Our Political Priorities – Own the Discussion, Own the Outcome
My YouTube and other feeds are full of politics, and I am looking for more! Often, the issue I am most interested in, is the one I am checking out right now. WOW, that isn’t a sustainable practice lately. I need to focus a lot better if I am going to keep writing while trying to make things better for those I impact. In fact, I am much like the media in Steve Bannon’s “flood the zone” talk in much quoted YouTube video. Overwhelmed!
I love some of the comments that I get on a local Social Media platform, one reader agreed, “Sometimes writing it out helps.” It does help, and I want to suggest, we all make a list of priorities and start to really explore what matters. Politics comes up a lot, no matter how distasteful we say it is, it should, it’s affecting our very existence. I am still down with less talk on religion.
I do lean left somewhat on social issues, I am more to the right on fiscal issues, and way out in crazy about how to make it all work. My list changes as things change or as I learn new things. It is about issues, not DNC, GOP, or MAGA. I hope to write across party politics.
My Priorities
1. Honesty – Be honest with a record that reflects integrity to whatever actually value. That means, no hype, and only presenting fully fact checked arguments. No flip-floppers need to apply.
2. Social Programs – Healthcare as a right, AFFORDABLE housing as a right, employment OR financial security as a right. All citizens of the richest and most powerful DEMOCRATIC country should enjoy a basic quality of life.
3. TAX THE RICH – Recently I watch Warren Buffett talking, and he said that if all the major corporations paid their fair 21%, the country could easily meet the deficit.
4. Friends Are Friends! — We should maintain and strengthen the value of our global allies. We absolutely insist on equitable relationships, while recognizing that it’s okay to be generous when you claim to be the most powerful nation on Earth.
5. DEI Has It’s Place – I get why people dislike DEI. The idea that companies are getting tax incentives to hire diversity is the wrong way to support marginalized communities. DEI should be a policy that makes it easy for EVERY American to meet the demands of merit based and fair hiring practices. To be more clear, all people, including white men should have access to the same education.
6. Climate, Sustainability, Responsibility – Is it getting hotter, colder, drier, wetter, windier, and more inhospitable on Earth? Can we have real conversations about this while taking action where it makes sense?
7. Corporate Power – WOW! That lobbyist exists like they do today? That “Big Money” is what drives a lot of policies that affect all of us, not just in America. We don’t have to stand for it, do we?
8. Social Media – I support social media without algorithms, or any version that strongly encourages community, acceptance, and real talk on real issues. They can learn to profit by doing good in the world. I think it needs monitoring and some moderation. I get that it could be ugly, but what is it now?
9. Other Concerns – We need to have a lot of conversations, if WE the people won’t have them we end up with a weird country, right? Gun laws, criminal justice, mental health, women’s rights, trans, LGBTQ and so much more.
10. BE THE WHOLE PACKAGE – If you want an overwhelming win in your bid for the White House, stop supporting the wealthiest population and listen to what people that vote for you have to say.
Your Priorities
It is your page to fill in. To me, if you are Left, Right, or Center I would love some meaningful conversations with YOU. I don’t want to talk in memes or familiar soundbites, if we start there, let’s take time together to look up information. For example, let’s tear into the cost and benefits of immigration, both the legal and not so legal type. Or, some other topic that you care about.
Not having conversations, “we don’t talk politics or religion, around here.” is giving up most of our power over our countries actions. Not working through issues with people we disagree with is also giving up our power. You know, if we don’t engage with each other to fix things, the ultra wealthy and corporate interest will create the culture we live in.
Conclusion
It’s not really about party politics when we live with the results of our democratic process. Rehashing how we got to this point feels counterproductive to me, that just looks like the blame game. Almost all the issues we can find for our own individual lists are things that affect the whole. Many of the wealthiest people are weighing in and deciding the culture we live in, how about we take our power back and talk to each other.
One Comment
Tom Hannah
I think people should tighten up and clarify their definition of “rights”. Some rights are in the category of “natural” or “human” rights — acquired by the simple fact of birth (e.g., the right not to be murdered, assaulted, or stolen from). Other rights can be granted by government (e.g. mandatory access to a public school education, or the right to vote in fair elections). But a lot of people are fond of listing human NEEDS (food, housing, medicine) and asserting that those are “rights”. We’ll, no, they aren’t. Just because I need something (and my mother used to provide it for me) doesn’t somehow make it my right. Calling a need a “right” makes it somebody else’s obligation to give it to me, which is (quite obviously) a violation of that other person’s “right” not to have his assets confiscated for my benefit. Clear thinking requires us to distinguish between needs and rights, and to recognize that providing for each others’ needs is the essence of charity, but demanding others provide for my needs is the essence of self-centered immorality.