Capture the Moment and Let's Roll!

 

WHOA-a-a-a-a there!  Wait just one minute!  Virginia wasn’t the only big story on election  Tuesday- New Jersey came through and so did voters in cities like New York, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Buffalo. Virginia just doesn’t tell us as much as conservatives would like it to!  Although, apparently, a fair number of Republican campaigners had success peddling some form of the following misinformation there:

·       Oppose teaching about race relations, differences and violent incidents as unfair and slanted. They don’t want their kids being taught “Critical Race Theory” in their schools because it puts white people in a bad light and brings to the forefront attention to racial disparities and conflicts that existed in the past but are not the fault of kids or adults of today. Moreover, such teachings take blame about  racial injustice and divisions and lay it at the feet of white people, including their kids.  Apparently, this angry voter opposition to the teaching of  “Critical race theory,” and to blame aimed at white folks has grown out of a conspiracy theory based, as most are, on manufactured and twisted information. 'Critical race theory’ is not taught as course subject matter anywhere but at some grad schools not in grade schools! Did those voters know the difference, did they simply buy an "e" from some dispenser of vowels?

·       Republicans, independents and even some Virginia Democrats seem fed up with delays in Washington.  That is not anything new – voters often express their ‘taking too much time”  frustration by voting to change the Party in power.  Problem is, such change for change’s sake brings more delay and obstruction from the next group-in-charge!  Failure to acknowledge need for fundamental change increases voter confusion over who is causing the delays, and leads to propagandizing, politicizing and culturizing of real problems into false issues that have little or nothing to do with improving the lives of real people.  The Party-in-charge is not the problem; the main problem is rooted in the way that Party chooses to operate or how the traditions, norms and rules say they must operate (Filibuster anyone?)

·     Too many voters are demanding an end to mandates for  getting vaccinated and wearing  masks as examples of government dictatorship.  Never mind that the mandates are put forward for their protection (and that  of their children and aging parents) from permanent dysfunction or even death (over 750K deaths from COVID19 in this country alone).  Truth is, fighting a global war against an unrelenting killer like COVID19 demands the same sacrifices that World War demands – everyone must pitch in, sacrifice something, and live within mandated guidelines that affect everyone like food rationing and contributing certain items (like used rubber tires) to the government. To save individual rights – like the right to protest --sometimes, like in a world war, one must accept temporary actions and requirements that benefit the larger society above our individual desires, in order to put the “greater good” of winning the war at the forefront of life at that moment.

·       For some voters, rising prices affecting gas, food, and supplies affected their votes. For others, it may have been about the back-up in the supply chain and the lack of Christmas present choices on store shelves!  Such reasons are usually not about to be solved by state Governors or even by national legislators in Congress.  So, Good Luck to those voters!

·       ANGER and FRUSTRATION over problems of a “cultural nature” are not being addressed to their satisfaction, like religion in schools or having a central government tell us what to do -- affected some voters.  Apparently, inconsistency is not part of their frustration because they advocate vociferously for anti-abortion restrictions being mandated by all governments and especially on the national level.  Voting to empower government to set abortion and anti- abortion mandates, or to allow governments to decide who can and can’t vote, or to decide what subjects are allowable in public schools, are all cultural issue mandates that fly under the Far-Right radar.   

There are some other lessons that may have emerged but with more than conspiracy and misinformation behind them:

·       Republican candidates did well in a couple of states by walking a thin line in regard to Trump who may have difficulty with more 'hands off' candidates in 2022 and beyond. Dems must keep investigations and grand juries going full steam along with a continuous narrative that shows the contrast between the Democrat Plan and the fascist Plan that motivates Trumpers.

·      Making national issues into local issues – like school curricula -- helped prove again that "All politics is local."  Dems have got to keep emphasizing what their Mission and Plan will do for local families and communities

·       By turning out their base and other voters, Republicans managed a better than usual ground game in Virginia and New Jersey. Democrats need to learn to target grass roots constituencies where new voters might be found.  

·       Trump may have some difficulty with some more “hands off” candidates in 2022 and beyond

·       Biden losing ground in polls is a problem and he needs broad-based Party support

 

Finally, I believe there are some critical strategy lessons for Democrats should implement – quickly:

1.     Democrats  must change the narrative from numbers, concepts, boring details on process and bottom lines to real help coming to children and families, and workers. 

2.     More important, they  must be specific about what it will do and highly creative about presenting it.

3.      People need optics to make things real for them – like the George Floyd murder and the Jan.6^th insurrection. 

4.     Democrats also need to stop talking about themselves and their experiences and instead put families and children on camera who have already experienced help with affordable health care and with Child Income Credits, or other programs being touted in the legislation..  Showcase actual people, especially children.  Make everything – infrastructure, guns in public, universal day care and pre-K, and include voting and election reform as  being about the future of children and families.  I have heard some in Congress and the President already expressing these themes, but it needs to be everybody who does so

5.     Immediately put Sens Manchin and Sinema on notice that there will be no more meetings with the president at the White House.  If they have something to say, have them put it in writing and be very specific.  Let them know that they need to present proof that their constituents are asking for what they are asking for; and especially need to show whether constituents support their blocking of key legislation that will benefit their lives.

