Dommy's Brighter Day

 

We certainly have much to disparage as we contemplate this 2020 Election (too much perhaps to fit into this space):

Ä    misinformation from a President and his followers in the Senate that questions the integrity of the vote

Ä    people on the Alt Right called forth by the president to intimidate others at the polls, some carrying weapons

Ä    a Biden campaign bus surrounded by Trump supporters in automobiles; some media reported attempts to push bus off the road

Ä    Trump and chosen sycophant director disrupted post office service to slow delivery of ballots by removing mail boxes, slowing delivery, confiscating and destroying high speed mail sorters and “losing” some ballots

Ä    judge’s ruling closing drive-through voting locations in Texas shutting down a potential of about 60,000 votes

Ä    Trump campaign rallies became spreaders of coronavirus because precautions were not taken

Ä    attempts through court actions to reduce voting, stop counting of some ballots and/or placing some ballots in limbo: i.e. were mailed but attempt was made to keep them from being  counted because deadline for arrival (Nov.3^rd) was missed; luckily, the courts held firm on most cases that there had to be sufficient evidence to grant standing to the charges;

Ä    Trump declaring victory before all votes counted, and deciding to go ahead with court cases where he claims fraud or faulty procedure influenced the vote

Ä    number of Americans, particularly young women, who desire to leave the U.S. permanently is on the rise. In fact, 40% of women younger than 30 would like to depart, study showed (msn.com)

Ä    vitriolic moves by Trumpians to delay the transitioning of Biden-Harris to their new positions

 

However, not everything was negative; we have some things that are historic and some that are truly laudable:

·      11 million people turned out to cast early votes

·      early voting itself in 25 states and DC

·      a record popular vote total for the winners!

·      poll watchers were needed in many places across the country because of absence of older people (caused by fear of exposure to COVID 19) who usually volunteered for those positions, and many young people ages 18-24 turned out to fill the gaps

·      number of mailed-in ballots increased substantially

·      people helping or aiding other people on long (and delayed) voting lines no matter their political affiliation

·      spontaneous celebrations in the streets of many cities as the votes were finally tallied completely in several states to cement a win for Biden-Harris

·      the celebration of the first woman to be elected to the Vice Presidency was impressive and stood out as a vivid example for children and young people

·      the contributions of manypeople to various aspects of the election: women of color made a tremendous difference in getting people registered to vote and then in getting to the poles; the people who worked a t the poles on election day and the counters of ballots who spent days at their posts doing their jobs made democracy a reality  

·      the importance of the calls for patience from the Biden campaign

·      the poignant picture of Joe Biden visiting his son Beau’s grave after he attended Mass on Sunday; a promise kept.

·      the important contribution made to the success of the Biden-Harris ticket from disaffected Republicans who put away years of being in opposition to Democrats in order to save our Republic from the machinations and dangerous policies of Donald Trump.  The Lincoln Project deserves our undying gratitude for their boldness and creativity.

·      The projected president and vice-president have already begun transitioning to their work and  initiated a new Task Force on  COVID19 as of Monday, Nov. 9^th.

 

A Major Question lies heavy upon us all now that the President-elect has called us to greater unity and understanding involved in  healing our divisions:  WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

 

I have great reservations about the fact that there were over 70 million people who voted for Trump, the great destroyer of our form of governance. Perhaps only 25-30 million are die-hard supporters but one does not know that.  Those reservations become laden with anger, sorrow and grief when I think of all the people who have been harmed or killed and perhaps maimed by a pandemic that a competent administration could and should have controlled.  I think of those killed in natural disasters that might have been handled in a more competent manner.  I think of those in our battered economy who are now unemployed, broke or bankrupt, homeless, and now living in poverty.  I think of those like granddaughters of mine who lost a senior year’s celebrations and now are affected at their colleges because of lack of preparation by this administration for opening schools and colleges in a safe way.

 

And just recently, I have been jolted by a missive from a close friend of our family who touched our hearts and lives so often in her growing-up years.  She put in a post on Facebook -- a plea and a challenge and a hope.  The plea is that we recognize that Donald Trump and his racist attitudes harmed their family by denigrating the image and future of their young son.  She feels a sense of relief that Trump will no longer be in a position to flaunt that racism from his powerful position , but what about those who carry on his racist hateful views?  How do we deal with them?  The call for unity and civility may be something we must strive toward.  But what do we do about those who want to harm or injure or denigrate her beautiful young son (and the millions of sons and daughters who are part of all of us and for whom we share a common responsibility).  Her post captured the fears and hopes of many in a way I never could.  She has graciously allowed me to share it with you.

 

by Brigid Colgan 

His shirt says, “I can change the world.” And after a long time of feeling hopeless and that our voices weren’t loud enough, I’m finally able to release a bit of my held breath and hope that it is true. He is everything that is good in this world wrapped up in one joyful (albeit, destructive!) little package.

It won’t be easy. It’s going to be a long road and a lot of work to keep doing. There was a lot of hurt done, and it won’t end just because of this new day. But this new day feels lighter, more hopeful, and comes with a renewed inspiration.

I want people to know this. For me, this was never about differing politics. Or whose side was going to “win.” This was about what we as an American people were going to determine was decent and right.

