Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Diary 12/14/16, Learning moments - DNC failures considered.

Like a lot of Americans I’m still angry at the Democratic Party for turning out to be such a disconnected crew of losers, still in shock that they could have lost this election.  But, I’m stuck with them and it's time to move on and clean it up.  

Time for some new talent in there who, folks have a more realistic appreciate for today's situation.  Recently, I’ve heard a few new young intelligent eloquent voices over the radio.  They are out there!  It’s up to you, We The People to find them and help them become successful.  

Democracy use it or lose it.  The following is my own collection of DNC's general failures to communicate.  Perhaps others will agree that these are important, yet neglected, discussion points that require more direct attention.  At the end I've included links to various articles examining how the extreme right has taken over Christianity and bent it to their own self-serving purposes.  America, it’s your move. 

Democrats consistently shrink in the face of bullies and intimidation.
(There's a longer rumination over at HotWhopperChat)

Incapable of publicly enunciating the challenge and frustration of dealing with an opposition party that possesses zero good faith - and that feels free to alter know objective "facts" to suit their needs rather than adhering to the object truth.  

Nor able to spotlight that at its core the Republican party is absolutist.  
A most unAmerican trait, we are supposed to be learning from each other. Compromising and moving forward in a constructive manner is the American Way.  Our Founding Fathers would be aghast at the malicious absolutism demonstrated by Republicans, and now their even uglier Alt-Right bullies, who are just spoiling for a fight, while we slumber.

I mean these are “God people” who actually believe they (petty self-centered humans that we all are) are in direct communication with thee God of Creation and Time, Life and Love.  

Up until about the 1970s an American citizen’s religious faith was reflected in how they lived their life - Not in how well they demanded of others what to think.  Then certain right-wing interests figured out how the make that a passionate political force.

Their contrived religiosity - which has more to do with manipulating a disinterested public than with any personal search for an understanding of Jesus, ourselves and one’s own place in God’s universe - is but a political bludgeon and seems like no-one has been able to describe that to our public.

Personal Truths vs. Universal Truths

Personal Faith Based vs. Rational Observable Fact Based

Who can explain why one is better than the other ?

Who will enunciate the profound differences between “Personal Truths” and “Universal Truths” in a way that it makes sense to the masses of people who are more interested in their latest TV or sports shows, than in what this Earth that sustains all we love is doing?  

Incapable of enunciating the difference between fabricated lies and objective demonstrable facts, and now we seem to be numbing ourselves to the point of not caring if something was true - that’s crazy and self-destructive.  

Sure people always tried bending and spinning the truth in their direction, but there are objective facts and truths that are bigger than any human’s desire or opinion.  

Those facts, receive error margins and those facts can be updated with increasing information.  The Alt-Right tries to paint that into something non-existent, even sinister - Why is it so tough to confront that sort of crazy-making with a concise story about constructive learning?  

The Alt-Right, takes it as their right to disregard down to Earth facts. 
They fabricate whatever fits their agenda better, and then present it as though it were absolute gospel.   

What about constructive learning?

Why the inability to draw the distinction between the Lawyerly/Political Debate, were winning the argument is all that matters and a Constructive Learning Debate, were arriving at the best understanding of one's subject is the goal?

A constructive debate demands some mutual understanding, among them:

You honestly represent your opponents position.
You argue against your opponents position and the facts presented - no gratuitous misdirection.
You respect your opponents bona fide knowledge and experience - no ad hom.
You do not fabricate facts.  You do not falsify facts.
You have a good faith interest in arriving at the best most realistic answers to questions raised.
An honest desire to learn.

Perhaps the most fatal flaw of Democrats over the decades has been their general complacency and squandering those fleeting windows of opportunity.

For example Democrats lackluster push to get their constituency involved in grassroots lobbying regarding getting a vote on the nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court.

Worth pointing out is that the Republican refusal to vote on Garland underscores their sinister absolutist hostile intentions in regards to their agenda.  Nothing but their agenda matters to them, they consider us total scum - rolling over for them will only earn us tire tracks.

Furthermore, Democrats lackluster engagement of their constituency to lobby their Representative regarding Russian election interference and the horrendous amount of business entanglement Trump has with nationals of communist countries, who likewise have governmental ties - is another horrendous example of missed opportunities and lost battles..

Yes, I appreciate this is a bit rough, nor that profound, it's all pretty straightforward if you've been paying attention.  The exercise is to put these thoughts out there and hope they resonates with others.  A thousand lights and all that.  Can you help? 
I'd love if someone who's willing and capable could work the general notions into something of prime time quality.  I appreciate that my guardian saint is Grandma Moses, and my offerings only go so far.  Doing the best I can with what I got.    ;- )

Do we want a President of America
or a CEO of America ?