Also, put them on notice that they are in immediate danger of  losing their places in the Party – in terms of support, campaign money, committee assignments, and even a place on the Potomac to park that damn Machin houseboat!  They need to feel the sting of being isolated from the Party they deserted in a crucial time.  Even being shunned by Dems would not be excessive retribution.  They are welcome to their opinions but not to special treatment or press coverage or Dem support.  They are blocking legislation meant to bolster families, children and workers and their opposition is hurting the entire Party. 

In fact, one could make a strong case that it has been their actions and words that kept Democrats from winning in Virginia because all delay in voting on key legislation in the Senate has depended entirely on all Dems voting in favor and this duo has resisted that especially important contribution to all Dems.  They have in reality voted against the Dem. Legislation, the Dem Party Mission and the rest of their Dem colleagues who have to run on the accomplishments or failures of the Party

 

6.     Dems must fight back against the Right-Wing Propaganda machine.  A war room or message center or exceptional group must be named and organized to develop a Dem Presentation Plan and to get out the Dem message and get it out first; This group must also be prepared to answer every attack from Trumpers in terms of illustrating their lasting harm to families, children and even to their grandparents. – real people not just numbers. If Dems can’t do both they might as well cede defeat

 

7.     It comes down to Dems having to present a VISION of what we can do together as a society.  Dems must go above and beyond where we are or where we have been.  WE MUST  DO MORE than refer constantly to a slogan of “build back better” which is evidently failing to inspire enough voters and may even be turning them off, at least in Virginia and New Jersey.  Dems must present the VISION of a new society that has problem-solving and  people-enhancing as its great Mission.   

Learn from FORD Motor that Dems need to envision something like an all-electric Ford-150 to move to the next level of operation.  Or follow the boldness and inventiveness and entrepreneurship of those millionaires preparing space vehicles to fly citizens to the next livable planet.  Or follow the boldness and vision of some of the foundations of former presidents and the Gates foundation to go above and beyond our past to help solve global problems. 

8.     We have allowed the Dem/Biden Plan to end up as a political gift for Republicans talking about big spending, raising taxes, and adding to a deficit that will burden our grandchildren.  SO-KEEP BREAKING-DOWN THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE into understandable and sellable steps toward the VISION.  Help the people—families, children, seniors, workers— move with you toward fulfilling the VISION.  And KEEP people informed at each step with rhetoric and optics and real people speaking out or doing something inspiring  -- just like the end of NBC Nightly NEWS  hosted by Lester Holt!

9.     The legislative process needs to change from a total committee infrastructure to a problem-solving task force operation.  Nothing of importance will get said or done under the moribund committee/sub-committee structure because it is too slow, cumbersome, and politics-as-usual in orientation and operation.  Perhaps keep the major committees dedicated to chosen subjects and issues would be useful.  BUT, create bi-partisan (preferably non-partisan) Task Forces out of those committees dedicated to solving problems experienced by constituents and in many cases by a national audience. From a Master List developed by those major Committees , develop Task Force Teams of 5-10 people each to research, formulate and present viable alternatives for addressing the problem. Each Task Force then checks with their constituency (and others) by means of polls, surveys, hearings,  meetings, advisory groups, hired consultants) to determine which alternatives resonate, what should be changed. Then, the Task Forces go to work in technical, systematic procedures to present legislation that will meet constituent desires and needs and  help to alleviate or resolve the problems undertaken.

10.  The task force members should, by the way, be trained in problem-solving techniques rather than being political operatives; they should follow  procedures and take actions based on ground rules previously agreed to and  formulated to further the integrity and effectiveness of these groups.  Thus, future candidates for Congress will have to be qualified for the job and not mere political hacks!

 There is much needing to be done by Democrats in the next year to get ready for midterm elections, and they better pay attention to them or risk more races like the Virginia governorship race!  Here are some of the questions  that I think they need to ask themselves:

What is our VISION for AMERICA?

What is our MISSION within that VISION?

What is our PLAN for accomplishing that MISSION?  (Purposes, Aims or Goals, and Desired Outcomes?

How do we get groups, organizations and activists to embrace the MISSION and IMPLEMENT the PLAN?

How do we make sure that a broad-based electorate is well-informed and involved in every step in the Plan and the Mission – i.e.,  demonstrate the efficacy and effectiveness of the MISSION for children and families?

What kind of group operation do we require to sell our VISION and our PLAN?  Who is best equipped for the role of promotion and publicity, especially of authentic Optics – is it the leadership or specially chosen individuals? Or both, in different ways and in appropriate settings?

Can we tell the personal stories of what makes Democracy work and avoid the rhetoric and propaganda that tend to diminish people and government? 

Can we keep Democrats and Independents on target about children, families and workers?

What sacrifices will be necessary to win another chance at governing and taking steps toward our VISION?

Soft-pedal “build back better” and dump the word “existential” Raise the stakes!

Talk about a ‘BRAVE NEW WORLD’, or ‘CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE’ or ‘NEW WORLD AWAITS’  or ‘THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE’ or ‘OUR FUTURE IS NOW!’