In the last election, I was shocked. And looking back on that now, that was my privilege. Dom wasn’t shocked...he knew that racism has plagued our country for its entire being. Because he has experienced it. There was a lot I didn’t understand back then and still more that I am learning. But to see it again 4 years later felt like a gut punch. And this time I was scared for my son’s future and what message the American people were sending to people like him.

For those who say we are “gloating.” This is not gloating....this is simply an intense relief from a weight we have felt for the past 4 years. There is now a little more hope that we are headed in a better direction and that there is a chance for change. That hope was handed to us by the very people who have been pushed down by white privilege. For that, I am eternally grateful.

I also want people who I know personally to understand that for those of you who voted for him, or who didn’t vote at all....maybe you meant no harm, I’m sure you would undeniably declare that you love Dommy....but we had an opportunity as a country to stand up for him, for all our children, and for people in this country, who for far too long have not been considered equal to us. We had an opportunity to put policies and parties aside, and stand against racism....and you chose not to. Yes, this is me taking that personally. You chose not to stand up for my son, and the millions of children who look like him. That is something that, as of this moment, I’m not sure how I will ever forgive.

And yes we need to come together. Of course further hatred will only perpetuate more hatred. But please know, that with your vote of him, you caused a lot of hurt. And for that I hope you can be reflective and take responsibility for that hurt before we all can move on and start repairing harm done.

I still have so much to learn. But for that little face, I am determined to give it everything I have.

 

 

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Bottom of Form

So more questions come our way:  HOW DO WE UNITE WHILE MANY ARE INTENT UPON DELIVERING HARM TO OTHERS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER?  If healing is important, shouldn’t we start by healing the harm done to Trump’s victims?

 Let me conclude today’s blog with some suggestions on ways we might proceed toward healing by finding some common ground of matters of humanity not of political categories. They are presented in brief here but demand further attention soon.

         1)     Apparently, we will, as a general principle, need to GO ABOVE and BEYOND                        normality to eschew the usual words and actions we take that affect others to try                         new behaviors

2)     Simultaneously, we will need to Rejuvenate Virtues of long-standing that we cherish, such as: civility, humility, caring for others, random acts of kindness, responsibility and duty

3)     In preparation for the future and to bolster a current movement by youth, we must focus on the well-being and Healthy Development of all our Children and young adults, with precise attention to the truth that Black Lives Matter; all of which involves many aspects of government and private sector support 

4)     There is an overwhelming need to Change our Societal Folklore and National Biases to something other than the brutishness of a Donald Trump , thus:

5)     Let us Call on government and the private sector to replace bullying, aggressive behaviors, belittling of others, profit motive, unregulated enterprises and the unwarranted privileges bestowed upon wealth to inaugurate SERVICE as the basic principle guiding our endeavors – install community & national service as the principle undergirding our best efforts to establish fairness, civility and equal justice imperatives.  Best place to start is to expand the efforts we have right now (see my Blog for 2/8/2016).

6)     Care for our neighbors as we would want them to care for us – civility and “random acts of kindness”

7)     Think more globally  –  we are not one nation alone we are just one among many and we’re all in this together;  we must return to working cooperatively with other nations to achieve peace and human rights

8)     Work to overcome our fault lines and flaws in trying to actualize our ideals; begin with protecting the vote from any requirements that restrict someone from voting

9)     Change the status quo where it is holding us back from progress; change processes that do the same

10) Focus on problem-solving rather than adversarial bickering; we are failing to solve problems because of outmoded rules of order and structures like useless committees and too many powers held by leaders; but mainly because our representatives have little technical training in the problem-solving method

 I submit these knowing that more must be said which I will attempt to do in the very near future.

 

 

Let "ONE TERM" for Tenney REMAIN as "One Too Many!"

 (an essay written to potential voters of NY’s 22^nd congressional district on Election Day Eve, Nov. 2nd, 2020, to remind them why a local congressional election is important to their future.  Hopefully, it rings true for voters in other districts who also face a “Trumper” running for office.)  

Sorry to have to say it, but it must be said:  Claudia Tenney will be useless in Congress.  Why?  Because the House of Representatives will surely be Democratic once again and Tenney has a record that shows her bipartisanship to be on the lower end of the scale from her last sojourn in Washington (see Govtrack.com).  If she couldn’t get any bills signed into law during her term when Trump was President and Republicans held the majority in both Houses, what can we expect to happen if this time around Democrats hold onto the House, regain the Senate or at least reduce the GOP majority to a razor-thin margin, and the presidency is held by Joe Biden?  Claudia Tenney will be as irrelevant as a legislator as Bill Barr will be as ‘ex-Attorney General’.   

It makes no sense whatsoever to send Claudia Tenney into a Democratic Congress where she will have little opportunity to work with a majority she despises and a newly elected President she has maligned.  What that means very simply is that this district in Central New York is going to miss a golden opportunity to bring home some much-needed attention to this area.  Tenney will perhaps still be able to serve individual constituents who need help with red tape or difficulty with the IRS but her working on legislation that names streets or buildings or post offices after local people who deserve such recognition, is about all that can be expected.  She is not going to get legislation signed into law that promotes a local company like the SPOONS Act did for Sherill Manufacturing under Congressman Anthony Brindisi’s leadership.

