump. I think he is inexperienced in public policy and governance and not equipped to do the job of President. End of story. The facts support these conclusions. Not blame. Not innuendo. Not bias. Just facts. His life has been spent making financial profits at someone’s expense. Investors, tax payers and business competitors know this story well. He has not created wealth. He has abused wealth for his own benefit. And his foundation generates funds for himself, not charitable beneficiaries.

Feelings and suspicions should not run our country as they often do today. Facts should be the basis of our governance AND politics.

No wonder the youth today wonder what’s going on. They see so much crap they can only disrespect the system they are heirs to. I can only hope and pray they do a better job than we have.

October 18, 2016

Moving On

Politics are controlling our news cycles. It is time to put a stop to that.  Only you and I can do that. Besides, I voted early last week and for me the election is settled. I have peace of mind. Of course I have hopes for the election outcome but there’s nothing more that I can do.

So what to do with our time now? At least the time we have been wasting on the political process when for months we already knew who we were supporting and voting for? Well, of course, we will return our focus to family, loved ones, friends and our careers. So much to do in life. So much energy and focus required to do all those ‘other’ things well.

Without political distractions we can move on to what’s really important.

And while we are doing that, I suggest the candidates do the same. They have already won or lost their campaigns. It is over. What you ought to be doing, candidates, is focus on the programs and initiatives you hope to implement once you are in office. That’s actually what you should have been doing all along.

I know Hillary has done that. She has stacks of proposals, programs and policy white papers prepared for anyone interested in reading them. The Donald? Most likely he hasn’t written much of anything. Perhaps his staff has produced some suggested programs for him to support just so there is something in his ‘in and out’ baskets. Probably not much is there, however. His attention is focused on negative attacks on anyone and everyone.

And many of his cohorts in the republican party do much the same. It is in their DNA. They have practiced this for 25 to 30 years now; it has shadowed them and now shades them mightily.

Selecting Trump as their party’s candidate to lead the party was a huge mistake. It is off script for the party, and totally opposite the precepts and values of Abraham Lincoln.

Having done this, the party will either die completely, or it will enter a long and arduous trek to rebuild its reputation and value structure.  First of all, it is not the conservative party. If that is what it wants, then it should state that as fact and give others the opportunity to move to other organizations that better articulate what they believe in. The world is not just conservatives and liberals. There are many different philosophies at work in our society, and most are pretty decent and supportable.

Conservatism under the republican brand has turned to a near-fascism. It is extreme today. And that is not a reflection of what America stands for. I think the republicans would be the first to admit that, but they have been taken so far off the track they might not see this reality. That’s why their rebuilding process will be a long, long journey.

Meanwhile, others might not be so patient. That gives them the opportunity to start a new party of inclusion and valued outcomes as their objectives. Who knows? This process might actually move the nation to adopt a three party system. Such a development would support better choices for the electorate and will provide more nuanced issues for discussion and inclusion for the public. That would be a good thing.

Actually, anything would be an improvement over what we have become in 2016. Argumentative, uncivil, loud-mouthed, lewd, brutal and threatening. The bully mentality has emerged in American society as it has from time to time in the past. But it is not pretty and needs to be removed. Now.

So to do that, let’s begin the process of visualizing the kind of society we want American to be. So much to talk about on this topic alone. So where are your ideas, your topics, your hopes and dreams? Care to share them here so we can discuss them calmly and thoughtfully?

Wouldn’t that be fun? And interesting? Care to begin? You know where I stand on most topics. I’ll be happy to moderate a blog discussion of what is on your mind.

Here’s the space. Here’s the opportunity. Let’s get started.

October 17, 2016

Civility

It is hard to be nice all the time. For me it is nearly impossible not to get angry and inarticulate when confronted by someone who is trying to nettle me. I don’t know how the two presidential candidates could face each other after what has been said these past few weeks. And we knew what one candidate was planning to do before and during the debate to pressure his opponent. Trump intended to – and actually did – raise up the Bill Clinton personal misdeeds and accusations as though they are Hillary’s problem. They were her problem to live with and learn to forgive. And she did. So she was the victor on the issue.