Emphasize  that this is the ‘CRUCIAL MOMENT’, the ‘BEST OPPORTUNITY’, the ‘FULLNESS of TIME’  the ‘11^th HOUR’ to reach beyond ourselves and to realize more of the ideal truths  of our democracy.

  It is a CRITICAL CHOICE that comes only at limited intervals in human history (like Lincoln at Gettysburg, FDR and WWII, JFK and the Peace Corps, LBJ and the Great Society).  It must  be grasped when it presents itself or the moment may never be retrieved..

 

IT’S TIME TO ROLL                                                                                                                                 

CARING, INVESTMENT and LEGACY

 

I have spent much time on the Trump path to dictatorship, and on the bold and tough responses  required to stop and to reverse the Trump Train being driven to the destruction of democracy. While Donald J. Trump is mentioned illustratively today, I intend to concentrate on three strategies that speak to reform, rejuvenation and renewal. So let us get right to consideration of:

A)     Caring about ourselves and others

B)     Investing in people and the future

C)     Leaving a legacy of liberty’s blessings

A) Caring about others begins at an unexpected place: i.e., caring about oneself in a positive manner. That is, believing in oneself as a worthwhile human being and a unique individual with potential for living life to a good end is a necessary ingredient for caring about a world made up of persons of equal value and uniqueness. So let us begin with our own health and well-being.

It matters how we are nurtured and mentored – by parents, by relatives, by neighbors and friends; by doctors and nurses, by schoolteachers and pastors, by bosses and co-workers; by consumers and community representatives --  by everyone with whom we have authentic communication and contact. It is important because personal contact with caring people Is not only how we develop and grow as individuals to realize our own worth,  but it is how we learn to care and to nurture and to mentor others. No wonder then that the Hebrew Law summary from Jesus the Teacher contained the concept “love your neighbor just as you love yourself.”  How you care for  and about yourself is integral to how you should care for others. And the truth of that precept has been tested and found to contain universal truths that are relevant to child development.

On the other hand, it is a tragedy when the basics of that nurturing are missing, damaged or perverted in some way, for it can affect not only one’s own life  but the lives of many others with whom we make contact. Sad as it is, we cannot proceed without mentioning Donald J. Trump in this regard. His niece, Mary, has told us in no uncertain terms that Donald is a victim of such missing and damaged nurturing. She has described for us the negative parenting that she believes has had long-term effects on his mental and emotional health and being. A missing mother because of her illnesses and self-effacement, plus a father who dominated all aspects of his business and his family’s life by manipulation, incredulity, unreasonable demands and unempathetic responses that were always transactional in nature (always expecting something in return for his attention).

The lack of healthy nurturing and caring from both parents but especially from his father, according to Mary’s  experience as a clinical psychologist, molded Donald into a sociopathic narcissist; an unempathetic figure who lives life as though everything revolves around him; as though every  rival is a foe to be destroyed, every human event is a contest to win or lose, every competitor is someone to defeat, and every critic or acquaintance who is disloyal to him must face denigration or destruction.  His entire life is built around his success and his well-being, not around the welfare of others. Here are just a few of his niece’s quotes that tell the sad story of Donald’s dangerous flaws:

“Donald is a narcissist. He meets all nine criteria in the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” – but the label gets us only so far. A case could also be made that he meets the criteria for antisocial personality disorder…generally considered sociopathy but can also refer to chronic criminality, arrogance, and disregard for the rights of others. Donald may also meet some of the criteria for dependent personality disorder…which include an inability to make decisions or take responsibility, discomfort with being alone, and going to excessive lengths to obtain support from others. He may have a long undiagnosed learning disability…that has interfered with his ability to process information. He is inflicting his worst impulses on the country.”   

“Donald’s initial response to COVID 19 underscores his need to minimize negativity at all costs.”

“Fear – the equivalent of weakness in our family –is …unacceptable to him…  When Donald is in the most trouble…both the situations and his reactions must be unique even if absurd or nonsensical such as ‘Nobody could have predicted’ this pandemic…even though his own HHS was running simulations just a few months before COVID 19 struck.”

“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 in caring for other people. Everything is transactional. It is an epic tragedy of parental failure that my uncle does not understand that he or anybody else has intrinsic worth.”

The point begs to be made that the neglect of people in any society is a flaw that must be mended and overcome. It is imperative that society and its levels of government, plus private sector industries, faith communities, and concerned individuals continually examine and assess their provision of the very best in health, education, vocation, opportunity and future well-being for its people, especially the children.

 This is not a choice. It is a necessity. And we must always act with that responsibility firmly entrenched in our words and behaviors. There are those in positions of power who would like to disavow  this social obligation to children, and we cannot allow them to sway us from the paths of best practices and the valuing of human worth and dignity.

We must not, for instance, continue to allow 1 in 5 children to exist in poverty. Nor can we dismiss the necessity of universal pre-natal care, of universal day care, and universal pre-K  . Nor can we ignore the need of so many children in this nation for adequate food. Nor can we allow the cutting back or termination of that Biden initiative of the Family Tax Credit which is helping to lift so many families  out of the corrosive grip of poverty. And when do we stop such help for children? Do we leave out access to free higher education? Or an adequate minimum wage? Or programs that increase access to adequate and affordable health care?

