Happy 4th of July!

This is a day for picnics, parades, and gatherings of families and neighbors. It is a time to celebrate our nation’s independence from England in 1776. A declaration of independence, severing ties with the King of England. Later, the Revolutionary War made the intent a reality. It was done through blood sweat and tears, but the intent and will of the people was done.

The Declaration was an arduous task all of itself. The early patriots in the Second Continental Congress labored over the wording of the Declaration. Many drafts were written and discussed. Finally, on July 4, 1776 they agreed. The document we celebrate today is the same they approved then. They knew that war was a likely consequence. And they were correct.

Intent. Statement of intent. Consequences of living up to the intent. Resolve and follow through. Then and thereafter.

That is the nature of great and solemn intent. Carefully thought through. Refined and then a commitment asked and granted. The way forward was then made clear. And the young American nation stepped boldly into that future.

Things are not so clear today. We are in a muddle. Many thoughts and ideologies. A plethora of political stratagems. At least four political parties, probably more if you count all the struggling activist groups. Lots of public discussion and argument on many issues.

But one thing remains quite clear: America is a nation of people who believe in the principles of government being of the people, by the people and for the people.

Those terms include you and I and 320 million more citizens. We the people is a large family. Like most families, not all is agreed upon or agreeable. That’s where the work lies for us to do. That’s the of, by and for part.

So roll up your sleeves and get busy to do your part. The work begun in 1776 is not yet done. Likely it will never be done. And that is not a bad thing if it leads to involvement, knowledge and the exercise of wisdom.

Are we all in? Or are we letting others do this in our stead? If the latter, do you trust their doing your will?  Perhaps you should check on that.

Well, you can restart this process tomorrow. For now, celebrate the independence and hard fought freedoms we have today.

Happy 4^th!!

July 4, 2017

Toxic Personalities

No doubt you know a few people who are hard to be around. I’ve had my share. Being a gregarious sort of person, I attempt to connect with them anyway and give them the benefit of the doubt. This helps the situation and the troubled person softens enough to maintain a working relationship.

Working relationship is the key here. If two people have to work together because they are fellow employees, or there is a public employee – citizen needing service sort of thing, then you make the best of it and move on with your life.

If you can you most likely work around the person and avoid them whenever possible. Not always a practical solution, but it is usable for short spells. Eventually the person  moves on to another position or organization, everyone breathes a huge sigh of relief and life goes on. Or maybe you move on to a new situation in which this person is no longer an issue.

When the person in question is a member of your family, however, be prepared for unexpected troubles. I’ve had my share of these folks, too; perhaps you too?

At any rate what we do with these situations is a no-win proposition. If you remove yourself from events and family gatherings because of someone toxic will be at the same event, it’s now on you for taking this position. Others now seem to feel hurt because I’ve managed the situation by absenting myself.

I think this is a good solution for the most part. As long as the others understand this, then I think it is OK. At least my peace of mind is at rest; and the person at the center of the problem will make of it what he/she will. Not my problem; that’s on the other person.

Some people just have a knack for goading other people. Some people seem to enjoy bothering others. Pushing limits? Whatever the objective, I don’t get it. Maybe they realize they have been in the wrong for a long time and don’t know how to apologize? Of course there are those who don’t know they have this effect on others and then can only react on what they perceive to be bad behavior on the part of others. I think in those situations, we deal with things far beyond our control. Best to let that relationship go for one’s own serenity.

How the rest of the family feels about this is apt to be quite varied. Even anger and hurt creep into the equation. I truly don’t have an answer for that. All I have is my own serenity to maintain and be accountable for. It’s a matter of non-escalation and containment.

Not everyone will understand this, I guess. That only spreads the hurt farther. For them and me.

Oh the damage some people are capable of! I think the mental health of all concerned is on trial.

Perhaps you have a pearl of wisdom to share here? I’m at a loss other than turn the other cheek and go on with my life the best I can.

Thanks for listening.

July 3, 2017

Common Cause

Our nation is one of the people, by the people, and for the people. We get to decide what it is we want in our lives, from our lives, and because of our lives. The government doesn’t decide this; we do.

Some of our fellow citizens seem to think that this gives them freedom to impose their values and thinking on the rest of us. No. They are wrong.

