Compassionate Progressive - Part 5

Image from: compassioninsight.org
  

If we're destroying our trees and destroying our environment and hurting animals and hurting one another and all that stuff, there's got to be a very powerful energy to fight that. I think we need more love in the world. We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that.
~ Ellen DeGeneres


I hope the first four installments of this series have been generating positive discussions. Each issue listed and detailed are the important issues that our society is facing and the only way to be solution-focused is to be compassionately focused. Enjoy the fifth installment in this series. And please share, comment and subscribe!
(All comments are moderated to prevent spammers)

Why am I a Democrat? Well...

"I am a Democrat because no leader should impede any life-saving science or be dismissive of life-threatening environmental problems."

An article in Salon made the observation that a person (or politician) that not only advocates for ignorance, but also proudly condescends knowledge, facts, research and verifiable data as "foolish", is not someone that can be swayed by any form of logic, and in fact, is employing a highly effective tool to manipulate others: 

At the end of the day, the problem is one of identity. The conservative identity is one of being opposed to everything liberal, to the point of despising anything even associated with liberalism. As liberalism has increasingly been aligned with the values of empiricism and reason, the incentives for conservatives to reject empiricism and reason multiply. To be a “conservative” increasingly means taking a contemptuous view of reality. And so the proudly ignorant grow more belligerent, day after day. ~ Amanda Marcotte

The neoconservative marriage with religion has increased this disdain for reason and logic, as religion has impeded scientific knowledge since the beginning of recorded civilization. Our founding fathers attempted to prevent this perversion by erecting a wall of separation between church and state, recognizing the innate right of all people to hold religious views of any stripe (including no religion), but while protecting us from the pervasive and oppressive nature of governmental religious legislation. 

Unfortunately, the neocons have found the power of religiosity as a means of obtaining absolute power. The results are a disdain for science and scientific results, as well as minimizing and bastardizing the scientific method, especially the requirement within science to question even the most esteemed scientific findings. In other words, the fact that scientific truths can change as more evidence is revealed is seen as an inherent weakness by the religious conservatives that hold faith in their religious views of the origin of man, in spite of opposing scientific facts, as a moral superiority. 

The list of conservative-led legislation that is aimed at eliminating scientific knowledge from social and political discourse is both troubling and toxic. Here are a few examples:

• A Huffington Post article gave light to the Wyoming governor approving a budget that would prevent the state from reviewing or funding a new set of science standards that treat climate change as fact. 
• In 2012, the Union of Concerned Scientists wrote a piece concerning the North Carolina Senate voting to prohibit agencies and towns from using the latest scientific data on sea-level rise in coastal management decisions. This law passed, putting a four-year moratorium on any action concerning the drastic sea-level rising. 
• And in 2013, four US states (Colorado, Missouri, Montana, and Oklahoma) considered, "new legislation about teaching science in schools, allowing pupils to to be taught religious versions of how life on earth developed in what critics say would establish a backdoor way of questioning the theory of evolution."

The long-term effects of the Republican/Tea Party/Neoconservative/Religious-Right attacks on science are not only bad for every area of our economy, but also are devastating for our survival on Earth! 

"I am a Democrat because I know that there are more people harmed by defective products, medical mistakes, and bad-faith acts by insurance companies than there are frivolous lawsuits filed; and that no liability insurance company has yet proportionately lowered premiums in exchange for laws passed by Republicans that unfairly limit a deserving victim’s damages."

While we all recognize that frivolous lawsuits exist (see Boehner's recent frivolous and terribly expensive lawsuit against the Obama administration), we can also recognize the need for patients to have legal recourse for gross negligence, willful malpractice and/or defective products. The legislation passed or attempted by the GOP to severely strip or eliminate altogether the rights of patients to sue is nothing more than another step toward Corporatocracy. Corporations have infiltrated our government through campaign finance and SuperPACS, undermining the role of government to serve The People. And when a people are unable to utilize the system as a means of redress, the people are not enjoying democracy or freedom. For an in-depth examination of patient rights, informed consent, and more, click here.

