I try to be a measured observer. Even when I agree with people, philosophically, I tend to veer away from alarmist rhetoric. The sky, most of the time, isn't actually falling.
But I find myself genuinely and unshakably alarmed. Amidst the salacious and shiny personal scandals that seem to arise almost daily, a number of stories have continued to trickle out that, frankly, make my spider senses tingle. You probably lost them in all the noise.
There's an ongoing debate about whether our president is an Authoritarian. People often point to his tendency to praise foreign dictators. Is it his personality (or its deficiencies), his governing philosophy, or perhaps his core beliefs? Some combination of the three? In my judgement, it doesn't matter all that much what's driving it; it's the outcomes that matter. And those outcomes, increasingly and in accumulation, point to an alarming trend of, brick by brick, the construction of an authoritarian state.
As always, I leave it to you, the reader, to form your own assessment. Here's what I see.
The consolidation of power to a concentrated few (with leverage)
The failure of the Trump administration to appoint dozens of sub-cabinet leadership positions has been the subject of much reporting (so I won't link). Above that, they have dismissed career officials (dubbed the deep state) across the executive branch without replacing them. Those he has appointed, to a one, have deep conflicts of interest with the programs over which they preside. Many have significant allegations of corrupt action in their past, often in direct relation with those programs. This makes these select few especially beholden to their chief executive.
A concentrated effort to obscure
From removing website content, to gag orders on federal employees, to withholding visitor logs, to omitting contacts with foreign officials and their representatives, to blatantly, repeatedly, and intentionally lying to the public, this administration has clearly articulated its position that it is not answerable to the American people. Its obsession with so-called "leaks" belies its belief that secrecy FROM the constituents it represents is a top priority.
The establishment of a propaganda arm
When the former Communications Director, Boris Epshteyn, joined a largely-unknown Sinclair Media, it was a "shrug moment." Since then, however, Sinclair, it's broadcast affiliates, and it's digital arm, Circa, have steadily pumped out a pure, synchronized Trumpian narrative. It's basically the Sputnik/Pravda/RT for the Trump White House. All the while, they hammer away at the "fake news media," despite the fact that, over and over again, their reporting holds up under pressure. It is one thing to disagree on the interpretation of common facts. It is quite another to reject objective reality and substitute it with a political fiction.
An attempt to co-opt law enforcement
In a recent interview with the New York Times, the president admitted he believes the FBI director should report directly to him. Imagine the resources of a nationwide internal security force placed at the direct whim of a man who has a long-documented pattern of settling scores with his "enemies." The demand for the dramatic expansion of DHS agents under Customs and Border Patrol, as well as Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), already feels like the beginnings of a police state. It should be noted that, in authoritarian regimes across the world, internal security and secret police forces are the most feared, responsible for hunting down and jailing political opponents and dissidents.
The abridgment of due process
In the name of action toward illegal immigrants, this administration has set up so-called "rapid reaction forces" and "streamlined procedures" for ICE. These terms are shorthand for circumventing the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. In this country, EVERYONE operates under the presumption of innocence and is entitled to all aspects of due process. These "streamlined" actions, however, instead presume guilt and strip people of their rights to representation and trial. The Muslim Ban on travel and immigration also presumed guilt of those already lawfully admitted to the country and deprived them of due process (as pointed out by the federal courts).
Defining an "undesirable class" (or several)
Through rhetoric and policy, this administration has plainly set its sights on a number of non-white groups. By intertwining undocumented immigrants (and sometimes not even bothering with the 'undocumented' distinction) with rapists, murderers, and gang members, the President is openly asking white Americans to look with suspicion at anyone with brown skin. By conflating the TINY number of jihadi mujaheddin with the remainder of a BILLION muslims across the world, the president has encouraged white Americans to fear anybody with a beard or head scarf. He WANTS you to be suspicious and afraid of these "undesirables" and to beg him to help save you from their unsavory appetites. Every dictator needs a clearly defined enemy. Add to that the series of decisions that strip equal status and protection for LGBTQ Americans.
