Labor Unions

 "Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all."

Click on the link below for a podcast presenting the history of labor unions in the USA and a hopeful future for them:

People Are Waking Back Up To The Need For Labor Unions

Do Democrats Walk The Talk?

"It’s easy to blame the other side. And for many Democrats, it’s obvious that Republicans are thwarting progress toward a more equal society. 

"But what happens when Republicans aren’t standing in the way? 

"In many states — including California, New York, and Illinois — Democrats control all the levers of power. They run the government. They write the laws. And as we explore in the video above, they often aren’t living up to their values. 

"In key respects, many blue states are actually doing worse than red states. It is in the blue states where affordable housing is often hardest to find, there are some of the most acute disparities in education funding and economic inequality is increasing most quickly. 

"Instead of asking, 'What’s the matter with Kansas?' Democrats need to spend more time pondering, 'What’s the matter with California?'”

Click on the link below for some humbling truth for Democrats:

Liberal Hypocrisy is Fueling American Inequality. Here’s How. | NYT Opinion

I Have A Dream

This phrase is famously attached to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech delivered on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (link). I can't think of a more powerful speech of unity and love. However, in reality, the USA is very far from achieving the speech's ideals. This link points to the extreme fragmentation of political opinion in the USA preventing significant agreement regarding how to achieve societal well-being.

MY "dream" of unity and love involves achieving a consensus agreement on what is "Truth" and how to best understand it and apply it to the benefit of society as a whole. The vast majority of USA society is religious, uses alternatives to medicine, believes in conspiracy theories, and otherwise believes in various pseudosciences (false knowledge). All of these beliefs/practices are harmful (peruse this blog for support for this fact). The ONLY alternative to this false knowledge problem is agreeing to only accept claims based on good objective evidence. Ideally, this would negate the role of traditional political parties (many Founding Fathers were leery of political parties due to factionalization of voters (link)). If one requires a name for the political movement I am presenting, how about the Sci Party?

A Letter To Democrats

You and I know the pressure on the Democrats to be more "moderate" in order to attract voters who are not progressive/liberal. The fact is that progressive ideas if presented with evidence and clarity, and with empathy for the values of conservatives and independents, are accepted by the majority of folks in the USA at large. Click on the links below for support for this claim:

How Progressives Can Recapture Seven Deeply Held American Values

Here are 7 'Radical' ideas (almost) all Americans can get behind

For progressives: In red states, make it about policy, not party

A large share of Republicans hold progressive economic views

Why Progressive Candidates Should Evoke Conservative Values

Working-Class Americans in All States Support Progressive Economic Policies

CANDIDATES WHO EXPLAIN PROGRESSIVE POLICIES VIA CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES COULD BE UNIQUELY PERSUASIVE

Conservatism: The Truth

The following are summaries from articles analyzing the differences between conservatism and progressivism, and the effects of each. After reading them, and the links, if you are a conservative/Republican, do you still feel comfortable in your political ideology?

Conservatism is the domination of society by an aristocracy. Conservatism is incompatible with democracy, prosperity, and civilization in general. It is a destructive system of inequality and prejudice that is founded on deception and has no place in the modern world. (link)

People living in more liberal countries are happier on average than those in less liberal countries, but individually, conservatives are happier than liberals no matter where they live, according to a study of people in 16 Western European countries. Liberal governments tend to do more to shield citizens against certain hardships, such as unemployment and poverty, which can make people feel happier overall. On the other hand, conservatives rate their well-being higher than liberals because conservatives more readily support and rationalize the status quo, thus, believing that socioeconomic hardships are a result of individual shortcomings. (link)

On average, Democratic presidents grew the economy 4.4% each year versus 2.5% for Republicans. (link)

Economic growth and stock market performance are better under progressive governments. (link)

Democrats and low-income Republicans think that the economy is hurting the middle class. (link)

Also: video from Robert Reich on How Democrats Clean Up the Messes Left by Republicans (link)

Memo To Democrats

The USA politically remains essentially equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. With the Republicans controlling the US Senate and state legislations, how are the Democrats going to get their message into action? If there ever was a period in US history for practical politics trumping unwavering ideology, this is it IMO. Yes, one-third of voters will probably never change from voting Republican. However, think of the Democratic advantage if they can change the minds of only 25% of the remaining Republicans.

I offer some thoughts:

Religion is the largest source of magical thinking. The Democrats, while more science-based in their thinking than the Republicans, are still majority religious. Thus, perhaps cleaning their own house first would be wise.

The way Democrats attempt to get their platform across to Republicans and Independents is important. For example, the way many Democrats have talked about reforming the police ("Defund the police!") and reducing social and economic inequality ("Socialism") has left the Republicans an open door to misrepresent their true and valid proposals.

In summary, I recommend communicating with those who voted for Trump by focusing on respectfully getting them to reflect on the tools they use to understand reality and can they verify/justify them. Asking questions rather than directly criticizing their vote seems the more practical and science-based way to change their minds.

There Is No One Direction For The Democrats

The following three articles are typical of the different opinions within the present Democratic party. There probably is more than one way to proceed and it is dependent on the individual Democrat's constituency.

This moderate Democrat’s model is being copied where it matters -- in Trump territory

Want a pragmatist for president in 2020? This might be your guy

Democrats are moving left. Don't panic

(monroepadems.com)

Read more here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article215418105.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article215048600.html#storylink=cp

Can Our Polarized Politics Be Changed?

In my lifetime of 73 years, I have never experienced as much political polarization that the USA has now. As many people who know me, I am not on the "far left" politically, even though I consider myself a progressive politically. Thus, I have disagreed with those on the left who essentially say, "To hell" with the conservatives and the Bernie wing of the Democrats should just get active and overwhelm the Republicans.  The last time THAT was tried was in 1972 with the Democratic candidate George McGovern. How did that work out?

The following shows that there really is a Third Way:

Who says progressives and conservatives can’t compromise?

(Quartz)