Author: reillymgray

“Capitalism only works in a functioning democracy,”  Mike Baxter, Tim Allen’s character in the sitcom “Last Man Standing.”

What is a functioning democracy?  According to Ryan Griffiths, there are 8 Elements of Democracy, and they are as follows.

1. Rule of Law – In a democracy, everyone must follow the same laws (even leaders).  Laws should be known, predictable, and impartial.  Even the highest members of the government are subject to the law.
2. Political Equality – In a democracy, every citizen has the right to vote, run for office, and to participate in political discussion.
3. Common Good – Democratic citizens should work toward the common good.  The ‘common good’ is what will make the most people safe, secure, and happy.  Democratic citizens should have a sense of responsibility and caring for others.
4. Personal Freedoms – In a democracy, people enjoy many personal freedoms including freedom of religion and freedom of expression as well as many others.
5. Human Dignity – Democratic citizens should protect and uphold the dignity of all people.
6. Political Freedoms – In  a democracy, people can speak freely, form political associations, run for office, and vote without being intimidated.
7. Being Informed and Getting Involved – Democratic citizens should communicate openly and participate individually, and collectively in issues that shape their community, country and world.
8. Respect – Democratic citizens should respect the rights of others.

Ironically, American capitalists are destroying the foundation on which capitalism depends.  Big money, sometimes dark money and Citizens United have overtaken the government to shift laws in their favor at the expense of everyone else.    Big money must be removed from government and campaign finance laws must be changed to guarantee political equality. Voter suppression and gerrymandering must end to ensure the fair and free elections required by a functional democracy.  And, most importantly, a functioning democracy requires the opportunity for everyone to earn a livable wage and an economy that works for all.  Not just the few.  Sadly, the capitalists think they are saving money by paying substandard wages and benefits for their workers, when they are actually destroying their own futures and the future of our country because of their greed.

DEMOCRACY FIRST!!!

Back in November 2018, I published a post called “Decency in Differences” in which I praised Martha McSally and Krysten Sinema in their very respectful exchange after their Senate race.  It is reprinted below.

A hopeful moment in politics…  I hope it continues!

The Arizona United States Senate race between candidates Martha McSally (R) and Krysten Sinema (D) has given me hope that tribalism may not be our only future.   McSally’s congratulatory concession video demonstrated how to lose with honor and respect.  This video can be viewed at realclearpolitics.com and it is titled Republican McSally Concedes Arizona Senate Race to Democratic Winner Kyrsten Sinema.

Krysten Sinema spoke of finding common ground in her victory speech and gave a tribute to Republican Senator John McCain.  This video can be viewed at cnn.com and is titled Sinema gives tribute to McCain in victory speech.

These candidates provided an outstanding example of how to run a civilized campaign and what to do when the results come in.  Decency trumped party.  Decency and respect need not be sacrificed.  There can be decency in differences.

Following that election, interim U.S. Senator Jon Kyl announced his resignation from Arizona’s other Senate seat, and Republican Governor Doug Ducey appointed McSally to succeed Kyl where she assumed that office on January 3rd, 2019.

This Harvard educated, retired Air Force Colonel who demonstrated the upmost dignity and decency in November 2018, became a dishonorable, disrespectful opportunist willing to give up her stellar reputation for a short term political advantage.  I am deeply disappointed.  Earlier this week, a respected CNN reporter asked McSally if she would consider the new evidence recently reported related to Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial.  She dodged the question and called it pathetic and called the reporter a “liberal hack.”

What happened to the McSally of 2018?  Was she brainwashed by exposure to Trumpism?  Her sense of honor and decency has been extracted.  Is all hope lost?  How many more will be Trumped before this is all over?  I don’t know…

It was reported yesterday that the Justice Department review of Hillary Clinton found nothing of consequence.  No improper actions involving the totally fabricated Uranium One story or the use of a private email server.  The State Department found “no deliberate mishandling of classified information…” regarding the emails.  Ten investigations found no improper actions in relation to the Benghazi attack.  In October 2016, the Justice Department felt the cases against the Clinton Foundation were “…weak and saw little reason to continue the investigations.” Again, in January 2020, the Justice Department “…found nothing worth pursuing…” after Trump called for further investigations into Clinton in 2017.