Attacking the Democratic Process Itself
The president's claim of three to five million illegal and fraudulent votes post-election seemed like a laughable ego trip. But the establishment of a Presidential Commission has upped the ante significantly. Staffing it with conspiracy-promoting fringe types and granting it data-gathering power over the entire electorate is a breathtaking move. If you operate from the presumption that there are a large number of people on the roles who don't deserve to be and put the force of the DOJ behind it, you can reshape the electorate in any way you like and make Putin-like proclamations about the "real" level of support of opposition to any candidate or official. You can also proactively focus your money, agenda, and narrative against anyone who emerges that appears to threaten your regime.
And, finally, an attempt to circumvent the constitutional military order through the establishment of a private mercenary army.
In the turmoil of the daily circus that has become the news cycle, an incredible story emerged and was quickly lost in the froth. In July, Steve Bannon, Chief Strategist to the president, took a proposal to the Secretary of Defense suggesting that a private army made up of mercenaries from around the world should be established to carry out military action in Afghanistan. The fact that this proposal was rejected by Secretary Mattis is hardly comforting. It is unlikely in the extreme that Bannon would have made this step without consulting (and getting at least tacit approval from) the president. A private corporate army, unconstrained by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the Law of Armed Conflict, and presumably outside the control of the military establishment, should chill the blood of every single American man and woman. The only other paramilitary forces that operate this way: ISIS and Al Qaeda.
It's possible, even likely, that you'll read this and go "Mike, you're just overreacting. Cut back on the caffeine." It's possible. I hope you're right. But what if you're not? Is it worth the cost to wait and see? Or is it time to put specific, focused, and unending pressure on Congress to see this for what it is and do everything in their power to curtail it?
Showing posts with label Federalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Federalism. Show all posts
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Monday, February 20, 2017
Taking Back the Kitchen Table
By now, you've heard me assert in more than one way that old saw, "all politics is local." And in previous articles, I've discussed how the Democrat Party has abandoned local politics for the national stage. That's caused us to lose sight of the reality on the ground.
Conservative media paints a much darker picture than reality, deftly coupling financial concerns with fear-baiting tactics aimed at immigrants and terrorism, and that's energized their base in some ways that don't necessarily fit the facts. But it ain't all rosy either.
In a nutshell: liberals need to get back to the kitchen table, the heart of American life. It's ground zero for financial issues, healthcare issues, education issues, and the all-around quality of life that families are dealing with. It's where things get discussed and decided. And it looks nothing at all like the DCCC's national platform. Let's look at the lay of the land.
46% of Americans say that a $500 hit to their monthly budget would be financially disastrous. Over 70% of Americans have less than $1000 in the bank. The average American has over $130k in debt, $16,000 of it in credit cards and $28,000 in a vehicle loan. They are upside-down on their cars and homes, and perpetuating it through refinancing and extended-term loans that keep them there. (Ask me later about the damage that decades of unrestrained lifestyle marketing has done to our society.)
Meanwhile, the average American between 55-64 years old has just $100k in retirement savings (about a third have NO retirement account at all). In a post-pension economy, people haven't adapted their spending and savings practices to prepare for retirement. As a result, people have to just keep on working longer and longer. Besides being a personal strain, that stagnates the job market, too.
Two thirds of Americans are clinically overweight, the precursor for a host of long-term medical conditions and a major factor toward productivity in the workplace. A third are clinically obese and are in immediate jeopardy of significant medical issues. Almost two thirds of adults are on some kind of prescription medication. Two-income families have become the norm just to stay afloat. People are tired, stressed, and feeling increasingly helpless in managing their own destinies.
If you want to be relevant in the political spectrum, you have to recognize this. You have to get back to the kitchen table. That's what our 45th President did. For whatever else you may think, he got this one right. The Republican Party OWNS the kitchen table. The big money Super PACs and think tanks don't actually care about these folks; they are simply tapping into their circumstances to further a larger pro-corporate agenda. And that's the awful irony of the whole thing.
