Agree. Experts in psychology are now needed in the White House, all levels of government. It's a chess game, daily. Psychology, not politics, as you said. Egos of dangerous individuals need to strategized. Government careers use to be about public service and common good. There are bad actors in the game not for that cause. Expertise required.
thank you for this update. i value the OneHealth approach, " a movement to forge co-equal, all inclusive collaborations between physicians, osteopathic physicians, veterinarians, dentists, nurses, and other scientific-health and environmentally related disciplines" https://onehealthinitiative.com/ as instrumental towards transforming our civilization to one that's life-affirming and ecocentric, framed by justice and rights.
Once again you have superbly focused on the key elements of protecting democracy and winning elections against authoritarian candidates. I believe in the US we need stronger government policies and laws to strengthen the bulwark of Democracy against the attempt to manipulate voting access including outright threats of violence. The DOJ needs congressional support with expanded hiring authority, legal and budgetary enhancements to prosecute and to be proactive in identifying threats.
I worry about the Democrats, I am one, pushing ultra liberal values on American society, we can see how LGBTQ rights, children wanting to get sex changes, etc have been a resonating theme of the Republican attack against Democrats as being out of touch with “mainstream” family values. Even Putin cites the erosion of the traditional values in the West, this is also the theme of the right wing governments of Hungary,Italy, Poland, etc.Seems to me that it’s a very fine line we need to draw between pushing for the classic the Democratic agenda of a social safety net, education, health care etc and also pushing the “woke” agenda , not sure what the answer is…
“Pushing ultra liberal values….”! Please stop right there! If any group is ‘pushing’ values on fellow citizens it is the right wing hate mongers who ‘ad nauseum’ drown the air waves, blogs and other media sites with trump’s lies about the 2020 election…60 courts ruled against him…60, yet the cult salivates over his every word.
The media publishes and airs ‘drama’ in the form of the lies from the cults substrata!
Pushing…consider EDUCATING… about the goals of providing support for our less fortunate fellow citizens…healthcare….a living wage…..a return to the rule of law, not the lawless edicts from Roberts kangaroo court!
Perceived as elites! Indeed the media has done more to promote this fantasy than any other group!
Who’s more elite than the libertarian mega billionaires who are delusional about how to run the world!
Charles Koch is a classic example-- Does not like democracy because it interfers with capitalism; is known to be a sociopath, and is bent on influencing politicians.
The secretive CNP is not well known but forms national policy. In the past, it was loaded with radical Christians, bent on forming a theocratic Christian state. It has fascist tendencies.
I understand your point, and it is a valid one. Still, we have to stand for what we believe. I would rather go down standing with truth, than compromise my ethics or integrity. If you poll most folks of what it means to be "woke", or "What is CRT", they have no idea. We are only one generation away from WWII, and they don't know what Antifa is. The issue is not the "Democratic agenda." It's the Right Wing propaganda, being funded by big money, hellbent in taking over our democracy. Please see my and Steve's post. They are pretty much the same.
I keep hoping if we flood the zone (media, arts, culture, music) with visual diversity that some of the solutions may organically rise from that. The domino-effect will just be so powerful, my prayer.
Excellent, excellent essay and I totally believe that you are "spot on" regarding where we all should be going for a better and more equitable world with better and more equitable outcomes! Thank you, thank you for all of your valuable insights and what you do to help this world!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!
I will be traveling to my youngest child's Med School graduation and will have to miss the wonderful events for this week but I will be back very soon. I haven't flown since the pandemic but I did get recently all my shots in one day (at the end of the day) in which they told me I should get them and should be able to handle them all: second COVID booster, flu shot, and shingles shot............so I did but really afterwards all I remember is being in a sort of "fugue state" where I was sleeping or at least dreaming that I was sleeping and walking around the house and such.............but anyway after 12 hours all was well!
Thus, take care, stay well, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!!
Diane, those thoughts are mine too. Every week's essay, I think: Best-Essay-Ever. And then the next week comes, and I say the same thing. So thankful are we to you Ruth. Clarity, calm, history and patterns. ~so much to be grateful for~ Happy Thanksgiving Diane & all.
