I love this country. To many, we’re the greatest, free-est, most prosperous nation in the world…the Land of Opportunity, America the Brave. I love the freedom to speak my mind, to raise my family the way we want, to change jobs (or careers) whenever I want. I can root for NY Giants over the Dallas Cowboys (because that’s just good common sense). I can eat Pizza or Thai or BBQ food for dinner – or BBQ Thai Pizza if I’m feeling a little weird. I’ve seen and lived the American Dream, and witnessed firsthand what’s possible despite a lack of resources and advantages at the beginning.
But our nation is at a crossroads. Few can argue that our current political system is jeopardizing much of what we love about America. You can’t expect any entity – whether it’s a company, team or even a country – to thrive if it’s incapable of working together to address its challenges and take advantage of its opportunities. America, as we know it, is going to find itself in a bad place over the coming years and decades if we don’t replace our broken political system with something more positive, functional and effective.
This blog is about providing my view on America’s biggest challenges and opportunities, as well as the occasional insight or observation about culture, sports, business and just life in general. After reading this intro, its good to start with this first post about defining our Root Cause Core Issue as a democracy, followed by a discussion about A Common Sense Approach
Let’s clarify. The media as a whole is an important foundational pillar of American democracy. Collectively, it is NOT “the enemy of the people” – it represents and serves the people.
That said, there are media outlets and journalists (on ALL sides of the political spectrum) that are not meeting their professional responsibility to the general public…in terms of transparency, objectivity, and reliability.
But everyone here is accountable. Many (most?) citizens want this biased reporting and storytelling, or those publications wouldn’t be thriving as they are. And our political parties are responsible for giving the media (and in turn the people) so much negative fodder and BS on which to fixate. Fix the root cause here – our political silliness – and you’ll fix the media.
I understand practical reasons behind the DNC’s recent decision to preclude non-card carrying Democrats from running for its presidential candidate spot. Its awkward for the party and its officials, and self-preservation is a strong motivator.
That said, we need leaders that represent all Americans, not just a minority of them (as party does today). Hard not to see this move at least partly as a way to ensure candidates “stick to the party line”, further deepening the divide that’s ripping our nation apart.
That’s why I’m looking forward to a strong independent candidate emerging to lead us out of this mess. As a side note, I don’t think that is Bernie Sanders, the subject of this article. While there are things I admire about him, I find many of his views too extreme. Particularly given my hope that we can bring the country closer together and find solutions that work for all (most) Americans, and not just a very small minority.
I’ve seen recent suggestions that we eliminate the national anthem at sporting events. I like the anthem at events. It reminds of all the freedom and opportunity we have as a country. And sports is a prime example of that, where participation and success is (mostly) directly tied contribution, effort and teamwork. It’s literally “an even playing field”.
I don’t like the politicizing of this topic. Its a complicated one though. This is a business, so owners have the final say. That said, players are the product, so they have the right to exercise the right to voice their opinion on the topic (and endure consequences that accompany those actions). In the end, the fans have the most influence here, as they pay the bills (directly and indirectly through advertising); fans are understandably divided over this topic, so that creates a bit of chaos. The folks that should not really have a strong voice here are politicians, particularly the one that is called upon to represent all Americans. I’m pretty independent in my views, except when it comes to divisive and hyper-political nonsense…there’s no place for that in our world.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23582533/nfl-owners-approve-new-national-anthem-policy
There’s little debate that the US health care system is at least somewhat broken. While we do some things very well, Americans spend far more on health care than citizens of most other industrialized nations, and the overall results are not great (considering the massive investment). Layer in the raging debate about health insurance, including the rising costs, a lack of universal coverage, and the impact on key social programs, and it’s clear why many experts see health care as a top threat to the future of the U.S. economy and our overall well-being as a nation.
Rather than regurgitate the various details of our shortcomings in this area – there are thousands of great articles, interviews, and books on the topic – I want to point out the root cause of our health care issues. As is the case with most challenges, it’s not one person or even one ideology. It’s our entirely broken political system.
Both chambers of Congress, as well as the White House, are perpetually filled with folks that have lost sight of what’s in the best long-term interests of all Americans. Our “representatives” are beholden to the special interests and a political party that help them get elected and re-elected. #sad
- Insurance companies, drug companies, hospital systems, doctors groups and others contribute too much money and support to political campaigns and PACs to allow for objectively-derived policy. Its borderline criminal behavior to have our representatives bought and sold in this way, especially when the well-being of our citizens (and economy) rely on making the hard decisions necessary to right the health care ship.
- Furthermore, the two increasingly polarized and antagonistic political parties refuse to cooperate and compromise on almost any matters of substance. How are we supposed to cut costs, improve care, reduce opioid-related deaths and ensure widespread coverage for folks (especially kids) when Reps and Dems seemed obsessed with ensuring the destruction/preservation of a relatively half-baked healthcare initiative, i.e. the ACA. If we put all that energy into constructively creating a balanced approach and solution, we make incredible progress here. (As opposed to the embarrassing pissing match and inability to serve our people.)