Despite what one Utica O-D Opinion letter-writer tried to claim -- that Brindisi couldn’t rightfully claim that he was responsible for that Act since Claudia Tenney was the one who authored it when she was in office -- the argument that Tenney should get the credit for that Act fails on two accounts.  One, Tenney did not get enough bi-partisan support for her bill, and two, Tenney failed to get it passed in the Senate and signed into law by her idol, Donald Trump.  She failed to get it into law, unlike Congressman Brindisi who GOT IT DONE, enlisting bi-partisan support all along the way, and then getting it signed by a president who even today in a Tenney TV ad denigrates Rep. Brindisi for being a “Liberal” who votes with Nancy Pelosi and not with him.  Yet, this man who occupies the White House (hopefully, not much longer) has signed six bills authored and managed by this so-called “Liberal” Pelosi-supporter that will assist constituencies that Republicans used to support --  veterans, farmers, small businesses including his two latest bills focused on veterans' Mental Health.  Tenney got no such bills signed into law – nada; zilch, zero, none!  And that, my friends is the whole point – it matters what gets signed into law, not what gets proposed and never reaches that final level!  Tenney failed; Anthony Brindisi GOT IT DONE!

And, Brindisi has been recognized nationally for his sterling efforts by the national Chamber of Commerce organization.  

  One more thing.  This claim that Congressman Brindisi is tied into the Democratic majority in the House and therefore a flaming Liberal -- is not only irrelevant, it misses two important points:

One – our Congressman is widely recognized as a moderate Democrat who has supported progressive and pragmatic legislation, not certain legislators, or leaders.  Because he believes in fair elections, and adequate and affordable healthcare, in measures that aid people dealing with the burdens of poverty, or measures that aid in environmental clean-up,  does not make him a “puppet of Pelosi” or anyone else.  He votes for resolution of issues and problems that are national but affect his local constituents as well.

Two – because he is in Washington to solve problems, he cooperates with many people who want to address such problems.  Some are liberal, some moderate, some conservative.  An in-depth analysis of Brindisi’s activity by GovTrack.com indicates a person whose ideology is much more toward moderate right than radical left.  They rank only eight Democrats in the House to the Right of his ideology which indicates a far different picture than the false one that Trump/Tenney have thrown at him and us.  Brindisi has never been, and probably will never be, a Radical Left politician.  His work on the Utica School Board, in the New York State Assembly and now as a problem-solver in the U.S. Congress has never been ‘radical’ but moderately progressive. As a moderate, he has emerged as one of the leaders of a bi-partisan group in the House that defines itself as “Problem-solvers.” 

Association with certain individuals or groups is NOT the issue.  The issue is: what can be accomplished to address the needs of people of this nation, and the people back home in central New York.  Anthony Brindisi, I believe, acts upon a core belief that he was sent to Congress to solve problems and reform systems and structures that prevent the solving of those problems and issues.  Those who reduce the duty of congresspersons to ideological and political absurdities with “buzz words,” or to accusations because of necessary association with other representatives and with leaders, make themselves into obstructionists.  With their glaring misrepresentations, they are the ones who keep problems from being resolved and better avenues of implementation from being created.  They are the ones who build walls, not bridges.  They are the ones who do not work in the best interests of the People because their main concern is not problem-solving but making problems for adversaries that end up making problems for us all because nothing gets done!

When Nancy Pelosi is making it possible to pass problem-solving legislation, or legislation that faces future challenges, or legislation that expands people’s rights and freedoms; rebuilds our infrastructure, or any other worthwhile endeavor that improves our lives, then we must thank Congressman Brindisi for associating himself with those efforts on behalf of the people, whether those actions are considered liberal or conservative. 

We are left with the question: what matters most in terms of voting?  Whether your ideology leans left or right from the center of the political spectrum, what is important in the short and long run is the desire,  the skill and the pragmatism to solve problems in order to protect our health, our lives, our freedoms and our values as demonstrated by Brindisi’s extraordinary accomplishments as a first-term Congressperson.

In stark contrast, stands Donald J. Trump -- a narcissist, inveterate liar, bully, child abuser, and failed businessman who displays and values fascist tendencies -- has no business leading this country.  And, what’s worse perhaps, we do not need unquestioning sycophantic cult-like followers like Claudia Tenney who, whether her despotic leader is still calling the shots or is shunted out into the night, has no business being in the Congress dedicated to adversarial and ideological outcomes rather than critical problem-solving applied to the needs, problems and issues of our people.  Claudia Tenney is not equipped to get the job done, because what appears to be of most importance to her is securing her own future and prosperity by catering to wealthy individuals and rich corporations, not resolving problems or meeting needs facing the rest of us. Why would she vote consistently against affordable and universal healthcare for constituents unless something or someone was motivating her to do so for her own good?  If she is elected, those who voted her back in office will be the losers because she will:

Ø  continue deconstruction of government

Ø  diminish government assurances to us of Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid;

Ø  continue attacks on consumer protection and advocacy through deregulation of the for-profit market,

Ø  denude its ability to guard us against war, domestic terrorism, and loss of rights like universal unrestricted voting. 

Help “One-Term Tenney” keep her title – it fits perfectly!

RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN ANTHONY BRINDISI – HE “GETS THINGS DONE”!

 

MUCH TO CONSIDER In TWEETS GALORE!

TWEETS GALORE (most too large to appear on Twitter)

We must begin this panoply of much-too-long tweets by turning to the Trump-Biden Non-debate.  Both appeared at town halls at the same time but in different locations, and on different networks -- Biden on ABC with George Stephanopoulos and Trump on NBC with Savannah Guthrie. From what I viewed both first and second-hand, Trump was intent on talking about every nuance but policy and program and Joe Biden couldn’t contain himself from detailed policy and programming and how to get things done.  It was a stark contrast indeed.  I got the impression that Biden was chomping at the bit to become actively engaged as President, while Trump gave the impression that he was more than satisfied with what his administration had done, although he couldn’t say in any detail what he would do with another four-year term.

What really stood out for me was Biden’s ability to relate not only to difficult questions but to the questioner, which attribute he extended when being engaged by members of the audience.  He acknowledged them, spoke directly to them, and even offered to meet with them afterward if they had more questions about his answers.  This was applied specifically to one young man who asked a difficult question about race relations and what Joe Biden was prepared to do beyond promises.  Biden invited him to remain after the town hall session to discuss his concerns further.  It is that personal interest in human beings -- that ability to care about another person’s concerns and issues -- that makes the Biden answers authentic and empathetic. Biden has the life experience, the political experience tested under fire, and the caring nature to propel us into a far better place than we now inhabit.  I felt something quite compelling in Joe Biden: a hope and optimism about the future and a reasoned and reasonable approach as to how we can get to a better place and circumstance. 

I had the distinct impression that Joe Biden has been nurtured for this role in this moment-in-time.  It is not impossible that his life experience has brought Joe Biden to this moment when an entire nation needs all that has gone into his life. This includes successes and missteps, and the difficult times that we all dread, but which he is using to bring goodness and kindness and dignity to others along with an empathy that speaks to personal losses felt deeply.   

Joe Biden has run for the presidential nomination before but did not succeed.  Is now the time when his assets and attributes will be exactly what we desire as a nation in distress?  I believe that is what the biblical term “fullness of time” conveys – a convergence of factors that bring to the forefront an answer that fits the moment and the circumstances.  I believe that Joe Biden has been groomed and prepared for this moment.  It is now in voters’ hands whether to take advantage of his unique persona and this unique circumstance. 

VOTE AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!

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Donald Trump has declared that the general election will be a “hoax,” mailed ballots invite massive “fraud,” and the election will turn out to be “fixed.”  He is right, and it will be entirely his doing!  Worse, he refuses to commit to an orderly transfer of power and has referred to a “continuation of power.” Since he loves to telegraph future moves, voters must prepare for loss of their mailed ballots, miscounting of votes in key states and continuation of power by use of federal agents and loyal militia and/ or troops.  What to do?  The Declaration of Independence contains one answer in its third paragraph that begins: “…whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends….” and concludes with “it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government…”

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I am not convinced that Democrats yet understand the gravity of this situation with the Supreme Court.  If Trump gets his fifth strictly conservative Justice, he will have completed what he wants – control of the Judiciary.  If the election is decided by those five conservative judges and Trump thereby grasps another term, it could result in something never seen in this system. Too many Democrats and Independents have ignored the true nature of this man from the beginning, and still have trouble understanding his moves toward a tyrannical government run by his family and billionaire oligarchs who already call the shots in many areas of government and economics.  Because democrats have not recognized the fascism of this man or his relationship with Putin and other dictators, they have failed to prepare for the deluge we now face as democracy potentially bites the dust!  Any registered voter who willfully chooses not to vote will have to bear the consequences which will be dire.  VOTE!

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Trump supporters evidently have no clue what is happening to them.  They support a tyrant and his despotic behavior, they back his use of lies, they ignore his destruction of rights and freedoms and they go along with every immoral and criminal action he undertakes. What they do not understand is that he despises them and calls them “those disgusting people.”  He uses every one of them for his purposes and cares not a bit for their needs, their desires, or their lives having put them in danger from COVID 19 more than once, but always with a disclaimer that protects him and his team from reprisals.   His followers have been enticed and enslaved by the Fuhrer of this century just as Germany was by the Fuhrer of the last century.

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Voting for Trump is equivalent to inviting thieves to take your money, a killer to eliminate your mother, and robber barons to relieve you of wages and savings every day of your life.  Re-electing this tyrant can likely result in :

·      loss of social security and Medicare, 

·      loss of affordable healthcare coverage,

·      higher prices from monopolistic retail entities,

·      shortages of clean water, dangerous pollution of all air, water, and earthworks;

·      increased scams and ruses from monopolistic corporations

·      loss of more rights and protections for women, union workers, children, and minorities

It’s all going to come down on his supporters because he despises them and can’t wait to declare a dictatorship like those of Putin and Kim Jong Un that puts “ordinary people” in inferior castes with loyalty and obeisance as their one allowed freedom.  Go ahead – re-elect Trump and hear him say as he throws you under the bus: “Good riddance, fools.”