But Trump? Please. He is guilty as charged and has apologized for some of his actions against women. But Bill? He was pilloried in the press, the courts and in Congress. And found not guilty. Trump? No such workings yet from the justice system. But he has admitted his roles. And evidently in his mind this makes it all OK.

It doesn’t, of course, make it OK. But what is really not OK is trying to smear Hillary with Bill’s issues. This has had nothing to do with Hillary. If anything it demonstrates her staying power and willingness to deal with the hard issues of life in order to get past them constructively.

Bill was his own problem. That is in the past. His issues gave his marriage real challenges; but both Bill and Hillary lived through them and succeeded where so many others have given up on each other. Not the Clintons. They remained together and continued to work to improve the world not condemning it.

Trump? Not one policy, word or program that will address the issues facing America or the world community. Just cheap shots and innuendos. He is not a fully matured person in government or public policy.

And American cannot afford to train him on the job. We already know his trainability is sorely lacking.

So Trump speaks his mind. And that seems to be a refreshing quality among 40% of the electorate. But what happens once the mind has spoken? What actions and decisions are then made? What workings within the government’s constitutional system are then employed to fix things? Does Trump have those answers or knowledge? No. He doesn’t.

If the Congress isn’t with you they will make life impossible for you. Observe 8 years of Congressional misdeeds aimed at Obama. Case in point! No cooperation or collaboration extended toward the President in 8 years. They took an oath to frustrate the hell out of Obama. And yet his grace under pressure shone through and he succeeded to rebuild the economy and reduce the cost of medical care and increase hugely the number of people properly insured for healthcare. In spite of Congress. He still has made a major difference in many issues. And on the world stage he has had the largest role. The world community likes and respects Obama. They know him to be thoughtful and intelligent and studied. They know him to be a person who does not dump his ideas and solutions onto others. That is why Putin is able to carp endlessly and seemingly gets his way. He doesn’t. His nation is broke. And his public servants-employees are underpaid if paid at all. All he is left with is his swagger and rattling of military armaments. He has plenty of those while his people starve and dodge giant potholes in their streets. Putin is an emperor without clothes. All the more to model his physique I guess!

No, President Barack Obama has a class Putin never will have. And the world respects this. We don’t tell Russia how to live, nor do we enforce such opinions. Russia is left to its own devices to live and survive. If they misstep the world community will answer the call. This is the global community’s fight, not America’s. Always has been. The USA is not the policeman to the world. We are there for help when needed. But we are the not arbiter of all things.

The true colors of the Trumps, Putins and republicans of the world are on full display.

Thankfully there are millions of worthy people willing to do the work of the public in countless offices and buildings throughout the nation. People who run the schools, the police departments, the streets and sanitation departments, the penal systems, the water and sewer departments, and of course the courts and criminal justice system. Diplomats too report for work each day and do their thankless jobs for the good of us all. And city, county and most states have employees who faithfully discharge their duties.

But Congress and its ill-fated leadership in the hands of Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan and a host of other lesser republicans, are added to the frumpy likes of Trump and Putin. They all fail the civility test. They all fail their civics lessons learned decades ago. Or not!

America remains the nation of the people, for the people and by the people. Beware Frumps! Your days are nearly past.

October 14, 2016

Aligning Stars

The other day I wrote about outcomes I wished to see happen in our country. I also expressed the desire that people in embattled neighborhoods in inner city locations would come to realize these are their neighborhoods and only they can do something about their problems. Yes, the police can help. But more often they are not welcome by many citizens because they don’t trust them. With this sentiment comes a building resistance to police presence from younger people who learn the negativity from their elders.

The problem gets worse when criminals, bullies and gang members (perhaps these are all one and the same?) realize that public resistance to the police plays into their hands. This gives the gangs free reign over their territories and the crime and violence worsens.

