Category: Politics and Government

A Few Random Observations. Do They Seem the same to you, too?

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Four Short Reflections on Some Widely Different Topics

 

Seen Much News Lately?

Last week was one of those (another one!) that just seemed all over the board in terms of news and matters of interest. Here are my takeaways for your consideration. By the way, I find the process of looking back over the week as the weekend dawns a useful thing to do. So much happens in so many directions these days, it is helpful to look in the rear view mirror to assure ourselves, as much as we can, that (A) We didn’t miss anything really important and (B) We take the opportunity to assess the priorities – decide what out of all this mess really counts.

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Joe Biden Will Have a Lot to Fix – Communicating the Plan May be Priority One

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Lay Out a Communications Plan to Make It All Happen

We Have Seen This Movie Before

We know the pattern. A new administration accomplishes a lot. But people feel more could have been done. Come midterm elections, the president’s party takes a beating.

Sometimes that beating includes losing control of one or both houses of Congress, which pretty well shuts down major progress for the rest of the first term.

How to avoid that fate? Much depends, of course, on how the down-ticket elections go. If Biden wins and the Democrats have control of both houses of Congress,

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Portland, Seattle…. Where Are We

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So Many Different Stories are Mixed in All This. It’s Worth Keeping Track

What’s Happening on the Ground

I have written in this space before that Portland does have a history of problematic protests. If memory serves, this is the case in Seattle as well, although to a much lesser degree. I mention this not to besmirch the movements taking place there, but only to call out that there are mixed in these communities who welcome chaos and violence.

A fight with federal forces that draws blood would be fine with them. That they would play right into Trump’s hands is likely irrelevant to them.

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In One Week, Two Very Different Views of America

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Which One Do You Think is Worthy? Which Path Shall We Choose?

 

Our World is a Lesser Place Today

Much has been said about the passing of John Lewis. Much should be said. I come from a background wherein the word hero is used sparingly. I know a lot of people I like or admire. Those I call heroes could be counted by hand, with some fingers left over. John Lewis makes that count. He was among the best of us, and he constantly called out for the best within us.

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The Power of Social Pressure to Do Good

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What We Are Beginning to Do with Masks Can Turn the Corner

Some Brief History Lessons – Starting with Tobacco

I grew up in the South, in a state that was largely agricultural at the time. That agriculture sector was dominated by tobacco, as was much of the state legislature. Smoking was thoroughly integrated into popular culture in dozens of ways. Even in later years, as a young Army officer, my C rations came with a small pack of cigarettes, because so many people smoked, and getting shot at from time to time inclined one to light up to relax a bit.

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We Are Witnessing BIG History. Take Notes.

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Some of This Will Inspire Us. Much of This Will Not Be Pretty

The following post was one I drafted back in early March, but never posted. It was bumped by other news and forgotten. At the time, we were just starting to experience the pandemic that now dominates so much of our lives. Little did we know back then just how big an effect we were about to experience, and how long this fight was going to be. Looking back on this post, it seems both prophetic and a bit innocent, almost naive. I don’t know about you,

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The Question of the Day: WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!

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In Case You Missed Them, a Few Indications This Week That Our Species Has a Bell Curve

What a Week That Was

I generally have the next 2-3 blogs outlined a few days ahead of time. On occasion, events cause me to bump the order of things, but for the most part, the system allows me to give some time and thought to what shows up in your inbox. That was the plan for today.

I have indeed given much thought to this posting, but it is not the one I started with originally.

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About Those Monuments (and Streets, and Entryways, and Schools…)

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The Drive to Correct Old Wrongs is Exactly Right – But Expect Problems

Will We, at Last, Do the Right Thing?

It seems that most, if not almost all, confederate monuments are coming down. Most by formal governmental action, almost all by citizen demand, some by mob action. More on that last category in a moment.

The discussion of why these things need to come down has taken root. The most recent poll shows that a majority of Americans (52%) agree they should come down. That percentage will continue to grow. In my own home area,

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Yes, I Hear What You are Saying, But…

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There are Difficult but Promising Conversations Going on Now. Here, Some Help in Having Them

I have been fascinated, and often encouraged, by the conversations going on right now in our country about who we are and who we want to be as a nation. Some of these are really tough and awkward. Some of the toughest ones are in our own heads. People are asking themselves if they are as open minded as they thought. Am I as unbiased as I think I am? I sympathize with others, but have I really been listening? Do I have any grasp of what others are living and thinking?

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READ THIS DOCUMENT

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For the First Time in this Blog I am Linking a Single Document – Read It

I Have Something for You

Regular readers know that I often make reference to other articles, documents, and videos, encouraging you to read them to learn more about the topic at hand. Today we take that a step further.

I am going to say very little about this document, except to say that I think it is extraordinary and well worth your time to peruse.  We are in a time of great turmoil and challenge in our country.

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