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Donald Trump has captured the Republican Party, the United States Senate, the Executive Branch of this government, and shortly he will not only have the majority of the SCOTUS backing his craziness and criminality but will have captured the whole of the judiciary via the appointment of over 300 loyalists throughout the federal court system.  Now he means to pull every dirty trick in his playbook to remain in office and to conduct himself and his business as though he is above the law.  Meanwhile, enough voters still allow themselves the thought that this is “politics as usual” even while Trump continues his coup of all we have held dear.  The USA under Trump is like Russia under Putin – there is no law except what the leader believes and dictates. Rebellion could soon be the only option for citizens who want their democracy back. 

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How many of us pay only $750 a year in federal taxes?  Apparently, Donald Trump – the grifter who currently occupies the Oval Office – figured out how to do just that during the first two years of his term.  For at least the last ten out of fifteen years he apparently paid no taxes, according to the New York Times.  But come on, Trump told us when he was running for president that he uses every provision of the Tax Code he can find that allows him to pay little or no income tax.  He told us that there are all kinds of strategies that can be used to make that happen and he planned to use them all.  Then he called those who don’t do this “fools” and “losers” (and the IRS “stupid”). Still, enough of those ‘fools’ and ‘losers’ voted for this tax evader to put him in a stronger position to make millions more off their tax dollars.  He has used that voter gift (and Russian interference) to increase the profits for his company (and his un-divested self) by sums that have still to be fully revealed.  

The New York Times story of the grifter in the White House comes out at a time when we know he has ‘cheated’ us all by malevolent mishandling of a pandemic.  Now we discover Trump found multiple ways to manipulate tax deductions that lower his tax payments to ridiculous levels while raising his own income by $72.9 million.  The rest of us paid our share of income taxes -- far more than he did – while watching some substantial deductions we favored for itemizing begin to disappear. Yet the Donald found more breaks for himself.  Sadly, you paid your full taxes to enrich Donald Trump and other oligarchs just like him.  You paid and he and his cronies got richer while the wages of many of his followers kept shrinking.  Many of his cult followers keep paying while getting played and still they vote for him.  What do they expect to get in return?  Apparently not much beyond bluster, lies, conspiracy theories, de-construction of government and breaking of every political norm known to Washington D.C.  Give them credit – they are getting exactly what they voted for!

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Mary Trump was right: “The simple fact is that Donald is fundamentally incapable of acknowledging the suffering of others.  Acknowledging the victims of COVID 19 would be to associate himself with their weakness, a trait his father taught him to despise.  Perhaps most crucially, for Donald there is no value in empathy, no tangible upside to caring for other people.  In Donald’s mind, even acknowledging an inevitable threat would indicate weakness.  Taking responsibility would open him to blame.” Thus, while he admits he knew the seriousness of this viral pandemic, he kept the rest of us in the dark, he said, because we “might panic.” Disrespecting the resilience and strength of the American people is not acceptable in a president. Continuing to lie to them about this pandemic approaches a criminality that cannot be dismissed or ignored.  What does the justice system call the willful act of disregarding harm to another when one could have acted to prevent it? -- – something like “Criminal Negligence” or at least having a “duty to protect.”

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We have recently witnessed what was labeled a ‘debate’ turn into a debacle.  The great destroyer of democratic values, Donald Trump, struck again, de-constructing the norms and virtues of civil debate and productive discourse while also demeaning and dismissing facts, statistics, experience, and democratic values.  Nicole Wallace, former communications staffer in the G.W. Bush administration, had it about right: “this was blustering, bullying and chaotic interruptions done on purpose.”  He had no way to present ideas, programs, policies, or plans; he has none.  Instead, he decided to do what he always does: disrupt the flow of thoughts, deflect his own flaws onto opponents, create chaos and confusion. Not only did he display himself as unworthy of the presidency, he displayed what he truly believes and accepts about himself:  he is the only authority; he holds all the power; he is the one who knows more than anyone else, and as such he has no need to be debating some inferior being.  We must vote him out of office or lose our presidency, our congress and our judiciary to a man who worships the total power of autocrats.

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The largest driver of coronavirus misinformation in this nation has been found positive with the COVID 19, and the White House acknowledged that the president should be treated with the “highest level of caution.” Where was that principle when over 7 million people in our country were coming down with the virus and over 107,000 were dying? The person most opposed to the ACA mandate of heath care coverage for millions of persons with pre-existing conditions (including the COVID 19) is himself now receiving the highest level of VIP treatment covered for him by the taxpayers of this country; even as he and his Attorney General seek a SCOTUS decision to declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional in the midst of a pandemic.  Where is that principle of us covering each other through our taxes so that all can be taken care of in inevitable moments of need, without going bankrupt?  Apparently, gone with all the other democratic principles that this president has wantonly “de-constructed” (“destroyed”).

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The “HOAX” is real; there is no way the “virus will go away on its own.”  There is no “miracle” waiting to happen.  It is something to be serious about but NOT something to politicize! It is still highly active wherever it is given an opportunity -- like opening businesses, schools, colleges, sporting events, political rallies, restaurants; salons, gyms, etc., without adequate guidelines and practices.  This virus is a killer seeking out victims wherever or whoever they may be.  It is merciless and non-discriminating.  It appears to be expanding again because there are still some who, like its largest spreader of false information, will not take the necessary precautions – like wearing a mask and social distancing.  The Trump administration has now helped the virus spread to many of its own members, including the first Lady, the president himself and son, Baron.  Failure to contain COVID 19 came home to roost but spared the first family its harshest effects!  Glad for them; but saddened and angry about all those who were unable to survive this scourge, or who will have long-term effects because of it.  COVID 19 is NOT A HOAX nor a SIMPLE DISAPPEARING ACT!  IT CAN BE A DEATH SENTENCE OR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE!   