No! The nurturing of our children involves the welfare and well-being of all those who have meaningful contact and interaction with them. It is, therefore, short-sighted and antithetical to cut back or disavow any categories of social support for society’s children that exist in the form of beneficial aid to adults or families  that will also benefit the children. Thus, climate change, public health, racial justice, non-discrimination in adequate housing and even limits imposed on the financial markets and other industries such as ‘Big Pharm’ affect the care and nurture of our children.  As a matter of fact, there are very few categories of governing or of social ordering in a fair and equitable manner that do not rub up against the nurturing of our children. After all, 31% of our total population is under age 25 which is around 103 million persons and a sizeable 17% of our population is under the age of 18 totaling 72.8 million.

It is way past time for us as a society to stop actlng as though we can simply ignore or put off our obligation to our children, to their future, and to those who raise and mentor them. It is past time to hold government representatives responsible and accountable for the well-being of society’s children -- their welfare and ours are inextricably bound together and we cannot enhance our humanity by acting as though we have little or no responsibility for all those young lives.

First, we should broaden the definition of child abuse to include government leaders who willfully obstruct or unduly delay the passage of laws and programs that touch on the increased care and enhanced well-being of children. We should probably hold them in contempt of Congress, but equally, we need to charge them with criminal actions.

Second, it would behoove us to place the rights of children as citizens into our Constitution with the provision that citizenship is bestowed at birth (or at new citizen oath-taking) and automatically includes the rights, privileges, liberties and responsibilities of every citizen, with delayed voting and armed service until age 18.

The Ethics Committees of both Houses of Congress should be required to define the “responsibilities” of members toward children, the meaning of willful neglect and abuse as persons responsible for their oversight, and the possible results of the same. Setting substantial penalties for the neglect or abuse of children should help to ensure the enhancement of their well-being. Plus, to correct past neglect, we must demand extraordinary responsibility and accountability for children of color and children born here of undocumented immigrants.

B) Investment in people is not as prevalent as investment in property and financial offerings. In fact, our original Constitution tended to protect property while eschewing some individual rights of citizens, feeling they would be automatically protected by the new government. That mode of thought brought forth a dedicated movement to bring about the addition of the Bill of Rights as the first ten Amendments to the Constitution, but surprisingly – half of those protected rights also had to do with protecting property (3, 4, 5, 7, and 8).

A competition of investment in property versus investment in people has gone on for the life of our nation, and according to some authors (see Thom Hartmann’s books on the “Hidden History of the Supreme Court”) resulted in Supreme Court decisions where property right protection has outweighed decisions that would protect and defend people’s individual and civil rights. As Hartmann has said, “…the Supreme Court –with a few exceptions – most frequently sided with great wealth and the powers attendant to it.”  

For instance, the infamous Dred Scott decision of 1856  declared that African American slaves everywhere in the United States were merely property --  a clear support for slave owners.  Following the end of Reconstruction in 1877, virtually all African-Americans living in the South were stripped of political power and voting rights, and were left economically disadvantaged.  And, just 13 years after the decision to overturn the Civil Rights Act of 1875, the Court in Plessy v. Ferguson of 1896 initiated a legal Apartheid system of ‘separate but equal’ giving birth to the ‘Jim Crow Era’ and essentially preserving white supremacy and their property.

Following the Haymarket Square bombing in Chicago on May 4, 1886, the Court was also busy attacking the Labor movement, as well as immigration and civil rights while supporting the new crowd of industrialists,  becoming an important ally of the elite classes developing throughout the U.S. In Allgeyer v. Louisiana of 1897 – the Court unanimously ruled that the14th Amendment right to liberty included an individual’s ‘right to contract’ thus delivering a “massive blow” to the Labor Movement and collective bargaining, essentially rendering unions powerless, but heightening the fortunes of wealthy industrialists.

While all this was going on affecting mainly southern states, something else was happening in the Northeast and the West that was to have a huge effect upon the development of this country. It was a period of industrial advance sometimes referred to as a second industrial revolution. Some say it began in 1869 with the opening of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the West. Rapid growth of Railroad track mileage linked formerly isolated areas with larger markets and allowed for the rise of commercial farming, ranching, and mining, creating a truly national marketplace. American steel production rose to surpass the combined totals of Britain, Germany, and France. (Wikipedia)

Investors in London and Paris poured money into the railroads through the American financial market centered in Wall Street. By 1900, the process of economic concentration had extended into most branches of industry—a few large corporations, called "trusts", dominated in steel, oil, sugar, meat, and farm machinery. A concentrated elite of ownership of major industries and finance led to a class of robber barons who were on top and who wanted to remain there. These trusts or corporations began exerting control over government actions in all three branches, including the Judiciary, that would maintain their dominance.. (Wikipedia).