We know that the left has lost the working class to the GOP, so the messaging needs to address this change. A pro labor, pro union, pro worker stance needs to be better broadcast to the public to recapture these voters. As it is now, the working class sees a friend in the fascist GOP. The "right to work" states are very anti-union and anti-worker. Historically, fascist nations have banned unions altogether. The US is on track to do the same thing. The Libertarian Party, which has hugely influenced the GOP, would love to ban unions as well, as they seek a capitalist paradise. The Dem Party lost its pro labor messaging years ago, possibly due to its leaning more to corporate donors. Biden seems to have addressed this issue but only after it was obvious that the right had stolen much of the working class since 2016. All politicians on the left need to address working class needs and bring them back into the fold.
Unions have been weak for a very long time now, but I don’t think that the “left/progressives” have left ALL of the working class particularly not the younger workers (the Gen Z-ers). I agree that a pro-labor, pro-union, pro-worker stance must be better developed first and then it will be in a better position to broadcast to the public and recapture and expand within the working class. The problem is that the younger workers have spent their entire lives with no real evidence and knowledge of unions, the workings of unions, worker’s rights and where their strength comes from. And the right to work (RTW) laws that give workers the choice of whether to join a union do currently weaken union strength and benefits firms. But this can be strengthened again I do believe!
Currently, I have been trying to go through the “Starbucks Union-Busting Playbook” that the younger workers, Gen Z-ers, and others are dealing with, and it is quite disheartening to say the least where the Starbucks owners/CEOs illegally and deliberately do not follow Labor Union Laws as they developed as follows:
1935: the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) (the Wagner Act), was signed into law by President Franklin D Roosevelt. The Act protected the rights of workers to create an organization and mandate that employers engage in collective bargaining and workers are also required to pay the union to represent them and protect their interests.
1947: the Taft-Hartley Act created the current Right to Work Laws, which prohibit compulsory union membership.
February 2021: Congress re-introduced the National Right to Work Act giving employees a choice to not join or not pay dues to unions, but the legislation was stalled.
March 2021: the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) where pro-union legislation would override the Right to Work Laws and make it easier to form unions. The PRO Act still faces pushback in the Senate, as most Republicans oppose it.
Current Starbucks unionizing happenings as I write this:
**Starbucks just now closes the first location to unionize citing safety concerns.
**The Starbucks Interim CEO said this is just the beginning and there are going to be many more.
**Starbucks and Howard Schultz are playing petty games with worker’s lives. They lack respect not only for the rights of workers but for the laws of this country.
**Locations have filed unfair labor practice complaints and the National Labor Relations Board has issued its own complaints against Starbucks as well.
**Workers are claiming that locations are being closed in retaliation for unionizing.
Agree, there has been a constant battle since the advent of neoliberal economics between the tiny corporate class and the majority working class. Corporations want minority rule at the expense of the majority. It's not what our Founders had in mind.
"The Marxist definition of Fascism: Ultra-Nationalism in the service of finance capital." Stanley
I agree with Steve, a Libertarian/GOP, seeking a capitalist paradise. I will add, on the backs of most of society. Any ultra-nationalistic group will be making money/power for someone, or group. Follow the money. I see the dissonance in this country with progressive movements, as be manipulated by the money people. Funny, polls show the majority supporting "Progressive" trends, yet as a governmental direction, oppose it. The unions were broken in the Reagan era for a reason. Money.
I had a discussion with my daughter about the election. Important to remember, we have to get the election right every time, the Fascists, only once, going forward. They are like a pack of coyotes, dogging a deer. We must push the boundaries and strengthen the guardrails of democracy.
How do we utilize these next 2 years? This is a great essay showing narrow pathways we can develop, and rabbit holes to avoid. Thanks to the youth vote -- they clearly want solid, no B.S. policy ideas for climate, gun safety, reproductive rights.
I feel like the Democratic Party is finally more united and strategic., clearly supportive of each other. They are leading by empathetic positive examples time & time again. They are finally 'aggressively civil' or 'civilly aggressive'. I credit President Biden for promises = policies/ laws, one building stronger onto the next. And then messaging this out. Building and strengthening the middle class. In contrast, the GOP is now in-fighting and unstable. It is a constant chess game. I'm feeling that Democrats are now involved.
Agree. Experts in psychology are now needed in the White House, all levels of government. It's a chess game, daily. Psychology, not politics, as you said. Egos of dangerous individuals need to strategized. Government careers use to be about public service and common good. There are bad actors in the game not for that cause. Expertise required.
thank you for this update. i value the OneHealth approach, " a movement to forge co-equal, all inclusive collaborations between physicians, osteopathic physicians, veterinarians, dentists, nurses, and other scientific-health and environmentally related disciplines" https://onehealthinitiative.com/ as instrumental towards transforming our civilization to one that's life-affirming and ecocentric, framed by justice and rights.