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I find the reluctance to apply something called “fiduciary responsibility” to all public officers who handle public money or property, a most disturbing failure to fully define ‘transparency’ and ‘public responsibility.’ Transparency is not just the flow of information or openness to questions from the press or the people.  ‘Public responsibility’ is not simply a term of nicety meaning at the least a responsibility to listen to voters and to show a response in some way that does not upset sponsors.  It is a “fiduciary” responsibility that is of greatest importance, meaning a public official must represent the best interests of clients or constituents out of a sense of intense loyalty to them.   

“A fiduciary is an individual or organization legally responsible for managing assets on behalf of someone else, usually called the beneficiary. The assets must be managed in the best interests of the beneficiary, not for the personal gain of the fiduciary.”  Moreover, “A fiduciary is a person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with one or more other parties (person or group). Typically, a fiduciary prudently takes care of  money or other assets for another person.” 

“In a fiduciary relationship, one person, in a position of vulnerability, justifiably vests confidence, good faith, reliance, and trust in another whose aid, advice, or protection is sought in some matter. In such a relation good conscience requires the fiduciary to act at all times for the sole benefit and interest of the one who trusts.”

“The fiduciary has a duty not to be in a situation where personal interests and fiduciary duty conflict, not to be in a situation where their fiduciary duty conflicts with another fiduciary duty, and a duty not to profit from their fiduciary position without knowledge and consent. A fiduciary ideally would not have a conflict of interest. It has been said that fiduciaries must conduct themselves "at a level higher than that trodden by the crowd" and that "[t]he distinguishing or overriding duty of a fiduciary is the obligation of undivided loyalty’.” (Wikipedia)

Does that sound like the members of the Congress to whom we give the responsibility to handle our tax dollars?  Does it sound like the absolute loyalty and attention that should be coming to us from the Executive branch of government that has responsibility for all our assets as well as our lives and liberties?  Does it sound like what we get from local and state officials who are closest to our property, our needs and our concerns? 

Perhaps it is just your imagination that too many of those officials are lavishing loyalty and undivided attention on special interests and wealthy non-constituents who are controlling and using your assets for their aggrandizement?  Not exactly what a higher standard of fiduciary responsibility calls for.  Is it possible we have allowed too many of our representatives to get away with misplaced loyalty, conflict of interest, taking advantage of our vulnerabilities, and confiscation as well as ill-conceived and illicit use of our assets (taxes)?  Maybe that’s why “fiduciary responsibility” is never mentioned as a strict standard for all public officials!

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It occurs to me that there is an issue that is going to burst upon us for years to come. It doesn’t even depend on what happens to Donald Trump in the current election.  Rather, it is one of those basic questions that goes to the heart of our mode of governance, but which rarely comes to the surface to elicit our undivided attention.  It is an issue that has been around for the life of our unique experiment in representative democracy.

That issue comes to us now in the wake of a pandemic, in the opposition to Black Lives Matter, through the violence inherent in the second Amendment and as a result of the diminution of certain ethnic, racial, national and religious groups.  It involves the question of what is to be done about racist white supremacists, violent groups built on fascism and hate, or organizations like KKK, the Poor Boys, and the Right Wing militias (or Left Wing revolutionaries) who continue unabated in their attempts to destroy our democratic system of inalienable equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity.

The question is: do we have any constitutional or legal authority to protect our system of democratic governance from being undermined or overthrown by persons and groups that have no other agenda than the destruction of that system and of those ideals?  Do we have the constitutional authority to keep such individuals or groups from appearing on an election ballot?  Do we have the obligation to screen and eliminate such individuals and groups from participation as organized political Parties?  And finally, do we have any authority to limit their raising and spending of campaign or sponsorship funds to prevent their expansion into other domains?  I think we may have, but there is evidence to the contrary as well.  Has the time arrived for an in-depth exploration of the topic?  I believe so and hope that others with greater research capacity will see the need and proceed apace to meet it before circumstances negate the attempt.

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DESTRUCTIVE FIRES ARE BURNING EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK!

     There is no escaping the fires of destruction.  So often we hear analysts and commentators, politicians, and professors – along with ordinary citizens –claim that America is strong, resilient, and innovative and that we will overcome all challenges thrown at us.  Or we hear that there are no real challenges, “everything is fine” – in fact, we are at record levels of growth and development; and, that the Corona virus will “magically disappear.”  Or we hear from Big Lie adherents that what we see and hear is not true – that everything that happens to question the truth spoken by The Leader (Fuhrer) is a “hoax.” OR, we are led down imaginary paths by conspiracy theorists who are unequaled in their ability to fabricate situations by which “some outside force” is to blame for everything that happens to have a negative impact.

