WELCOME TO a NEW KIND of REVOLUTION!

I wrote last week about a Vision/Plan for the new Congress.  Much of it dealt with process, which must be considered in order to make policies work.  Some came down on the side of changing the Constitution.  Another bucket contained thoughts on issues.  But,  it came across upon re-reading as a plan for politicians to pick and choose items that could be passed or promoted without sacrificing much of anything - but certainly not one's elected office!  Something was missing…

That something was revolution.  Revolution, not in terms of violent overthrow, but in terms of returning to basics; to our foundations.  Revolution, in terms of turning around and going in a different direction, back to our North Star of the rule of law, and to the equality of opportunity provided by of our inalienable rights and basic freedoms.  Revolution: in terms of turning some things upside down from where they are right now.  

Nonetheless, last week’s posting did address elements of Revolution in the sense of returning to basics and taking a new direction at the same time, like:

ü A People’s Method for amending our Constitution not only returns us to our North Star of putting the People first, but also turns upside down the lopsided view that only the Congress should be the arbiter of that process of amendment.

ü New methods of working out legislation and laws based on problem-solving techniques and new ways of working together to find solutions – as in Task Forces and one-issue Teams -- all the while making the Preamble to the Constitution our guiding star in terms of common ground and common purposes. 

ü Each issue mentioned had revolutionary elements within the suggested reforms, such as: 

o   abolishing the Electoral College

o   instituting vast election reform, including automatic voter registration

o   placing members of the opposition Party within the House Leadership

o   banning paid special interest lobbyists

o   preventing members of Congress from enjoying any waivers whatsoever – all laws must apply to them just as they do to the People; eliminating special privileges

o   access to healthcare for all as a right, not a privilege

o   lowering the cost of medicines

o   sanctioning, restricting, or punishing businesses that don’t reduce pollution

o   establishing Human Rights Committees in every community that could double as police review committees

o   penalizing government leaders for using government to abuse children, as at our southern border

o   the use of new technologies and Automated Information (AI) to reform and expand the healthcare system, and to make delivery of care more efficient and affordable

o   offering federal funding for year-round compensatory education

o   Guns declared potentially lethal products subject to FDA procedures and regulations (without jeopardizing 2^nd Amendment right to gun ownership)

o   Capture funds meant for the “Wall” to be used to fund helpful and pragmatic immigrant training and assistance

o   Utilize enhanced Automated Information and technology to replace “the Wall” and to upgrade security and communication all along our borders

Well, maybe, on second thought, the suggestions in that last blog post are more revolutionary than first thought.  However, just in case they didn't suffice, here are a few more concepts that might turn Trump’s destructive tweets, Executive Orders, immoral budgets and limited legislation upside down and inside out:

1)  The People must be first consideration in all bills and policies.  Political Party ideology or some entity's money or status must not be allowed to determine legislation or distribution of funds or outcomes. Nor should any profit-making business be the determiner of policy, program or the way law is shaped.  And, in light of today's news, let no Alt Right radio host or commentator be the source of policy decisions! 
     Safety, Defense, Justice, Freedom and the General Welfare for the greatest number of the People must, in the final analysis, determine how we govern and are governed. Let us judge every piece of legislation by those principles and write legislation that reflects democratic principles and outcomes in actual words and phrases. (see Goal #2 in last week’s blog).    
            a.  refuse to pass any legislation or funding bills proposed by the Trump                    administration that might make legislators appear to be co-conspirators               with an alleged law-breaker and possible crook (and maybe a traitor).

            b. refuse to support legislation of any kind which fails to consider and                      attend to the needs or safety of the People as the first principle of                          legislation;  reject any legislation that intends harm or hurt to any                        group or cohort of our nation

2)    Investigate, investigate, investigate – new chairmen of committees, sub-committees and special committees have a constitutional obligation to oversee the execution of laws and programs instituted by congressional legislation, and signed by the President. 

Evidence is accumulating (much by his own words and actions) that we may  well have a crook, a swindler, a money-launderer; a person using government to enrich himself, his family and his company;  a harasser (and briber) of women; as well as someone who does not shy from obstruction of justice,  abuse of children, and de-construction of all that supports democratic ideals and principles.  Be sure to pursue either impeachment and/or indictment of this alleged criminal.  He is a national disgrace and a threat to our national security. He must be shown unequivocally that no person in this society is above the law, no matter what office they may hold!