The good news is, we are all experts! We don't need focus groups or polls. This is OUR reality. The bad news is, the Party is completely focused on Washington. We are going to drag them along with us or, potentially, leave them behind.
This is also where outreach begins. Before you ask for a vote or to post a sign or support a rally, or - heaven forbid - ask for money, offer a hand. Find out the core issues in your community and start looking at how to tackle them together. If you believe in the core liberal values of Equal Opportunity, Equal Dignity, and Equal Justice, as I do, then this is where our attention is needed most.
Conservative media paints a much darker picture than reality, deftly coupling financial concerns with fear-baiting tactics aimed at immigrants and terrorism, and that's energized their base in some ways that don't necessarily fit the facts. But it ain't all rosy either.
In a nutshell: liberals need to get back to the kitchen table, the heart of American life. It's ground zero for financial issues, healthcare issues, education issues, and the all-around quality of life that families are dealing with. It's where things get discussed and decided. And it looks nothing at all like the DCCC's national platform. Let's look at the lay of the land.
46% of Americans say that a $500 hit to their monthly budget would be financially disastrous. Over 70% of Americans have less than $1000 in the bank. The average American has over $130k in debt, $16,000 of it in credit cards and $28,000 in a vehicle loan. They are upside-down on their cars and homes, and perpetuating it through refinancing and extended-term loans that keep them there. (Ask me later about the damage that decades of unrestrained lifestyle marketing has done to our society.)
Meanwhile, the average American between 55-64 years old has just $100k in retirement savings (about a third have NO retirement account at all). In a post-pension economy, people haven't adapted their spending and savings practices to prepare for retirement. As a result, people have to just keep on working longer and longer. Besides being a personal strain, that stagnates the job market, too.
Two thirds of Americans are clinically overweight, the precursor for a host of long-term medical conditions and a major factor toward productivity in the workplace. A third are clinically obese and are in immediate jeopardy of significant medical issues. Almost two thirds of adults are on some kind of prescription medication. Two-income families have become the norm just to stay afloat. People are tired, stressed, and feeling increasingly helpless in managing their own destinies.
If you want to be relevant in the political spectrum, you have to recognize this. You have to get back to the kitchen table. That's what our 45th President did. For whatever else you may think, he got this one right. The Republican Party OWNS the kitchen table. The big money Super PACs and think tanks don't actually care about these folks; they are simply tapping into their circumstances to further a larger pro-corporate agenda. And that's the awful irony of the whole thing.
The good news is, we are all experts! We don't need focus groups or polls. This is OUR reality. The bad news is, the Party is completely focused on Washington. We are going to drag them along with us or, potentially, leave them behind.
This is also where outreach begins. Before you ask for a vote or to post a sign or support a rally, or - heaven forbid - ask for money, offer a hand. Find out the core issues in your community and start looking at how to tackle them together. If you believe in the core liberal values of Equal Opportunity, Equal Dignity, and Equal Justice, as I do, then this is where our attention is needed most.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Why don't liberals care about jobs
Soon after the election, after the initial shock wore off, the inevitable question came from everyone's lips. "What the hell just happened?" Even supporters of our 45th President were surprised by his victory. And, pretty quickly, the conventional wisdom gelled around one theme: Jobs. Or, as Bill Clinton once put it, "It's the economy, stupid!"
Then the Monday morning quarterbacking started. "Why didn't the Democrats talk more about jobs? If only they had, we woulda won this thing." Fair question. So why didn't liberals talk about jobs? Why isn't it a prominent theme across our platform? Simple: JOBS. AREN'T. A. PROBLEM. At least, not at a national level. At unemployment less than 5%, basically everyone that wants a job has one.
Talk about the unemployment rate with a conservative for just 30 seconds, and you'll hear that old gem, "Unemployment doesn't count all the people that have stopped looking for work." It's a handy argument. It neatly undercuts the number without offering any clarity, whatsoever. So what's a liberal to do?
