White House Agenda?

Chaos and misdirection. Broad scrapping of Obama executive orders. Another failed attempt to repeal Obamacare. Obviously trump is fighting for attention for himself. And he is asking for loyalty from all Republicans/GOP party leadership to support his actions.

As they fail, one by one, he only resolves to take more actions to undo what work has been done in the previous 8 years. Not all of it can he do. He doesn’t have the authority to do most of what he says he wants to do. But he will make the attempt anyway and provide the nasty facial expressions just to goad his enemies.

This is just more play-acting as president. Too bad it is just a waste of time.

But then one has to ask, why is he doing all of this if it is actually a waste of time?

I have thought about this often in recent months. I have come up with the following possible answers. I am not certain of any of them. I, too, am still learning what this administration is all about!

1. Rethinking all things governance related is an agenda of Bannon and Trump. One cannot do this rethinking if questions are not formed. Thus Trump is begging questions so that others will think. Although he and Bannon have their own answers, at least the rest of us now have the opportunity to rethink these matters. I think the ‘deep government’ hatred Bannon has for all government operations will lose with the American citizens. They realize government programs are necessary and government management of such programs should be supported and made professional and efficient.
2. Small government or large; trump supports small government, the kind that doesn’t fiddle with businesses or individuals, unless you don’t agree with them! Of course small government doesn’t have any power to enforce laws or regulations against huge industries and corporations doing wrong. Think environmental despoilment. Think Flint Michigan water contamination. Think oil spills on Indian Reservations threatening Native American access to potable water. Want more examples? We have many more to offer!
3. Deregulation of business rules and oversight. How does anyone figure Madoff managed to scam billions of dollars from investors? SEC protections were not as strong as they needed to be, and enforcement powers were also weak. And what about monopolistic powers of utilities and other ‘single suppliers’; are they actually allowed, even encouraged, to soak consumers with high prices?  Think also of pharmaceutical companies and how well they are protected so they can charge ridiculously high prices to Americans while supplying the same drugs to the rest of the world’s markets at low prices. Where is the justice in all of this?
4. Education standards set and enforced or totally left up to local standards. Where do conservatives think desegregation came from? Not from the southern states but because of Federal focus and attention forcing the southern states to conform to a national standard of fairness and equal treatment under the law.
5. Equal treatment for the LGBT community. There are regional religious variations that make LGBT folks targets in various states. The US Constitution mandates equal treatment and fairness. This is a civil rights issue, not a religious freedom issue. Religious freedom speaks to living freely your religious beliefs and exercising them. It does not require religions to cram their beliefs down everyone’s throat. That would impose an unwanted religion on others. LGBT people having rights and freedom does not impose a burden on opposing religious views. These religious people still can practice and believe what they want. No one will bother them. But they want to bother the LGBT people. See the difference?

I get it that we all have differences of opinion. But there is no law that says you and I have to agree. The laws and processes of justice ensure that you and I can continue to disagree. What we cannot do is make either one of us believe each other’s points of view. Nor does one party have the right to force another to act contrary to their nature.

Gracious discussion of issues is fine. Bombastic, threatening and forceful language and actions is not fine. Neither is it fine just because the president says so.

It’s about the Constitution and the Law. Let the system work. And let it be fully funded to work as efficiently as possible. For all of our sake!

March 31, 2017

States’ Rights Vs Conservative Trump

The world is full of oxymoron these days. Recall the definition of the term – the presence of contradictory ideas in the same phrase, sentence or thought making the overall statement incorrect. And yes there is a plural form of the word and it is not oxymorons but rather oxymora.

And yes, of course there are oxymora aplenty!

States’ Rights is a concept of governance theory in which federalism of a central government shares powers with component segments of the same nation, in the case of America, the fifty states comprising the nation. The US Constitution reserves rights to the states and assigns all other rights of governance to the Federal Government.

Conservatives have long argued that states have rights that stand in peril of an overambitious federal government or its officials. They have feared a take over of states’ rights by federal authorities for generations, even before the Constitution was approved. They are still arguing the concept.

A recent example of this is marriage equality. States claimed the right to define this solely on their own local standards. Federal courts disagreed and claimed equality was a standard best settled on all citizens of the nation. Each state could not arbitrarily deny this equality on their own. So states’ rights were trimmed a bit with that decision. It's a constitutional issue.

Abortion rights is yet another example of tempestuous skirmishes regarding states’ rights.

And yet our current president trump contends states do not retain the rights to manage police matters in their own cities. Else why would Attorney General Jeff Sessions threaten federal policing grant funds to cities as punishment for Sanctuary City status?

Make no mistake: this is a states’ rights issue. The states and the municipalities do manage their territories as effectively as they can with their own resources. When citizen safety faces special threats or negative trends, pooling resources helps attend to such problems. In special cases federal assistance is appropriate to defend against escalations of lawlessness not in the control of local authorities. Help can be requested and is usually granted.

Now comes the heavy arm of the federal government to say “do as I wish or feel the financial consequences.” This is exactly what the conservatives have long argued the federal government can do to threaten the comity of the US Constitution.

Isn’t that interesting. The conservatives using their own argument to attack states’ rights!

Sanctuary cities have nothing to do with escalations of lawlessness threatening the safety of citizens. It has to do with the ideological argument that a broken immigration system should not be a burden to the powerless among us.

Ideology run amok. In the Day of Trump. Interesting, indeed! Is he a conservative? Or a liberal? Or an oligarch? Or a dictator? Take your pick. It could be anything these days. Dictionaries are evidently losing their authority. Or are they?

March 30, 2017

What’s the Title?

I am pondering writing a book. This is nothing new. I’ve thought about this many times in recent years. Here’s why.

It seems I like to write. A lot. I’ve written this blog for 5.5 years (started in October of 2011) and have continued non-stop ever since. In that time I have posted 1701 times without one repeat. I thought I would run out of topics to write about but that hasn’t happened. A moment or two before the keyboard and suddenly I’ve written 700 to 1000 words on a new topic! I don’t know where this is coming from. It just appears!

I am consistent in what I write. A lot of themes are very similar but always a new twist or added factotum to enrich the commentary.

Make no mistake about it, this is a commentary blog. I started in my late 60’s and am now approaching 74 years of age. As a retiree, active volunteer in many venues, and a curious mind, I’ve pondered many issues and dared to write about them.

In my past life I volunteered to help co-found a small community newspaper. I was the weekly columnist, City Hall reporter, obituary writer, and keeper of the community calendar. I also was the managing editor and corralled the talents of 32 volunteer writers! Our paper served one town intensively, and two neighboring towns lightly. We did this for seven years. We wrote, edited, reported, researched, networked, sold advertising, picked up the print run from 40 miles away and toted it back to town, sorted it by mail routes, and delivered to two post offices and 30 drop off distribution sites. A lot of blood sweat and tears went into that enterprise. We never made any money at it and finally closed it down with modest losses.

That enterprise, however, taught us that we had something to say and it needed to be distributed. I continued to write my blog throughout. At first the blog was developed so I wouldn’t bleed my world view and political bent into the local paper. That worked. Afterwards, however, I continued to blog to keep my mind from exploding!

I now share the blog on my local Facebook and continue my local readership. It’s been fun and I will continue to do this as long as I have something to say.