No, my idea is that churches, institutions – both public and private – and ordinary citizens have to work together to take back their own streets. Invite in municipal authorities and their programs for help, and do welcome the police. All together these forces of good in the community are more likely to produce desired results than any one entity working alone.

And let’s be clear about this: complaining about a problem doesn’t solve it. It just heightens the angst.

So, what about aligning stars? Well, I have had two potential clients of SCORE contact me for help. In one case a married couple asked for help in creating a youth counseling service. She reported her husband wants to create a church to work in conjunction with her counseling program. Their place of residence is commonly linked to high income earners and wealth. I thought they were going to create some private agency to work with suburban youth in crisis. I know such exist; I work with some of them. As good as that is, I was disappointed that where this work really needs to be done is in inner city Chicago neighborhoods.

Well, I met with the couple yesterday morning. And wonders of wonders, they are an African American couple in their late 40’s with grown kids, the last making her way through college. Mom and Dad want to form a church and a separate youth counseling service/youth ministry in a Westside Chicago troubled neighborhood. They want to enter the hell of despair where it exists and do something about it! Is this not what I’ve been writing about?

Man was I excited by this development. And I told them so. I think this pairing of purpose will be an exciting ride to very desirable outcomes.

More alignment of stars: next weekend I visit a down and out city 90 miles distant from Chicago. The old once proud community is in tatters. Racial divides have torn asunder the city of Rockford. Struggle as they might not much progress has been made.

Now another African American couple is stepping forward. He has a church there now. She intends to create a community center that provides residents these forms of services: housing assistance and housing alternatives; counseling and crisis intervention; improved access to medical care; tutoring and expanded access to educational services, programs and remedial assistance. And whatever more we can conjure and build and support long term.

This is another community stepping up to address its own problems. Whether Chicago or Rockford or your own community, it is only as healthy as you help make it so. It begins with me. And you. It extends to our families and friends, and their family and friends. Help from municipal authorities is a must, so too police assistance and program support. But help is much more potent a presence when it comes from within. Big government programs applied from outside the community help, but they don’t solve what truly ails the community.

That ailment is internal to each person living within that community. Healing will come from these same people.

So, two communities, both in deep trouble. And two caring, loving couples stepping up to the challenges. Will they succeed? Who knows? All I know is this is a heroic step for good and it’s journey may be long and hard. But then its success will be that much more worthy of our celebration and further support.

I am so thankful I lived to experience this! But so much more work is needed. And support from willing hands, minds and hearts. And wallets. Don’t forget the wallets. It will cost more than blood, sweat and tears. It will require dollars, too.

And that’s a fact of life that will need more alignment of stars.

October 13, 2016

Ignorance and Catastrophe

The daily news tells us what is happening in the world, region, state and city. Even our neighborhoods are happening! And we learn what’s going on either by the news reports or gossip, or newsletters, or whatever transmission is used. What we do with that news is important, to ourselves and to others.

Accumulation of news actually is a building of history. From this amassing of data we learn things: what is happening, what is likely to happen from the current trends, and what we need to do about these matters to manage them so they build toward accepted goals and expectations.

If we see heavy rains swelling rivers, our news from the past tells us of flood threats from the rivers. Retention walls along river banks are built over time to contain the higher levels of water within the river and not in our neighborhoods and streets. Dams may be built in response to significant historic flooding in a region. This protects life and property in that region.

So too we observe massive traffic congestion building in some areas in response to growing population and economic activity. New highways and traffic systems are engineered and built to accommodate the traffic loads. This is what we do with news, observations, threats and opportunities. We familiarize ourselves with these facts and think forward to build something better for our communities.

We build schools for the kids. We work hard to develop educational programs for the kids so they are capable of adapting to changing society over time.

We observe nations around the globe and see in them partners or future partners for projects of mutual interest. And we also learn who is a friendly and who is not. We assess the threat of the unfriendly and build defense systems accordingly. We build peace initiatives toward unfriendly nations and hope that they will become friends so we can divert defense expenditures toward socially beneficial programs to support better quality of life for more people.