Transformative health, the bedrock.
Once again you have superbly focused on the key elements of protecting democracy and winning elections against authoritarian candidates. I believe in the US we need stronger government policies and laws to strengthen the bulwark of Democracy against the attempt to manipulate voting access including outright threats of violence. The DOJ needs congressional support with expanded hiring authority, legal and budgetary enhancements to prosecute and to be proactive in identifying threats.
Agree wholeheartedly!
I so agree about strengthening the voting process and increasing access. These next 2 years are important opportunity.
I worry about the Democrats, I am one, pushing ultra liberal values on American society, we can see how LGBTQ rights, children wanting to get sex changes, etc have been a resonating theme of the Republican attack against Democrats as being out of touch with “mainstream” family values. Even Putin cites the erosion of the traditional values in the West, this is also the theme of the right wing governments of Hungary,Italy, Poland, etc.Seems to me that it’s a very fine line we need to draw between pushing for the classic the Democratic agenda of a social safety net, education, health care etc and also pushing the “woke” agenda , not sure what the answer is…
“Pushing ultra liberal values….”! Please stop right there! If any group is ‘pushing’ values on fellow citizens it is the right wing hate mongers who ‘ad nauseum’ drown the air waves, blogs and other media sites with trump’s lies about the 2020 election…60 courts ruled against him…60, yet the cult salivates over his every word.
The media publishes and airs ‘drama’ in the form of the lies from the cults substrata!
Pushing…consider EDUCATING… about the goals of providing support for our less fortunate fellow citizens…healthcare….a living wage…..a return to the rule of law, not the lawless edicts from Roberts kangaroo court!
Perceived as elites! Indeed the media has done more to promote this fantasy than any other group!
Who’s more elite than the libertarian mega billionaires who are delusional about how to run the world!
"...libertarian mega billionaires..."
Charles Koch is a classic example-- Does not like democracy because it interfers with capitalism; is known to be a sociopath, and is bent on influencing politicians.
Mercer, CNP. Citizens United. Our major problem is SCOTUS.
The secretive CNP is not well known but forms national policy. In the past, it was loaded with radical Christians, bent on forming a theocratic Christian state. It has fascist tendencies.
I understand your point, and it is a valid one. Still, we have to stand for what we believe. I would rather go down standing with truth, than compromise my ethics or integrity. If you poll most folks of what it means to be "woke", or "What is CRT", they have no idea. We are only one generation away from WWII, and they don't know what Antifa is. The issue is not the "Democratic agenda." It's the Right Wing propaganda, being funded by big money, hellbent in taking over our democracy. Please see my and Steve's post. They are pretty much the same.
I keep hoping if we flood the zone (media, arts, culture, music) with visual diversity that some of the solutions may organically rise from that. The domino-effect will just be so powerful, my prayer.
The look Orban is giving Meloni is profound. He is melding his mind into hers. Scary.
It's somewhat psychotic looking.
I noticed too. Hypnotizing.
Excellent, excellent essay and I totally believe that you are "spot on" regarding where we all should be going for a better and more equitable world with better and more equitable outcomes! Thank you, thank you for all of your valuable insights and what you do to help this world!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!
I will be traveling to my youngest child's Med School graduation and will have to miss the wonderful events for this week but I will be back very soon. I haven't flown since the pandemic but I did get recently all my shots in one day (at the end of the day) in which they told me I should get them and should be able to handle them all: second COVID booster, flu shot, and shingles shot............so I did but really afterwards all I remember is being in a sort of "fugue state" where I was sleeping or at least dreaming that I was sleeping and walking around the house and such.............but anyway after 12 hours all was well!
Thus, take care, stay well, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!!
Diane, those thoughts are mine too. Every week's essay, I think: Best-Essay-Ever. And then the next week comes, and I say the same thing. So thankful are we to you Ruth. Clarity, calm, history and patterns. ~so much to be grateful for~ Happy Thanksgiving Diane & all.
We know that the left has lost the working class to the GOP, so the messaging needs to address this change. A pro labor, pro union, pro worker stance needs to be better broadcast to the public to recapture these voters. As it is now, the working class sees a friend in the fascist GOP. The "right to work" states are very anti-union and anti-worker. Historically, fascist nations have banned unions altogether. The US is on track to do the same thing. The Libertarian Party, which has hugely influenced the GOP, would love to ban unions as well, as they seek a capitalist paradise. The Dem Party lost its pro labor messaging years ago, possibly due to its leaning more to corporate donors. Biden seems to have addressed this issue but only after it was obvious that the right had stolen much of the working class since 2016. All politicians on the left need to address working class needs and bring them back into the fold.