"I am a Democrat because I don’t blame the poor for their plight, nor will I ignore company owners who acquire vast wealth by abusing their workers."

A terrible symptom of lacking compassion is the revictimization and blaming of a subset of society that suffers greatly. The neoconservatives have found that their platform of blaming the poor for being poor is hugely popular with their base, which ironically tend to be largely poor themselves. 

Why is this true? The conservative mindset is one that values individualism above all else, that links hard work with success, and that refuses to acknowledge any other factors other than personal action or inaction for the realities one faces, be them positive or negative. Their base assume that the poor are "those other people" who are lazy, lack drive and ambition, and sponge off the system, taking something from the hard working without having to work for it, themselves. Add to this viewpoint their belief that presenting facts, data and research indicating the opposite is seen as "elitism", "liberal bias" and "foolish". They rely on their own preconceived perceptions for their "truth" and deny all else. At the same time, they idolize the wealthy corporate owners as being the smart ones, the hard workers, the "job creators" and that which they strive to emulate (and are just a good decision or lucky break away from achieving themselves).

David Horsey from the LA Times wrote:

"The financial debacle of 2008 that killed millions of jobs was, in large part, the result of bankers and financiers being liberated from federal regulations that had once served as a check on free-market excesses. Nevertheless, conservative members of Congress cling to the myth [of the wealthy "job creator] and continue to call for lower taxes and fewer regulations."

He points out in detail, with supporting evidence, that the tax cuts and loopholes for the wealthiest 1% and largest corporations are continuing the negative effects of the decade-long recession. However,  pointing out the factual data that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the über wealthy are not job creators, are the real sponges of welfare and government programs, and are getting wealthier as a direct result of the suffering they're inflicting on the rest of us, falls on deaf ears. The right-wing leaders and their base believe the wealthy earned their exorbitant wealth through hard work and tough smarts; they believe that progressive tax systems are stealing from the wealthy and giving to undeserving poor; and they believe that unregulated capitalism is not only sound economics, but also Divinely given. 

Once again, I would appreciate your comments. Please share and subscribe! Thank you!

Compassionate Progressive - Part 4

Image From: compassionatecouncil.blogspot.com

This morning, I saw some rather vile, nasty posts concerning politics. I began to wonder about the mental state of our nation, as a whole. I had always assumed that we would become wiser as we age, that adults use logic and reasoning to make decisions and draw conclusions, and that age meant calm knowledge overrides emotional knee-jerk reactions. But I've been terribly disappointed. 

Many Americans are unhappy with some of the decisions that our current administration has made, but some Americans are simply pissed off at anything the Obama administration says or does (or does not say or do). I've even read that Obama is the Anti-Christ! Such ridiculous fear and hatred is hard to fathom. Being unhappy with issues is completely understandable, with credible sourcing and specific details, but to make such spurious claims, such as Obama destroying the constitution, are harmful and destructive to our society as a whole.

All of which brings me to the fourth installment of my Compassionate Progressive series. Please read my first 3 series posts (and all my other posts), share on your social media pages, comment and subscribe! (All comments are moderated to prevent spam).

Why am I a Democrat? Well...

"I am a Democrat because I don’t believe that the oil, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries deserve obscene windfall profits and tax breaks while so many Americans can’t afford gas to get them them to work or health care and prescription drugs to keep them alive."

2012 proved to be a banner year for Big Oil. Exxon earned a whopping $44.9 Billion, "...coming only $300 million shy of a global record", as reported by Huffington Post, citing CNNMoney. Thanks to corporate loopholes, they only paid 17.6% in taxes (compare that to the amount you paid in taxes), and yet they are shipping more and more jobs overseas instead of hiring at home (isn't that the argument used by conservatives to justify the obscenely low taxation on the wealthy?).

