Sunday, March 19, 2017


Six steps on how to Make America Great
(A Progressive Perspective)



Just now most of us are very stressed
Mentally
Physically
And Financially



So the first step is to take care of ourselves.
Then and then only will we be in a position to help others.  We cannot achieve anything if our minds are restless. 

Remember, we are most efficient when our minds are calm like a Peaceful lake.  Not when it is like the stormy sea.



So
Step 1
Is we need to Grieve, Vent and Heal together.
Whether you supported Senator Bernie Sanders or Secretary Hillary Clinton, we all lost a great deal during this election.

We need to acknowledge this fact. Get together with like minded folks and talk about our loss.  Cry.  Comfort each other.  Reassure each other.
In other words we need to Heal.



Here are some suggestions
At least once a week meet up with like minded folks and vent. Learn the art of Active listening (Listen to understand not to reply)
Journal – write down everything that is ‘bugging’ you and then shred the paper.  Do this for 3 weeks
Exercise
Meditate
Go for a meandering walk
Do Yoga
Connect with nature
And most importantly shut down the TV




Step 2
Be Smart.  Be Frugal
We have to acknowledge the fact that out of $100 dollars we collectively have ONE dollar
We have to live, take care of our family AND organize using that ONE dollar.

We have major time constraints placed on us because we have to work long hours to make ends meet.

So we have to RELEARN the art of being frugal.

Make a commitment not to buy anything new for the next 4 yrs – this is the best way we can prevent our precious, limited savings end up with the large Corporations.

Share everything.
Car pool.
Shop in second hand stores.
Join your local Community Garden or start one in your town.
Learn to grow a few vegetables at home – it can be very therapeutic.

And please create a budget and try to pay off your loans.

Remember we do not have a lot of money.  But we can get together, help each other - donate your knowledge and time.  And ask your friends to do the same.  




Step 3
Learn
Do you know how we got in to this mess ?

It is very important we learn about this.
That is the only way we can create a long term plan to ‘Make America Great”

Here is a synopsis of what happened :
The historical perspective :
1970s  A group of Conservative leaders (political and financial) got together and created a plan.
The goal was to create a series of efficient Think Tanks, a Media conglomerate and an agency to supply Conservative speakers on a wide ranging set of topics.
40 + years later all these elements are functioning really well.

2008 – Republican Billionaires spent a lot of the money on winning state races. This lead to the establishment of a Republican majority in the State Legislature.  These State Politicians were able to Gerrymander most of the district maps ensuring the future election wins.

The Psychological Perspective :
According to Prof Jonathan Haigt people are born with certain ideological traits.

Those with a Conservative ideology have two important traits that makes it easy for them to organize.
That is – they respect authority and they are very loyal.

Contrast that with a person who has a Liberal ideology.
They do not like authority.
And they like to welcome and entertain lots of diverse points of views.
This makes long term organizing a nightmare for a liberally minded group.



To summarize
Conservatives who are better and more efficient at organizing have had a 40 + year head start

Finally because Conservatives are more ‘loyal’ they have now been ‘brainwashed’ in to thinking that anyone with a different point of view is their ‘enemy’
Especially if you use the word “liberal”

And they have also been taught not to ‘trust’ other forms of media.

This has created a HUGE bubble that is becoming very hard to penetrate.

This has created an imbalance in governing in our country.
This is what we are seeing now.



Our job now is
a. To try to unite Liberally minded people.
b. Then together relearn the art of actively listening and talking to a conservative person.
c. Learn how we are being divided 
Click here for an out line of the conversation you could have with them.

Once they realize that a Liberally minded person is NOT their enemy, they may be open to a dialogue about questioning some parts of their world view

For  example the belief that poor people are ‘moochers’
Rich deserve what they have.
And taking money from the rich is a form of punishment.
Global warming is not man made.

By actively listening both groups will learn and can share their world view and share solutions to our problems.



We have to learn two more concepts out lined by Prof Lackoff.
a. Certain words resonate with Conservatives – we need to learn and use them.  Some words are TOXIC to them - we need to learn them and stop using them.

b. Concept of the “Strict father” thinking and “Nurturing parent” thinking

(A Strict father is the bread winner. So he needs to be strong.  He needs to be strict.  And punish the kids when they do bad things.  The wife’s role is to take care of the family and stay home.  The wife is not an equal partner in this relationship.
Most conservatives think this way

A nurturing parent thinks that the kids are vulnerable and they need to be protected.  And both parents have to work together as a team.
Most progressives think this way

And this explains the world view and how they approach public policies in the real world

In my opinion, the truth lies somewhere in the middle)

Click here to listen to his lecture on this subject.