Everyone has something to say. I’m not the only one. Millions of blogs are written each day. Each has its own following. Mine does, of course, but strangely, several hundred readers each day from Europe and around the globe open the blog. I don’t know why they do but I think many of the readers are university students in communication or English writing classes. They study America and its culture by checking into blogs on the internet. I’m just one of their many ports of call.

At any rate, most of my commentary is political in nature or governance related. The why and how of government is of central interest to me. I think government and its functioning is very important for the well-being of any society. How it works and why it is moral and ethical is of vast importance to me. The fact that often government acts immorally and unethically is a problem I probe. For the most part, however, government is made up of people just like you and I who care about what they do for a living. They run the offices and programs of the government, not elected officials. The latter think they have to act and over-act in order to build a ‘brand’ of leadership. Most likely they create a turmoil without creating anything much good.

Elected officials, to be good and effective, must become the masters of why a program is in existence and why it needs to be well-run. This is not a personal issue. It ought not be an ideological one, either. Our national history is clear about the role of government. We have a Federal System that shares well defined powers among the central government and the several (50) states. Each has their own legal bailiwick. Each needs to cooperate with the other and among themselves to succeed.

The one and only beneficiary of all of this work is the common good of the American people. That’s what the Constitution says and means.

So why are we still discussing this? Because each generation and each American must come to their own understanding about what their nation and government are all about and what it all means. Only when they get it does the system continue to function well. In times of confusion and ideological roiling, government suffers.

We are in that phase currently but this shall also pass. It always has. There are millions of good people who keep the tracks of government and history and education clear and functional. The rest is necessary noise learning what it is all about.

Yes, trump years will pass. Not without some damage, collateral or otherwise, but the damage will be survived and repaired and the government will go on as it should.

I believe this staunchly. It is hard work to keep the belief alive, however.  A lot of hard work. But then that’s what ‘the book’ should be about. I keep struggling how to focus my energy and thinking on what the book should be about. That’s why it hasn’t been written yet.

I have over 1.5 million words of the blog on record and saved. I could cull from that mountainous presence to print a book or two of 200,000 words each. But would they be read? Would they be bought? Would they have an impact? Is this effort worth all the hullaboo it takes to produce a book or two?

I really don’t have an answer to that question. But I will keep you posted on plans as they develop. Right now the itch to write a book is very present. Will it last long enough and remain strong enough to propel me through such an exercise of will and toil?

Only time will tell. And you, dear reader, will be the first to know!

March 29, 2017

Healthcare Fail?

Yes and no. Obamacare has more legs than its enemies thought. But then the program was incompletely formed and introduced, a product of compromise that makes sausage-making look positively pristine! The Republicans know this because they were the authors of the poison pills baked into Obamacare. They knew they were going to lose their fight back in 2009 so they ‘spoiled the broth.’

That means they also knew where to look for the broken pieces that needed to be ‘fixed’ only their fix was elimination outright (60+ attempts during Obama’s two terms in office) or at least emasculate the program so it would fall of its own weight.

The latter may still happen but that would be bad. Too many people rely on the program for their everyday healthcare. Eliminating the program would be a disaster for tens of millions of people.

So the Republican idea was to replace Obamacare with their own rube Goldberg creation. They nearly did so until the researchers discovered that 24 million people would lose coverage in the next few years. And poor people would have the new program price them out of existence while rich people culled still more wealth from public programs.

Well, anyway, republicans lost in their latest campaign to embarrass Obama instead managing the near-impossible task of embarrassing themselves. This was well earned on their part. Congratulations republicans on showing your true colors and your inability to govern.

Ideology makes for bad government; usually does. Check out Mussolini, Hitler, many leaders in Africa and South America. Strong leaders in the guise of dictators usually spell disaster for the masses. So too in America. Learn the lessons, Trump and trumpettes.

If you truly wish to fix healthcare in America then sit down with a cross section of Americans and begin the process of defining what outcomes are wished for. Accessibility is one; affordability is another. Research and medical discovery are yet others to assure quality results.

When that process is done, then set out to determine the cost of providing each and every one of the ideas. Some will be too costly and will need to be eliminated. Others will be practical and should be saved and implemented.

Next, design the delivery system and determine what will be needed to smoothly administer such a program. Now you are getting somewhere manageable. Give it more time and thought process. In time phase one will be ready for unveiling; in carefully timed segments other phases can be prepared and introduced as well. And then implemented.

This is a picture of people working together on common cause. It is also a picture of collaboration. We Americans do that well and have for centuries. Rather than pit each other against each other, let’s find the common ground and work on solving related problems.

Please let us do this. The whole world is watching. I’d rather they see a success rather than a failure. How about you?

March 28, 2017

Corruption in Government

Real or imagined? Personally encountered or anecdotal sharing?

Many complain about corruption in high places and in government especially. And yet when confronted with choices at the ballot box these same people choose whom to lead them into the future. And nothing seems to change. Who are they voting for and why?

Let’s see: a billionaire in Illinois as governor. He has bought and paid for the office many times over and also many legislative seats that will hopefully help his cause in passing desired legislation. So far no good; gridlock remains and name-calling escalates to blame others for their own bad.

The same goes on in legislative districts: powerful lobbying interests buy legislative seats to prop up special interests in the state house. The system works for those few. The dollars have greased the way. The same goes on throughout the state. Result: gridlock in state-wide issues; corruption in local venues.

The rich get richer; the poor get poorer; the needy become more ignored and needier. Education systems become ignored and school outputs degrade. The result: the rich get richer; the poor get poorer; and the state becomes less competitive in jobs, industry and economic power.

Counties have this problem as well. Local influential people and captains of industry lobby for their interests and the money is too good to pass up; decisions are delivered in their favor. The rest of us be damned.

In large cities and government venues, these shenanigans go on because they are more difficult to spot and take action against. But there is hope elsewhere!

That is in local communities – towns, villages, fire protection districts, park districts, library and water districts. Up close and personal these taxing districts rely on good citizens to step forward and get elected to positions in which the local people have a stake and decisions are made with them in mind. The local municipality is in better condition today than the state. And nation!

Government is better managed and watched locally. That’s a simple truth.

The larger units of government generally are more removed from our daily lives and thus more shenanigans can and do take place. Yes, corruption exists in government. How much or how little depends on the electorate paying attention and getting involved. Due diligence belongs to all of us, not just elected representatives.

Inspect what you expect. That’s the first rule of supervision and management. And yes, you and I are the supervisors and managers of our own government. So begin the inspection. Read the reports for yourself. Find the source documents containing the information you need to know to make good decisions. Then make them and hold your elected officials accountable.

If we let them get away with corruption then the blame is on us. Are you and I big enough to admit that and follow through?

Corruption exists elsewhere as well. Namely in corporate America. Big money is readily available so big corruption can and does occur. That is why we have consumer protection laws and agencies to protect the public. That is also why corporate dollars are spent to lobby court decisions, legislation and regulatory formation. Each of these areas will cost corporations big dollars; if they can avoid that their profits are protected and the largesse of corruption continues. Greasing the palms of many intermediaries is how this is accomplished.