The Supreme Court aided them by extending First Amendment rights to these trusts before anyone ever heard of “Citizens United.”  Starting with Dartmouth College v. Woodward (New Hampshire really) in 1819 through the 1886 Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad and on to Citizens United in 2010, plus the striking down of some of the individual election spending limits in 2014 McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the Court fundamentally changed our political system and “opened up unlimited campaign spending by hidden sources.” In fact, says Hartmann, it allowed “unlimited political bribery reaching every level of government -- from the president all the way down to local school boards.” ‘Personhood’ enabled these corporations and monopolies to wield economic and political power over the peoples’ representatives in Congress.

However, within this “Gilded Age” some things were amiss. Ordinary people were suffering. Some farmers complained of lost Grange rights; factory line workers and others complained about working conditions and hours; others, that child labor was tolerated. Some complained that the Robber Barons were getting rich from the labor of underpaid workers. Immigrants were discriminated against, city housing was inadequate for the mass influx of workers; slums were eyesores and breeders for crime, disease and vandalism; infrastructure had not kept up with the developments and some were living with bad water, poor sewage systems, inadequate street lighting and other unhealthy conditions. While several of the wealthy industrialists were philanthropists, and new hospitals, schools and libraries were being built, many workers felt exploited and under-valued leading to union rejuvenation and expansion. There was a significant human cost attached to this period of economic growth, as American industry had the highest rate of accidents in the world. The U.S. was also the only industrial power to have no workman's compensation program in place to support injured workers.

Therein is the rub that afflicts us when we talk about investment. The emphasis on property as the most important investment has grown out of a theory of Social Darwinism, which justifies laissez-faire capitalism, free market competition and social stratification.  The lesson should be apparent from our history and from our uncritical acceptance of ideologies that leave out at least 90% of society – over-emphasis on property rights is shortsighted. One cannot maintain a democratic form of government and equal justice without considering the civil rights of individuals of equal (and often greater) importance to prosperity and success as the right to own property.

We must learn to reject those politicians and industrialists who view the rights of citizens as socialist, expendable, and too costly. They miss the point that success begins with valuing every person above every stock, bond or profit maker. The People are our assets and our resources, which brings us back to investment in the children.

Investment in our children’s education is perhaps the best possible investment we can make because the returns on that investment are so very high. “Research shows that children who attend high quality pre-kindergarten programs are “less likely to be held back a grade, less likely to need special education and more likely to graduate high school. They are less involved in crime and delinquency. They also earn higher salaries as adults and are less likely to become dependent on welfare.

However, as W. Steven Barnett, Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) points out, the key words are "high quality." This isn't about your average daycare or low-budget preschool. According to NIEER, a good preschool program is one which "teach[es] children the skills they need to learn to read, do math, make progress in science and other areas as well as begin to understand the world and how it works." And that's not all; ‘high quality’ programs are also supposed to help children develop emotionally and socially, both important components of being ready to learn. Barnett notes that "We [state and federal governments] now subsidize programs that don't really make things better." (Education.com/magazine/article)

So, how come an extraordinary investment is not being made by government and industry in our children’s education if the benefits are so great?

We must place upon our elected representatives the major responsibility for the welfare of our youth and not just of our properties or our goods, or our deficit or our leaders. There is a major question facing this society right now and that is what is being proposed to prepare our youngest for meaningful and fulfilling lives that benefit society? What are we bequeathing to them? What is the legacy we propose to leave – a one man rule that will destroy their equal worth and dignity or a democratic system dedicated to equality, justice, fairness, fulfillment, equal protection and caring mentorship?

• 3)The Legacy we leave for the youth of our country could well be  our primary contribution to the future. We must choose and cannot escape that fact. It is becoming more apparent every day that the choices we make in 2022 and 2024 may be the difference between life or death for our democracy. Therefore, consider the following very carefully.

Voting for Trump or his sycophant Republicans will leave a legacy of unredeemable negatives:

•          restrictions of dictatorship or one-man rule –the “I know what is best for you” despotism
•      greater divisions of caste or social stratification putting automatic limits on who you are and who you can become 
•         disinformation and misinformation as propaganda that seeks to control your mind and body; that leads to having to mistrust everything and everyone because there is no truth 
•          absence of empathy, care and investment in you, your loved ones, your friends and neighbors because pleasing the Leader is all that matters  
•         loss of participation in a system designed to give you a voice in decision-making for society’s welfare;  being silenced 
•         being spied upon by strangers who will report your activities to authorities and receive a reward for their patriotic spying and snitching (already legally activated in Texas) 
•         a justice system designed to keep the Despot in power; not to protect you or counsel you or answer your need for help 
•           loss of government insurance like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, affordable health care
•         Loss of special help like Worker’s Comp., FEMA, food subsidies, housing needs 
•         Loss of extraordinary help like broadband access, climate change amelioration bringing clean water, air and earth;  the extinction of our planet is not out-of-the-question 
•         Loss of any standing as a citizen if you cannot prove your loyalty to “the Don” – maybe loss your house or job or family? 
•          An increase in intimidation, bullying, and violence constituting domestic terrorism as the tool for maintaining the established regime and its anti-democratic policies 
•         Continued takeover of state and local governments producing an imposed  nationalistic character, symbols and loyalty to the Leader and his regime 
•         A new ban on books and writings, art and music  -- on any product or creation that is not in line with the Leader’s ideology 
•         The disappearance of caring for neighbors, mentoring others, empathizing with persons in need or difficulty, investing in people for their wellbeing and for ours.