We keep our minds active over time to learn what is going on around us and how it affects ourselves and our families and friends. We learn and adapt. We change with the changing society and culture around us.

Not doing this means we are affected by the news because we are not adapting to it. We are not getting out of the way of the speeding car on the street. We get hit and injured, or worse, killed.

We smoke or drink until our health is harmed and fails. We take jobs with no good end in sight and become laid off, discarded, and placed in the underemployed category. What can I do to make myself more employable long term and adaptable to a changing workforce and employment scene? What are the options I have?

Can I do for myself or must I rely on others to provide for me?

And how then do I act? Do I blame the ‘system’ for my plight or do I have a clear vision of the mirror in front of me and ‘see’ that I didn’t notice what was obvious to others? That a changing world will sweep me along to places I don’t want to go, or I did see, and altered my own course?

Ignorance has many faces. Dancing to three in the morning may be fun once in a long while. Addicting one’s self to dancing to 3 am once a week may be a signal of a problem. Changing the behavior, the addiction to fun and pleasure, may be a critical issue in one’s life at some time or other.

Just like drinking or drugging, addictions to pleasure blind a person from other realities. They must work. They must apply the mind to meaningful tasks. They must learn. About themselves and others. And organizations, too. What do they have in common? What do they mean to me and others?

Come on, folks. This is not rocket science with high math and particle physics applied. It is simple math and logic.

We get out of life what we put into it. Life has value only if we build it in ourselves. No one gives this to us. The only thing we are given is opportunity. And that we must recognize and go with. It is ours to respond to, not take advantage of, but to use to advantage. And later provide the same opportunities to others.

Failing to do this – failing to recognize our ignorance and work for the opposite – will certainly make catastrophes happen. And more frequently!

Don’t know who to vote for this November? Where have you been? Don’t understand the issues in the cross hairs for this election? Where have you been? Don’t understand how the candidates differ from each other? Where have you been? Don’t understand how the electoral system works? Where have you been?

Yes. Where have you been? The rest of us have been paying attention. We think we understand it. Often that is a false understanding, but at least an attempt has been made.

While America plays games with its future through horrible politics, the rest of the world is advancing its ability to out-compete us and maybe design offensive programs against us.

Where have you been? And do you have the will to catch up in time for the election?

We can only pray you do!

October 12, 2016

Ignorance and Fate

Fate is what happens to us through the overwhelming tide of time and its passage. We either do well in that moving current or not. We adapt to it as best we can, and sometimes surf upon it and do well with little planning on our part. But we can do better. Always better.

Contributing our intent, knowledge, wisdom and caring, we can navigate the swells of time and history forming. We can prepare ourselves for challenges – both major and minor. We can build defenses against conditions and events we suspect will happen or will eventually occur. A stronger wall. A protection against hurricane damage with stronger glass, or steel shutters that roll down to cover the window. Or perhaps we build a home with the aid of an architect who designs hurricane-proof homes. And we plant landscapes that will weather storms or are easily and quickly replaced with quick-growth varietals.

We buy homes in the north lands that have flatter driveways because they would be impossible to climb in icy weather, or back down, too! We install roofs that also carry snow loads, ice dams and withstand buffeting howling winter winds.

We wear clothes to protect us from the cold and the heat, and the sun and frost bite.

Why not prepare our minds as well to withstand the tides of time and change. History stops for no one. Remember that. No one. Not you. Not me. Not the power wealthy or powerful people on earth. Time continues on its path. History accumulates its events and trends. Powerful paths of shifting sands and change. They happen. It is basic physics only on the human scale.

Those people who are concerned only with their own jobs, clothing, fun nights out, style and fashion and all the other social accouterments, will find themselves lacking when the chips are down. Life is not all orderly and neat. Nor is it generous to those who always want and never give.

The trick about being happy and successful is not the getting of things. It is the giving of self. Getting outside of yourself is the key to happiness. Always has been. Every religion and philosophical didactic has uttered this truth. Because it is the truth. It is one of those universals in life.

