Saturday, November 12, 2016
Get over it 111116
Like it or not the election is over and there is a winner. Both parties are seeking to understand the results, fix the blame and develop new strategies.
The problem, they are looking back not forward. For two days on air pundits have been trying to figure out how they could be so wrong. Clinton supporters have been taking to the streets to change the outcome. Get over it, the election is over and the other guy won.
Now is the time to discover that there are no Democrats or Republicans only Americans that deserve the very best efforts of both parties. Both candidates ran outside their party dragging it along behind. It is a New World out there and the parties will have to adjust rather than the world having to adjust to the party.
Lock step party loyalty is a thing of the past. The party's future lies in a vision rather than a candidate. Both candidates spread fear and hate but now is the time to government to govern for all the people, all the time. Accept the decision move forward, deal with reality and try to get ahead of the problems.
Don't look back, make things work. The will of the people is solve problems not make more.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Losers 110616
It is still to early to predict the next president of the United States but it easy to forecast the losers of the current election.
With the possible exception of the 4000 or so sycophants the new president gets to appoint, the whole world is a loser in this election. With all the venom left in the air by campaign 16 it may be time replace the Stars and Stripes with the old colonial rattlesnake flag. The new president's major task is to attempt to heal the county and present a united country to the world. Failure to heal the divisions of the country effects the country's soft power.
Soft power comes with the world's respect of just who are the United States. After the bone breaking of campaigning of 15/16 it is obvious that the United States is not the model for democratic reform, or even a democratic process. The candidates ran outside their party and didn't pay any attention to a platform of any kind. The campaign hung on far to long, Conservative estimates are 18 months but reality is that at least one candidate began campaigning four years before the election.
Soft power has been eroding for years as the United States forcefully twisted arms and sent in troops to obtain the unobtainable. Often the objectives of intervention were not defined with the troops left to shoot them all. A philosophy they brought home to the streets of hometown America. The United States today is not your fathers' country and there is no point in trying to return to the "good old days" which weren't really all that good.
The victor of campaign 16 must start from where the county is now. It has been a long time coming as Woodrow Wilson squandered America's soft power at Versailles, FDR constructed the UN as the forum for American soft power but his successors embraced hard intervention.
The new president is faced with two challenges: bring the country back from the precipice and to rebuild the countries' influence in the world. Failure at home may lead to a break up of the United States and another Civil War with states succession following the federal government euphoric model for the break up in other countries. The world will applaud the break up of the United States, Canada and Mexico will reach out to former lands. Foreign countries will be quick to support breakaway states following shortsighted policies of the federal government.
Healing the country is only the first step in regaining international standing. The country must not walk away from the world but lead rather than continue its attempts to force that world into a proven flawed form of government.
The country needs a vision for the future not more power politics that only serves indivual interest. The people need to be led to a better nation not driven by sound bites and demography.
Where do you want to be in 10, 20 years or make losers of your grand kids in the 22d century?
With the possible exception of the 4000 or so sycophants the new president gets to appoint, the whole world is a loser in this election. With all the venom left in the air by campaign 16 it may be time replace the Stars and Stripes with the old colonial rattlesnake flag. The new president's major task is to attempt to heal the county and present a united country to the world. Failure to heal the divisions of the country effects the country's soft power.
Soft power comes with the world's respect of just who are the United States. After the bone breaking of campaigning of 15/16 it is obvious that the United States is not the model for democratic reform, or even a democratic process. The candidates ran outside their party and didn't pay any attention to a platform of any kind. The campaign hung on far to long, Conservative estimates are 18 months but reality is that at least one candidate began campaigning four years before the election.
Soft power has been eroding for years as the United States forcefully twisted arms and sent in troops to obtain the unobtainable. Often the objectives of intervention were not defined with the troops left to shoot them all. A philosophy they brought home to the streets of hometown America. The United States today is not your fathers' country and there is no point in trying to return to the "good old days" which weren't really all that good.
The victor of campaign 16 must start from where the county is now. It has been a long time coming as Woodrow Wilson squandered America's soft power at Versailles, FDR constructed the UN as the forum for American soft power but his successors embraced hard intervention.
The new president is faced with two challenges: bring the country back from the precipice and to rebuild the countries' influence in the world. Failure at home may lead to a break up of the United States and another Civil War with states succession following the federal government euphoric model for the break up in other countries. The world will applaud the break up of the United States, Canada and Mexico will reach out to former lands. Foreign countries will be quick to support breakaway states following shortsighted policies of the federal government.