Democracy provides for open discussion leading to decisions by elected representatives. They make the decisions that govern our lives together. They do this after taking a good reading of what it is we want made public in our discussions, press offerings, and public media sharing of opinions of we the people.

Should those elected representatives get it wrong, they are to be removed at the next election. Pretty simple remedy. It takes our patience and forbearance, but it eventually gets done.

Meddling by these elected officials and their staff sometimes allow continuance in office through gerrymandered electoral districts and other nonsensical protocols passed off as ‘rules and regulations.’ But in time they will be found out and removed from office.

Failing that, I guess we have to impose term limits. That is our trump card (no pun intended). I don’t support term limits in the main, but in the final analysis it may be the only way to get elected representatives to do their jobs correctly.

If elected reps feel that the public has it wrong, then they should not vote contrary to the public’s view. Instead they should extend every effort to inform and educate the public where they think they have it wrong.

In this manner reps will not be allowed to make economic policy using the wrong theories and unproven methods. Macro Economics is what they should be using when fiddling with this arena of governance, not Micro Economics. Shame on them for this basic ignorance.

And ideology. It can and should be discussed, but it should not be overlaid as the final element in making decisions. We need to move beyond the ideology that angers and frustrates governance. We are in gridlock because of this. We cannot afford anymore gridlock in the federal OR state governments.

Seek definition of what the final outcomes should be in the many arenas of public life. Pick the most important arenas, settle on the outcomes as goal, and move forward to find the best ‘how’ to make it happen over time. Stop arguing about the things that don’t matter. Argue over what we ought to be determining as goals. Then take action.

We have made our democracy a sham. It is time to correct this situation.

Get on with it Congress. Get on with it Illinois Legislature. Otherwise you are all numbskulls playacting at meaningless activity.

How do you spell fool?  G R I D L O C K.

Thank you.

June 30, 2017

Press Secretary vs Fake News

Evidently Sean Spicer couldn’t hack the job as Press Secretary at the White House. Where he will end up in the trump administration is anyone’s guess. They can sugar coat it as a promotion to White House Communications Director, but even that job doesn’t direct, and sure doesn’t encompass communications – between or among anyone.

His replacement – albeit – unannounced, is Susan Huckabee Sanders. Not sure she is related to the other well known southern huckabee, but they seem of the same stripe. Daughter perhaps? They seem to share the same gene pool of dis-communication and assertion. One wonders what their diet was growing up? What causes such misplacement of reality as is their penchant?

Sanders’ rant Tuesday at a normal White House press briefing went on and on about how the entire press corps is suspect as to reporting facts when in reality it is the White House dispensing non fact that has muddled things up royally. Think about the twisted lies that trump has been snarled in. Think about the lies he has started via Tweet. Think about the fake Time news magazine cover he has duplicated and posted in his properties, mostly his golf clubs. Just think about that.

He foists onto the American stage of public opinion what he wants you and I to believe. But when checking the facts – as the press is supposed to do – he comes up wanting every time. Every time.

And then, of course, his minions under his employ – correction, under OUR employ – ape every misstatement of his as fact and/or policy. The opposite, of course, is true. So who is calling facts facts and lies lies?  Hmmmmm?

The rant ought not to be coming from the White House. It ought to be coming from the people and the press. We do not accept nonsense as government or policy. That truth is well out by now.

When a fake person assumes the mantle of the President, it does not make him the president. All the trappings are his own because that is what he is used to and what he has bought for himself throughout his lifetime. He is not the royal leader of our nation. Nor was he elected to that position. He was, by colossal error, elected to the Presidency of the USA. That will be corrected in time.  For now we have the Constitution and the other protocols, policies, processes, legal institutions, and history to govern in his stead.

He has tied himself up in his own conspiracies and lies and now finds himself writhing on the floor of the Oval Office unable to accomplish anything. Just as well. What he could conjure up as ‘accomplishment’ boggles the mind of normal people.

One has to laugh and shake heads about what history will say about this era of American history. It will not be about him; no, it will be about how We the People survived this terrible anomaly of governance.