Our defense is a government system that is attuned to justice and the needs of the public. We call this the common good of mankind. Managing this is the role of government. Cheapening the process or ham-stringing it will yield corporate profits and government influence. The common good is ill-served. And we know this instinctively and statistically.

A free press rakes through the mud to find the facts. The less they do of this the more facts remain hidden and corruption lives on. No wonder government types don’t like a free press. No wonder corporate types often don’t like a free press.

That which they don’t control can undo them. And that’s precisely why we need a vibrant, free press willing and able to ask the hard questions, research the tiniest of details, and report the truth.

After all, the truth will set us free. That includes the corrupt!

March 27, 2017

Bits & Pieces

North Korea

Well, well. Peck’s Bad Boy is at it again threatening to take down demon America with his missiles tipped with nuclear weapons. Every president since cessation of hostilities in Korea have labored to keep North Korea a non-nuclear nation and one also incapable of firing missiles at all. Placating the nation did not work. It only bought time. And much of that time was spent by North Korea in developing the capability both in nuclear bombs and missile technology to do their offensive damage in many parts of the globe. They are not there yet but very close if we give them any credit at all.

The world community has watched this tit for tat playground spat for decades. They did little but hope that America would succeed in quelling North Korea’s ambitions. But that didn’t work; it rarely does. If you see a playground bully at work, for heaven’s sake get involved and help the kid being bullied. In this case it is not North Korea. No, it is the peace-loving world.

Halfhearted attempts to lend a hand to this process never quite worked. Delayed progress, maybe, but not lasting solution.

Chief among the players at this game tactic is China. It did attempt many times to curb North Korea’s appetite to do bad things. In the end their efforts have come to naught.

The United Nations has lent its voice to discouraging North Korea but that hasn’t brought desired results either. Neighboring nations have dramatically wrung their hands in public view over North Korea’s antics, but to no avail.

No, the primary contestant in this battle of wills is America. And that hasn’t worked either.

Other than wiping out the entire nation with one good nuclear strike – a move not likely to happen – the only thing left is for China to step up and take on North Korea as a parent must do from time to time. China doesn’t like America having mobile missiles temporarily on site in South Korea as a deterrent to North Korea, so it is in their interests to have them removed by America as they (China) goes into North Korea and disarms the impoverished nation. This appears to be the only solution that will work.

I doubt North Korea will bloody China in this action. Afterward the global community can enter North Korea and bring massive humanitarian aid – food, housing, medical care and education. This is most likely the only peaceful option left on the table at this time.

The alternatives are too horrible to contemplate for any of us in the world community.

China, it’s your turn to act. Please do!

Retail Apocalypse

Many soothsayer economists are decrying the upheaval in retail markets across America. Yes, the upheaval is real, but an apocalypse? No. That is an overstatement.

Internet shopping and massive door to door shipping networks have eliminated shopping at malls and in stores for many people. But it has also enabled people to do shopping that they were increasingly unable to do. Think of the disabled, the mobility challenged, the elderly and other pockets of consumers who found it impossible to get to the store. They now can purchase freely and get the goods delivered right to their door. Those are huge new markets opening up.

Then there are the consumers who are tied up with work, commuting and family duties that shorten available hours once spent shopping. They now scan on-line shopping sites and order home delivered goods.

Catalogs going extinct? Hardly. They are just being replaced with on-line catalogs with vastly increased buying information and helpful guidance. This is another market being enhanced enormously.

With disposable incomes rising shopping will increase as well. So marketing will change, shopping routines will change, but goods and services will still be sold and bought. Just not likely will they be traded in large, inefficient malls or small mom and pop shops.

Trade remains healthy. The site of the trade and method has changed.

Adapt and prosper. Or, lament and falter and fade away.

Which do you prefer? Which will you do? Or are you waiting for North Korea?

March 24, 2017

Credibility

We talk. We listen. We compute the inputs and integrate with our logic stream. In time – moments or months – our world view morphs a little more and represents what we believe. It is not static. It is dynamic. Sometimes we notice the changes but often we don’t, their changes are that subtle, maybe even subliminal.

When someone makes a statement that doesn’t fit with our world view we note the dissonance. We may react at the time but most often we don’t. We take the dissonance with us to another place and time in which we ponder what was encountered.

When the same person makes another statement that doesn’t fit with our world view we take more than notice; we work the dissonance long enough to determine if an error of fact has been made or if, in fact, the person is misleading intentionally or merely mistaken and uninformed.

Repeat all of the above several times in less than two months and patterns are not only recognized but they are examined and catalogued. We begin to understand the person in a broader context and are able to process his/her opinions appropriately.

Now slip into this situation that the person in question is the President of the United States of America. Ponder that for 5 minutes. Take more time if you need to.

In many ways let us provide adequate feedback to the person so he is now aware that we are aware of the dissonance and that we know that this dissonance is factual, not opinion. Observe what he does or doesn’t do.

How much time is needed to decide that the person is credible and reliable as a partner, officer of the nation, and worthy of his position. How long? Do we provide restorative assistance to him to improve on the situation, or do we conclude such will be impractical. Maybe it will prove to be impossible?

And then we face the decision: what to do?

What do you do with a President of the USA that is unreliable, maybe paranoid, and irrational?

Turning to the Constitution as contract with the people, we learn that impeachment is the remedy. The only question is when.

I think and feel it is soon. But I am not trained in these matters. Who is? Whose task is it to decide?

And is this instrumentation of governance currently operating?

I guess we shall see. Yes, we shall see.

March 23, 2017

Free Trade & Why It’s Important

Free trade is the principle that dictates the absence of tariffs on goods sold or bought in places other than our own nation. The thought behind this principle is that tariffs only add to the cost of the products and thus impoverishes the buyers. That is the primary issue at hand.

But there are more thoughts related to the principle of free trade. Here’s one: the money saved by not paying tariffs allows more disposable income to be spent buying yet more goods either at home or from foreign providers.

Here’s another thought: free trade encourages foreign buyers to acquire our goods and services and boosts our employment opportunities at home. After all they are earning dollars selling to us so they now have dollars available to buy from us.

Another: cheaper goods from foreign lands may compete successfully for our own goods and cause our industries to slump or fail. If that is true, then investment dollars in the old businesses are now available to be spent building new industries not yet in existence. We also have fresh investment dollars to research and develop new technologies, products and services. These unique new items are now highly competitive on the world stage of commerce.

Of course an argument providing caution to the latter paragraph is this: American workers will be displaced from their jobs as foreign competition takes their markets from them. This displacement of our workers is true. Unemployment and underemployment will result from free trade as foreign competition beats American pricing. And it will, at least for a period of time. It is inevitable.

But the same can be true of all change in the marketplace. Buggy whips became unnecessary as automobiles replaced buggies. Clotheslines were replaced by automatic clothes dryers. Typewriters were replaced by computers. Pay phones were replaced by omnipresence of cell phones. And the list goes on.

The period of displacement will vary as captains of industry decide where to place their investment dollars on the next new thing. Entrepreneurs will play a major role as they spot new opportunities and make them happen. Industry will soon follow their lead. Smaller organizations tend to think more clearly on new trends and new inventions. It takes a while for the new to replace the old and fire up new job creation. But it will happen. And does.

Robotics in manufacturing is doing that now. So are technologies revolutionizing processes and products throughout all that they touch.

