Revival…Maybe

I’m seriously considering posting somewhat regularly (or perhaps sporadically) to this site again after almost six years of silence. The looming event of the inauguration tomorrow and the likelihood of a presidential term full of lies, misdirection, intentional chaos, etc. is the primary impetus. However, that is not the only reason.

Over the last several months, the so-called “main stream media”, now often called “legacy media” have failed miserably in a primary task of speaking and publishing the truth without regard to what those in power think or threaten to do. No more. There are probably many reasons for their failure, but ultimately money is the culprit.

What may have appeared to be a good thing when billionaires bought some of the most prominent newspapers, for example, has turned out to be a disaster for the general reading public. The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times were the most obvious examples of the media bowing to power I have seen in my lifetime. Out in the open, obeying in advance to avoid angering or even just annoying the powerful is blatant disregard for the readers and ultimately for our democracy.

Their failure means someone else will have to pick up the task, particularly of following and critiquing the executive actions of the president. Fortunately, there are many writers who will be doing some of this work, using the newer platforms for distribution of their work, but it is not yet clear if anyone will be focusing on executive actions over the next four years. In my opinion, it is in the executive actions that we will see the autocratic tendency come into full bloom resulting in greatly a diminishing the democracy, if not ending it altogether.

Apparently, there will be a flood of executive orders tomorrow. Most likely they will be reported widely, but it may well be the now ubiquitous “both sides” approach or, more insidiously, a non-critical acceptance of them rather than a true analysis of them and their likely impact that will dominate the flood of information about them.

Of particular interest to me will be how blatant the orders will be in doing the bidding of the oligarchs that have openly courted and supported this return to power.

The “maybe” part of the title of this post means I am not sure I have the mental or physical energy to do a thorough job of following and reviewing all executive actions as I aspired to do back in 2016. I therefore make no promises about the frequency or depth of analysis. For now, I intend to just begin doing what I can and see what transpires. If I see significant coverage of presidential actions by others, I will likely bow out again.

Election Process Changes

As we embark on yet another election cycle with little having changed in our election systems, I have several thoughts about what I hope for at some point. These potential changes are going to be part of how I evaluate candidates. Does a candidate talk about the need for changes? Are there specifics in the speeches or just grand rhetoric? Is there any detailing of intentions on the candidate’s website?

I’ve broken down some ideas into three categories where changes are needed. In the interest of brevity, I’ve decided to use an outline format for the rest of this post.

Structural Changes

• remove Gerrymandering in federal, state & county districts

• change process of redistricting after each census – non-partisan, independent panel of judges – elected by peers, not appointed by governor or legislature

• legislation to require identification of all donors to all parties, PACs, etc.
• popular vote of president and vice president – at the very least, requiring each state’s electors to vote for the candidate that won that state’s popular vote

• ranked voting, open primaries (all candidates from all parties together)
  • run-off of top two if 51% not achieved in primary by top candidate

• state-wide election of all Federal legislative positions – not just Senate, also House
  • effectively electing several House members to represent each state

Process Changes

• all eligible are registered to vote automatically – as result of any state registration – drivers’ license, auto tags, hunting license, etc., birth certificate with validation date on 18th birthday; removed from voter roll when death certificate is issued
• any use of electronic voting machines would require a verification system beyond original voting machine/device
• election period month long, not just one day – first step, election day national holiday, with mandatory paid time off to vote for employees in essential jobs that day
• electronic voting (online) option, eventually when security can be assured
• mandatory minimum number of polling places to serve the population adequately (reducing the number has been a voter suppression tactic by Republicans)

Party Approach Changes

• party members/candidates listen more than speak in early phases of campaign to gain genuine perspective of the electorate
• until automatic registration is initiated, create a registration drive to reach all eligible to vote
• national primary instead of individual states or regions

Initiative Party in Sweden

One of the most intriguing movements toward a different kind of political party is the Initiative in Sweden. I first learned of it via an article in the New Yorker by Masha Gessen in December 2017. Below is the link to the article online followed by a quote that gives the gist of the Initiative.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-invention-of-a-new-kind-of-political-party-in-sweden

The Initiative’s most important innovation is launching a party without a program but with two lists. One is a list of six values that the Party espouses: courage, openness, compassion, optimism, co-creation, and actionability. The other is a list of three crises that the Party must address: the crisis of faith in democracy, the environmental crisis, and the crisis of mental health.

So far, I have not been able to find any online presence of the Initiative to see what progress has been made in the year since. I will keep on the lookout.

In the article, there are references to an older, similar party in Denmark. Here is the only online reference I could find about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alternative_%28Denmark%29

I am encouraged by the approach of the Sweden Initiative, and can easily endorse the six values they espouse. The three crises they deem central to their efforts may well be the most important in the United States as well.

It will be interesting to see if any of the candidates in the 2020 primaries are aware of this approach.

With Honor Super PAC

One of the interesting developments coming out of the 2016 elections was the emergence of a cross-partisan political movement made up of veterans called With Honor.