INSTEAD, SUPPORT JOE BIDEN and VOTE FOR Democrats or progressive candidates up and down your ballot to keep alive:

·        democracy dedicated to the ideals of EQUAL WORTH, EQUAL JUSTICE, and EQUAL OPPORTUNITY for personal fulfillment;

·        democratic functions of voting, free and fair elections, personal protections against enemies foreign and domestic, programs that benefit the many rather than a chosen few (elite);

·        the availability of freedoms that are inalienable like free speech and the right to peaceful protest , free press, freedom of religious expression and freedom from state-ordered religious practice or belief, speedy trial by jury, protection from self-incrimination, double jeopardy and post-facto laws; protection of due process; the privacy of one’s property and possessions  and more like responsible gun ownership;

·        the guarantee in the 9^th and 10^th amendments that the Constitution protects all the rights people have and others that may accrue to the states or to the people

·        the daily functions of government kept as resources for the many rather than tools of control for the few; such as public education, police functions, public health resources, first responders; unemployment offices, veteran affairs and benefits, local schools, highway maintenance, etc.;

·        the concept (principle) of government as public service rather than public control;

·        government as a supportive, caring mentor, and helpful resource intent on maintaining the rights, freedoms, and benefits belonging to or needed by the people;

·        government of the people, by the people and for the people – all the people without discrimination but with great determination

Wanting to leave a positive legacy for children and grandchildren is a time-honored tradition and principle of our society. This is not the time to erode, corrupt and destroy that precept. Instead, it is the moment for reclaiming and rejuvenating the concept of leaving the best we have to offer to a new generation. In our case, we are on the brink of losing all the goodness and justness, the hope and the promise of our experiment in representative democracy dedicated to the wellbeing of all people without discrimination  or manufactured divisions.

We must soundly reject and defeat the anti-democratic forces; meaning any candidate advocating overthrow of this duly elected government, or who favors restrictions on certain voting blocs or who supports Donald Trump must be defeated for public office.

We must bring together members of different age groups to share concepts of governing and to plan a united approach to defeat of anti-democratic forces

We must instruct, prepare and mobilize progressives and positive democrats in local areas across this nation for the elections of 2022 and 2024;

We must encourage more young people to run for public office, and prepare under 18s to prepare for that eventuality;

We must convince the younger cohort that they hold the power to influence the outcome of elections at all levels, and that they must vote as well as turn out scores of others to volunteer and to VOTE

We need to convince candidates at all levels to seek the involvement and votes of college students and young adults

LET’s GET STARTED. THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE!

NO TIME TO WASTE: TAKE TOUGH ACTION !

Today, I was reminded of some phrases written  on this Blog in the not-so-distant-past that have come to be more commonly used by so-called ‘political experts’ and ‘analysts.’  For instance, we now hear declarations that “democracy is at stake” or that we are “at war” politically, ideologically, and/or culturally. There are even those who say that Democrats are failing us because they do not work together or are not pushing their own agenda fervently and constantly enough to get it passed and signed into law.

Last evening, I heard a commentator (also a former candidate for office) remind us that what is taking place is from a minority, and that as a 60% majority of voters, we ‘progressives’ should take heart that this era of political suicide will not prevail if we act aggressively.  Here is a brief reminder (from my Blog dated 08/17/2018) of what was said in earlier blogs of mine by way of warning about this Trump person and his followers. It is much easier now for commentators to let the words, “fascist,” “neo-Nazi” or ‘domestic terrorist”  describe Trump and the current Republican Party and its Far-Right adherents.

“I have, in past blog posts, emphasized that Trump’s behaviors, actions and values are akin to a Fascist philosophy and to the elements of governmental takeover espoused by both aspiring Fascist authoritarians and actual Fascist despots. Since there are already numerous posts on this Blog on these matters, I will avoid repeating what I have already advanced (see posts for 5/14/2010; 11/17/, 11/21 and 11/30/2015; 1/22/2016; 2/22/2016; 7/22/2016; 11/23/2016; 8/6 and 8/14/2017; 2/5/2018; 6/11/2018). I hope I have demonstrated in those past Blogs, in some detail, a similar pattern in the rise to power of Trump as compared to the rise of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Fujimori of Peru.

"What is important here is the process (along with some common personality characteristics). That is, there are patterns that cannot be ignored because they recur in every instance where Fascist dictators evolve to full control; to a status where they manipulate existing laws and institutions to suit themselves, punish those who oppose them, and eliminate those who threaten them.”

I am recalling these earlier blog posts, not to say that ‘I said it first’ but to make the point that progressive Democrats, liberals and independents have been short-sighted at the very least in dealing with the realities of the Trump debacle. I think I can safely say  they have been too slow, too focused on policies and programs,  and not united nor consistent in opposition to a wannabe dictator. For much too long, they have simply failed to acknowledge and then to counteract the anti-democratic behaviors of the “Trumpites” by making very clear just who these Radicals are, what they espouse, and what they are doing to overturn the government.   