The role of education is not so much what we learn to make a living – vocational skill sets – but how we learn so we can adapt to all changes we encounter throughout life. So education will change as well.

Three D printing is changing manufacturing, and yes there is now a 4-D printer in development. And what about 5-D printing? Don’t ask; the mind blurs!

The new beckons our creativity and genius to action. It is not all about consumption or production. It is not all about money, either, or wealth of things. More and more life is about wealth of thought and feeling and simpler things. Relationships with others is one example. Health is another. Culture and art is yet another.

We are living this life for what reason? We are tasking our daily routines for what gain? Have you asked yourself that question recently? If not, perhaps you should. If you have, what answers are you working with? Care to share them?

Meanwhile, someone’s unemployment is the marker of opportunity. The unemployed is a worker unit now available to work on our project. Reach out and connect. Soon he and his unemployed brothers will be engaged in work to benefit us all.

That’s how free trade markets work. Trouble is we don’t have many of them left. Most of our markets have had the risk beaten out of them by regulation and safety nets. So beware which regulations you seek to remove. They might make you unemployed; but don’t fret; it will only be temporary while another entrepreneur finds a product or process to use your skills!

March 22, 2017

Keeping Faith

Families are split in America today. There are conservatives and liberals, middle of the road folks, libertarians, republicans, democrats, anarchists, and lots of ideological divides, both nuanced and not! Add to the mix franchised and disenfranchised people; poor, rich, middle class, educated, not educated, energetic folk and lazy people. There are readers and video watchers, do nothings, do everythings, and ignorant and well informed.

All of these people exist within each family as well. And there’s the split, the divide among us. Somehow it is more painful and tentative within the family. We don’t want to think someone is that ‘stupid’ but there you have it. The facts reflect who knows anything, who doesn’t know much, and yet from where do their opinions and loose lip chatter derive?

Relationships are strained as minds tend to seek consensus, agreement, commonality. And minds should. We people – human beings – should be seeking the commonality that unites. That is where the good work will be done. Maybe not just now but eventually when we tire of the gridlock and infighting and misery. The anger. The frustration. The fading energy on a daily basis.

We are looking for affirmation and support. We need this to feel good about our lives and ourselves.

I’m here to say that all is not lost. There is hope. We do have a future and one that will unfold well.

It is just not going to happen very fast yet. There is more disagreement and unrest to experience before we feel ready to get to work and solve problems together. Selecting our form of government is one of those tasks in need of doing. Don’t underestimate the basic-ness of our situation.

We have people among us who think all government is suspect and wrong. Before America was founded, those sentiments were rife. Today is no different really. Oh sure, communications are instant; research is readily shared; histories are written and catalogued and available at the whisk of fingers on a computer keyboard. Those who believe government is the problem are well represented in our society.

On the other hand many of us believe government may be the only form of organization that can attack large problems and improve upon them. Private organizations don’t want to work on these issues because there are few profit dollars available in the work, if any. And many of those helped are not in the mood or frame of mind to thank their helpers. Thankless and profitless; what is the allure to do this work?

So if the problem is a plague on our society and its way of life, we ask agencies to do something about the problem. We are uncomfortable knowing less fortunate people are visible and among us. Besides, some of our compatriots think such less-fortunates will infect our society and make it sick. They avoid such populations but dearly hope someone is caring for them.

Of course there are charities that do this sort of work because of their value orientation. They love all people and minister to those in need because it is their ‘calling.’ Churches do this as well; in fact churches use these projects as a living out of their call to love one another and serve God. That is their value orientation and an act of living it out in real life.

And then there are those people among us who feel a call to action for whatever reason, and they organize relief programs that address human problems throughout the globe. Many of these seek foreign lands for their work because they view America as the land of plenty in which the needy do and should be served by the many.

So we have two views of our world among our own communities: one is inclusive and reaching out to share what we have so all are healthy and in a positive position to enjoy life; the other is a view that each person is responsible for their own situation and needs to accept that, work to fix their own problem and not be a burden to others.

One is small government; the other is larger government.

These thoughts pervade government discussions at all levels. City, township, county, state, federal; whatever the government level these considerations are being talked through. The discussion goes something like this: “Should we do something about this problem? Or is it more properly cared for by private resources, charities, churches and whatnot?” Obviously, if it is handled by someone else, then public money and staff are not spent on the activity.

Where the concern intersects with programs common to most or all of us, our national discussion becomes much more blurred. Examples include health care; who pays for those unable to pay? Education; how much money do we spend to make our classes and programs accessible to those under-prepared for whatever reason?

You see the conflict? We are not speaking of curbs and bridges and roadways. We all use those and so we program expenses accordingly to build and repair and maintain such infrastructure. Same for military expenditures to protect us all. Those discussions are much easier; it is only a matter of how much can we afford at any moment in time? It is not the whether we should spend money on these things, but how much and when.

Needs of people are different. They are wildly variable as well. Some are dire and immediate; life and death; contagious diseases, too. Others are more systemic and long term; they pose little immediate threat but the long term implications are very real. An anger might arise as to why this problem exists, and who might be to blame? Yes, that’s how our minds work in such situations. We don’t often wish to put our minds, emotions and creativity on the line for such matters. We prefer to enjoy ourselves and ignore the downtrodden.

But we can’t really. That is another point that must be made. We cannot ignore these issues for long or else they will consume us. The cancer eating at our souls is whether we care for others as much as we care for ourselves. I think it is as simple as that.

Either we believe what we say our values are, or we don’t. You see this is the locale of the cancer if we don’t follow our values consistently. Do under others as we would want them to do to us? This is where the value meets the road. And the needy.

Shall we pray about this? Or ignore it? Or take action.

Government stands ready to do; all we need do is decide.

March 21, 2017

Fresh Out of Ideas?

Are we out of ideas as a society? No, we are not. You are not. Others are not. I am confident in saying this baldly.

If you connect with people, a lot of people, you will soon learn that fresh new ideas are everywhere. A problem pops up and someone has an idea how to fix it; indeed, they go ahead and actually fix it. A puzzle appears on the internet and thousands of solutions – correct ones at that! – are almost immediately shared openly. People are rising to the challenge and submitting answers. And many of them are right.

A change occurs in the workplace and someone has a new routine worked out half an hour later. Production continues unabated and no one is the wiser that a snag was encountered and fixed. The transition was that smooth. Same with an error in a customer order; the fix is in almost seamlessly. The customer didn’t even notice the hiccup so quick was the fix.

And on it goes. Of course not all of our people react in this fashion, and some of the ‘fixes’ don’t work, but the creativity and thought was there. The motivation from inside the person was there, too; he or she wanted to be of service, to try out something new.

Applying oneself to the reality of the moment, the workplace, the social situation, wherever, is really about change, isn’t it? Think about it.

Change seems to be a bugaboo for many people. For others, however, it is the opposite. It is another view of the ‘glass half full or half empty’ proposition. Change is two things at once, both threat and opportunity. If you are an optimist you will see the challenge as an opportunity and go on to find the gold in the situation. If you are a pessimist, you will see the change as a threat to you and your organization and begin the defensive maneuvers to protect the firm.