Our health care system is rife with corporate abuse, overcharging patients and greed; but the worst part of our health care system is the terrible quality we receive for this price gouging. We hold an ingrained belief that "big government" is bad, inefficient, corrupting and harmful, and yet the actual facts prove otherwise. We rank at the bottom of nearly all other industrialized nations in terms of quality of health care and near the top in terms of cost to patients. That makes absolutely no sense to me.

And our Big Pharma corporations are actively and overtly price gouging, while taking taxpayer money through the Bush Era Medicaid Part D fiasco, while Medicaid providers are not allowed by law to seek better prices. A comprehensive, detailed study conducted by Heath Care For America Now found, "The 11 largest drug companies took $711.4 billion in profits over the 10 years ending in 2012"

Image from: Ritholtz

Meanwhile, the American middle class is quickly disappearing, while simultaneously shouldering the greatest portion of the tax burden. While it is true that the wealthy pay more in income taxes, they receive more income from investments, dividends and other sources than the middle class enjoys. At the same that they have access to tax loopholes that the middle class do not, granting them a significantly lower tax rate, overall, then the middle class. In addition,  wages have stagnated over the last 30 years and consumer confidence is sorely lacking. 

"I am a Democrat because if only government can protect the national security and provide for the least fortunate among us, then it should be run by those who don’t fundamentally hate the concept of government."

The GOP/Libertarian/Tea Party do not attempt to hide the fact that they hold a particularly nasty disdain for a strong central government. This disdain hearkens all the way back to our country's founding fathers. The original form of a constitution (the Articles of Confederation) were written to grant far more power to the individual states, while the central government was meant to merely hold the states together, allowing for interstate commerce and a forum for grievances. But the founders quickly learned the folly of such ideology as the states would not agree to pay necessary taxes. With outstanding national debt to France, who financed our Revolutionary War, the infant Unites States needed to span the interests of the individual states in order to work for the common good of the nation. And this realization brought about the Constitutional Convention. We have grown and evolved beyond the narrow worldview of states' rights over the last 200+ years, recognizing the need for a stronger central government in order to put the needs of the many before the wants and desires of the few. But in the last 30+ years, the neoconservative movement has begun to push an extreme agenda of "anti-government" propaganda, strictly to manipulate and deceive their base. We must have leaders in government who, at the very least, respect and understand the basic role of government - and that utilize their power to raise the common good, not to focus on greed and selfish pursuit.

"I am a Democrat because laws discriminating against gay relationships share something in common with a constitutional amendment banning flag-burning: Neither is necessary to preserve the Republic, but both serve as loud distractions from the important issues that affect us all."

Democrats firmly believe in equal rights for all citizens and we work tirelessly to ensure that each American citizen has access to equal rights and protections under the law. The right-wing have been focusing their agenda on limiting or stripping rights from disenfranchised groups. We know that these attempts are merely an effort to distract the public from more important, pressing issues, and yet we must address them. When any group is disenfranchised, due to race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, etc., we all suffer.

"I am a Democrat because human rights, the freedom of man, and the rule of law are the foundations of our country’s greatness, and any fear-based compromise of such principles is both shortsighted and dangerous."

And this one is really self-explanatory..

Please comment and start a conversation. We need to be solution-focused and the best way to begin that process is to begin discussing options with respect and compassion at the heart.

Compassionate Progressive - Part 3

Image from: quoteswaveWhy am I a Democrat? Well...

Continuing my, "Compassionate Progressive Series", I am struck by the increasing need for compassion in today's society. Reading or watching the news has become a barrage of negativity; not only for the violence in the world, but also for the lack of concern, and even a revictimization, of those suffering at the hands of others. As stated in previous posts, our continued survival as a species depends on our ability to refocus toward solutions through the lens of compassion.

Enjoy this next installment in the series, reread the first two posts, and I encourage your comments as we open a dialogue for compassionate solutions. Remember, all comments are moderated to ensure respectful debate sans spam.

Why am I a Democrat? Well...

"I am a Democrat because I see several things wrong with eliminating the necessary tax revenue to wage a trillion dollar war of choice."