Their focus is a pledge to put principles before politics. At the end of this post is that pledge (also found on their web site here).

I was interested to see how they did in recruiting candidates in both parties and especially how they fared in the election of 2018. From what I have seen, then had many candidates take the pledge and modest success in the election.

There is much positive in their pledge and I can endorse it, but I have a few mixed thoughts about their efforts. First, I wish they would have used ‘partisanship’ instead of ‘politics’ in the opening paragraph. For me, politics is not a negative word. It simply describes what we do in working together as a public. Second, I understand the need to limit the focus somewhat, but I would like to see the group opened up to anyone who makes and keeps the pledge, not just veterans. We need this kind of open welcoming more than another clique developing.

It is now clearer to me than it was when I first encountered this group in late 2016 that it is actually a super PAC. As of this writing, I have not taken the time to study who the major donors are, but that would be an interesting project to pursue sometime.

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Veterans have pledged an oath to support and defend the Constitution. A new generation of men and women are answering the call to serve again and are taking The Pledge to put principles before politics.

THE PLEDGE

1. Integrity

I will always speak the truth and prioritize the public interest above my self-interest.

• I will return or give to charity contributions from sources that I find out taint my integrity.
• I will use the power of my office only for the service of my constituents and my country.

2. Civility

I will respect my colleagues, focus on solving problems and work to bring civility to politics.

• I will publicly reject, and seek to remove, any advertisements in support of my campaign that lie about or baselessly attack the character of my opponent.
• I will attend and participate in a cross-partisan veterans caucus.

3. Courage

I will defend the rights of all Americans and have the courage to collaborate across the aisle and find common ground.

• I will meet with someone from an opposing party one-on-one at least once a month.
• I will join with colleagues on both sides of the aisle on at least one piece of major legislation each year, and co-sponsor additional pieces.

 

Two Party System

I am rapidly coming to the conclusion the two-party system in American politics is no longer as functional as it used to be, and we need to develop some alternatives that will more fairly take into account the diversity of our population.

Signs have been available for us to see for a while now, but the most recent election cycle pretty much confirmed the growing dysfunction of both parties.

Some clear warning signs:

Societal changes

Mobility of the population has weakened ties to a single community, even to extended families

Expansion of hyper-individuality as the preferred polity

Diminished confidence in public and private institutions as a result of individualism – individuals not getting everything they personally want from them vs. what common good they provide even if I personally do not directly benefit

Communication methods have radically changed in just the last three decades – from land lines, to adding answering machines and fax machines, to electronic voice mail, to clunky car phones, to smaller cell phones, to smart phones, etc.

Decline of printed newspapers and weekly news magazines due to alternatives via the internet. Rise of niche publications.

Decline of TV news and rise of opinion/ideology “news” TV. Rise of conservative political talk radio.

Legal changes, such as Citizens United and follow-up challenges to controlling election spending, have shifted the power to the wealthy even more than it was before.

Advent of and rapid ubiquitous use of social media have changed how we can filter news and information, tailoring it to our own preferences, biases, and fears.

Increased societal obsession with celebrity.

Rise of social science research-based sales and promotional techniques that play on human tendencies.

Ways in which parties are failing:

Money is connected to certain factions that win seats in legislatures and executive offices more than general party welfare

Attention by office holders and party leaders given to donors and PACs vs. needs of constituents or general population

Party insiders vs. voting constituents

Diversity within parties no longer coalitions of tolerance, but splintering and demonizing all who do not agree, even (especially?) within the party

Aging leadership many of whom like the prestige, but not the work it takes to get things done well (disorganization reigns)

Over reliance on older methods of organizing and party development (e.g. reliance on land-line phone calling)

Failing to effectively develop and use the latest technology and communication methods for party development

In future posts I will try to outline what I think might be options for political organization that are viable in the 21st century.

Election Processes

One of the most fertile areas for ideas to write about is in a category I’m calling “election processes”. Perhaps because I feel this is a topic that needs great attention these days, I have found a significant number of ideas and initiatives in the works that are worth learning more about.

One approach that has been implemented in several places is ranked-choice voting. I really like the idea that voters can express their choices on which candidates are best by ranking them instead of just picking one to vote for.

In California, more than once, this has resulted in two Democrats running against each other in the general election after the ranked-choice voting in the open primary. This makes the general election essentially a run-off between the top two vote-getters in the primary.

In Maine recently, a Republican candidate refused to accept that he lost the election because he believes ranked-choice voting is unconstitutional. He lost in federal court and again just a few days ago at the district court level, when a three-judge panel denied his appeal. Those rulings appear to establish ranked-choice voting as constitutional.

Ranked-choice is one issue I hope to raise with presidential candidates this coming election season. If they are opposed to it, I will not vote for them.

Media Critique

One thread of my future writings will be about the media and journalism. I hope to note good examples as well as critique some of the current approaches the media use.

I follow hundreds (not an exaggeration) of journalists, pundits, and media personalities on Twitter. Among those I follow, I’ve intentionally included people from all perspectives – some self-identify as liberals, conservatives, libertarians, etc. Often, some of the best ideas or leads for finding writings about the various topics I am interested in come from these sources.

