Real Issues, Real Democracy

 Issues should be things that people disagree about.  For example some people want to regulate weapons classified as assault rifles to hopefully prevent mass shootings, others don't.  However no one in that issue is advocating taking guns away form citizens.  Still you see that red herring used by one of the sides frequently.  In fact they like to present the opposition position in absurd ways and then argue with it.

Its such a popular tactic, especially by right wing media, the absurdities are almost integral to the conversation.  Voters fraud is such an important one that they actually act like it happens in any significant way.  They don't want to hear about actual statistics because they can't argue with facts, only with wild suppositions.  It should also be pointed out that inaccurate voter registrations are not the same as voter fraud, which requires a fraudulent vote be cast.

Similarly you see people told of the danger of illegal immigrants voting?  They can't vote and would be idiots to try since they would expose themselves.  Yet that argument is made as a two headed red herring, anti-immigration and anti-voting.

For the last decade or more the Republican party has become starkly aware of the demographics of this country.  They were faced with the need to broaden their message and expand their base to win future elections.  They decided instead to circle the wagons and try to win via voter suppression and gerrymandering.

It actually worked for 2016 but the 2018 election reversed that. 

Hopefully in 2020 we can put America back on track to democracy and allow all citizens a fair vote.

Let's actually define the issues facing this country and not argue about red herrings.

We can combat climate change and still support responsible industry.  

The monsters aren't under the bed or in the closet, they are out in public lying to America nightly.

Its mostly lies and red herrings.

Political Moderation

A few of you want to blame everyone but the President for the mess we have.  Chani for the virus, Democrats for the political environment, socialists for whatever you can think of and liberals in general.

The idea that the person in charge has responsibility would belie his claim that he does everything perfectly and people tell him so.  

The job of a leader is to deal with new unexpected issues.  First by preparing for them and secondly by taking decisive action to fix them.

A real leader would figure out a way to lead that was persuasive to enough people so that we could execute it.  It involves both strength and compromise.  Leadership that only involves strength is really just a dictatorship.

Building a consensus which by necessity involves granting concessions results in a policy that has a chance to work.  Of course there are times for decisive quick actions but this relates back to being prepared.  If you ever worked in a large building you know they practice evacuations periodically.  No one wants to have to evacuate but the hope is that if you do you can be orderly.

A bunch of panicked people trying to run down the stairs isn't likely to end well.

We see a situation today where the idea of working in a bilateral way to build a policy is rejected by Republicans and Progressive Democrats.  This seems to have started with the tea party group that had a purity test.  This was effective because our system gives too much power to minority but unified groups.

We have similarly seen a rise in strict progressives, although at this point it doesn't seem as bad.  The simple fact is that a small dedicated group can hijack a party during primaries.

This was happening during the Democratic primaries until the great majority came out and voted in a Moderate Liberal.  The greatest reason to elect Joe Biden is that he can lead this country by working with the other side.  They have some legitimate concerns that need to be addressed.

Hopefully the Republicans will realize the country needs to move forward on so many critical issues as a, well, country.  

If not we will continue to see a stalemate.  That is the path to ruin.

I'm From America, Show Me

I was raised with Christian values and while I think in general that organized religion is mostly a big scam, the values stuck so i never will wish harm to another person.

Some make that pretty hard at times but I try to ignore the stupid thigs and move on.

The hardest is when people out of self interest are willing to harm others for political or monetary reasons.  When you consider the way the current and to some extent prior administration have treated immigrants you wonder if they have any humanity.

These are real people who are striving for a better life.  They deserve to be treated as we would want to be treated, not like animals. 

To many people have let politics corrupt them.   Someone who disagrees with you about tax rates is not either un-American or a mortal enemy.

I have seen disinformation become so widespread that it is becoming engrained in our culture.

Some beliefs are so inane they would be laughable if they weren't actually believed by so many.  Computer or cell phone systems such as 5G do not cause specific diseases like Covid 19.  We haven't developed a way for real things like viruses to be teleported.  The world is not flat, it has been flown around many many times.  

Most of you will realize how absurd those are but you might accept others without any evidence.  The flag is not being disrespected by any significant number of Americans and even if it was, what would it mean?  The constitution does not guarantee any form of economic system, but it does guarantee some basic human rights like freedom of speech, religion and assembly.

Is election fraud possible?  Sure but everyone knows it is and it has been prevented quite successfully.  The things you hear called election fraud are not generally related to actual voting but related to voting registrations which are frequently not updated.  It would require additional steps to lead to a fraudulent vote, steps which the systems prevent quite well.

There are so many others that you really need to make sure you have actual information, not the false opinions of someone trying to deceive you for their gain.  

When I was young there was a saying about people from Missouri demanding to be shown.

We should all demand that.

Attention Loving

Sometimes it seems like our President is simply living a delusional world that resembles the 1950s or maybe and earlier period.

One example is his decision, which he denies, to have his name printed on the stimulus checks going out.

I imagine his thought process goes something like this.

The stimulus check arrives in the mail and the family is called to gather round the kitchen table to admire this wonderful gift,  They all take time to admire the bounty and particularly note the signature of their great benefactor.  Of course he can't actually sign the check so his name is in the memo field.

How delusional can you be?

The vast majority of the checks are going via electronic transfer to peoples bank accounts.  The relatively few physical checks will be almost immediately deposited.

Its been quite a while since I've seen one of these but if you consider that the names on dollar bills are almost universally ignored I doubt it would mean hardly anything except of course the press has made a big thing about it.

So while no one was likely to have noticed his name, the Press has now been manipulated into giving him a ton of free publicity, even if most of it is negative.

Once again the only real talent he has is displayed, how to get attention in the media.

He has effectively spent his life promoting himself and he continues to do so.

It wont stop anytime soon, in his mind he will always be the greatest and he will keep telling us that, whether he gets re-elected or not.

We keep paying attention, which is on us.

Simple Solutions for a Simpleton

The world is a complex place, even more complex than health care.

Now if you get all your news and analysis from certain TV networks you may not realize that what they present is extremely simplified and distorted in order to appeal to some of the audience that isn't interested in complexity.

For example letting private industry compete for your health care dollars might sound like a simple solution except for those who are unprofitable customers, the ones who need health care the most.

Government needs to protect its weakest citizens not its strongest.

Eliminate regulations and it will make coal and oil profitable and it will come back.

Well it will get more profitable but the air and water will get more polluted and the demand won't change.  Americans and the world are on a path, not a straight line, to cleaner energy and more renewable energy.  No one will produce unneeded coal or oil.

The United States should insist that its International Partners do (add your favorite here) and they will.

No, they won't.  They will do what is in their best interest, just like we always have.

Obama isn't respected around the world because he is too soft.

Well no, he was respected and now we have a laughing stock instead.

Immigrants and refugees are hurting American workers and committing crimes.

No, they actually are generally more law abiding than our native born citizens and they work jobs no one else wants.

Political correctness has gone so far that you can't say Merry Christmas any more.

You can and you always could if you wanted.

Sigh, the list goes on and on and reality can be a real bitch.