BOTTOM LINE: While these are massively complex problems, they are solvable. Unless you tie one hand behind your collective back by pledging allegiance to the very special interests that will likely suffer the steepest setbacks as part of fixing our overall health care system. And you then cut off the other hand by refusing to work closely with your enemies, i.e. the other ~half of our representatives. It’s childish, selfish and unfortunately the basis of our current political environment. Until we start electing independent and unencumbered leaders in DC, you will see very little long-term progress against issues like health care, gun control, tax reform, etc. [And before you go pointing fingers at the ‘other side’, let’s be clear…over the past 20+ years, both parties in each chamber as well as the White House, are at fault here.]
An interesting read in Bloomberg today – https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-has-trump-made-america-great-again/
My quick takeaways:
- Say what you will about his approach, tactics, and lack of self-awareness and class, the economy seems to be doing well on a few key levels.
- As we all know, the economy is a VERY complicated beast. Is a strong 2017 economy the result of Trump’s policies and presence, or a carry-over from the Obama days? As you can imagine, most opinions on this topic match up perfectly with one’s political leanings. #sad
- One argument favoring Trump (and the Republican-controlled Congress) is the clear pro-business, reduced-government-interference message being conveyed. And amplified by the fact that a single-party government generally has the ability to actually implement their agenda (as opposed to the usual DC Gridlock we see).
- Interestingly, the trade balance is actually worsening under the new administration. I’d watch that closely in the coming years.
- Unfortunately, Trump and Congress are running roughshod over what I believe is our most pressing issue: the exploding national debt. If you read to the end of the article, you’ll see what I mean.
I’m reflecting on the past couple of weeks with mixed emotions.
The state of Alabama mustered the strength to apparently do the right thing and collectively vote against their traditional party line – no easy feat. Enough folks chose to vote their conscience (or just stay home and not vote, given that voting for a heathen Democrat was just too painful…which I guess is at least half as good).
Further, lots of notable Republicans stood against Moore, which might cost them political capital within certain ranks of their own party. Kudos!
Finally, the fight against sexual assault and harassment continues barrelling forward, claiming several well-deserving victims from both parties. More importantly, you have a meaningful number of Democratic lawmakers and some of their Republican peers calling on members of their own party to resign. Again, kudos for your objectivity, and ability to set aside party affiliation in the interest of doing what’s right.
That said, Washington generally continues to be a mess. Lots of the Republican establishment were out there shilling for their guy in Alabama, with most being completely transparent that all that matters is retaining their 2 vote majority in the Senate. You can’t represent the country when you lack objectivity and independence.
I’m telling you…when you’re not beholden to a party or the special interests that fund your reelection campaign, you are free to think more rationally. To make decisions that will be good for the entire country. There’s nothing wrong with having strong beliefs and convictions…its that passion that’s helped make American such a strong and successful nation. But its all for naught when folks spend as much effort ensuring the failure of their opponents as their own success.
Again, this is not a right or left thing. Both parties have contributed significantly to this issue over the past 20+ years. If our leaders were genuinely willing to work across the aisle and put forth bills and policy that take into account the needs and perspective of all Americans, they would not need to be so worried about controlling Congress or the White House. Think about it.
If you fix the broken system of corruption and misalignment of interests, and start electing more leaders that are willing to think and act independently, everyone will finally win.
A guy can dream, right.
Gun ownership is one of the most controversial topics in America. A lightning rod issue, as they say. In fact, one ‘side’ refers to the debate as Gun Rights, while those with the opposing view talk about Gun Control…just our starting point language screams conflict and lack of compromise.
Most gun advocates argue that the Constitution provides them the undeniable right to bear arms. That guns are an important part of our history and our culture. And the government has no right to limit one’s primary means of protecting their families, their property and themselves. All very reasonable points.
Many of those supporting stricter gun control point to the danger that guns present to the community at large. And that there should be stricter regulation over who can purchase a gun, the types of guns to be made available, and where folks can carry their guns. They’ll tell you the Constitution did not mean ordinary citizens could own military grade semi-automatic or automatic weapons, particularly when combined with lax regulation and control. I respect this perspective as well.
As is the case with most debates…both parties are right. In my opinion, only an extremist would argue that guns should be banned. The same can be said for those that argue any person residing in the US should have the right to own any gun they choose, without oversight or safety measures in place.
As you can tell, I personally find it unreasonable to eliminate safe and responsible gun ownership. I also do not put much credence into the argument that fully anonymous gun ownership is important because the government will ‘come take my guns when it imposes martial law’. I’m happy to debate either point, but I will set aside each of those relatively extreme views for now.
Here’s my high-level-and-not-fully-baked proposal for a balanced approach to gun ownership.
- Gun ownership requires that one is in good standing with the law, and deemed to be of sound mind.
- Gun ownership requires a license.
- Guns may only be sold and bought through a licensed, regulated dealer.
- Let’s have two classes of weapons and licenses: Class 1 and Class 2.
- Class 1 is your standard handgun, rifle, etc. Ownership is based on a relatively simple personal licensing and weapon registration processes.