Adapting to change is a helpful reaction. Always being ready to work with change is an asset of yours or the organization. It is a positive characteristic to be encouraged and developed. Change is what happens nearly every second of our existence. Change is our aging process, our knowledge gathering process, and strength development, too. Change is evolution. It is that basic.

From change we acquire new methods, new processes, new products, even new services.

But most importantly, we gain a perspective that is fresh, new and open to the challenge of morphing into something new. Unexpected, too. Exciting if we let it be!

I work with several different populations. In SCORE it is with small businesses – start ups or existing ones with challenges. Either way they are small and the work is up close and personal. Reacting to the real, day to day happenings in a small business is a challenge. It takes fortitude, perseverance and creativity to face the many unique challenges of each day. Small business operations are not all routine and the same. No, each customer has her own needs peculiar to several variables. We adapt to meet those needs. Doing that makes us successful with that customer. Add all of the other customers and a success trajectory is built.

Thinking on our feet. Using resources readily at hand. Thinking through the transaction to desired results and outcomes. Identifying those outcomes and making them happen.

These people do this everyday and automatically. Most don’t even realize they are doing it. In larger organizations we hope work teams function in this manner. Managers and executives dream of making this culture a reality within their organizations.

Church groups struggle with projects and desired outcomes. They slog through the work a few times and then discover better methods to use in the future. Soon their projects are not only successful, but they are cost and time effective as well. Creativity made this a reality.

Working with teen addicts we gain perspective on their disconnect with reality, their escapism. Talking about this week after week builds willingness in them to solve problems rather than avoid them. The process is slow. Their recognition of the need to do this is slow in coming. But one day they get a nub of the idea in their head, and soon they are on the right track. The key is to keep them on this track so they are good at it and feel successful doing it. This is a life skill they need to survive the addiction. And then put the addiction away for good. Hopefully.

Their process is creativity in motion. Our job is to bring the elements together often enough and accessibly so they use them.

Change is a constant in our lives. Adapting to change is also a constant. We are not always successful in adapting. But the challenge is present and it is up to us to respond. If we let ourselves be free enough we might just engage the creative cells in our brains to respond with fresh genius.

That’s good for you and I; and everyone else on the planet as well!

Join the new. Meet the challenge of change. And find your piece of happy!

March 20, 2017

Trump’s Promises

So far every promise Trump had made during his campaign and since his inauguration has come to naught. Yes he claims he will do something but so far most of this has been stymied by the courts or yet to be approved by Congress. And the latter is not exactly cooperating with the details. The decisions are still very much in doubt.

Trial balloons are launched frequently by the Trump camp. The budget proposals. The executive orders, the stump speeches to sell and resell the trumpcare proposal that will replace either Obamacare or Ryancare.

So much is up in the air. Trump supporters are now seeing that he cannot fulfill all of his promises. So far not even one.

Words are cheap when not backed by action. And when actions are thwarted, spokesmen for the trump camp change the meaning of the words trump uttered or shift the meaning of the intent. Either way what is promised and what is accomplished are not forthcoming.

Most of us can heave a huge sigh of relief! Most of the attempts by trump to enable his point of view and ideological slop have met solid resistance in Congress and the Courts. So the immediate change is not made. But time does remain to craft a different approach and a toned down accomplishment.

No one will claim government is perfect. For God’s sake, government attempts to represent and manage a country of 330 million people. That is not done easily. Or efficiently or speedily. That is a given.

But we don’t throw babies out with the bath water when we don’t like something. There is much yet to be preserved before making a change. That is reasonable. That is logical. And that is the role of policy.

Ideological purists don’t agree, evidently. But then they usually don’t. I’m done trying to assuage them. It is their task to find mental health in the midst of their own breakdown. Not my job!

A turn to reasonable thinking, cooperation and collaboration will accomplish much more than the present adversarial approach. The system does not need to be this cantankerous. So lighten up, people!

Discuss issues that matter. Set sights on reasonable points of agreement and move on from there. Purists should go to the beach and chill out. Let the rest of us get the job done.

It is trump’s job to staff his administration with people who understand government and specifically can navigate the US government as it is presently constituted. He cannot make the system different by decree. He is not King. He has to work within the system for desired changes, then move on.

So far he is batting zero.  When that happens, he utters more epithets, tweets or scurrilous reports about someone’s wrong doing. So far no proof of anything. That means he is distracting the public and his supporters from his poor results so far.

The rest of us, however, are watching an accumulation of embarrassing missteps. And trump’s loss of equilibrium. Like a spoiled brat he continues to scowl his way through the days and cast aspersions on others.

Best to shut up and stick to the work on his desk. Build the team. Delegate to them. If not, for heaven’s sake resign so someone who does know the system can get work done.

March 17, 2017

Healthcare Outcomes

What do we want from healthcare. Ideally. What do we want? Don’t fret the details. Don’t worry about the costs. Just focus on the ideal outcome you wish we could have as a nation. Might these be some of the outcomes wished for?

-Accessible by all who need it

-Affordable by all who need it

-Healthier lifestyles by more and more of us

-Willingness to help each other more

-More productive lives living without fear and dread of healthcare problems

-Stronger communities and families within them

-Happier lives creatively lived

These are the desired outcomes I hope for. Yes, they sound like ‘pie in the sky’. But each is possible if we want them badly enough.

Another thing, we haven’t addressed the cost of all this. It will be enormous, but it doesn’t have to be done all at once. Besides, some of this will produce savings along the way that will help pay for later stages of gaining the desired outcomes. So let’s take this slowly and in logical pieces.

One step at a time.

Who are the most in need? End of life or beginning of life? Which are more costly? Which are more time consuming? Which are more productive in building meaningful lives? So many questions, each has its place. Ask them. Keep asking them. Build an array of questions. Order them in priority of importance. Discuss with everyone. Gain consensus. This will take time but the effort and time must be invested to get the outcomes we want and need.

Some wants conflict a bit in life’s journey; each want and need will occur in most of our lives eventually. So we are taking care of others and ourselves at the same time! That’s how healthcare works. We provide care for critical life phases. Natal and neo-natal care ensures healthy babies and children who eventually grow up and live healthy, productive adult lives. They keep our society healthy, growing and dynamic.

Same for elder care. We certainly want this for ourselves and our loved ones, so we provide it for those in this phase of life as well. It is the value of life we say we believe in. We have always said this. If we didn’t, we would figure out a way to remove unproductive people from our presence with the idea that they would no longer ‘waste’ resources needed by others. You know, the ‘death panel’ concept first voiced by Sarah Palin some years back.

That’s not how America thinks or values its people – elder or not! So no death panels. Elders receive good and compassionate care. Essentially because they are due this respectful treatment. And because one day we will be in the same position and need the same care.

In between natal and elder care is the rest of our phases of life and the routine demands on healthcare. We need good healthcare to keep the population happy, healthy and productive. This keeps society functioning well. So, healthcare is needed and provided sufficiently all around to each and every one of us.

Having settled that issue, let’s move on to how we pay for this and manage for proper outcomes. The bill is enormous. No one person can afford it. Neither can employers. Nor should government pay for everything all the time for everyone, especially if some treatments are not agreeable to differing points of view. Compromise will be needed to solve some of these issues.

Abortion is one. Elective cosmetic surgery is another. Erectile dysfunction for whim and fancy is yet another. I’m sure the list goes on. Fill in your own specific on the list. These will need sorting out later; don’t get hung up now.