3)    Restore best provisions of the ACA immediately and legislate changes to include an easily affordable public option basic policy that can serve both as incentive for reluctant participants to sign-up and a gateway to a single payer, Medicare-for-all prototype.  Whatever happens, at least get single payer legislation started!

4)    Regulation and restriction of trade and commerce is a constitutional mandate which must be used to restore our government to control of business enterprises and international trade, not the other way around.  Possibilities:

a.     restore Dodd-Frank to original intent

b.    regulate and restrict how businesses and internet platforms make use of private information    

c.     provide incentives, positive and negative, for companies to support alternative means of power-production;

d.    increase penalties for lack of, or refusal to, lower chemical and gas emissions in conformance with recent U.S. and U.N. climate reports

e.    serve notice on the business sector that laws, rules and regulations will be fair and just, but will also be restrictive and severe if business ignores them or breaks them with impunity. 
  

5)    Use every means possible (law suits, censure, restrictions, loss of privileges, fines) to hold congressmen/women responsible for supporting legislation that harms or disadvantages one group over another

6)    Pass legislation to prevent state or local legislatures from legislating restrictions on voting, government powers or new taxes without first submitting the matter to public referendum or amending the state constitution.

7)     Rescind all special and targeted tax rebates, incentives, breaks, or pass-throughs that benefit one individual, group or business over other taxpayers.
  Ensure by legislation that any such 'special' use of tax revenues shall be:

a.     appropriated by 60% vote of both houses of Congress—no more use of tax revenue without congressional oversight!

b.    allowed only for widespread positive outcomes for the People; tax breaks or reductions for one bracket must be matched with equivalent breaks for each tax bracket

c.     disbursed only by federal contract or grant which must include annual audit and report of use of such funds and an evaluation of goal plan that is part of the contract

d.    apply the same principles and processes to all money granted to other countries;

e.    no one should be able to receive money or in-kind materials from the federal government without a contract, a plan of utilization including a budget and goal plan that correlates to a budget and that produces positive outcomes that must be enumerated in an evaluative annual report.  Tax Revenue is the People's business, not the playground of the rich and famous!   

8)  Keep the People Informed of Progress – make weekly reports on TV, radio, and social media.  Promote what is being accomplished; worked on, or  thought about.  ASK for public feedback and don’t forget to provide a feedback mechanism.  If publicity and promotion aren't vigorously pursued by new (and older) House Democrats, the Alt Right will continue their dominance and manipulation of the political narrative and resultant negative outcomes.    

9)     We must look to 21^st century technology and automated information to solve some of our leftover 19^th and 20^th century problems and issues.  There is no excuse for ignoring the imperative upgrading of the technological knowledge, personnel, and infrastructure of every government office related to that impinging technology. 

And, there is no excuse for the apparent inability and ignorance of our elected leaders to address the future effects of multi-faceted technological breakthroughs upon our society. 

     10) Perhaps, most importantly, we must bring the People into the middle of government functioning as watchdogs and checks on special interests, paid lobbyists, privilege- or status-seekers, representatives who do not gather information from their constituents, and people who are simply unethical.   I have suggested that such ordinary citizens be attached to offices of the Inspector General to provide honest and rigorous checks on the activities of elected officials.

Do those newly-elected Democrats, now representing the People in the House of Representatives have enough honesty and integrity to stand up whenever the government strays from its North Star: its Constitutional principles, its values of liberty and equality, and the purposes of its existence as expressed in the Preamble to our Constitution? 

It is my hope and my belief that they can succeed in fulfillment of that trust, AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE CAPTURED AND SUBDUED BY THE MYTHS, TRADITIONS, ACQUIRED HABITS, OUT-MODED PROCEDURES, and FALSE NARRATIVES of the current Congress.    To stay true to their oaths of office, THEY MUST:

THINK and ACT BIG and BOLD – in order to challenge the CHAOS of TRUMPISM!

STAY ON COURSE -- follow the fundamentals of our Constitution

PROMOTE ACCOMPLISHMENTS and show how they benefit people with real people examples.   

ADMIT FAILURES or OBSTACLES and then ASK FOR HELP and IDEAS from the People.

PROMOTE and SUPPORT PROGRESSIVE CITIZEN GROUPS – encourage others to join these movements

MAINTAIN a REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT as I have defined it above, even if the institutional acquisitions and traditions place unreasonable obstacles in the way. 