In general, I have become quite critical of the political media. Most reporters, pundits, and editorial boards have fallen into the trap of obsession with POTUS 45. Whatever he says, does, or Tweets (especially!) gets far more attention and media coverage than it deserves. His continuous, demonstrable lies are not worthy of repetition.

For the most part, journalists are struggling with how the norms have changed. The old approaches, such as the objective perspective, also known as “the view from nowhere” or “just report the events” and “he said/she said” are no longer useful. Failure to identify lies as lies, preferring to call them “inaccuracies” or “misstatements”, erodes the public confidence in the media. And, public confidence in media is quite low these days.

Even in all the turmoil, there are a few rays of hope for better, but the industry not being in a healthy financial state is making it even more difficult to experiment with new models of journalism.

Future posts in this thread will point to some new approaches as well as some of the people advocating for significant changes to how the media operate.

 

Movements and Initiatives to Watch

One of the reasons for at least some optimism in this difficult political climate, is how many movements and initiatives– some local or regional, others national – are working to improve our society and culture, including our election processes.

Especially since the 2016 election, several new initiatives have sprung up to deal with the current cultural and political realities. Every time I read about one, I find leads to others, so this brief overview is not intended to be a complete list, but rather more of an attempt to at least call attention to the fact that so many individuals and groups are inspired and motivated to act to make this nation better.

Before identifying some of the initiatives I’ve learned about more recently, I want to refer to one important movement that has now been going on and growing for about five years, and that is Black Lives Matter (BLM).

According to Wikipedia:

“In 2013, the movement began with the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of African-American teen Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Black Lives Matter became nationally recognized for its street demonstrations following the 2014 deaths of two African Americans: Michael Brown—resulting in protests and unrest in Ferguson—and Eric Garner in New York City.”

BLM also appears to have spawned the #BlackTwitter hashtag that now has a substantial following.

This movement has received intermittent national coverage and I believe it is ultimately one of the most important contemporary movements.

Some Other Growing Movements

In future posts, I hope to provide a little more background and detail, but for now these are what I’ve run across.

• Conflict resolution and mediation initiatives – ongoing for decades, but receiving more attention with all the public conflict recently
• Mindfulness and Meditation – becoming more prominent in schools and society

More Recently Established Initiatives

• Movement for Black Lives
• March for our Lives – Parkland students led
• Women’s March – began in 2017 inauguration weekend
• #MeToo – growing and important, as evidenced by push-back by many in power
• New Poor People’s Campaign – led by Reverend Barber (who recently received the McArthur Genius Award) and Liz Theoharis is an anti-poverty campaign begun just this year
• Election Process Groups – too numerous to mention all I have found so far, but following are a few intriguing ones
  • Sweden – a new kind of political party is organized
  • With Honor – a group to elect more military veterans regardless of party
  • Fair Vote – movement to promote ranked voting
  • Independent Voter Project – promoting the rights of every individual
  • Open Primaries – promoting primaries open to all parties as opposed to closed, party-based primaries

As I find time and motivation, I expect these and more initiatives or movements will be subjects for future posts.

Announcing Focus Change

It has now been over six months since I posted anything to this blog. There are several contributing factors for the hiatus, not the least being “POTUS 45 fatigue”. Most days, for the first month or so after posting Future Posting Plan on March 1st, I simply couldn’t get myself to even check the White House website.

I am still not interested in digging into all things POTUS 45 anymore. It is too depressing and feels counterproductive. Even though the last few months of general media coverage have been so fixated on the latest Tweet, the Mueller investigation, or the Supreme Court nominee hearings, etc., and so little coverage has been given to executive orders or significant actions of his staff, that I am sure several very important actions have gone unnoticed, I remain unmotivated to check on executive actions daily.

Instead, I’ve decided to resume posting, but with a shift in the focus of this blog. In my original About statement, I referred to possibly occasionally posting comments about our current political climate and culture. That, at least for now, is what interests me more, so I intend them to be the new focus. As before, my motivation may wax and wane, so I will not plan any systematic schedule of posts. In fact, I thoroughly expect to be sporadic, at best.

Over the last couple of years several organizations and groups have been working on better ways of exercising citizen rights and responsibilities. I’ve encountered a few interesting ideas that will probably be where I begin this new focus.

Qualcomm vs. Broadcom

The most significant executive order in quite some time was issued yesterday. From reading it (and what little I have heard about it in the media so far), this is an action I can fully support, as rare as that is with this POTUS!

The threat to national security is enormous if the takeover of Qualcomm by Broadcom was to occur. Having non-U.S. companies own near monopoly technologies that are essential to contemporary communication networks is not an acceptable reality.

It is very good that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States issued its warning on March 4 so the threat would be taken seriously by this White House.

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Official Title and Link:

Presidential Order Regarding the Proposed Takeover of Qualcomm Incorporated by Broadcom Limited

Executive Order issued March 12, 2018