Eventually we will get to the point of making critical decisions to move forward with a healthcare plan that serves the needs of the nation. What is good for the nation? What is the common good for us all? That’s what we have to aim for and provide.

I think – just my opinion – that a single payer system will be found to be the most efficient means to provide national healthcare. Many other nations have already found this to be true and are ahead of America in this public discussion. But let the consensus process do its work and make a decision on this in due time.

The real point of all of this is that a solution is available for us to engage. It is available in our group conscience and national genius. All we have to do is honestly search for it and give ideology a rest for a bit.

Real people are dying while we fritter away with the political arguments. The time to stop this nonsense is right now. Let’s get back to business. Serious business.

March 16, 2017

Solving Problems

A wise old man once said, “If you see only problems, you will live without solutions.”

I don’t know who he was, or why these people are always ‘old’ and ‘men’. I’m sure there are many wise women among us now and throughout all of history, surely!

Anyway, I think the quotation makes sense. If we spend our time complaining and spotting the problems in life, we tend to lose focus and purpose. Frustration leads us on a wild goose chase. We flit from one talking point to the next without actually solving the problem we are griping about.

Of course one has to identify a problem if we hope to do anything about it. So spot the problem, talk about it enough to define it. But then commit to take action. Do something about the problem. Solve it. Or at least attempt to do so!

I spent most of my career in strategic planning. I gravitated to that career quite naturally. I found myself in the midst of many problems in organizations filled with very bright people. I just knew we had the answers; all we had to do was sort through the details, organize it a bit, and then focus efforts on creating solutions.

Essentially that’s what strategic planning does. It is a process. It is a discipline. The contents of each planning process deals with the specifics of the organization looking for solutions to their own problems. But the process remains the same most of the time.

It begins with clearly identifying what your organization’s mission is – the purpose of the group, why it exists, what it does. Bare bones, nothing fancy.

Once mission is clarified, dream what you all hope the organization will look like in 10 or 15 years. The time span is important; it should be long enough that you cannot have a direct effect on the outcome. You can, however, begin identifying and setting the intermediate needs and goals to make the long term future happen the way you want it. That’s a vision statement.

The mission statement says who and what we are about; the vision statement states where we want to go with it.

Making the future unfold our way then becomes a process of putting efforts together logically to achieve desired outcomes. Those efforts will demand creativity but that’s where the fun comes in.  Thinking outside the box is just one of the exercises that bring relief to the stark realities of problems. We are moved off center and gain perspective.

It is the change in perspective that ventilates the problem, allows fresh light in, and pulls us toward the thinking we haven’t had before.

From there the creative process can and should go into overdrive. The challenge will become channeling and controlling reactions to that overdrive burst of activity and thinking. Sorting through the possibilities comes next. Picking the things that are more immediately doable, and also most likely to gain desired results. Those are the items we will want to work with first.

Save the other ideas. Our experience will help us decide which to use later when we are better prepared for them and have more experience under our belt. Creativity is like that. challenging, refreshing and energizing. New ideas. Stunning possibilities popping to mind. And suddenly solutions to old problems emerge.

In some cases the old problems simply disappear. Fresh thinking frequently erases the problem as a wasted effort, and replaces it with an entirely new process, product and service. The old vanishes and the new becomes a fresh reality. Sounds simple; it isn’t. But it often works this way with little effort. It just requires us to think about things differently.

Of course nothing gets done if nothing is attempted. That’s the first step. Know that something different is needed. Then look for it and make it happen.

Try it. You’ll be amazed at what you find. And it was there all the time!!

Now, let’s focus on national healthcare. What do we need? What do we want? What is the consensus on the issues? Any? When these basics are known, attempt to solve the problems. Let me know when you are ready. Not before!

March 15, 2017

Moving On

And on we shall go!

I was at a public entertainment venue the other evening. A dear family member treated us to dinner and live music at Villaggio’s in Roselle. The evening began with our favorite arias from several Italian operas. A diva sang soprano, and the master of ceremonies sang a beautiful tenor. Both were trained in opera and were very good. Together they made an enchanting pair.

Coupled with an appreciative audience, attentive wait staff and good food, the evening was a rousing success. Table talk was subdued by both the music and the abundant food. But we did catch up on family and friends we hold in common.

Of course stories abound and many of them filled with drama. What family doesn’t have these intense moments of theater? But something said struck me with happy force. And this is it:

“I’ve moved on. I love them and care for them, but they have to find their own

 way in life. They will make mistakes and hurt one another, but in the end, it will

 be OK and we will all be the better for it. Meanwhile, I can’t control it or own it;

 best to move on and focus on my own life to live.”

That resonates with me. It is strong enough to apply to much more of life as well. Career, colleagues, neighbors, politics, and so much more. Our lives are filled with many things, all important. We cannot possibly control or manage all of it. Nor should we feel required to do so. Let it go. Tend to my own garden and see it grow. Share that abundance with others, and continue on my path. Not selfishly but determined to make a difference in the lives of others through sharing my abundance.

That abundance is not always advice, money or gifts. Abundance is measured in smiles, too, and attitudes, encouragement and comfort.

These lessons come slowly throughout much of life’s journey. When realized we pause in stunned silence – ‘that’s what that means!’  How many aha moments like this have you experienced? Do you even admit having them? Or maybe someone pointed out one to you sometime?

Aha moments are precious. They mean we are sensitive enough at times to actually understand what is happening and what it means in the larger picture of life. Modern life is complicated and often chaotic. Aha moments are mostly hidden and obscured. When they happen they are very special. The lesson dawns and is kept close in memory and heart.

Moving on with one’s life is one result of capturing an important lesson. Often we don’t move on but rather dwell on the negative and the suggested slights and insults made by others. Of course they are not all meant as slights; some are just misspoken words fueled by a moment of frustration and disappointment. It is easy to take offense. It is more difficult to slough it off and forget it. But we must.

That is our growth and strength of character. To live more in the moment and move on with all that life has to offer.

Not a bad lesson to think about from time to time. I’m glad I encountered it and it made an impression. So I share this aha moment with you.

Take it, use it, grow with it.

Peace!

March 14, 2017

Home Again

Well I wasn’t away very far and then only a few hours. But the medical trek taken last week was unexpected, a bit complicated but with fine results in the end.

The arterial blockage forecast by the stress test ended up a false positive caused by too much fat deposit in my waist area, or is that wastrel area? Hmmmm.

At any rate the angiogram found my arteries not only unclogged but, according to the cardiologist, not likely to ever become clogged. They are that healthy! Furthermore, he assessed my heart muscle to be very healthy and strong. No disease noted at all. So a clean bill of health in that department.

I still have atrial fibrillation but that is controlled very well by meds. Another treatment is available that may be one and done and it will be explored. That will eliminate two drugs and a lot of monthly check-ups. We shall see.

So the only regimen I’m likely to notice that is new is a diet to reduce body fat and weight. I’m about 70 pounds overweight. I’ve kinda grown accustomed to the adipose; find it friendly and comforting. But each of my doctors frown upon my sentiments!

As long as I can eat butter and eggs and lean red meat, I’ll be happy. It’s the sauces and cheeses I will miss the most.