No matter what is said by any of us, the fires are burning and incinerating.  And, in this case, by “fires” I mean a long list of destructive forces burning us up, down, over and out.  We are at the mercy of these fiery forces and we are not extinguishing them.  Instead. we are watching helplessly as responders are fighting in vain to stop the devastation that threatens so much we care about, including property, heritage, accoutrements, infrastructure, neighbors, relatives, children’s future and adult lives and livelihoods.  Dare I try to list some of those growing wildfires for fear of being vilified, ignored, or made into some sort of dunce or devil?  Such reactions from the unchecked arsonists are of little concern because they too are in the path of one or more of these fires or their deadly smoke creeping up on unsuspecting victims.  

    Here are some examples to contemplate:
1.      a scorcher of a viral pandemic that is out-of-control
2.      wildfires in the Western USA
3.      deadly smoke spreading East
4.      hurricane blasts in the Gulf coast area with r  ecord rainfall
5.       a conflagration of corruption and authoritarianism in our federal government
6.      the burning down of the mission and purposes of certain parts of our national (and State) government
7.      a destructive flame applied to the reputations, personalities, skills, courageousness and lives of people who act to undo the corruption, the de-construction and the institutionalization of racism, favoritism, privilege and elitism that keep us from realizing our ideals and our democratic goals
8.      the hidden fires that eventually consume the institutions we have cherished and nurtured for centuries, including public education, separation of church and state, scientifically-based offices like the CDC the NIH, the EPA; the development and protection of workers with union rights and benefits
9.      the fires of ideologizing and politicizing are attacking benefits of government like public healthcare, social security and Medicare that protects elder citizens from being singed by inadequacies; safety nets for food, housing, and wages; consumer protection from unsafe goods or services; middle class advancement, along with protection and advocacy for the vulnerable like the poor and those challenged both mentally and physically.  Consuming fires of caste divisions, favoritism for the richest class and the slogans of laissez-faire capitalism run amuck rarely confronted with progressive and prolonged assertive measures.
10. The Judiciary is being burned to a crisp as hundreds of unqualified judges -- qualified solely on the basis of their ideology and their loyalty and fealty to a despotic leader --are appointed to the federal courts including the Supreme Court
11. a leader who admires and emulates despots from authoritarian countries is burning through our alliances and allowing, even inviting, the destructive hot winds of oligarchs to fan the flames of foreign interference in our lives
12. it is, perhaps above all, the fire of personal desire to be King that is driving the destructive fires of voter suppression, oppression, and nullification that can only result in the destruction of our democratic system.  The fire that burns perhaps with the greatest intensity is the all-consuming fire of narcissism and personal victory that leads someone like Donald Trump to undo the guardrails that hold an entire election system within reasonable and effective boundaries.  The attacks on the voter franchise is burning our democracy to the ground. Inviting foreign intervention, disrupting  the delivery of ballots by mail; closing down polling places; using federal troops or agents to intimidate voters, hiring loyalists to ‘watch’ the polls, and declaring that voting is already ‘fixed’ are destructive flames that we cannot tolerate.  It is a warning to every voter that Trump is out to make your vote go away like the last smoldering embers of a campfire
13. There are more fires of devastation that could be mentioned, like destruction of consumer groups, attacks on immigrants, protestors, and Black Lives Matter participants falsely painted as insurrectionists and looters.  There is the devastating fire of police brutality visited upon men of color that speaks to the arson of neglect and cover-up that burns with the intensity of racism, prejudice and disunity.  There is the fire of attacks on immigrants, on soldiers who fought in foreign wars, on women who still lack basic rights granted to men; on LBGQT members who get little mention and less respect; on children who are being left behind by lack of school funding, lack of health care, lack of adequate food and shelter, and lack of a head start in early education classes. There is the fire of gun violence stoked and promulgated more and more in the outward display of militaristic weapons by Far-Right extremist militias at demonstrations that they oppose or at gatherings they initiate.  As “The Trace” reports it goes even further as such paramilitary groups: “force their way into a statehouse, threaten public health officials over coronavirus measures; intimidate Black Lives Matter marchers, and shoot law enforcement agents and demonstrators for racial justice” and soon to be stationed near polling places to intimidate voters!   

But, there is only so much we can bring to immediate attention in this short piece.  As I said at the beginning: fires of destruction are burning everywhere, and we have failed to extinguish those fires.  Like Republican Senators, many lack the will, the incentive, and the courage to finally extinguish those fires.  They would rather emulate the arsonist in the White House and burn it all to the ground, calling it by the term: “de-construction.”  They, and their ilk, would rather see people die from the burns of those fires, even though they could easily – with strong bi-partisan action – save thousands of lives.  It is as though the sacrifice of lives of our people is of less concern to them than the opening of businesses, of sporting events, of places to eat than is doing the hard work of using the public and private sectors to put out all these fires and to put enough resources into all areas of need to come out of the destruction with new ideas, new concepts, new systems, new institutions, new rules, new processes that can contribute to a nation that is demonstrating the reality of its Ideals. 