So here are the things we have to learn
a. How a person who is liberal minded is different from someone who is conservatively minded
click here for more on this concept.

b. How to ‘talk’ to a conservatively minded person using words that resonate with them.  And also how to avoid using words that they do not like / trust
examples – Liberal Media,  Move on,  Democrats,  Global Warming come to mind.

c. Now pause for a moment and find out where you stand and what language resonates with you.



Step 4
Have a conversation
Share your newly found knowledge with your friends.
Click here to find a template you can follow.

Once you are comfortable having this conversation venture out and try to share this information with ‘moderate’ Conservatives.

We need them on our side – and you will be surprised how much we have in common.

The organization Living room conversations are actively promoting this concept.

But before you start on this journey it is my opinion that you need to complete Step 1, 2 and 3.





Step 5
Now we need to create a long term plan by bringing ALL the players together

Because Liberals do not like authority – this is not going to be very easy.

Some of the older established leaders are refusing to talk to the younger folks – because we humans have an ego that sometimes gets the better of us :(

So, we need to find NEW ways to organize.  Or we need to understand our weakness and overcome it and organize the traditional way.




Some urgent policy matters that need to be addressed are :
a. Move to Amend need to get together with Common Cause and The Young Turks and create one single effort to overturn Citizens united

b. Organizations like the ACLU need to fight Gerry mandering

c. We need to accept that voting is not going to be easy in the swing states. And ALL of us need to educate the folks there HOW their votes are being ‘stolen’ 
That way they can be prepared to fight back. 

We also need to actually help the folks who are affected by voter ID laws to overcome these obstacles and get them registered to vote.
We need to start this NOW.




d. Another very important fact is for organizations like the DNC and Move on to say they are sorry for not being fair to both parties during the Democratic Primary elections.  To me this is the first step to healing the divisions.




Step 6
This is for the few 0.01 % that are concerned and want to help the 99%

We have to accept the fact that policies pertaining to income inequality and education is not going to change any time soon.

Nor will the moneyed forces that are trying very hard to keep the 99% divided using all kinds of techniques.

So we need to ‘think’ outside the box and come up with new ways to overcome these obstacles.



Few suggestions :
Request Facebook to change their algorithm.
We all need to see at least a few opposing points of view from reliable sources. Otherwise we will ALL live in our own bubbles and stay divided.

Google search algorithms need to do the same for the same reason.

Find creative ways to help the 99%
For example creating a single data base where all College students can submit one application to get scholarships and grants from different organizations.

Finding creative ways to reduce income inequality :
Create a non for profit so that ALL kids in poor neighborhoods get high quality preschool education – this way we can assure that the young generation will be better than we are.

Create a non for profit where the high income earners find creative ways to pay the tax burden of the low income earners – may be by offering to help with groceries and text books or offering to pay their rent.

When we do look around the world we do have to accept that some poor folks do become ‘moochers’

So we need to come up with creative ways to prevent that happen too.
For example, create compulsory courses or seminars they have to attend while we give a helping hand. 
Courses on :
a. Good work ethics
b. Helping others without expecting anything in return
c. Encourage them to participate in programs like Pledge High Five
d. Teach them basic finances






The America we envision will have
a. A well educated population
b. Well read and able to understand opposing points of view
c. Less stressed
d. Less income equality
e. A majority who are willing to work together to find solutions together

Please will you join us to make this happen





Thank you


References :
The indigenous world view VS Western world view
https://youtu.be/hsh-NcZyuiI

Prof George Lackoff on the importance of using the "correct" words
https://www.c-span.org/video/?190817-1/dont-think-elephant-know-values


Iresha Goonesinghe MD - how to unite the USA and a simple template to follow when you are trying to educate someone on the reason why we are so divided
http://unitingtheusa.blogspot.com/


Media Matters - The Conservative Media
https://www.facebook.com/Mediamatters/videos/10154084955956167/

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