Time for Term Limits for all of Congress; time for social security and Medicare, Medicaid for all of Congress in place of their sweet pot of benefits; time for removal of the Electoral College; and time for a Constitutional Amendment to remove corporations from citizenship.

The folly of present day is more than a laughing matter. It is serious business caused by ignorance and laziness within the public. Shame on that. Shame on them.

For the rest of us?  Resist!

June 29, 2017

Outcomes Wanted

It seems to me that Americans talk a lot and complain a lot. The more this goes on the angrier people get. Often the anger is not about disagreements over topics; rather it is personal and cantankerous. Our incivility begets vitriol begets ugly anger and maybe even violence. Add alcohol and the violence is almost automatic. Add guns and tragedy emerges, too.

I think much of this is due to laziness. We tend not to carefully think through the many ideas and discussions we witness daily. Many of these we participate in as well.

The laziness is really a lack of discipline. A lack of research and deeper thought on issues that matter to us. Rather than react to someone’s opinion because it doesn’t agree with yours completely, keep silent and ponder what he is saying. Note your disagreement with his argument. Follow that up with research. Determine if he is basically correct in recitation of facts; or incorrect and how and why that is the case. If the debater isn’t speaking of facts, then later you can call him on that. If you have the opportunity to discuss this with him at another time, share the results of your research. Do not accuse. Make it a pleasant interchange. If he doesn’t take this well, do not discuss it further with him and avoid all future discussion until he proves he is prepared.

No sense making matters worse arguing points with someone who doesn’t respect truth, facts or logic. Avoiding these folks may actually encourage them to prepare better for future discussions.

Laziness. The avoidance of research. The avoidance of taking the time to check facts. The sloppiness of using opinion as fact when it is not so. Laziness, too, to short cut logic and just get angry because of frustration. It doesn’t solve anything. It doesn’t make you right. It erodes trust and civility.

This laziness can be cured by investing time as outlined above. But another solution may be thinking seriously about what we want from life, from society, from institutions, and from government.

Often we focus on problems. Then it is a fight to determine how to solve those problems. The better solution is defining the outcome we wish for. I know this sounds too simple, but stop and think about it. Have you actually defined what you want to see prevalent in American society? In your neighborhood or town or city? Have you?

For example, here are some outcomes I would dearly see emerge in our American culture:

            -A reduction of gun violence

            -A reduction of youth gangs

            -High completion rates for all grades in school, especially high school graduation

            -Access to continuing education so each person gets what they need to fulfill their

             talents and interests

            -Healthy environment: clean air, soil and water

            -Smooth career transitions toward the new and the rewarding, matched to talents

             and passions

            -Access to health care that values each human life

            -Respect for all religions or atheism; it’s personal not requiring social adherence

            -Peace among nations; elimination of war

That’s a heady list. My point, though, is each is attainable. We don’t have to worry about how each topic will be handled; just that the end result is something we can agree on. The how will become more evident later on. First settle on the goal.

I truly believe we don’t do enough thinking about outcomes. Being clear on them is the first step in finding a solution to any problem related to the outcome. It takes discipline and patience to do this work.

It would also reduce heated arguments. That’s a good step to make other good things happen!

June 28, 2017

Trusting Government

I’ve been a student of politics most of my life and I’m now well into my 70’s. I’ve had doubts from time to time whether representatives truly understand a topic well enough to make decisions and legislate about them.

In today’s atmosphere of raging public discussion and non civil discourse, my doubts are also raging. What does a congressman know about Medicare, Medicaid, and healthcare in general? Tinkering with any of these opens the possibility for major unintended consequences. And then will they have the moxie to repair or undo the damage later? Not very likely. Even if they do the timing will likely be delayed and very slow.

I suspect the ideological arguments embedded in today’s debate about healthcare are actually this: How big a role ought government play in our lives?

Conservatives feel government should be small and focused only on narrow roles that only a central government can have proper effect on. Such would be national defense.

Liberals feel government should be large enough to control for desired outcomes for the common good of our people. Of course what limits may pertain on this is hazy, and those who doubt the common good provided by a strong central government wince each time the word ‘control’ or ‘regulation’ is mentioned.

Centrists feel borrowing the best of all ideas from right and left makes sense and produces compromises that are workable and manageable. Of course compromise for many is a dirty word meaning principles are traded away for something else. If these are valuable principles – which aren’t? – then any compromise is bad.

