Unless we can speak FACTually rather than according to Establishment talking points, reality will allude us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsxngVlI-0o —
Vermont’s Noah Kahan on “Stick Season”
–end of berniesanders info–
There was a time in the USA that one would hear genuine debate. Listen to the Green Party discussion to hear such a debate in the here and now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF5dQiaqMEk —
–end of howiehawkins info–
The progress that demands ongoing growth in terms of economic transfer of the wealth of the globe from the 100% to the 1%, seems to have been kept in place using an elite-managed media. — https://popularresistance.org/polarizing-and-isolating-americans-is-good-business-for-media-monopolies/ —
The consolidation of American media by a handful of monopolies has had wide-reaching effects on our politics and culture. A real decline in media literacy and political debate has occurred as separate audiences become increasingly polarized and isolated to the benefit of media corporations both old and new. —-end of popularresistance info–
A few thoughts roil as we confront the thorny topics above. One anticipates consideration that the topics are unavoidably related, but silo-ed to an extent that Establishment can discuss them as though they are separate—
*MSM controls the conversation and leads the public into the polarization that ensures people do not communicate complicated ideas to each other, which is the only way to solve those problems
*Infinite growth using finite resources is impossible
*Progress is currently defined in terms of greed, exploitation, and privilege when it can be defined instead in terms of good health, peace, and equality
*”Western values” seem to be a catch-all phrase when MSM speak about capitalism
*Capitalism is advertised as providing the greatest good for the most people, when that seems to have been a lie
*Admittedly capitalism is attractive to the ego of any of us who are drawn to economic well being
*The draw back is that capitalism is hierarchical and isn’t concerned with equity
*We are watching in Ukraine the desire for “Western values” which is manifesting in war
*The Ukrainian manifestation seems to be the immediate end result of capitalism, if one may share this personal abstraction
The response from Russia has been archaic, but no more so than the insinuation from “the West” of a violent system. But the response is easily criticized by those imposing the ignition. MSM takes advantage of this to further polarize people, which is another opportunity for control of the public that bears the pain of this oligarchical circus.
Simply stated, how can we hold both the Westernization of Ukraine and degrowth in the same effort?
This feels like a Schrodinger’s cat situation. The public feels like the cat. From the Oxford dictionary—– a cat imagined as being enclosed in a box with a radioactive source and a poison that will be released when the source (unpredictably) emits radiation, the cat being considered (according to quantum mechanics) to be simultaneously both dead and alive until the box is opened and the cat observed.
This is a reason the responsibility of members of the public have the responsibility and right to speak truth to power.
https://wildhunt.org/2023/01/the-responsibility-of-bearing-witness-in-the-new-year.html –Turmoil appears frequently in our lives. Whether it appears in the form of war, political disruption, or an internal battle with individual goals such as getting in shape, connecting with others, or quitting a bad habit, the need to resolve the turmoil begins with the active action of acknowledging the reality that appears before us.
–end of wildhunt info–
To confront FACTS, there seems a need to acknowledge the tension between peace and “Western values”.
****As one who would be perfectly contented to retain the Senate if they adhered to Oaths of Office more than to Citizens United campaign donations, one is interested in a topic raised as to the reason we maintain the US Senate—-
This is a reminder of how much we don’t know. This brings one around to Howie Hawkins, who continues to impress with original thought. We also could acknowledge Hawkins often speaks to censored information.
One such topic about which one would never have even considered, is whether the USA needs The Senate. Apparently The Senate is little other than expensive window dressing, promoting hierarchical interests, and too often placed in positions of power by big-money via Citizens United. But the public gets to fund this curiosity of pompous supremacy. Who knew?
The Democratic Branch of the Republican/Democratic Duopoly are especially functional in voter suppression—–https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNbdkuU1edw —#GreenSocialist Notes #76
Howie Hawkins brings up the concept of whether the USA needs the Senate. Apparently according to some people, the Senate isn’t necessary. This brings up the blockage from the Senate of many bills that would benefit We The People. Combined with Citizens United that promotes big-money interest choice of Senators, in which laws are passed that benefit big-money interest rather than We The People, and that We The People support economically, the members of the Senate, this seems a good topic for discussion.
The US Constitution doesn’t seem to sanction elections run by political Parties, and to permit control of political debates by political Parties seems equally corrupt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ7kn2-GEmM —
Ross Perot in 1992 on NAFTA and the “Giant Sucking Sound”
Centralization is the lifeblood of the R&D duopoly. It’s the way to enforce capitalism onto workers in 2022.———————–We can do better———-
That “we are a 2-Party system” is a fabrication of the Republican/Democratic duopoly and spread by MSM. In FACT the majority of voters aren’t either registered Democratic or Republican. The censorship about this info must be envied by bureaucrats of the Former USSR and their simplistic style of 1-Party elections.
Regardless of which character sits in the Oval Office, We The People have work to do to maintain principles of our democratic (small d) Constitutional republic. Several items to challenge—*We need the integrity of ranked-choice voting so voters won’t feel compelled to “hold your nose and vote”*Censored debates must be stopped. The Democratic/Republican duopoly pretends to legitimate debates in what is nothing other than another campaign show. Independent debates run by uninterested sponsors such as The League of Women Voters, must be restored. (Access www.debates.org to understand the extent of duopoly control). The so-called Debate Commission is a corporation to promote the Democratic corporation and Republican corporation, not to inform We The People*Challenge and stop gerrymandering that is a trick especially of the Republican branch of the duopoly.*Stop voter suppression by political Parties, and especially confront and stop Party suppression, which is the over-arching approach to voter suppression. Party suppression seems to have been the responsibility of the Democratic corporation*Promote by law ranked-choice voting, so we won’t be told again, by D&R duopoly, to “hold your nose and vote”
If these issues are handled, our next elections can be honorable.
*******************************************************************https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx—-Political Party affiliation of voters.
https://www.lwv.org/newsroom/press-releases/league-refuses-help-perpetrate-fraud–LEAGUE REFUSES TO “HELP PERPETRATE A FRAUD”
WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FROM FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE–end of lwv info–Murray Bookchin, who founded social ecology, a theory that strongly influenced early Green Socialist thought, strongly advocated the discussion and study group as the first step of any revolutionary movement. A group of individuals meets to expand their knowledge of radical thought and form a radical intellectual community; through the give and take of discussion, can eventually form ideas for next steps in organizing and political activity. According to Bookchin, study groups help create solidarity and a shared language — with a shared coherent vision — for building a mass, organizing, political movement!