The Republican-Libertarian-Tea Party has been advocating for a much lower corporate and uberwealthy individual tax rate, and some have even argued for a total elimination of taxation for that group. They make the spurious claim that corporations are the "job creators" of our economy and placing a tax burden higher than the current effective tax rate of 27.7% would result in "job killing". While ignoring the fact that this claim is utterly untrue (based on years of irrefutable data), the claim also ignores the fact this ideology merely shifts the tax burden to an ever-shrinking middle class which simply cannot shoulder the additional burden. In addition, the return for their (and our) tax investment is much greater when the large corporations and wealthiest individuals pay their fair share, as those tax dollars are spent on infrastructure, public education, social safety nets, health care, etc., which in turn creates a robust economy and higher consumer spending. And consumer spending is the only real job creator. Jobs are only created when consumer demand increases, but when consumer spending is depreciated by economic uncertainty, the effect of low-to-no taxation on corporations will in no way create a single job.

The second point concerns our military budget and its out-of-control, virtually unregulated spending, or more appropriately, the hemorrhaging of our tax dollars. The following graphs illustrate the gross overspending of the US on its military:

Image from: Time

The US clearly spends far more than any other nation on Earth, and nearly as much as all other nations combined. But the actual breakdown of the budget begins to look even more ominous, as various aspects of defense spending are included in different programs, divisions and budget requests. The total defense spending exceeds $715 Billion dollars, when these various aspects are included. 

In spite of the excessive spending, the Center for American Progress found, "Excess defense spending does not make our country safer—it adds to our debt and diverts resources away from key investments here at home. In these times of fiscal austerity, each dollar spent on defense pulls funds from critical investments in the American economy—the real foundation of the United States’ global power." (Click here for the entire extensive report)

Image from: National Priorities Project

Beyond the excessive spending as comapred to every other industrialized nation, our defense budget is creating real and devastating harm to our own economy. With resources diverted to such a drastic degree, our economy is unable to shoulder the increasing burden of a jobs market that has yet to recover from the Great Recession and the subsequent increase in families thrust into poverty.

We simply cannot continue to justify the wasteful and excessive spending for military expenditures, the majority of which are paid to government contractors, while ignoring the needs at home. And we simply cannot continue to allow the uberwealthy and largest corporations to shirk their fiscal responsibility to contribute to society. 

Compassionate Progressive - Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my series, "Compassionate Progressive". As described in my previous post, I am dissecting a Facebook post, adding my own thoughts from a compassionate, logical and researched perspective. I started this series with a brief explanation of why I decided to embark on this journey, followed by the Facebook post in its entirety. The rest of the series will be portions of the original Facebook post followed by my additions. 

As I stated before, I am hopeful that this series will spark an interesting conversation concerning the nature of politics and its effect on society, while attempting to infuse compassion into the mix. Without a clear focus on compassionate problem-solving, we simply cannot solve the myriad issues we are facing today.

"I am a Democrat because shared sacrifice is, in my view, a greater act of patriotism than wearing a flag lapel pin." 

Shared sacrifice means exactly that: Shared. When the income gap is so wide that one percent of the population holds more wealth than the other 99 percent combined; when the middle class and working poor are expected to carry the full weight of tax burden, while the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations are allowed to loophole themselves out of paying their fair share; then we have a serious problem that is only going to make things far worse and create more suffering for so many. 
(Click here for detailed research)

"I am a Democrat because my faith is a private matter and not a litmus test of my quality as a citizen."

The First Amendment of the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..". Article Six of the US Constitution clearly and explicitly states that, "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." No need to say more. 

"I am a Democrat because I would rather see a poor child fed or a devastated neighborhood rebuilt before reducing taxes on those making so much money that they can live where such things are never seen."