It seems to me the rhetoric is so hot at the moment that the entire issue of healthcare ought to be placed on hiatus. Keep the programs in place that are already there, and tinker with them to strengthen them so no one citizen gets hurt in the hullabaloo. The health of each citizen is important. That is a principle upon which I think we can agree.

So, how do we do the least damage to citizens while we attempt to build a program that is just, fair and affordable? The affordability is the crux of the matter to those of us who are of practical mind. We are spending public dollars after all, so we must be careful. But do something we must because of our principles.

Healthcare has become so complex and so costly that vast numbers of people fear they will be excluded from care. Those who have the financial strength feel that’s just a reality of the market place. If you can’t pay, you don’t play.

Only not playing costs the community, our society, lives. Some will argue that not all lives are of equal value; in a purist sort of way such arguments can be made. But they are done in folly because our principles tell us that each and every one of us is worthy of our care and protection. Every religion in human history claims this principle as their own.

If you don’t support the principle, then I understand your distaste for spending your money on others. But then you would be the beneficiary of our ‘charity’ if the roles were reversed. What kind of society do you wish to be a part of? Warm, accepting and valuing others? Or uncaring and disassociating?

Does it really matter what your answer is to that question? It does with regard to your attitude and personality type, I suppose. But as a social concept ascribing a value of zero to another human being demeans all of us. You are allowed to be asocial if that is your wish; but the rest of us answer to a higher standard. Your position will call forth consequences you may not wish; but ours will produce a society and culture of inclusion, diversity and massive creativity for the benefit of all.

Healthcare is one of those topics that begs the cultural value of each of us. Our federal government is attempting to deal with this enormous issue as though it is merely an economic issue. It isn’t.

It is a matter of our humanity. It defines our ability to love and being loved.

“Do this to the least of us and you do it to me.” What we do and feel defines who we are.

Let that sink in. Then let your congressman and senators know your position.

June 27, 2017

Letting it Sink In

"You just don’t get it,” the man shouted. “You don’t understand what I’m talking about.” And he was right, still is right! I don’t understand what he is driving at.

Oh, I know he wants to start a business with his favorite ‘widgets’ but I keep telling him there is no market for his particular item. He claims otherwise, so the chase is on to discover what he ‘knows’ and I don’t. I’m not sure the two are in agreement anyway!

Knowing a new product is a neat idea is one thing; knowing that a market exists for it is pure supposition. It is a guess that someone else likes it as much as you do and so it should be made, marketed and sold to those eager buyers. Trouble is those buyers are more in the mind of the widget inventor than in reality.

Besides, another consideration in this prospective is the timeliness of the market place. Is it ready for this product at this time? Or has this product come to market too late? Or too early? And if either or both are true, what does this tell us about other, similar products? Are they doomed as well, or is there a terrific opportunity buried in this data?

Well, that is the exercise the mind must tackle. Data and lots of it has to be gathered and studied to determine if the entrepreneur has a workable idea. Often they don’t; sometimes they do. The trick is to discipline the thinking and take the time to do the homework. A product may be a dandy idea but if it is limited to a small market of need, then the profitability of producing and distributing the product is too little or less than zero.

We want to limit the losses and disappointments. Better to think things through before investing money into something that is apt to be a loser.

Return now to the original sentence of this post: whether I get it or not is still an open question. Studying the product and understanding its appeal is what the entrepreneur wants me to do. He needs me to do this. So I have to study it more. In detail. In depth.

I have to let it sink in to a broader and deeper consciousness. Maybe this product is unique and very valuable. Maybe this product will revolutionize the marketplace, even grow a new industry around it. Steve Jobs proposed this and look what happened? So did Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

Just because their products became enormously complex didn’t stop them from pursuing a dream that led to an amazing new global economy. Singly they revolutionized their part of an industry. It became a new industry because of their innovation. Together, all three of these entrepreneurs revolutionized the lives of billions of people.

Now, let that sink in!

Of course, the widget maker may still have an underappreciated product that will go nowhere. Right now I still think that is true. But I should give him the benefit of the doubt and dig deeper.

Who knows what I will find?

June 26, 2017