Healing the country is only the first step in regaining international standing. The country must not walk away from the world but lead rather than continue its attempts to force that world into a proven flawed form of government.
The country needs a vision for the future not more power politics that only serves indivual interest. The people need to be led to a better nation not driven by sound bites and demography.
Where do you want to be in 10, 20 years or make losers of your grand kids in the 22d century?
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Party time 103016
Party time is lots noise, music, balloons, confetti and free flowing champagne. All true but the celebration for this years election finds the noise confused, music off key the balloons popped, confetti littering the floor and champagne flat.
In the United States the two political parties have put forth mutually despised candidates. With little choice voters have fallen back on party labels to cast their votes. The problem is that neither candidate reflects the tradition philosophy of their parties. The reality is that the parties themselves are unsure what their philosophy now embraces. Parties shot themselves in both feet by establishing procedures that limited open choice candidates. Under the two party system viable candidates were unable to get traction for nomination. Even before the conventions the outcomes were forgone conclusions. The reality is that party conventions are relegated to expensive media shows that have become politically irrelevant.
The shows do serve a purpose they delude masses that their opinions matter. The show builds hysterical excitement but allows no choice, candidates and platforms are already determined. It's a campaign extravagance hold over from the old days when state delegates actually openly debated platform planks and chose candidates. The result is that the United States' two party system has evolved into umbrella parties where the loudest control the message, owning both the candidate and platform. The public's lack of free choice is obscured by the professional showmanship. The two party system has actually become a major step away from democracy. A major step to the right where people are given little choice in the next four years of government. Voting a party labels are no help as the labels no longer reflect philosophy.
Third parties may be true to their philosophy but lack the funding to blitz a jaded public. It maybe time for a multi-party system where voters know what candidates really stand for, or at least a ballot option for "None of the Above."
Before embracing multi-party systems take a look at the options. Many countries already have multiple parties which fare little better than the U.S. two parties. Whatever the label, party leaders follow their own agendas that often diverge from that of the rank and file. Membership continues to vote the label out of past loyalty even when party leaders go in a different direction.
Question what the party stands for and if candidates support the platform. Candidates now are independent of party and establish their own agendas forcing allegiance of party loyalty. The news media, enjoying campaign champagne, fails to inform by feeding the horse race excitement.
It is time to reform the two party system or voters must get use to crying over fallen confetti and swilling stale champagne. The bubbles no longer tickle the nose but you can still get drunk over your winner.
Few remember when we voted for someone rather that the lessor of two evils. Wouldn't it be nice to vote for someone? We would really enjoy that party.
In the United States the two political parties have put forth mutually despised candidates. With little choice voters have fallen back on party labels to cast their votes. The problem is that neither candidate reflects the tradition philosophy of their parties. The reality is that the parties themselves are unsure what their philosophy now embraces. Parties shot themselves in both feet by establishing procedures that limited open choice candidates. Under the two party system viable candidates were unable to get traction for nomination. Even before the conventions the outcomes were forgone conclusions. The reality is that party conventions are relegated to expensive media shows that have become politically irrelevant.
The shows do serve a purpose they delude masses that their opinions matter. The show builds hysterical excitement but allows no choice, candidates and platforms are already determined. It's a campaign extravagance hold over from the old days when state delegates actually openly debated platform planks and chose candidates. The result is that the United States' two party system has evolved into umbrella parties where the loudest control the message, owning both the candidate and platform. The public's lack of free choice is obscured by the professional showmanship. The two party system has actually become a major step away from democracy. A major step to the right where people are given little choice in the next four years of government. Voting a party labels are no help as the labels no longer reflect philosophy.
Third parties may be true to their philosophy but lack the funding to blitz a jaded public. It maybe time for a multi-party system where voters know what candidates really stand for, or at least a ballot option for "None of the Above."
Before embracing multi-party systems take a look at the options. Many countries already have multiple parties which fare little better than the U.S. two parties. Whatever the label, party leaders follow their own agendas that often diverge from that of the rank and file. Membership continues to vote the label out of past loyalty even when party leaders go in a different direction.
Question what the party stands for and if candidates support the platform. Candidates now are independent of party and establish their own agendas forcing allegiance of party loyalty. The news media, enjoying campaign champagne, fails to inform by feeding the horse race excitement.
It is time to reform the two party system or voters must get use to crying over fallen confetti and swilling stale champagne. The bubbles no longer tickle the nose but you can still get drunk over your winner.
Few remember when we voted for someone rather that the lessor of two evils. Wouldn't it be nice to vote for someone? We would really enjoy that party.
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