HELP US TOGETHER TO DEFINE a new century with a new direction that turns Trump World upside down and inside out!

A Suggested VISIONARY PLAN

Just a few days ago, in both solemn and celebratory splendor, former 41^st President, George Herbert Walker Bush, was eulogized and laid-to-rest.  It was a moving and sincere tribute, epitomized perhaps by the 43^rd President, George W. Bush -- who captured and displayed the essence of his father--and that personal salute from a former colleague in the armed forces and in the Senate, Robert Dole.  Besides broccoli, one of the things mentioned that H.W. didn’t abide so well was the “Vision thing.” And yet, he often had a clear vision of what must be done and of what mattered at critical moments for the good of the People and of our nation.  May he abide in that peace that passes understanding.  

Today, I write in the hope that the new majority (and remaining minority) in Congress will find ways to embrace common ground based on a re-envisioning and enhancement of the fundamental values of our Constitution.  In close partnership with local states and communities, a common Vision would include fidelity to our Constitution and expansion of rights, freedoms and responsibilities to the People of our nation, and to members of the global community, including more direct citizen involvement in the challenges of governance.

Such a common endeavor would include focus on values and purposes found in the Preamble to our Constitution (see more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 1/10/2016 and 9/29/2018)):

·      a more perfect union of our diverse people unhampered by intended or unintended obstacles

·      equal justice under properly legislated and executed laws

·      domestic peace and tranquility that grows from respect for, and attention to, the rights and freedoms of all our citizens and residents

·       defense of our various communities and peoples from both foreign and domestic violence, including the violent damage being done to our environment

·      the promotion and enhancement of the general welfare of all our People, with primary attention given those with special challenges and needs, both here and abroad

·      the manifold requirements of securing the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our posterity, including the primary responsibility of providing broad-based opportunities for advancement and happiness in all possible aspects of life to those with the greatest needs and challenges 

In accord with these values, and their resultant responsibilities and obligations, the new House majority might want to consider at least some of the following suggestions as possible goals for 2019-2020: (bi-partisan support and/or co-sponsorship to be sought for legislative actions as appropriate). 

In doing so, there should be much greater emphasis placed on problem-solving techniques, including training for all congresspersons in the techniques that are extant in the world of leadership training:

Ø statements of problems that are clear, concise and correct so that the real problem is addressed, not one that is constructed from personal or Party opinion or belief

Ø gathering broad-based information and opinions from experts and citizens

Ø exploration of alternative solutions based on facts and information gathered

Ø choosing of options that will help to solve the stated (or re-stated) problem rather than for ideological or political ends

Ø testing of solution(s) if needed

Ø finalizing of legislation and regulations to implement the solution(s) absent any ideological bias

See below at Goal #2 for process suggestions related to finalizing legislation.

For further detail, also see:  www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 2/26/2017

A CONSIDERATION:

An important consideration prior to goal-setting is to offer a third method for amending the Constitution utilizing the initiative and vote of the nation’s citizenry (with non-binding advice from state legislatures and the Congress) in accordance with rights and powers retained by the People under Amendments IX and X.  We cannot continue to pretend that the People are not competent to initiate and manage their own process of constitutional amendment (see more detail: www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 5/26/2014

A People’s amendment process is necessary to enable and encourage greater participation by citizens in the pursuit of many of the Goals we both seek and need to pursue.  One of the first uses of the People’s amendment process might be to seek to amend or over-turn the following SCOTUS decisions:

·      Citizens United (see www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 4/1/2012, 11/25/2012)

·      Voting Rights Act, Section 4 (see www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com  at 11/9/2018)

The Democratic leadership has already expressed its commitment to pressing issues that require timely resolution. Current Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has indicated that the new Majority will make strengthening democratic institutions the focus of its first bill (HR 1) in the new Congress of 2019.  H.R. 1 will establish automatic voter registration, bolster the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and take re-districting power away from state legislatures.