Research (credible research) over the last few decades has shown that the best ways to lift people out of poverty include raising the minimum wage, increasing the effectiveness of workers' unions, eliminating the rising trend of "wage theft" (forcing employees to work off the clock or refusing to pay overtime, for example), and strengthening the social safety nets that protect families during harsh economic times. 
(Click here for detailed research)

"I am a Democrat because I cannot support politicians that would take away a woman’s right to control her own body while otherwise ranting that government should get out of our lives."

The continual attempt (that has been successful in some red states) to:
limit or eliminate a woman's right to reproductive choice, to de-fund and otherwise close the doors to Planned Parenthood, criminalize women who exercise their reproductive rights (even attempting to criminalize miscarriages), excuse murderers of abortion doctors, allow parental rights to rapists, requiring invasive vaginal probes against the wishes of the woman, attempts to limit or eliminate women's birth control options, grant employers the right to dictate their female employee's health care choices, attempts to prevent or increase the difficulty of obtaining divorces, voting against bills to protect women from domestic violence, rape and assaults, and voting against equal pay for equal work, among others - 
prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the neocon agenda is indeed waging a war against women.
(Click here to see a well-researched article with hyperlinks detailing these irrefutable facts)

Please read, share and comment, being aware that I moderate comments prior to posting to prevent spamming. All viewpoints are welcome, but respect is key.

Compassionate Progressive - Part 1

Image from SDI World (Cultivating Compassion 2011)

The list of issues we are facing as a collective society are becoming more complex. But that does not mean that they are insurmountable. The only possible way to resolve these issues is by viewing them, always, through the lens of compassion. 

If a belief-system or ideology causes harm, pain or suffering to another human being or group of human beings, that belief-system must be reexamined and revised, and possibly eliminated, regardless of how deeply rooted in tradition it may be. There is nothing noble or good when others suffer. There is nothing worthwhile in any belief-system or viewpoint that allows or advocates for the suffering of other human beings.

As such, I am dissecting a post circulating on Facebook, adding my own thoughts from a compassionate - and a logical, researched - perspective. I think this would be best served in smaller portions than what the original post and my subsequent additions amounted; therefore, this is to be a series of blog posts with the first one being the post by itself. 

As I post each entry, I hope to generate a rather thoughtful conversation on this matter, keeping in mind my desire to elevate us, as a society, to a more compassionately focused problem solving people.

The original facebook post:

"My Republican friends have often asked, with incredulous snarls: 'Why are you a Democrat?' I finally decided that I owed them, and myself, an honest reflection upon my choice of Party:

I am a Democrat because shared sacrifice is, in my view, a greater act of patriotism than wearing a flag lapel pin.

I am a Democrat because my faith is a private matter and not a litmus test of my quality as a citizen.

I am a Democrat because I would rather see a poor child fed or a devastated neighborhood rebuilt before reducing taxes on those making so much money that they can live where such things are never seen.

I am a Democrat because I cannot support politicians that would take away a woman’s right to control her own body while otherwise ranting that government should get out of our lives.

I am a Democrat because I see several things wrong with eliminating the necessary tax revenue to wage a trillion dollar war of choice.

I am a Democrat because I don’t believe that the oil, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries deserve obscene windfall profits and tax breaks while so many Americans can’t afford gas to get them them to work or health care and prescription drugs to keep them alive.

I am a Democrat because if only government can protect the national security and provide for the least fortunate among us, then it should be run by those who don’t fundamentally hate the concept of government.

I am a Democrat because laws discriminating against gay relationships share something in common with a constitutional amendment banning flag-burning: Neither is necessary to preserve the Republic, but both serve as loud distractions from the important issues that affect us all.

I am a Democrat because human rights, the freedom of man, and the rule of law are the foundations of our country’s greatness, and any fear-based compromise of such principles is both shortsighted and dangerous.

I am a Democrat because no leader should impede any life-saving science or be dismissive of life-threatening environmental problems.

I am a Democrat because I know that there are more people harmed by defective products, medical mistakes, and bad-faith acts by insurance companies than there are frivolous lawsuits filed; and that no liability insurance company has yet proportionately lowered premiums in exchange for laws passed by Republicans that unfairly limit a deserving victim’s damages.