Hard to learn. Difficult to see. But beautiful to experience.

Often we do not know this is the truth until we do experience it. And it sneaks up on us. Unexpected but welcome. Stumbled over. One day we realize we are not happy and another day we feel ourselves responding in happiness over something or other and we begin to realize the what, why and how.

It is not a secret of a generation. It is a coming to know. All by ourselves. When we least expect it.

We gravitate towards people who seem solid and balanced and happy. We do this unbidden. We discover something in that person that grounds us. Later we begin to realize our attraction to this person was due to their natural outward expression and orientation. They give life to others by being nice, supportive and caring. It is not required to do so in return to this person; but it is necessary to give to others because of this person.

The doing proves the point. The result – the outcome – is growth and happiness.

Try it for yourself. It is not giving of money or things. It is giving time and caring and attention. It is so many things that do not require wealth of things. It is a spirit of mind. An attitude.

Ellen DeGeneres asks us all to ‘be kind to one another’ each day she signs off her show. That’s it. Be kind to one another. Care about others. Get outside of yourself. Let the wonder of the world enter your personal world. And see your world grow!

Peace is like that. If we are not fighting one another we have the time and space to gather strengths to live life on its terms. Without fighting it. Without jousting with others inside or out of the family.

I hear tales of horrific relationships within families. I wonder why they went so far off the tracks. But they did. And the closer you look at those relationships the more you recognize selfishness and self centeredness. Hurt feelings are a defensive response but first the person had to have an expectation of self and worthiness that for some reason they feel has been violated. Maybe that person had an unrealistic expectation in the first place? Why must the other person be kindly disposed to you if you are not the same toward him or her?

Why are you in a relationship? To make you feel better or the other person? Which direction is the relationship aimed? For you or for the other, or for mutuality? Hmmmm?

I wonder if this is the primary reason for family drama? If so it is all so unnecessary.

Fate will deal you the results of your actions. Ignorance of cause will leave you hurting and outraged. Perhaps the outrage should be directed at yourself?

October 11, 2016

Shooting Us in the Foot

I don’t know about you but I am angry as hell. At the US Congress. Especially the republican portion of the Congress.

Let’s see what makes them tick. They don’t like being out of power – that is, not in the White House. So they have done everything in their power (and some invented and manipulated powers!) to minimize the power in the White House.

Why they do this is complicated. But I think there some stark talk that needs to be spoken about this. We have a problem. And it is not President Obama. He is a kind, gentle and intelligent person focused on doing what is best for the nation. But the problem is this: he is black. And that does not sit well with a lot of people.

Evidently this sits very poorly with republicans. They have pledged their political careers on demeaning Obama and making his presidency meaningless. Too bad that time has past. His terms in office have been fruitful and successful in spite of the efforts to the contrary. How it turns out is this: The Obama's are decent people. Their enemies are not decent people.

And the reason? Probably two elements combined but mostly racism. Ugly as that sounds it is true. I labored from the 1950’s through the 1970’s to defeat racism in America. I thought we had it tamed. Evidently not. It reappeared in capital letters throughout America in the 2000’s when a black man ran for the White House and won. Good Lord, he won!

For some reason this embarrassed the republican establishment. They pledged they would make Obama’s presidency a futile exercise on his part. And they have nearly succeeded.

Somehow Congress messed up on Obamacare. They meant to minimize it, cut it off at its knees and to frustrate the hell out of it so it wouldn’t work. So they passed it in a frightful state of incompleteness. They did this intentionally, but Obama accepted what he could after a very long and grueling fight in Congress.

Wonder of wonders Obamacare was successful; a halting start due to its complexity (thanks to Congress) and the computer systems people had a difficult time supporting the program accordingly. But they finally got it off the ground. Over 15 million people previously uninsured became insured with health care coverage. And millions more who were under-insured finally had better benefits that saved lives and fortunes.