Such a good highlight. I wonder how we can help.
Letters to the editor of your local newspapaer about this subject can help make others aware of the need to support the working class from the left.
Yes, elevating/ educating on the topic of income inequality. A rising tide all boats will rise.
Unions have been weak for a very long time now, but I don’t think that the “left/progressives” have left ALL of the working class particularly not the younger workers (the Gen Z-ers). I agree that a pro-labor, pro-union, pro-worker stance must be better developed first and then it will be in a better position to broadcast to the public and recapture and expand within the working class. The problem is that the younger workers have spent their entire lives with no real evidence and knowledge of unions, the workings of unions, worker’s rights and where their strength comes from. And the right to work (RTW) laws that give workers the choice of whether to join a union do currently weaken union strength and benefits firms. But this can be strengthened again I do believe!
Currently, I have been trying to go through the “Starbucks Union-Busting Playbook” that the younger workers, Gen Z-ers, and others are dealing with, and it is quite disheartening to say the least where the Starbucks owners/CEOs illegally and deliberately do not follow Labor Union Laws as they developed as follows:
1935: the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) (the Wagner Act), was signed into law by President Franklin D Roosevelt. The Act protected the rights of workers to create an organization and mandate that employers engage in collective bargaining and workers are also required to pay the union to represent them and protect their interests.
1947: the Taft-Hartley Act created the current Right to Work Laws, which prohibit compulsory union membership.
February 2021: Congress re-introduced the National Right to Work Act giving employees a choice to not join or not pay dues to unions, but the legislation was stalled.
March 2021: the House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) where pro-union legislation would override the Right to Work Laws and make it easier to form unions. The PRO Act still faces pushback in the Senate, as most Republicans oppose it.
Current Starbucks unionizing happenings as I write this:
**Starbucks just now closes the first location to unionize citing safety concerns.
**The Starbucks Interim CEO said this is just the beginning and there are going to be many more.
**Starbucks and Howard Schultz are playing petty games with worker’s lives. They lack respect not only for the rights of workers but for the laws of this country.
**Locations have filed unfair labor practice complaints and the National Labor Relations Board has issued its own complaints against Starbucks as well.
**Workers are claiming that locations are being closed in retaliation for unionizing.
Agree, there has been a constant battle since the advent of neoliberal economics between the tiny corporate class and the majority working class. Corporations want minority rule at the expense of the majority. It's not what our Founders had in mind.
He has ruled the gop for decades…gut EPA and IRS….cut taxes and keep interest rates at near zero!
Would not be surprised if the loonies Bannon and Stone take orders from him!
"The Marxist definition of Fascism: Ultra-Nationalism in the service of finance capital." Stanley
I agree with Steve, a Libertarian/GOP, seeking a capitalist paradise. I will add, on the backs of most of society. Any ultra-nationalistic group will be making money/power for someone, or group. Follow the money. I see the dissonance in this country with progressive movements, as be manipulated by the money people. Funny, polls show the majority supporting "Progressive" trends, yet as a governmental direction, oppose it. The unions were broken in the Reagan era for a reason. Money.
I had a discussion with my daughter about the election. Important to remember, we have to get the election right every time, the Fascists, only once, going forward. They are like a pack of coyotes, dogging a deer. We must push the boundaries and strengthen the guardrails of democracy.
Fascism is like a disease that has become endemic in society. It never goes away completely and is very infectious.
Agree. Highlights on downside greed are welcomed!
Thank you for this post. These European fascist are bad actors but we must respond with clarity and determination.
How do we utilize these next 2 years? This is a great essay showing narrow pathways we can develop, and rabbit holes to avoid. Thanks to the youth vote -- they clearly want solid, no B.S. policy ideas for climate, gun safety, reproductive rights.
I feel like the Democratic Party is finally more united and strategic., clearly supportive of each other. They are leading by empathetic positive examples time & time again. They are finally 'aggressively civil' or 'civilly aggressive'. I credit President Biden for promises = policies/ laws, one building stronger onto the next. And then messaging this out. Building and strengthening the middle class. In contrast, the GOP is now in-fighting and unstable. It is a constant chess game. I'm feeling that Democrats are now involved.