Instead of looking at unemployment rates, why don't we talk more about how many people are actually working? It certainly takes away the "stopped looking" argument. Is it because it's too hard to figure out? Nope. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is, true to its name, LOADED with labor statistics. Free for the accessing (unless our President decides that should be shut off too). Just take a look at this graph below, pulled today.
So there it is, in black and white (and red). This graph shows how many people had a job (other than on a farm) every month over the last 17 years. What can we learn here?
What we are left with is the cognitive dissonance created by the conservative media machine with inane and unsupported counterpoints like "well that doesn't count all the people who stopped looking for work." It's been repeated so often, along with other themes, that, in spite of the fact that the people hearing the message actually HAVE jobs (along with their friends, relatives, and neighbors), they still believe to their core that unemployment is still a problem.
Now there are states and certainly counties across America that are suffering. But those are state issues and fall at the feet of the governors in control of those states. Everybody has heard their own governor talk about how they're going to create conditions for business to come into their state. And it's at this local level that we, as liberals, need to be plugged in. We need to bring our own ideas and messages for prosperity to our cities, counties, and states. Because that's where the solution will come. Which, by the way, is where the Democrats ARE ACTUALLY FAILING. Get local. That's where things actually get fixed.
Then the Monday morning quarterbacking started. "Why didn't the Democrats talk more about jobs? If only they had, we woulda won this thing." Fair question. So why didn't liberals talk about jobs? Why isn't it a prominent theme across our platform? Simple: JOBS. AREN'T. A. PROBLEM. At least, not at a national level. At unemployment less than 5%, basically everyone that wants a job has one.
Talk about the unemployment rate with a conservative for just 30 seconds, and you'll hear that old gem, "Unemployment doesn't count all the people that have stopped looking for work." It's a handy argument. It neatly undercuts the number without offering any clarity, whatsoever. So what's a liberal to do?
Instead of looking at unemployment rates, why don't we talk more about how many people are actually working? It certainly takes away the "stopped looking" argument. Is it because it's too hard to figure out? Nope. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is, true to its name, LOADED with labor statistics. Free for the accessing (unless our President decides that should be shut off too). Just take a look at this graph below, pulled today.
 |
| Bureau of Labor Statistics, total non-farm employment, 2000-2016 |
- After 9/11, we had a recession. We didn't pull out of that until 2004, George W. Bush's 2nd term.
- Things looked pretty good for Bush 43 in his 2nd term.
- The housing crash hit at the end of Bush 43 and Barack Obama rolls into office during the most dramatic drop in the economy since the Depression.
- Even so, the total employment numbers didn't dip below the levels of the post-9/11 recession.
- Then, in 2010, and through the next six years, there was a steady and strong increase in the number of people working, at the same rate of recovery (look at the slopes of the lines) that Bush 43 enjoyed post 9/11.
What we are left with is the cognitive dissonance created by the conservative media machine with inane and unsupported counterpoints like "well that doesn't count all the people who stopped looking for work." It's been repeated so often, along with other themes, that, in spite of the fact that the people hearing the message actually HAVE jobs (along with their friends, relatives, and neighbors), they still believe to their core that unemployment is still a problem.
Now there are states and certainly counties across America that are suffering. But those are state issues and fall at the feet of the governors in control of those states. Everybody has heard their own governor talk about how they're going to create conditions for business to come into their state. And it's at this local level that we, as liberals, need to be plugged in. We need to bring our own ideas and messages for prosperity to our cities, counties, and states. Because that's where the solution will come. Which, by the way, is where the Democrats ARE ACTUALLY FAILING. Get local. That's where things actually get fixed.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
America's Most Pressing Infrastructure Problem
And, no, it ain't potholes.
As a resident of Maricopa County, Arizona, I have the dubious honor of living in the only major metropolitan county in America that went for Donald Trump. That puts me in a unique position to explore the dynamics that led up to where we are today. And, from what I've seen so far, we have a major infrastructure problem.
