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!

Year's End Thoughts

As I sit here reviewing this year, I'm thinking of all the things that happened which no one anticipated! For example, last year at this time would you have believed that Donald Trump would be the leading candidate of the Republican Party? Would you have believed that Iran would willingly hand over its enriched uranium stockpile to another country? Would you have believed that Bill Cosby would finally face criminal charges for all the times he's "allegedly" drugged and sexually assaulted 50+ women? Would you have believed that Bruce Jenner would become a woman? These are just a few of the many news items that none of us could have predicted!

This makes me wonder about 2016. What stories will we discussing this time next year? Do you have any predictions to make?

I, for one, don't want to know. I'm thankful I don't have a crystal ball. Let's just sit back and watch it all unfold.

Out of Hiding

In 2008, the haters crawled out from under their rocks (Hoods, in some cases) and started the march to where we are today. When Barack Obama was elected the first Black person to ever hold the office of president, the haters began their campaign. Actually, they started during his candidacy to question everything about him, from his birth to his faith and sexuality. They have been relentless in challenging anything he's tried to do, even many ideas they originally promoted.

Now we arrive on the brink of 2016 and what do we have? The hater-in-chief, Donald Trump, is the leading candidate of the Republican Party.  The decent members of his party are silent while this hater loudly, Andy  proudly insults everyone they've secretly hated all these years. His supporters say he just "Tells it like it is." Well, I have news for them. That may be how it is in the haters' corner of the Republican party; but, that's not how it is for the rest of us. We don't thrive on fear and hatred.

The Democratic party is a big tent party. We look to address the concerns of ALL Americans. Yes, we care about rich White people. But, we also care about every segment of our society. We believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. We want policy that makes life better for everyone. We also believe that LOVE TRUMPS HATE. The haters are going to lose. They can't survive on a diet of hate and fear.

Putting a Face to the Uninsured

Our heartless Republican party does not care about the multitude of uninsured in America. We know that because they are relentless in their quest to do away with Obamacare. Many Republican governors refuse to expand Medicaid so that many of their neediest citizens are unable to get healthcare coverage. Many have to do without healthcare at a time when they need it most. Here is a story about one family.

Amy Rodriguez is a mother who knows how this refusal to expand Medicaid affects so many. Her daughter, Genesis, has a lung disorder called Middle Lobe Syndrome. When Gen was 17 surgeons removed half of her lung. She needs daily medication such as Pulmozyme and Albuterol to ward off fluid build up in her lungs and treat her asthma. These medications cost nearly $4,000.00 per month!

Just before her 20th birthday, this young woman entered the Medicaid gap. The state of Florida declared her independent and made her no longer eligible to receive benefits under their Medicaid system. Her mother does not make enough money to purchase Affordable Care Act insurance without subsidies and Florida refuses to expand Medicaid.

Genesis is one of over 800,000 Floridians and 4,000,000 Americans who fall into this gap. These individuals are forced to go without needed prescriptions and medical care.

How can one political party be so heartless? You can read this article from the Washington Post about Genesis for yourself. Then, decide what you will do about it. You have options. You can move on and forget it. Or you can act! Contact your representatives in Congress. Write letters to the editor. Get involved in social media to increase awareness of how Republican refusal to expand Medicaid is impacting the lives of so many Americans. You can also tweet this post to @Montel_Williams and ask him to help. If each of us does something, perhaps we can sway a few governors and legislatures into action. Please consider what you can do and then ACT!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2015/01/09/treating-chronic-illness-with-cough-syrup-life-in-the-coverage-gap/

Bullies, Victims, and Bystanders

We are either a bully, a victim, or a bystander. Frequently, we've held all three roles. Hopefully, most of us have turned away from bullying others. I used to teach elementary students about these three roles. I taught them ways to handle bullies as there is often no one right way. But, the most important lessons were always about bystanders. You see, bystanders have enormous power to make a real difference in a bullying situation.

Donald Trump is a classic bully. His followers support him in this by saying he just, "tells it like it is." They are the type of bystanders who go along with the bully for various reasons. Some do it out of fear. These are the other GOP candidates who fear angering the bully into running a third party candidacy. Others go along with the bully because they believe in him and support his meanness. These are the people at his rallies who echo what he says.

Trump's victims are myriad. They range from Mexicans to Syrian refugees to Muslims. Everyday, he pronounces a new set of victims for his followers to hate and fear.

What can we bystanders who do not support his hate do when we hear or see his type of bullying in action? We have choices. We can say and do nothing. Many do that out of fear of becoming the next victim. We can support the victim in various ways. But, most importantly, we can speak up. We can call out the bully, name the behavior, offer aid to the victim, and inform the authorities if necessary!

Ask yourself what you would want the bystanders to do if someone were bullying you? Treat others the way you'd want to be treated. Pretty simple, isn't it?