Mainly, Democrats took few steps to prevent them from doing all they intended to do.  If I knew enough to point out at these early dates the intentions and likely outcomes of this  Far Right Movement, how come the Democratic Party was not doing the same?   

The “Trumpeters”  even told us that “de-construction of the administrative state” (the holdover of liberal and ‘socialist’ policies and bureaucrats that constituted  a ‘deep state’ intent upon destroying this country) was their objective. THEY TOLD US, and too many ignored the implications of their words and their actions during the Trump years.

Democrats, liberals and progressive independents simply failed to take the threats of de-construction seriously enough to prevent the inevitable outcome-- the destruction of the democratic state—which is now an imminent threat..

Just take a moment to review some of the more prominent Democrat inadequacies along the way:

·      A special Counsel (Mueller) Report was botched so badly in its presentation and use that no criminal or civil charges were ever brought against the lawbreaker, oath-breaker, the chief constitution-usurper, Donald Trump (although impeachment charges were brought twice);

·      Impeachment trials in the Senate had no witnesses to the impeachment charges, leaving Republican Senators a valid excuse for finding Trump not guilty;

·      Just as the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill confrontation ended in a “no contest,” so did the Brett Cavanaugh- Christine Ford confrontation because of lack of an effective strategy and follow-up;

·      No action was ever taken to rein in the SCOTUS on decision-making; instead, the ultra-conservative majority manufactured new versions of existing laws and stretched the Constitution to the breaking point:;

·      Rather than standing firm on not approving Trump judicial appointments without proper vetting by professional peers,  Senate Democrats allowed Trump judicial appointments of persons loyal to him as their only major qualification,  resulting in the re-making of a Judiciary that could  override any attempts at litigating against planned election fraud by Republicans in 2022 and 2024. Notably,  the Texas Appeals Court  loyalist judges were quick to overturn the lower Court decision to stay the activation of the new Texas abortion law;

·      The abject failure of Democrats to counter what Trumpian forces were carrying out in state and local politics, such as  the gerrymandering of congressional districts, the capture of state and local control of legislation and of law enforcement, and intimidation or removal and replacement of certain election officials by Trump supporters; the takeover of local boards of election by Trump loyalists; the outrageous lawsuits brought by Trumpeters to overturn the 2020 election of Biden-Harris – all have had devastating effects on election processes;.

·      The failure of the Democrat majority to paint an indelible image of the Jan. 6^th insurrectionist attack on the Capitol as criminal behavior; by not pursuing federal charges but making the punishment of perpetrators a local issue has led to a minimalizing of their charges and their punishment. Where are the protests against local district attorneys and judges who are too lenient?  Democrats have simply failed to bring to national audiences constant reminders of the criminal behaviors and terrorist actions of those insurrectionists;

·      And that brings us to the colossal failure of liberals and Democrats to publicize the attacks and the manipulations that Republican ‘Trumpeters fomented. Instead, Democrats have chosen a piece-meal approach by Party Leaders holding ineffective press conferences as their weapon of response.  Unlike the Lincoln Project, the Democrats can’t even produce TV ads that should be playing everywhere showing what authoritarian, anti-democratic actions are and what they will be doing to our lives. The Democrats and Progressives instead ignored the vast importance of constant mention and display of anti-democratic  behaviors and their inevitable results. The establishment of a media base for such publicity should have been a high priority for countering Trump and his followers;

·      One more indication of Democrat Party failure may be the lumping together of programs and recovery projects into one huge $3.5 trillion-dollar legislative package. It was a bold move by the Biden Administration to fund a number of structural and policy matters that would not only  undo missteps by the Trump regime but bring  recovery to our economy while also rebuilding  better programs and policies for social necessities. It was meant as recovery,  reform and renewal rolled into one comprehensive package. Unfortunately, it has resulted in a display of Party division, a rift that appears irreconcilable at this point; illustration of “over-spending” and “deficit spending” and “tax hike” – epithets that Republicans always use to frighten middle class taxpayers, and a gain for Republicans in seeing Biden’s approval numbers drop. It is just possible that Democrats have been shown up and called out on the very things for which they should have been able to garner much support (since most polls favor individual parts of the package).  These are now gifts to Republicans who can use their legislative failures against them.

·      Of course, the COVID19 debacle is now being used by the Republican Party (that created its failures) as a weapon against the Biden administration; same thing with exit from Afghanistan, the economy, the supply line bottlenecks, and the destruction of our public health system.  All were attributable to the failures of Trump and his cultish followers’ whose non-legislating government by-tweets, lies about the election of 2020, plus rampant incompetence, made them perfect targets for publicity that Democrats failed to deliver to illustrate the abject failures of the horrendous  Trump administration.

The failures of the Democratic Party to act with boldness, decisiveness and strategic alacrity are so glaring they are blinding us to the facts of the matters-at-hand, which include:

ü The Trumpian Party  is preparing for a takeover of the federal and state governments to the extent of total control. The insurrectionists may be a small minority but the complacency and unorganized counter-movements by Democrats are allowing that minority to corrupt our system to the extent that Trumpeters can win the votes in enough key gerrymandered districts to regain the majority in the Senate at least, and probably in the House as well in 2022.