What follows are some of my briefly expressed thoughts on an initial Goal Plan, not necessarily in order of priority and not intended to cover every detail of a longer-range Plan (which would have to include education, jobs, poverty and taxes, at least!) – see more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 5/24/2018, 7/29/2018

 GOAL #1:  Election Reform

In addition to the three items already mentioned, hopefully, HR 1 will clearly define federal standards for election procedures and  states’ role in implementing those procedures. The proposed reforms need to protect the right of all citizens to have their votes count equally with others; to have their registration automatically recorded and to have voting policies and procedures that do not hinder their absolute right to vote, but facilitate their freedom to vote

·      Early voting and a voting period, not just one Day

·      Public financing of elections

·      Restoring voting rights to felons who have served their sentence

·      Not allow anyone to run for any office while serving concurrently in another public office whether elected or appointed

·      Call for an amendment that will abolish, or greatly diminish, the role of the Electoral College in our presidential elections (see: www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 1/27/2013, 3/16/2014)

·      To emphasize the importance of electronics and computer technology, have the appropriate House Committee appoint a bi-partisan Task Force (or ad hoc sub-committee including experts in the appropriate fields of technology and citizens involved in election reform) to:

o   research and test new methods of voting that involve the most advanced technological methods, safeguards and re-count capabilities. 

o  review all voting machine contracts and operations to determine current flaws and capabilities.

o  present recommendations for Congressional actions in a final report by September 1, 2019.

For further thoughts:  see www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 6/20/2010, 1/8/2012, 3/10/2012, 1/12/2015, 7/19/2015, mostly: 11/27/2018

GOAL #2:  Improve, Reform and Rejuvenate the Work of Congress

By resolution and consultation, make known the Peoples’ concern for  the work of the Congress, with the sole purpose of acting with positive motivations and procedures in the future.

For more background and information: see 2/5/2012, 4/22/2016 2/26/2017, 5/24/2018 and 11/27/2018

 The new majority Leadership in the House is encouraged to:

·      Train and mentor new leaders from newly elected representatives; provide outside training in shared leadership and problem-solving techniques (see more at 2/3/2013 on www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com), and diversity/poverty simulation exercises to all members.  Appoint a special committee to follow-up on implementation   

·      Make greater use of bi-partisan teamwork in special sub-committees, task forces and ad hoc committees and involve ad hoc members from cohorts affected by the legislation to serve as ‘consultants’ (except for paid lobbyists, lawyers or employees of entities that might profit from the legislation)

·      Establish rules that allow decisions to be made by other than majority vote when appropriate: such as consensus, pros and cons, or trial and error

·       Establish rules and procedures that enhance broad participation of both parties and outside entities rather than hindering that goal, such as:

o  Place one or more members of the opposition Party on the Leadership Team;

o  Invite ordinary citizens and groups to consult, testify, and/or give written opinions and advice on every piece of legislation that impacts their lives.  We must listen less to Special Interests and more to citizens affected (see more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 11/14/2018)

o  All major legislation, regulations or policies issued ought to contain an explanation of exactly how persons most directly affected  had access to the process of development, and what consequences the proposals will have upon those affected constituencies.    

o  Restore full committee hearings for all major pieces of legislation

o  Ban paid special-interest lobbyists from legislative or regulatory meetings, hearings, or presentations; instead, depend primarily on expert witnesses from many sources 

 

 Establish restrictions and penalties for members who violate ethical and conflict of interest standards, according to severity of their actions:

o  Eliminate conflicts of interest in broad spectrum of matters, e.g.

§  no one may sponsor legislation that could benefit them in any manner (including agricultural subsidies);

§  no official may serve on a corporate board while serving in government

§  make members subject to substantial fines, expulsion or prison for using insider information;  

o  eliminate all waivers on legislation – no legislator allowed to be free from the provisions of any act; 

o  remove special privileges from any congressperson who breaks the rules, e.g. restrict them to basic healthcare plan; no access to free hospital procedures; no exemption from any legislation; reduction or removal of pension

o  expand anti-bribery Law

o  consider elimination of (or strong restrictions on) all PACs

o  consider offering legislation that contains strong and unpalatable punishments and outcomes for any member who violates his or her congressional oath

·      Require that all legislation be explained in a Preamble section, spelling out how it will “protect and defend the Constitution,” by elucidating the purposes, goals, and intended outcomes of the legislation in relation to constitutional provisions and values

·      In addition, the sponsors should be required to explain in the Preamble section:

o  exactly how this legislation will be evaluated as to its effectiveness, and

o  when a report on that effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) will be available to the public

o  such evaluation can most effectively and honestly be done by outside entities, and/or ordinary citizens not by members or staff.

