Evolution Not Revolution

Check out this definition:

Revolution | Define Revolution at Dictionary.com

dictionary.reference.com/browse/revolution

Dictionary.com

an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed. 2. Sociology. a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, especially one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence.

Bernie Sanders and his strident supporters are calling for revolution. Not only is this NOT realistic, it is dangerous. Is this really what you want? Do you want sudden upheaval in our government and social structure? Seriously? 

Yes, we can all agree that change is needed. But, we have to get real about it. Reality tells us that the power currently is in the hands of the other party; both at the Federal level and in most state governments. Those of us living in the real world know that Sander's call for revolution is merely pandering to a base that is dissatisfied with the status quo. 

This 'revolution' is not how change happens. Yes, it is appealing to impatient folks who want what they want when they want it. It's appealing to folks who don't want to do the hard work of creating systemic change. If we are going to challenge the status quo and address income inequality and other evils that currently plague our society, we have to be willing to put on our walking shoes and get out from behind our computer screens. We have to volunteer to work for candidates who support the changes we desire. We have to actually DO something and not just TALK about doing something.

Are you willing to do the hard work to create change in our country? If so, then, I encourage you to go to HillaryClinton.com and sign up to be a volunteer. Go to websites of other Democratic candidates that you support and offer your assistance. This is how true change happens. 

Rules of Civility or How to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable

Back in the days before social media when people actually had conversations, people followed rules of polite society. Think Downton Abbey table conversations. Now, on social media, the rules are out and people seem to believe that it's okay to call names and insult others. In fact, they are being encouraged in this by some political candidates. They use the term "political correctness" like it is a swear word. Obviously, someone missed teaching them the basics of civility or how people in polite society deal with differences.

So, here is a suggestion which you may or may not wish to implement in your civil discourse.
I believe that civility relies on awareness. We need to be aware of all aspects of a situation. Who are we talking with? What is their background? Will we need them in the future? Considering these questions may help us to be more civil in our responses to others. I'm suggesting that we pay attention to both ourselves and others when having a conversation. If we sense that feelings are too strong and logic is escaping, we can take various moves to deescalate and preserve the conversation.

If you are interested in learning more about the topic of civility, I recommend the book:  Choosing Civility, The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct, by P.M. Forni. The author is the founder of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project.  Here's a link to an article about the project:  http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1211/p20s01-ussc.html

The Iowa Caucuses

Most of us who are not involved directly in Iowa politics don't really know much about the Iowa Caucuses except that they are the first in the nation to name a preference for a president. The fact that there are actually 1681 caucuses that night eludes most of us. Each precinct has their own caucus and the results are then reported to the party to be tallied. Delegates to the county nominating conventions are selected at these meetings. There are 99 counties in Iowa. Once these conventions are held then there is a state nominating convention. So, actually, the February 1 caucuses are preliminary events that culminate in a state convention where the actual delegates to the party's National convention are selected. Interestingly, only about 1% of the party's delegates are selected at the Iowa state convention.  Yet, many believe the candidate who prevails will ultimately be the party's choice at the National convention. If you are interested in how it all works, this is a source for the Democratic Party:  http://iowademocrats.org/about-iowa-caucuses/ and this is a source about the process in general:  http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/2016-iowa-caucuses/

The second link above contrasts the differences in how the Republicans and Democrats hold their party's caucuses. Rules are different, with Democrats being labeled as more complex. You can decide for yourself reasons for the differences.

As we get closer to the February 1st date, we will see many polls of both Republicans and Democrats. Please remember that not all polls are conducted professionally and not all polling data can be trusted. The most recent poll showing that Clinton and Sanders are nearly tied in Iowa actually only polled 422 likely Democratic caucus voters. We know that the smaller the sample, the less reliable is the results. For a refresher on how to understand polling data, please see:  http://www.fallacyfiles.org/readpoll.html

For a great first hand account of someone attending the Iowa caucus, please see:  http://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/guest-columnists/dont-let-party-identification-keep-you-from-the-caucus-20160110 And if you happen to live in Iowa, commit to caucus. You might learn something and you'll certainly not have a boring evening!