- Class 2 are your more advanced semi-automatic weapons. Ownership is predicated on a more advanced licensing and registration processes, including a deeper, personal background check.
- Those that obtain a Class 2 gun license will be granted expanded concealed carry rights in states that allow it, i.e. in or near locations that are currently barred. Potentially, a Class 2 gun license means one is not required to register their weapons.
- While there are federal guidelines governing gun ownership, states still handle the details as best serves their citizens.
In order to craft a solution that works for all (most) Americans, you need to open-mindedly consider the both (all) sides of the issue. Most Americans support safe gun ownership, particularly if regulations help keep guns away from criminals, terrorists and the mentally unstable. Many Americans would like expanded rights to own certain types of “more robust” guns, as well as broader rights to carry concealed weapons. And most citizens are not seriously concerned about the government knowing they bought and own a gun.
Again, the above is not the detailed answer to managing gun ownership…its an exercise in considering all sides of a matter and working towards a compromise that will satisfy most reasonable folks. In a real democracy, the good solutions work for MOST (if not ALL) Americans
If politicians were unencumbered by special interests, and no longer required to follow ‘the party line’, how would we expect them to act? Here’s a summary of how I expect our political leaders to conduct their (i.e. OUR) business.
- Be objective.
- Make hard decisions.
- Compromise.
- Be responsible.
- Play fair.
- Respect differences.
OBJECTIVITY: Focus on and push forward policies that really makes the most sense for the country in the long-term. Not just what’s going to ensure your (re)election, or be popular with your party or voter base. Be willing to change your position when new information is presented. Also, listen to the experts; and not just the one that simply reaffirms what you thought you already knew.
DECISIONS: Running any organization requires you make difficult decisions. Including ones that may disappoint your supporters; this is okay so that the overall group can thrive long-term. Be bold, not afraid. And let’s focus on the big stuff. Let’s really address this long-term social security crisis that most sane folks agree is looming down the road.
COMPROMISE: The best solutions generally including something-for-everyone. Lossen this but tighten that. Work with your peers to find an approach that addresses most folks needs in some way. It’s hard…but no one said running a country was easy. This sounds more difficult than it really is, once you have an open mind. Solutions for immigration and gun laws immediately come to mind.
RESPONSIBILITY: Don’t buy stuff you can’t afford. Don’t saddle the next generation (or elected official) with decisions that seemed good in the short-term but were no doubt bad for us in the long-term. It’s irresponsible to saddle us with even more national debt or a failing environment.
FAIRNESS: Stop misleading the public about what you’re going to accomplish when you know it’s not possible. Don’t change the rules to help you, your party and your stakeholders. No lying about your opponents. While we’re at it, stop treating everyone that has a different viewpoint or position like an opponent.
RESPECT: Look out for everyone, not just your constituents. Every American is your constituent. Respect people’s differences. As long as someone is not hurting you or others, let them be. Stop name calling. Stop making stuff up. Honestly, my 4-year-old understands this concept better many of our political leaders. #sad
Most people will read the above list and say, “Impossible”, “Dreamer”, “Those things can’t co-exist”. I say that’s because we’ve become so set in our views, so full of disdain for the ‘other side’ that we’ve forgotten what’s possible. If you drop your guard a bit, let go of that negativity, forget about our past (err…current) differences, and try to come up with policies and changes that support the bigger end goal of a strong, prosperous country for all Americans….it’s much more doable than you think.
Now we just need to really fix that broken political system of ours.
Like many fellow American’s…I’m worried. Mainly about our leaders and their ability (or willingness) to work together to build a great future for our country.
To be clear, this is not about one person. Or even one particular party or ideology. There’s more than enough written about those topics, and frankly, most of it is not very constructive. Rather it’s “the system”, and how it usually renders our country incapable of dealing with many of our biggest and most complicated (and in turn our most important) challenges and opportunities.
In order to get elected (and re-elected) to national office, one must wholly “pledge allegiance” to a host of special interests as well as 1 of 2 increasingly polarized political parties. It’s, therefore, no surprise that for most politicians, prioritizing the needs of these two groups far outweigh determining and implementing what’s in the best long-term interest of the American people.
This broken system destroys our leaders’ ability to be objective and to apply common sense when attempting to solve our most pressing challenges. Instead, their positions must align with their biggest financial and political supporters if they want to get (re)elected. When the objectively logical solution that best serves the country as a whole runs counter to the needs of their constituents, it’s pretty clear who wins the heart (and the voting power) of that politician.
As for the 2-party system, most politicians have forfeited their ability to think independently and in a manner that will best support the entire country, and all Americans. Those in the other party are often considered and treated like ‘the enemy’. Ensuring the other parties failure has become as or more important than the country’s success. Is there a clearer recipe for failure?
But you know all this already. The solution? Leaders unencumbered by special interests. And independent of the 2 warring parties. I’m confident given our current counterproductive, hostile political environment, most Americans will rise to the occasion and choose rationality and the countries overall best interest over bias, misinformation, and counterproductivity. Over the coming months, I plan to outline my thoughts and plans around this movement. Next, taking a Common Sense Approach to helping our country work for All Americans.
All American Democracy 