During the campaign, I was surprised that our home didn't get a single call. There were no flyers, nobody offering lawn signs. Nothing. After the election, I tried to get in touch with my local Democratic Party folks. It was kind of like trying to spot a coyote. There were signs that they existed, but making contact was damn near impossible. We just. Had. An. Election! The party should have been at its peak.
When I did make contact, I was disappointed to learn that, in my district, ten of the twelve precinct committee seats were vacant. I attended a party meeting and found four regular attendees. (there were a LOT of first-timers, though). I was a little bit heartbroken to see it. According to the news, Clinton has this legendary machine and vaunted "ground game." And Arizona was considered "in play." Where the hell was everyone?
That was when I knew: things are not as they seem. What's more: it was all my fault.
Tip O'Niell famously said "all politics is local." It's been interpreted and applied many different ways, but here's how I take it: we are the party, and we aren't showing up for work. The National Democratic party hasn't been putting any money into local races. That's disappointing, but, honestly, who would they mail the check to?
The Democrat Party is rightly associated with the Civil Rights Movement and Women's Equal Rights. These became national issues, because certain regions of the country simply wouldn't get on board on their own. We needed the Federal Government to weigh in and draw the line. But those are extreme examples that have become the default solution. We are a federal republic. The more decisions are made locally, the more relevant they are to the people who have to live with (and pay for) them. And besides, how do you groom talent for national office if you don't have a so-called 'minor league' team to pull from?
It's not enough to vote. It's not enough to send a check. It's not even enough to protest. We have to roll up our sleeves, dig in, and participate. I challenge you to find your local legislative district TODAY and contact the party representatives. Not the elected officials, the worker bees! Find out when the next meeting is scheduled and GO. If what you see scares you, then it's your job to help fix it.
As a resident of Maricopa County, Arizona, I have the dubious honor of living in the only major metropolitan county in America that went for Donald Trump. That puts me in a unique position to explore the dynamics that led up to where we are today. And, from what I've seen so far, we have a major infrastructure problem.
During the campaign, I was surprised that our home didn't get a single call. There were no flyers, nobody offering lawn signs. Nothing. After the election, I tried to get in touch with my local Democratic Party folks. It was kind of like trying to spot a coyote. There were signs that they existed, but making contact was damn near impossible. We just. Had. An. Election! The party should have been at its peak.
When I did make contact, I was disappointed to learn that, in my district, ten of the twelve precinct committee seats were vacant. I attended a party meeting and found four regular attendees. (there were a LOT of first-timers, though). I was a little bit heartbroken to see it. According to the news, Clinton has this legendary machine and vaunted "ground game." And Arizona was considered "in play." Where the hell was everyone?
That was when I knew: things are not as they seem. What's more: it was all my fault.
Federalism: The Liberal's New "Shovel-Ready Project"
Tip O'Niell famously said "all politics is local." It's been interpreted and applied many different ways, but here's how I take it: we are the party, and we aren't showing up for work. The National Democratic party hasn't been putting any money into local races. That's disappointing, but, honestly, who would they mail the check to?
The Democrat Party is rightly associated with the Civil Rights Movement and Women's Equal Rights. These became national issues, because certain regions of the country simply wouldn't get on board on their own. We needed the Federal Government to weigh in and draw the line. But those are extreme examples that have become the default solution. We are a federal republic. The more decisions are made locally, the more relevant they are to the people who have to live with (and pay for) them. And besides, how do you groom talent for national office if you don't have a so-called 'minor league' team to pull from?
It's not enough to vote. It's not enough to send a check. It's not even enough to protest. We have to roll up our sleeves, dig in, and participate. I challenge you to find your local legislative district TODAY and contact the party representatives. Not the elected officials, the worker bees! Find out when the next meeting is scheduled and GO. If what you see scares you, then it's your job to help fix it.
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