Along the way the nation – the US Federal Government – saved many billions in Medicare and Medicaid funds. The savings could have been more. The coverage could have been more broad and successful. But no, Congress thwarted the program at every step. Where they had screwed up – miscalculated really – the popularity of the program and its need had surprised the republicans. Still they endeavored to defeat the program turn.

Today, as planned, the infrastructure of Obamacare is struggling with premiums and open market programs in individual states and regions. The funding and actions required to fix these problems – remember they are intentional problems engineered by political enemies – they now are pledging to defeat again. Republican leadership in Washington announced on October 5, 2016 that they would do their best to keep solutions from being enacted to solve problems in Obamacare.

They do this because they are racists and hate Obama. It is said. Right here and right now. They are white men privileged and committed to their own power and influence. They refuse to share it with others not selected by them, especially a black man. Shameful.

Shameful. And in 2016, 52 years after the 1964 Civil Rights Act was passed and implemented. Oh so very shameful upon the character and history of America. I am ashamed of my own country for this. I thought we were well beyond this.

Gridlock in Congress is said to be an ideological skirmish. It is not. It is not merely conservatives against liberals. I say this confidently because there are plenty of people not aligned with these two ideologies in the first place. Many of us are centrists; still others are libertarians. And countless others are nothing on the political ideology scale. They simply are not interested in this baloney.

What matters is getting things done that matter to the American people. That’s good enough for me. What about you?

Isn’t it time we dumped the obstructionists from political power? You know we have the opportunity to do this by cleaning them out in this election. 100% of the House of Representatives, are up for re-election. Every two years your congressman and mine have to be re-elected to office or face replacement. Every two years one third of the Senate is replaced in similar fashion. We can make a huge difference in Congress in 2016 by ousting the trouble makers.

Maybe term limits are a good idea. I have not supported that in the past namely because the history and governance protocols are heavy and complicated. It takes experience to understand them and work them well. Newbies would mess it up; but at least they would focus on what matters rather than the dark side of manipulated power.

I want Obamacare to work well with all the support and amendments that will perfect it over time. After all, Social Security was not perfect at the very beginning. It took decades to improve it. Along the way too many trouble makers added too much burden and bells and whistles to Social Security; it almost killed the great program. But repairs have been made to prolong Social Security’s life and promise.

The same needs to be done for Obamacare.

And the same return to hard work needs to be done for social justice and race relations in our nation. Without that we remain a nation stunted by our own prejudices. And I think that would be a terrible stain on our history. A repeat of history actually. All the more shameful!

October 10, 2016

Outcomes I Value

Here are some things I believe are important to work towards. I think of them as desired outcomes, those characteristics of and in our society that I think would be very important if we had them functioning fully.

1. Open access to education for each person to the fullest need that will help them develop into self sustaining citizens who make major contributions to the wellness of our society
2. Education support that is provided by society without debt on the part of the student. They should be able to study anything that they are interested in and can master. Not interested or earning poor grades gets them kicked out of school. Education is not a baby sitting operation. It is a human development enterprise for the good of the student and the society in equal parts
3. Education support is life long to match life-long learning goals. If all our citizens were adaptable to social changes then each of us will be able to weather the storm of economic change, career change and shifting trends within our culture
4. Acceptance of or tolerance for differences among us – race, religion, culture, nationality, appearance, wealth or lack thereof – is a must in an open and peace loving democracy. This outcome is not automatic; it is earned after long, hard earned effort
5. Attention to aesthetic values. These shape the feel, color, utility and inspirational power of our environment. We live better in surroundings that are designed and ‘arted’ inventively. We respond to such surroundings with rich ideas, feelings and spirits raised
6. Peace with our neighbors and global partners. This outcome should be a part of our DNA as a society. We are peace loving while maintaining a strong defense against aggressors of any sort who might covet what we have. But peace loving is internal to the spirit and mind and not easily stolen. It does, however, prompt peace from others as a response. We see our enemies clearly in such a mindset and we know then how to deal with them
7. Appreciation for and protection of our planet and all that is natural within it. Protecting our environment – air, water, soil – against degradation or destruction is paramount to our survival
8. Appreciation of and for the arts in all of its forms. This not only shapes the immediate environment in which we function but it alters and shapes our brains in response 

I firmly believe – and hope as well – these eight outcomes will make life worth living for just about everyone on the planet. These should be the objectives we work toward in our own lives as well as in our organizations and governments.