However, this cannot be done with the systems of the status quo.  Too much of that status quo is itself in danger of burning in the fires we have allowed to start and flourish.  Republicans don’t have any good answers – they are too busy  believing that the fires of neglect can be extinguished by coddling the rich with special breaks and privileges and letting their success and money trickle down to the rest of the groups on their hierarchical ladder.  It is not working now and hasn’t for at least a century.  The GOP - which might now be called Trumpissants -- has nothing to offer --absolutely nothing!  What about the Democrats?  They are at times found wallowing in progressive soup without taking stock of the underlying causes of that bowl and its contents or how it got to where it is.  The Democratic Party must awaken from its slumber and begin to deal with systemic change and reform, rather than obsess with the microcosmic issues of the day. 

For example:  Medicare-for-all is not the complete answer to healthcare for all because our healthcare system is flawed even as it meets the needs of many seniors. It is currently flawed by the same underlying principles that start these fires in the first place.
1.      we do not have enough nurses and we do not pay them enough when we do
2.      medical training is not the best we can do because it is too often evaluated by insiders rather than neutral resources
3.      hospitals are woefully understaffed and poorly conceived in terms of mission and process; rural hospitals are sometimes non-existent or isolated
4.      medicines and drugs cost way too much 
5.      the public health system is geared to administration more than to health service delivery
6.      it is run by and for the wrong people, just like most of our institutions – and that’s the biggest flaw of all that Dems and GOP rarely address.

Democrats would rather deal with the issue of minimum wage than to investigate why nurses are underpaid.  GOP would rather give extra money to successful and large corporate drug chains or private hospital health service providers than to deal with who is and who is not making the decisions about healthcare needs and services.  There’s the rub, my friends.

  When we dig under the cause of most of these raging fires, we find some questions that most officeholders are reluctant to ask, like:
·      how many nurses or patients serve on the boards of hospitals? who does serve and how are they chosen?
·      why are politicians only talking to Big Pharm lobbyists when they talk about drug prices?
·      what services do people most need from our public health system? – who other than professionals and administrators give out answers? – any potential patients from the immediate neighborhood being heard?  Doubtful…
·      how come drug conglomerate CEOs make enormous salaries with benefits, but drug prices continue to rise sky-high for seniors?

We probably need more representatives like Katy Porter and AOC who are not afraid to question administrators and CEOs at the deepest levels as to what their systems are doing to people. If we believe an authority and professor like Robert Reich (“The System”), here is the key to change:

  “Don’t confuse attractive policy proposals with changes in the system as a whole.  Solving those systemic problems requires altering the allocation of power.  Most important, you will need to understand the nature of power – who possesses it and why, how it is wielded and for what purposes.  Power is the ability to direct or influence the behavior of others.  On a large scale, power is the ability to set the public agenda – to frame big choices, to influence legislators, and to get laws enacted or prevent them from being enacted, to assert one’s will on the world.  It is the most subterranean force.

“Power is exercised through institutions – big Wall Street banks, global corporations, the executive and legislative branches of government, the Federal Reserve and the Supreme Court, the military, elite universities, and the media (including social media).  In the system we now have, power and wealth are inseparable.  The first step in changing the system is to understand it and then change it for the better.”

What does that mean in today’s world that is burning down around us?  How do we strongly address climate change for instance?
·      by making laws that severely affect the fossil fuel conglomerates in terms of profits, size, monopolistic status, and their excessive welfare payments made to themselves from a federal tax structure that they helped to create
·      Prohibit paid lobbying. 
·      Don’t put fossil fuel CEOs into government;
·      require profit-sharing with workers and communities in which they are located; 
·      Impose harsh penalties that will negatively affect corporations and businesses that do not meet strict environmental standards against polluting water, air and earth.  Small fines and short incarcerations of scapegoats are not effective

It will never be enough to save certain animals, to call for conservation measures, to make more solar panels.  This is literally a battle for power – the power of who makes decisions, who receives or doesn’t receive government help, and who has the ability to influence laws and regulations.  To make change, the system that supports these arsonists must be drastically altered.  And those same principles must be applied to other problems as well.  It is a question of wealth and power, not of polar bears, melting icebergs and how fires start in the forests of the Western states.

Look behind the candidates for office.  Who supports them?  Where are their campaign funds coming from?  How are their decisions made – with input from ordinary citizens or almost entirely based on input from sponsors and special interests?  What kinds of legislation do they propose to co—sponsor or author?  What systemic changes have they brought about, or advocated, in terms of major exploding fires of discontent and loss of voice? Stop electing people based on Party and ideology.  Elect only those who promise to shift the locus of power and wealth from oligarchs to normal citizens.  Playing politics and approving inadequate measures for combatting the issues of the status quo will not solve problems of control and oversight by the few who see themselves as elitists not subject to the rules that they insist be applied to everyone else. 

Destructive fires are burning everywhere, and we cannot extinguish them until we insist on taking back the power surrendered to those who have caused them. 

 

ADDENDUM

      NOTE 09/22/2020: The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has not only left us with heavy hearts, but has ignited a maelstrom  of  unfortunate rhetoric and behavior related to the empty seat on that Court.  The battle over that seat will ignite one more destructive fire that could produce effects that last for decades.  The indomitable and gracious spirit of Justice Ginsburg will be a necessity for many to emulate in an unrelenting effort to maintain the integrity and independence of the Supreme Court and of the entire judicial system.  May her spirit be a source of strength for many and may she abide in the peaceful reward of a life well-lived.