For further thoughts and ideas: see www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 9/29/2018.

 GOAL #3: Healthcare for All (as a RIGHT not a PRIVILEGE)

First Step is to present legislation to amend, correct, and enhance the Affordable Care Act, with attention to the following:

·      Research at all levels of citizen involvement to acquire new and cogent ideas for healthcare reform;

·      Appoint a Task Force to explore, and report on, the use of new technologies and Automated Information (AI) to reform and expand the healthcare system, and to make delivery of care more efficient and affordable, such as:

o  More patient portals for consultation with doctors online

o  Computer system available to all doctors so they can easily consult and conference

o  All disciplines, hospitals, nurses, therapists, etc. able to communicate over one or two adaptable programs

·      Strengthen consumer input, affordability, ease of access, and advocacy mechanisms

·      Negotiate lowering of the costs of medicines and adaptive equipment, as well as cost of premiums

·      Expand the availability of both Medicare and Medicaid to also serve as a demonstration for a basic affordable public option Plan, that could be a prototype for a single payer Health Plan

·      Make provision for sharing of costs among insurance providers to help cover extraordinary costs of very sick people

For more information:  see www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 7/2/2012, 7/8/2012, 1/10/2017, 3/7/2017, 4/7/2017

GOAL #4:  Environment:  expand alternative fuels

Expand the funding of alternative fuels and power grids -- with federal funds as ‘incentives,’ for states, private and public utilities, private innovators, and other resources to dedicate a portion of their own resources toward this purpose. 

·      Have Congress pass resolution supporting the Paris Accords and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report;

·      Urge President Trump to rejoin the Accords; re-negotiate if necessary

·      Pass legislation to:

 

o  Reduce carbon emissions right away

 

o  Increase fines for industrial pollution of water, air and earth

 

o  Remove access for flagrant violators to all government contracts, grants, tax cuts or any other governmental assistance

o  Require additional tax burden for businesses that do not comply

o  Structure grants, subsidies, tax breaks, etc. for implementation of this Goal

See more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 9/2/2017

GOAL #5: Racial Equality

·      Resurrect the Koerner Report of 1965 to determine:

o  what issues prevalent then, still exist;

o  what recommendations were made then that may have relevance to the present;

o  rebut and override SCOTUS reasoning and decision re: Section 4 (and 5) of the Civil Rights Act

·      Establish several broadly representative Task Forces on Racial Divides to:

o   follow-up on individual aspects;

o  request recommendations be made to Democrat majority for most important steps that can and should be advanced in 2019-2020.

·      Other suggestions include:

o  As a joint venture of local, state and federal governments, and private sector, support establishment of a Human Rights Commission in every community

§  the membership of which reflects the local population cohorts accurately; (perhaps required for communities over 10,000 population).

§  Subpoena power a necessity; duties must be defined by feds with local government input, but

§  Could well include justice system review board duties

§  Require states to establish a Department of Human Rights and Relations to work in concert with feds, local governments and HR Boards

§  Joint funding also required, but feds supply most of it

See more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 5/4/2015, 9/29/2017, 1/13/2018, 4/8/2018 

·      The Kerner Commission report recognized that the black/white race divide was largely an economic divide and proposed mainly economic policies to meet this social problem. Their policy prescription included:

o  creating two million jobs, in both the public and private sector;

o  fully subsidizing on-the-job training for the chronically unemployed;

o  providing federal assistance to all inner-city schools

o  offering federal funding for year-round compensatory education programs serving disadvantaged children;

o  developing a uniform national welfare standard to bring everyone's income up to the poverty line; and

o  building six million new and renovated units of housing for low and moderate-income families.

See more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 1/27/2014

·      Michelle Alexander’s book, “The New Jim Crow” deserves similar scrutiny for answers and recommendations.  Several unequal systems are involved: police tactics, prosecutors, courts, legal representation, plea bargaining, sentencing, and treatment under and after incarceration.

o  Strongly Restrict “Stop & Frisk” technique

o  Prohibit police from stopping motorists unless they have substantial reason to believe the motorist was committing or had committed an actual crime. 