Indeed, if our governments are not working toward these ends then they are working against our well being in the final analysis. If politicians utter words to the contrary then I know for certain they are not our leaders but detractors.

And detractors we do not need. They foment unrest for their own advancement and wealth. Does this sound familiar?

Who is building us up? And who is tearing us down. Those within our nation and society who do this are not our friends. Beware their identity on November 8, 2016.

October 7, 2016

Do Not Be Afraid!

Working with teens. They want much but don’t know what to focus on. Is it career? Probably not; they don’t know enough about a lot of things to make knowledgeable choices or decisions. Frustration builds and for some this can take over their lives.

For those kids drugs and alcohol may pose easy solutions for their frustrations. Exploring their lives of feeling and physical growth and potential leads them places that are complex. Complex and emotional. The gulf between the logical-factual realm versus the emotional-fantasy arena grows. And it is scary. A bunch of beers can soften the blow; or whiskey; or marijuana. Or maybe something stronger. Much stronger.

Is there any wonder why young people are attracted to drugs and its supporting culture?

Listen to them talk about life. Let them rant and rave and laugh and giggle their way through a mind-bending array of topics. Observe how they handle each of them. When too jumbled and confusing, they seek solace through laughter and pleasure seeking. The cocoon of familiar social settings in which their feelings and understandings are common and allowed.

Not so in family settings. The generational divides present too many unsympathetic mindsets that discount or minimize the thoughts and concerns of the younger generation. A disconnect is created right then. And they don’t think they will be heard if their voices are even welcome in the first place!

Can you imagine that happening? Of course you can. And it does happen and it is the core transaction that creates the drug culture in America. Solve that transactional problem and you cut the drug culture off at the knees.

How can this be done?

By listening carefully to what is being said or communicated in other ways by the younger generation. Set aside your judgment. Hear what is being said and then work hard to understand what it means. The message comes at many levels. Some are apparent. Most are not. The communicator voicing the message does not fully understand what he is talking about. It is wrapped within layers of meaning and emotions and facts. It is not all logical. But it is meaningful, all of it. To him.

It is our job to hear those messages and then do something productive with them. The first obvious objective is to make the youth comfortable in their own skins and minds. These thoughts and frustrations are normal. An ‘almost adult’ is not fully an adult, and therefore cannot do what is appropriate most of the time. They will make errors and learn from them. They will grow and mature into functioning adults, like we did. Not perfectly traveling the unknown roadways, but at least doing our best.

When errors are encountered we need help to move on; repair whatever damage there is, then set out on the journey again but this time with more foreknowledge of what to expect. Countless encounters over several years comprises this delicate journey toward maturity. You did it. So did I. We came out alright. Help the newbies do the same.

This process takes courage. I don’t have the tools to understand those who are 50 years younger than I. But in many ways I do have the tools. I have ears and an open mind. And I have time and caring that this work be done well. I suspect we all do. It’s just that not all of us have the time and attention span when the kids need it most.

I recall busy times when both parents were struggling to build meaningful careers and earn significant sums of income to support the family and the costs of college educations. Those concerns were on top of maintaining health, secure home, and building a nest egg for a secure retirement. None of these items is simple or easy. All are exhausting tasks. And yet our kids need attention at the very same time.

Do we provide that attention? Or does someone else in the family do so in your place? Or does society provide the groups and agencies that will somehow step in when needed the most?

Bringing new generations forward to replace us in the cycle of life is paramount to sustaining the human race. How well do we do that? How serious are we in doing it? Do we even understand it?

When reminded of it I think we do understand. Doing something about it is the next challenge. It will take discipline and preparation. And an open mind.

Always an open mind.

October 6, 2016