So, for any of you keeping track of my doings last week, just know that good friends and family eased me through the process successfully. All is well.

And for that I say Amen and Good Night!

March 13, 2017

Truth and Consequences

Juxtapositions in life. So many juxtapositions. Fashion or food? And are we talking chic clothing or chic food? How does one actually describe the latter? And celebrities and news makers – which is which? Are news makers celebrities or people who actually make news that matters to each of us? Leaders, scientists, discoverers and creators of startling things that will or may change our lives?

Scanning the news exposes these stark contrasts. An earthquake with billions of dollars in damage and 28 deaths followed by a story of a rich, beautiful woman marrying a handsome actor. Somehow these two stories are of equal or near equal value? Or the new fashion line of a successful designer competes with the financial sector’s news of the day. Or maybe the news broadcast contains a ‘good feeling’ story for the day, showing a young boy leading an injured dog back to the worried, loving family.

I have always struggled with the dichotomy of stories reported next to one another. Seems to me the news should have departments that separate genres of ‘news’. After all, all reporting is not news. A lot of news is just entertainment. Like sports, celebrities, music, art, theatre, fashion and food. Yes, these things are important to us for many reasons. And yes, new trends in each of them are often fascinating and mind expanding. So they are important, each in their way; but the reality is they are not life altering.

Seems to me news is about subject matters that are or have the potential of altering our lives in some way. A new discovery by scientists that will lead to other important findings that is important to us. A skirmish in a foreign land that may grow into a hot war that could inflame a large region in which we have interests, that is important to us and it is clearly news. Or the death of a well-known leader either in our own nation or another country is news. The now-gone leader had a news worthy impact on our lives recently or in the past. Somehow we wish to remember him and give him his due.

A new social program that promises improvements in the standard of education, medicine or some other life-altering condition, is news. Or the collapse of that program is news as well.

The status of government and its leadership is news. It may deal with political matters and shenanigans but all of those are news if the outcomes may be affected. And so we read of these things day after day and hope resolution comes so we can move on to something more important.

Scanning the news for the important items is an increasingly difficult task these days. We encounter so much pulp junk, pulp fiction, manufactured public relations passed off as news. It is difficult to discern what is news and what is not news. How are we to know what is important and what is not?

That is our job – yours and mine. We are called on to discern what is truth and what is not, what is of value and what is not. If we don’t, the consequences can be dire. The outcomes or consequences of non-truth news items or misdirection can be serious. They are not games being played for childish results. They are serious matters with serious consequences.

Truth or consequences – an old phrase in our vocabulary lexicon, one even used for the name of a popular game show. Truth or Consequences. Also a town in New Mexico. Truth or consequences is a logic string that embraces a stark reality.

Be prepared for the truth, or live by the truth, and by all means understand the consequences of such behavior. The outcomes are important to us. If the items being reported are not important, then they are not news. They should not be reported.

I’m always dealing with this question. Have for decades. The big question is our nation doing this? Are we all dealing with the truth? Are we really prepared for the consequences come what may?

I wonder about that every day. I also worry over it. Do you too?

March 10, 2017

Running of Mind

So, it’s March and this is the season of doctor appointments. You know, the kind that doctors schedule to review your status. Complicated these days by age, doctors often have much to look at and find. Year after year these appointments are scheduled and met with very little emerging. And then one time or two something puzzling pops up and more tests are done, more diagnoses developed, and even more drugs prescribed. A new condition exists and is now treated.

And monitored. Yet another annual appointment to schedule.

The other day it was general health. OK for a near-74 year old. Monday was the cardiologist. Then a test to determine status on Tuesday. The results suspected a nefarious condition. I learned more in the afternoon. Possible blockage of an artery. Angiogram scheduled for Thursday. If blockage does exist, then they will do an immediate angioplasty.

Tuesday morning, meanwhile, I had an annual appointment with the pulmonologist (lungs and emphysema, you know). One wonders what he will find? Perhaps he and the cardiologist ought to get together? They practically share the same office space. I’ll suggest that! (he found nothing new)

Dental progress is being made. The partial plate on the lower jaw has been adjusted, an upper left tooth has been filled, an upper right tooth has been removed. We await a cleaning, and a fitting for a false tooth to fill the void caused by the extraction. And then the mouth should be pain-free and better functioning. Just in time for some other medical emergence!

The mind races for comprehension. Is this what the rest of life is about? The running around to doctors, dentists, oral surgeons, spinal pain clinics, pharmacies and medical labs? Poked and prodded, probed and swabbed. Such regimen! Procedure and conclusions. A whole industry of effort to tell us one inescapable fact: we are all aging and this is what it looks like.

Of course one prepares for the eventual end of it all. It is what we learn to do as human beings. We are born and we die. What we do with the time in between is what we call life. How well we live that life is up to each of us. If we feel burdened, that life is not well lived, I think. If we feel unburdened and free, then I think the life is well lived.

I have not always felt this way. Time and effort and exploration and discovery have broadened my mind and narrowed by expectations. It is a surprising fact, that last statement. Re-read it. “Broadened mind and narrowed expectations.”

This is a healthy view. It proves preparedness of mind and soul. And it yields peace.

Come what may, it is all good. As it should be. And it offers stark contrast for what is opposite. And that, good folks, is another stunning truth to ponder.

All is good. All is illuminating if we allow it to be so. Avoiding the process does no good and often results in added pain and suffering.

I seek peace instead. Might you as well?

March 9, 2017

  

Constitutional Crisis?

No matter who you supported in the last election surely you didn’t wish the chaos of recent weeks to be the result? I’m one of those orderly people who like procedures, process and rules to guide us through complicated matters. Governance is complicated. It must provide for all of the people within a jurisdiction, not just some. And certainly the needs of the few cannot be ignored by the wants of the many.

That’s what makes public policy so difficult to manage. In solving one problem one doesn’t wish to create another one. Unintended consequences are apt to appear at any moment. Then they must be managed in addition to the original target of attention.

Policy attempts to smooth things out, to make things orderly. Such effort builds reliability in our expectations. Life is better and more easily managed as a result. So, if public policy is to maximize accessibility of children to educational resources, for example, we must organize programs to do just that. Some kids, of course, will not be as ready as others, while some will be advanced and ready for much more. Ranking, sorting and channeling students into the right educational channel is critical in managing for excellent outcomes.

But that is not always what happens. Because children are ever present in the local schools, public officials (elected or not) have placed requirements on schools to carry out their social policy and programs. That often leads to complicated routines and unwieldy procedures. Education is thus forced a bit into the background. Efficiency of schools is thwarted. Intentional or not, this is the result. Our public schools have become a huge testing ground of sociological experiment and quick-fix schemes. All at the expense of schools, teacher time and results.

So that’s policy, and it takes care, finesse and discernment to get it right.

Look to the White House today, however. Do you see clear thinking? Clear logic? Discernment or any attempt to explain the basis of decisions? Are they making law, adjusting law, or eliminating law? And what role and right does the White House have in such matters. Executive function is implementation of laws and administration of the programs the laws have created. Congress makes the laws, not the White House.

In a chaotic milieu policy formation doesn’t have much of a chance. It is that simple.

So another look at the situation forms the question – Why is all of this going on?