And then there is the question of the Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party and their desires to tear down the American Separation of Church and State.  To make everyone bow to their ancient tribal story books.  It seems they have all the power, sure hope I'm wrong.  I do know our politicians won't do much without massive, massive public out pouring of concern.  
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The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

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How The Christian Right Ended Up Transforming American Politics


TheocracyWatch raises awareness about the pervasive role of the Religious Right in the U.S. government. It disseminates information through its website,speakers bureau, powerpoint presentations, CDs – both audio and PowerPoint – and DVDs. It also conducts interviews with the media.
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A Brief History of the Christian Right 

DANIEL SCHLOZMAN | AUGUST 25, 2015

Nowadays, the power of the Christian Right is a given. But that wasn’t always the case. In the last 35 years, it’s gone from burgeoning movement to the GOP’s bread and butter. And although its power has waned in the past few years, the last three and a half decades have been remarkably successful.

On August 22, 1980, a massive National Affairs Briefing organized by preacher James Robison brought 15,000 evangelicals to Dallas to demonstrate their newfound political clout. Robison, who had been forced off the airwaves after he claimed that gays recruit children for sex, announced that day, “I’m sick and tired of hearing about all of the radicals and the perverts and the liberals and the leftists and the Communists coming out of the closet. It’s time for God’s people to come out of the closet.”

The next speaker was Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan, who told the crowd, “I know you can’t endorse me. But...I want you to know that I endorse you.”
This alliance between the Christian Right and the Republican Party has done nothing less than reshape American politics. Here are a few ways it did that. …
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Right-Wing Christians and Republican Policies Are Making America Stupid

By Rmuse on Sun, Jun 8th, 2014
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“When Exemption is the Rule: The Religious Freedom Strategy of the Christian Right," 

by Frederick Clarkson, Jan 12, 2016

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This is the religious right’s radical new plan: The very real efforts to create an American theocracy in plain sight
The religious right can't win at the polls. But that will not stop them from pursuing this dangerous, scary path

PAUL ROSENBERG | JAN 16, 2016 
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The long version:

Published by Political Research Associates on Jan. 12, was written by Frederick Clarkson, PRA’s Senior Fellow for Religious Liberty, author of “Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy” and co-founder of the blog Talk to Action

The title highlights a key aspect of the religious right’s long-term strategy, taking the time-honored principle of religious exemption, intended to protect the individual right of conscience, and expanding it recklessly to apply to whole institutions, even for-profit businesses—as seen in the Supreme Court’s 2014 Hobby Lobby decision, in a process designed to fragment the common public sphere and carve out vast segments of American life where civil rights, labor law and other core protections simply do not apply. …


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Comparing Republican “Christian Values” To Islamic Fundamentalism 
By Allen Clifton, March 14, 2015 


It’s always amusing to me when I hear right-wing Christians speaking out so angrily against Islam. When you separate Islamic radicals (aka terrorists), and just focus on the two religions themselves, they’re not all that different. In fact, on many issues they wholeheartedly agree. Again, I’m not talking about groups like ISIS or any other terrorist organization, I’m focusing on basic, non-militant Islamic fundamentalists who believe in Sharia law and that religion should rule over government, such as those in Saudi Arabia. 

Take women’s rights for example. …
Then there’s always homosexuality and gay rights, …
On a less “crucial” issue, there’s always alcohol, …
Let’s also not forget that both right-wing evangelicals and Islamic fundamentalists believe that a nation should be ruled by religion, also know as a theocratic form of government. Both groups believe their rights are given to them by God (or Allah), not the government. …
Then there’s always intolerance of other religions. …

But the saddest part is, they’re two groups of people who often despise and loathe one another who are both worshipping books filled with stories that neither one of them can prove are real. It’s just amazing how often those who claim to be the “most religious” are the ones filled with so much hate and intolerance. …

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Three Extreme Right-Wing Ideologies Have Taken Over the Republican Party -- and Could Destroy It Forever

The overlapping ideologies of Ayn Rand capitalists, Christian fundamentalists and neo-Confederate white supremacists is a toxic mix

By Lawrence Davidson / Consortium News / October 22, 2013

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10 Ways Right-Wing Christians Are Destroying Christianity

Brynn Tannehill  |  10/02/2015

I’ve written about how millennials are leaving organized religion and its associated anti-LGBT animus in droves. As a result, the only religions holding on to membership (barely) are ones with super-high birth rates and very conservative views. In the process, conservative faiths are becoming increasingly insular and preaching to an echo chamber. This is creating a downward spiral of church membership overall as less and less millennials want to be a part of a brand that is increasingly unpalatable. …

… As such, here are the things atheists see hastening conservative Christianity’s descent into nearly complete cultural irrelevance. …

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Wake up Americans, this is for real.  They are out to get you.


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