I am a Democrat because I don’t blame the poor for their plight, nor will I ignore company owners who acquire vast wealth by abusing their workers.

I am a Democrat because the just and Biblical aspirations to “feed the hungry, cure the sick, and comfort the comfortless” each require direct action which does not result from “trickle down” schemes invented to reward the “haves” and leave the “have nots” at their mercy.

I am a Democrat because I realize that America is made safer by closer cooperation with our allies and greater diplomatic engagement with our enemies.

I am a Democrat because I believe that the rich can take care of themselves pretty well, but that the poor and disadvantaged need and deserve the help of a compassionate government.

I am a Democrat because history teaches that organized labor was created to counter corporate greed and abuse, not the other way around.

I am a Democrat because it is hard not to see a causal relationship between lead-tainted toys flooding our markets and a gutting of the Consumer Products Safety Commission budget and staff.

I am a Democrat because my Party proudly has a long tradition of African-American, Latino, and other minority members serving as active meaningful participants and not merely acting as props at national conventions and televised events.

I am a Democrat because dictating foreign policy to others at gunpoint while creating greater animosity with, and isolation from, the rest of the world are things that should be avoided, not praised.

I am a Democrat because I know that my life will not change dramatically if I don’t receive another upper income bracket tax cut, yet I am certain that a child somewhere would benefit from a hot lunch and a better education purchased with those dollars.

I am a Democrat because our current candidates and our next nominee serve as an example that neither race nor gender is a bar to leadership.

I am a Democrat because it is undeniably clear that equal justice, protection of consumers, and correction of corporate misdeeds can only be enforced by strong and fair government regulation and by unfettered access to our courts.

I am a Democrat because most that would disagree with that last statement have only a profit motive for doing so.

I am a Democrat because I am ashamed of the nexus between record oil prices and historically high profits for Exxon/Mobil on the one hand; and on the other, a Republican President and VP who were each in the “oil bidness” and who openly support an increased fossil-fuel energy policy and special tax incentives for oil companies.

I am a Democrat because I know that human suffering and lost opportunity are greater problems than either the size of my government or the amount of my stock dividends.

I am a Democrat because I am proud that we are a nation of immigrants, whose strengths and talents have resulted in the strongest and most diverse society on earth; and because I know that we will not be stronger tomorrow by building fences and jails for those who seek a better life in our country.

I am a Democrat because I also understand that compassionate aid, rather than constant artillery, does more to enhance America’s global standing.

I am a Democrat because it is a fundamental rule of hen house guarding that you don’t put the fox in charge, which Republicans happily enjoy doing; as in routinely placing industry cronies as heads of environmental protection, security regulation, mine safety and other agencies that were created to protect us and not their livelihoods.

I am a Democrat because I believe that both dissent and diversity are signs of strength, and that policies that discourage either are signs of a nation’s weakness.

I am a Democrat because the above political and social beliefs are not embraced to protect my own personal wealth or position, yet none of them preclude me or anyone else from creating and enjoying great economic success as a result of innovative or hard effort.

I am a Democrat because at my fundamental core, I like people more than things. Because I think that my having money does not mean that others don’t deserve a decent life. Because I feel that there is more power in hope than in fear. 

If you don’t agree with me on any or all of my reasons for being a Democrat, that’s not only perfectly fine, but it is also why we have a two-party system and a First Amendment. 

But if you do feel empathy with the beliefs above, the next time some condescending elephant-in-the-room asks you disdainfully: 'Why are you a Democrat?' I can only hope that you answer them with an equal amount of conviction and pride."

I feel the above post lists the most comprehensive and well-thought-out list of reasons for being labeled a Democrat, Liberal, Progressive. The linked research that I'll be sharing as I dissect this post will clarify these points exponentially. 

Please offer your thoughts, additions, and constructive criticisms in the comments below (being aware that I monitor all comments prior to posting to ensure they are not spam. All viewpoints are welcome, but respect is key).