Although many will answer that question with their own political bent, from conspiracy defense to New Federalism, to New Republic life – the reality is no one is in control of the situation. And that has me worried.

The President flies off the handle. He rants, raves and twitters. In moments of state he has someone write a speech for him; he changes it as he will; then he reads it off a teleprompter. Trouble is, the speech said nothing new, offered no explanation for recent actions, and certainly did not offer reasoning for what is going to happen in the future. What is the intent of the White House and this President? No one knows.

Worse than that, it is increasingly clear that no one is in control of the White House either.

In my world of order, that is a constitutional crisis. And it needs attention by those who are charged with knowing and working with the Constitution. The Department of Justice has this role and function. So does the Supreme Court. Congressional leaders have some responsibility but they are distracted by ideological conspiracies to have any grip on Constitutional matters evidently.

So what do we do? The Free Press is doing what it can. Freedoms of assembly appear to be in question. Freedom of Religion is being redefined. And the chaos continues perhaps as strategy.

I smell the distinct aroma of Steve Bannon in all of this. He is like Karl Rove on steroids. And with much the worse humor.

I want my senators and congressman to do their job as it is spelled out in the law and the Constitution. If they don’t, then I guess we will have to remove them en masse to gain control of the chaos.

Order? Chaos? Or Constitution? Which will it be? I know in the long run what it has to be. But who will help bring this about sooner rather than later?

Yes, this is a Constitutional Crisis of the first order.

March 8, 2017

Parallel Universe

What do I know? What do I not know? Same for you?

I’ve said this before – we don’t know what we don’t know. Until, that is, we encounter gaps that ache to be defined and known. That is the allure of research. To fill in gaps of knowledge and build toward fuller understanding, of anything. Anything at all.

Through the ages wise men have shared their wisdom. Perhaps the greatest piece of wisdom is ‘knowledge is power.’ Conversations pivot around facts and ideas. Those with more knowledge of those ideas and facts generally are more interesting. People gather around such a person. And they come to rely on them for more information in the future.

What then happens when people in positions of power do not treat others to honest reports of ideas, activities and facts? When interviews and position papers and press conferences represent what is not true, what then do we rely upon? How are we to know what our government is doing and why? What makes them believable? Who moderates the flow of such information? And how do we measure them for honesty, truth and accuracy?

When we speak of history, upon what bases of fact are we relying?

It is all confidence in sources, isn’t it?

Think about that a bit. You listen to someone and you instinctively believe him or her. You go on to think ideas based on those bits and pieces of information. This is how we create and grow our conscious universe. We live in that universe. We share that universe with others. We grow our universes together and expand our futures accordingly.

When an alternate universe is introduced to this scenario, we blink, pause, and reassess our previous thinking. How does this alternate universe change our thinking and conclusions? Ought it change our thinking?

Or is this a fresh challenge to renew our thinking and values and factual basis that aided our construct of our universe in the first place?

I guess the first thought that comes to mind is questioning why there is an alternate universe being presented? What reason has caused the new universe to be talked about? What is the benefit of it? Why now? Who benefits and who doesn’t?

Testing my previous conclusions becomes automatic. It is not a defense of my thinking but a testing of it. New questions are raised and research helps change my past conclusions or add to them, or reassert their value and steadfastness. The process helps me alter my universe as new information arrives on the scene and change in knowledge adds to my understanding of the world around me.

If the alternate view – the alternate universe – clashes and does not fit with whatever construct results of my universe with added thinking, then I would question the accuracy and appropriateness of that alternate universe.

That is what I’m experiencing today. There is the trump universe and my universe. Certainly there is your universe, and universes ad infinitum for each and every person on the planet. The combined weight of these universes, however, eventually form a norm of universes that bring the whole matter into focus.

Is that formation of history, then? And is that why history seems to shift with time as it is weighed with so many different changing elements? Our understanding of the past changes as we learn more from historical records and facts. As we become more reliant on past facts, we understand that past as historical underpinnings of our present. That is how we come to know and understand what is happening right now.

We are presented, however, with ‘alternate facts’ and alternate universes. We are told these are real when no evidence is shared to make the argument whole. We are stunned to be presented the alternatives. Ours is that trusting of a society.

This is when we come to doubt our underpinnings and realize just how propaganda works. It questions the real with the false, the made-up. With repetition it somehow becomes more real until one day we don’t know what is real and what is made up.

Good, logical, educated minds will hopefully protect and defend us from this scourge.

If not them, who? Are you and I so sure we know?

March 7, 2017

I Suppose

'Anti administrative government' is the core message of Steve Bannon as he advises Trump on strategy. It is his belief that the Federal Government has become a huge collective of administrative detail with embedded expertise in the persons of career government employees. He believes these employees have taken the place of government and made it unrepresentative of ‘the people’.

Well, I can understand his point of view without agreeing with it; but I suppose it is important to ask how we got to this place in history if in fact we have arrived there at all.

Regard this factotum: the Affordable Care Act was created by the Congress in an environment of deep political division. Many elected officials did not want the legislation to go through, let alone become enacted. So ‘poison pills’ were written into the legislation to deliberately weaken the ACA. The hope of detractors was that the bill would not be enacted, and if it was, then it would surely fail of its own weight.

The critical key here is embedded poison pills to cause the ACA to fail.

It didn’t. In fact it was quite popular even in its flawed state. So the flaws were rhetorically magnified to make a case to replace the ACA or at least remove it entirely. Mark it down to a failed administrative attempt to govern the people. The truth is quite different, isn’t it?

I suppose we can review much of Washington DC with these administrative eyes and find all sorts of flaws. The question is how deliberate were these flaws?

I suppose the administrative machinery of federal education programs could be viewed as flawed, eh? You know the drill: load the existing administrative channels with tons of additional tasks and programs so nothing works efficiently anymore, then accuse the system of self managing the nation’s future!

What rot.

I suppose we are to believe this? Bannon is playing to a mixed crowd at best; at worst the audience sees right through him. And Trump as well.

Instead of inserting ones own ideology and bias into our governance system, why not seek intelligent inputs before making such decisions? Why not ask for advice and counsel from experts to determine what is workable and what is not. I suppose such ‘due diligence’ is the better method to pursue? But is it?

No; not at all. It appears that expertise is suspect these days in Washington.

I suppose someone wants there own ideas to prevail. Regardless of impact or projected results. Shouldn’t we be asking what their objectives are? Ours is still a democracy isn’t it where the consent of the governed is required before assuming what that consent is?

Or is the Alt-right and Bannonism/Trumpism a new form of government we the people had no voice in?

The Constitution remains the law of the land. It holds sway over Congress, the White House and the Courts. The Constitution rules, not man.

I suppose we can ignore this and let the children play their games until we see better what it is they are proposing. But I recall much damage from allowing children unfettered freedoms in this manner. I dread the cleanup required by us to restore normalcy once we see what they have done.

I suppose we could save ourselves a great deal of time, effort and money if we maintained a reasonable control and oversight so the extracurricular shenanigans don’t get carried away in the first place.

Do you suppose they don’t think we will notice?  Just what is it they suppose?

More and more I get the feeling the fox is in the hen house and we chickens are marked for extinction. How about you?

What do you suppose?

March 6, 2017