Uranium One, emails, Benghazi and the Clinton Foundation all thoroughly investigated and no wrongdoing found!  Before the 2016 election, I didn’t follow politics very closely, didn’t watch much news and certainly didn’t hear right-wing media views firsthand.  However, I still had a loose view that Clinton maybe wasn’t totally honorable.  This doubt was caused by some offhand comments by others as these lies subconsciously permeated my worldview.  But now that I’ve had three years to research this view, I have found that the Republican-right successfully vilified Clinton.  I still voted for Clinton in the 2016 election because the alternative was far worse than the view I had of Clinton.

It’s time to stop the chants of “LOCK HER UP.”  Our Democracy requires healthy debate, not ridiculous characterizations and lies.  Seek the truth!

Some are saying we have the best economy ever, but, in reality, it isn’t working for nearly 80% of Americans.  According to Robert Reich the seven biggest failures of Trumponomics are as follows:

1. The trade deficit is at an all time high meaning we are importing a lot more goods than we are exporting (exported goods made by Americans).
2. Humongous federal debt.
3. Wages remain flat while corporate profits soar.
4. Corporate tax breaks were used for stock buybacks further enriching CEOs rather than investing in companies, workers and communities.
5. The middle class tax cut will actually result in higher taxes by 2027.
6. Tax incentives and the trade war has caused more jobs to move overseas.
7. Lobbyists have been put in charge of health, safety and environmental protections causing dangerous deregulation while increasing corporate profits.

Robert Reich states that “The real recipe for economic growth is to invest in Americans–in their health, education, job training, and infrastructure.  But Trumponomics has exploded the deficit, hurt ordinary Americans, and lined the pockets of the wealthy and corporations.”

TRUMP’S POLICIES ARE NOT HELPING ORDINARY AMERICANS WHO MAKE UP 80% OF THE POPULATION!!!  VOTE ACCORDINGLY!!!

According to Robert Reich, “…the American oligarchy is shafting Americans by siphoning up the wealth of the nation for itself and corrupting our politics.”  The super wealthy have used their money and power in politics to rewrite “…the rules of the economy in their favor …creating a vicious cycle of economic inequality …funneling more wealth to the wealthy.”  This has created an economy in which 78% of Americans are working paycheck to paycheck.  This is wrong!  The economy must work for all, not just the few!

Robert Reich states that we need to build progressive power by forming a coalition of our multiracial working and middle class workers to renew our democracy and by creating a fair economy.  He says we need to have a commitment to democratic principles including political equality, equal opportunity and justice for all.  And, most importantly, we need to get big money out of politics.

He continues by saying we need a bold agenda including a basic income, jobs guarantee, medicare for all and free public college education.

In order for this to work, he suggest that we need to put aside our differences and to not allow Trump and his enablers to continue to divide us with confusion and despair.

I believe we tend to see rich people as somehow smarter and more clever than average Joes like us.  And that they have achieved the ultimate American dream through hard-work when in fact they have cheated and rigged the system in their favor!  They rob us and then blame immigrants for our lack.  We need to take back the economy for all and to stop the cheating robbers of our wealth.

check out robertreich.org

On December 18, 2019, President Donald J. Trump was impeached by the United States Congress for abuse of power and obstruction of justice.  He is only the third president impeached in 231 years.  The articles of impeachment will be sent to the Senate where a trial will be held to determine if the president will be removed from office.  A two-thirds majority (67 votes) will decide the outcome.  The Senate currently holds 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and 2 Independents.  That means if all the Democrats and Independents vote for removal 20 republicans will be needed to make it so.  That seems highly unlikely.   Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell  and outspoken Senator Lindsey Graham have already declared that they plan to not be impartial and intend to quickly dismiss the articles and exonerate the President.  However, recent polls show that 70% of Americans want a fair trial and want to hear from the relevant, first-hand witnesses.  America wants the truth not a cover up!  Even if the President is not removed, he will always be branded as impeached.

How did we end up with Trump?  How did we end up with the most unfit and most corrupt President in my lifetime or even the worst U.S. President ever?  Did it really all begin in the late 80’s to save the failing AM radio stations?  “The Rush Limbaugh Show” premiered on AM radio in 1988.  How did an aggrieved, disgruntled, former DJ, first-year college dropout who must have been thoroughly ashamed to be the failure in a family who included several lawyers, judges and public servants, become the voice and director of the Republican party?  Deregulation in the form of the abandonment of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and the subsequent implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which allowed companies to own more radio stations and to nationally syndicate, created the pervasive space for this destructive often false chatter that is tearing America apart.