ü  If they don’t win at the ballot box, they will use the newly appointed loyal-to-Trump judges to overturn lost elections, and they will resort to violence to take what they must have to be in the majority.

ü Just like the Fascists and the Nazis of the 1920s and‘30s, gaining control is not based just on winning elections, but on intimidation and violence which can be used to take power wherever that is needed. History illustrates the shortsightedness of believing that minority groups cannot take over absolute rule of a country. They have and they can.

What can Democrats do to stop this juggernaut? Not much at this late date for crucial elections are just a year away and the anti-democratic Republicans have already altered our election rules and structures to their advantage. But here are a few thoughts:

1)   With input from local activist groups, put together a Plan of attack that gets distributed to every progressive and anti-Trump organization in the country with clear suggestions for actions to take;

2)   Bring together a social media group that will bombard those sites everyday with progressive information about the effects of authoritarianism on daily life; and will speak of benefits for supporters of certain policies, such as universal pre-K and day-care for working families; discuss other infrastructure projects in terms of real-life benefits;

3)   Establish a publicity base and use best speakers for the Democratic side to each day undermine the message of Trumpian attacks on democracy along with the real-life benefits available under a bold progressive agenda (much like former President Barack Obama just did in New Jersey and Virginia)

4)   BRING PRESSUREs, both monetarily and politically, on Senators Manchin and Sinema to act like Democrats or prepare for an onslaught of Democratic opposition to their ambitions (consult LBJ history for some techniques!) like the recent defection of veterans that has just occurred in Sinema’s veterans' advisory council;

5)   Get local Democrats to attend (and disrupt if necessary) state commissions on re-districting; gerrymandering must be confronted;

6)   Local Democrats also must be ready to protest local judiciary decisions that favor or tend-to-favor Trumpian agenda or candidates;

7)     Local Dems also need to organize locally to attend or monitor local boards and officials for Trumpian-type decisions and actions, bringing them forward for wider public attention;

8)   Local Dem organizations need to expand their membership, presence and their activities, one of which must be the exposure, as well as accountability, of all Trumpian groups, individuals, businesses, and tendencies.

9)   Boycott all businesses or services that in any way support Trumpism.

10)                   Pass voter and election reform bills and implement them ; in preparation, conduct hard-hitting nationwide campaign of how  loss of voice will affect us all and disable our democracy.

11)                   Change the rules of Congress and Committee structure to promote problem-solving, teamwork and citizen participation; to prevent paid lobbying, filibustering, extra-majority voting, individual member privilege and privileges, conflicts of interest, insider information, and promotion of lies and misinformation.  

There will be objections to some of these suggestions as being too bold, perhaps coercive. My answer is that one does not repel active enemy forces with kindness or generosity. WE ARE AT WAR and minimizing that fact only leads to destruction and defeat of cherished goals, ideals and practices. Because the Trumpian forces have already employed violence as a weapon of choice, there is absolutely no advantage to capitulation, fake bi-partisanship, or “holding back” a rigorous defense of democracy. Democrats must fight for our democratic ideals just as others have fought against imperialism, dictatorship and the rule of men instead of laws.

If Trumpeters continue to want a cultural war, why deny it to them?  Turn their own words and actions against them, where possible.  Give them what they want to force upon others. 

For example, they want no Government subsidies for people with special needs. Let’s see that they get what they want: have them sign papers that exempt them from all government benefits – no food supplements, no housing help, no Medicare, no Medicaid, no Social Security,  no affordable and regulated healthcare coverage under the ACA; no emergency help from FEMA or any other government entity. If it can be done without violating constitutional provisions, let them live with their own government deconstruction ideology with no exceptions or inconsistencies.

For instance, there must never be government-sponsored “religious exemptions” from laws-of-the-land. The government has no authority to issue ‘religious exemptions’ to anyone since doing so automatically favors and establishes a state-mandated religious belief and practice which is unconstitutional. Abortion bans are founded upon specific religious beliefs and should never be allowed to prevail in this nation. Religious freedom begins with the absolute separation of church and state. Once that fundamental protection is breeched, we are at the mercy of judges and religious zealots whose biases will be a threat to all religious and non-religious alike.    

Democrats must learn that fighting violent forces of anti-government, anti-legal restraint, anti-abortion, anti-multicultural institutions, anti-social contract, anti-factual curricula, anti-checks and balances and anti-equal rights is not winnable by the simple acts of debate, compromise, and friendly competitiveness.  Programs and policies in helpful legislative packages will not deter these fanatics from their mission which is to overthrow this duly elected and certified Biden-Harris government and to install a permanent government that will set the rules for control of all aspects of governance, social interactions and  citizen loyalty.  Such is the mission of all authoritarians.  It cannot be tolerated and made acceptable.  There must be visible and dire consequences for criminal and traitorous conduct of the sort we have witnessed with our own eyes.  DEMOCRATS must not fail to prevent the de-construction of our Constitutional Democracy.

 IT IS TIME to FIGHT BACK! THERE IS NO OTHER CHOICE and NO TIME TO WASTE!

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