o  Plea bargains must be reviewed by a defense lawyer (assigned if not available) and a judge before acceptance;

make both personages liable for any bias or prejudice

o  Examine concept of mandatory sentences and rescind its use wherever appropriate;

o  Re-open concept of being able to sue for racial bias

o  Three strikes and automatically out must be eliminated

o  Random searches and sweeps of public schools and students must be eliminated

o  police obtaining search warrants based on anonymous tips eliminated

o  the use of paid unidentified informants by police and prosecutors restricted

o  disallow use of plea bargaining as a means of obtaining a confession

See more at www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 5/21/2015, 1/16/2014

 GOAL #6:  Rebuilding Infrastructure

The Leadership and others from the New House Majority have already expressed some of their broad goals in hoping to substantially fund infrastructure repair:

·      rebuilding and upgrading of roads, bridges, schools, airports and transport systems as well as public services such as sewers and water supply mechanisms

·      using this same legislation as a jobs bill that would strengthen a goal of providing jobs especially in areas of greatest need

·      target federal money to areas where projects are already proposed or are about to be proposed; earlier this year they also proposed:

o  maintain and restore environmental protections and labor standards

o  improve intercity passenger rail service

o  automatic braking systems on rail trains

o  advance severe weather-resistant and resilient structures

·      major question is whether to raise the federal fuel tax to help stabilize the Highway Trust Fund

·      major questions to ask about school buildings:

o  are present style buildings appropriate for 21^st century learning?

o  Are there ways to use buildings that already exist, and to reduce the amount of time spent in one building?

o  Is our purpose for education clear in a technological AI revolution and can buildings reflect such changes?

See more on public education and its purposes: www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 9/26/2010, 10/6/2010, 10/22/2010, 5/18/2016

 GOAL #7: Reducing Gun Violence

·      Background checks required for all gun purchases

·      Guns declared as potentially lethal products subject to FDA procedures and regulations (without jeopardizing 2^nd Amendment right to gun ownership)

o  Registration, licensing and owner Title for all guns following examples for auto ownership

o  Consider inspection of guns on a regular (5 year?) basis

o  Appoint Task Force to research and to recommend specific actions to address domestic violence, violence against women in armed forces and on college campuses, abuse of children especially by government neglect and action

See much more at:  www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 7/22/2012, 12/30/2012, 1/20/2013, 3/3 and 3/14/2013, 4/14/2013, 10/10/2017, 3/14/2018, 10/28/2018

 GOAL #8: IMMIGRATION REFORM

·      Clarify mission and purposes of ICE and restrict all actions that violate or threaten due process or legality

·      Road to citizenship must be fair and not over-burdened with obstacles of dubious value; shorten time required to reach citizens status by offering incentives, e.g. subtract 2 years for military service or community volunteer duties

·      Restore the importance and access to ‘asylum’

·      Establish Office of Citizen Preparedness that will encourage citizenship preparation training and that will counsel and refer citizenship seekers for help needed to become citizens

·      Capture funds meant for the “Wall” to be used to fund helpful and just immigrant training and assistance

·      Utilize enhanced Automated Information and technology to replace “the Wall” and to upgrade communication all along our borders

·      Explore the “child abuse” that occurred at our southern border; eliminate or amend the procedures now in place; seek indictment or suspension of all government-affiliated personnel who issued orders or directives involving the forced separation of children from parents

·      Explore the status of court orders regarding the re-uniting of these children and their parents; take action to insure their fulfillment

See more: www.rubamboozled.blogspot.com at 4/21/2013, 3/14/2018, 6/19/2018

In conclusion, I submit this from a previous blog dated 9/4/2016 about the book: “PEOPLE GET READY: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy” by Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols:

“The one thing Americans are in overwhelming agreement on, in poll after poll and election result after election result, is that neither major party has a plan for the future.” …few political figures have thought deeply enough about the issues to recognize, as the Pope did in his 2015 encyclical, that ‘our immense technological development has not been accompanied by a development in human responsibility, values and conscience’.”

The book’s Introduction concludes: “We the people are the only force that can make a future worthy of our hopes and our humanity.  And our tool is the only tool that has ever taken the power to define the future away from the elites and given it to the whole of humanity: democracy.” 

“The point is to shape progress, not as customers or consumers, not as clicks to be counted or employees struggling to synch ourselves into automated workplaces, but as citizens engaged in a democratic process of organizing a new economy that reflects our values and our needs.  Our future destiny demands further exploration of what can be done by government to advance not just industries, but human values, responsibility and involvement.”