Sadly, this allowed a racist, vile, uncouth, sophomoric,”insult-radio” host, four-time married, drug addict charged with prescription fraud, pro-porter of conspiracy theories, whose reported statements are often predicated with “claimed without evidence” or “despite providing no source or evidence” and whose rating on Politifact is 84% mostly false or pants on fire became a trusted radio personality. And according to Wikipedia, listeners of conservative talk radio in the U.S. tend to be white, religious Americans who are more prone to being ideological conservative and more likely men.

Limbaugh is a critic of liberalism which means he supports cuts to social safety nets and opposes civil liberty, equality, social justice, a mixed economy, the role of government in reducing inequality, providing education, ensuring access to healthcare, regulating economic activity and protecting the natural environment.  He is against all the things that make America great and exceptional.  He is also a critic of liberal media, feminism, environmentalists and climate science.

This man who has made tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars ranting and raving mostly nonsense on the radio paved the way for Trump to enter the Whitehouse despite being totally unqualified and spouting lie after lie.  Because of the false claims of Rush Limbaugh and several others who have followed in his footsteps, many American people can no longer distinguish truth from lies.

Hopefully, the era of this aggrieved whiner of untruths is coming to end.  It has been reported that NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered surpassed Limbaugh’s ratings in 2016.  Maybe evidence-based facts will once again rule the day.  KNOW THE SOURCE OF YOUR INFORMATION!!!

We currently have the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years.  However, while nearly every American is working, over 50% are struggling to make ends meet and many families are food insecure and may be only a $400-emergency away from eviction.  Until jobs numbers and unemployment rates reflect livable wage jobs, they are irrelevant to the true success of our economy.

It is a disgrace that in the richest country in the world 50% of its hardworking citizens are not earning a livable wage.  Having someone labor for less than a livable wage is exploitation!  Voting for economic fairness is your way to right this wrong!

Absolute certainty shuts down critical thinking and discounting all other information is highly dangerous.  Our democracy is dependent on an informed citizenry and very few things in life are certain.  Therefore, we need to be aware of being trapped in certainty and groupthink.

According to Wikipedia, groupthink can result in

• irrational or dysfunctional decision-making
• decisions without critical evaluation
• avoidance of controversial issues or alternative solutions
• loss of individual creativity, uniqueness and independent thinking
• inflated sense of certainty within the in-group while dismissing all comments or opinions of the out-group
• the production of dehumanizing actions against the out-group
• deviant behavior by religious cults

Be open-minded and listen to both sides.  Question your certainties.  You may not have all the right answers.  I know I don’t.

This blog was inspired by the book Unfollow written by Megan Phelps-Roper who was born into the controversial Westboro Baptist Church and then left as a young adult after questioning her certainties.

Americans have been know around the world as incorruptible do-gooders, as a people who stand for freedom, democracy and human rights. We have persistently stood with our allies against authoritarianism, dictatorships and lawlessness around the world.  But now that perception is quickly and sadly dimming.  When did admiration for unethical, cruel and criminal behavior in the pursuit of power and wealth become the norm for Americans?  Somehow people willing to ignore their morals and engage in these behaviors have become seen as strong and clever.  Rule-breakers have become heroes and its alright because everyone is doing it, and rule-followers are seen as chumps.  In my opinion, these rule-breakers are pathetic cheaters who can’t achieve success by honorable means and are destroying American democracy and our standing in the world.

Some will argue that there has always been and will always be a faction who deals in “dirty tricks,” but, seemingly, up until now, the majority of Americans deemed this as unacceptable behavior.  Sadly, we have lost our way and are losing our credibility in the world.  Has the majority been corrupted?  Can we be restored as the incorruptible do-gooders of the world?

Right now, the current president is the chief admirer of unethical and immoral and illegal behavior in pursuit of wealth and power.  He is setting the tone for the entire country; and his party and constituents are cheering him on and blocking all attempts to right these wrongs.  Sadly, they are disparaging the honorable lifelong public servants who are coming forth to state the truth for all America to hear.  This is shameful!  Can we find our way back?  I hope so!