Category: Social Justice

Maybe Sesame Street Has An Answer

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How Best to Understand This Administration

Remember Sesame Street And The Alphabet?

You may remember that Sesame Street has offered sessions that focus on one letter of the alphabet, with examples of how that letter could be used to spell words. Given the constant mess and communications kerfuffle that is the Trump administration, maybe the Sesame Street approach of one focus at a time might help.

So, ladies and gentlemen, let us consider The Letter C – a letter with TONS of applications for this administration. We will look at a few of them today.

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Two “Teams” To Get America Right

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One for Action, One for Resources. Both to Help America

Shades of 1992

Anyone remember 1992? A small state governor named Bill Clinton surprised a lot of people that year. Having won a bruising primaries battle, he became the Democratic Presidential nominee, and he won. A lot of factors were at work in that election, but one cornerstone was that Clinton set himself up as a “New Democrat,” focusing on centrist politics connected with Democratic values, inclusiveness, and good governance. The theme scratched an itch in America and the man won.

He was surely helped by the fact that George Bush was not that great a campaigner and Ross Perot picked up a lot of votes.

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A Special Edition for Agents of Reason

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The news is filled everyday with thousands more firings of government employees. The process clearly has zero connections to efficiency or effectiveness. There is no analysis underlying any of this – just a race to see how many people they can fire before sanity reasserts itself. Today a federal judge said all this was illegal and directed these people be brought back to work. Time will tell what happens next.

But in the meantime, let’s take a moment and look beyond a failed process, beyond the impact on government and our country. Let’s look at one person’s story about what it is like to be caught in this meat grinder disguised as policy.

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A Little Reading Might Help

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Recommended Reading to Help Understand, Resist, Rebuild

First, A Little Detour

Before we begin our main discussion, I wanted to share a separate thought with you. Many of us will remember that a lot of people enjoy playing the game of determining what is someone’s “spirit animal.” I sort of gave that up when I told people I thought theirs might be a sloth or a skunk, and they did not take it well. But over the past few days, I think we can agree on Trump’s spirit animal. I think it is the common house cat.

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There Is A Champagne Shortage

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No, Not Here. In Moscow and Beijing

“I Can’t Believe Our Good Luck”

That must be the phrase being repeated daily in the capitals of Russia and China. In just the first couple of weeks, the Republican administration has gone to a European security conference and first offered up everything the Russians could hope for out of Ukraine, with nothing demanded in turn. Our new not ready for prime time Defense Secretary was a one man disaster at the conference. He was clueless as to what the situation demanded. So much for American leadership.

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In Case You Missed It

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Cruelty Is Not A Byproduct – It’s The Point

Government by Trump

As has been noted widely, there is a lot of chaos and confusion around government a la Trump. That is not surprising. We saw that last time and expected even more of all that on this round. Part of that is Trump’s nature – he thrives on conflict, anger, resentment, and confusion. Part of that is strategy – keeping people confused and feeling overwhelmed gives team Trump more maneuvering room to get done what they hope to accomplish.

Two other pillars of this bunch are cruelty and destruction.

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Farewell to All That

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This is a Tough One to Write

What The National Election Says About Us

 As a general guideline, I have always thought one should look at three primary things in choosing a president. One, character. Two, the ability to lead and get things done. Three, policies and positions.

In all candor, we generally have not had to worry too much about the first factor; even people we disagree with can be fudged to doing the best they can for the country, in their own way.

The second factor can be harder to judge with a new candidate,

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A Tale of Twos

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Two Conventions, Two Platforms Speak Volumes

Did You Hear That?

As we closed out last week, I heard (metaphorically) the sounds of a race beginning. Someone said, “Drivers, start your engines.” Or was it a voice saying, “Get ready, start, go!”? Maybe a starters pistol fired?

Labor Day is right around the corner and so the presidential race has truly begun. I am actually a bit surprised both sets of candidates are not campaigning the weekend just past. No doubt they are working (at least some of them….) in other ways. Lots of things are different in this election,

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Two Letters to Read And At Least One That Is Missing

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 Plus, Reflections on the Harris Effect

There Are Some Special People Among Us

I had the pleasure and the opportunity to work with some of them over the years. Some were political appointees, but most were career civil servants, government leaders, or military officers. A couple of characteristics made them special over the long haul.

One, they were dedicated to the principle of service to the country. They were, without exception in my experience, leader-servants. They all believed passionately in the country. Most had a copy of the constitution with them pretty much always (me,

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Chickens Coming Home to Roost

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It Appears That a Lot of Arrogance is About to Pay the Price

Dues Will Be Paid

One of the more irritating elements of modern politics is the number of politicians and others with power seem to think they can do whatever they wish, with no attention paid to public opinion, social norms, or the law. A nice pattern of that sort of thing is popping up all over the country. Glad to see it.

Voters Speak Out

Florida has a 6 week abortion ban coming into effect next month. One generally does not even know they are pregnant at this point.

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