For those who think Democracy should be
a collaborative experience.
November 2, 2009
They who?
You’ll find wisdom in Dan Mulhern’s They Need to fix It blog post. He quotes Michael Jackson saying,
so many people think “they will take care of it,”
and then stunningly asking in two words, “They, who?”
Just like tomorrow is today’s best labor-saving devise, “they” are our greatest scapegoats.
Thank goodness for those who decide to be “them.”
November 6, 2008
Quote from Jon Stewart about Obama
“For the first time since I can remember, and this includes the Clintons, somebody is speaking in a manner that matches my sensory perception.”
I agree. I may not agree with all he says, but I don’t get the idea that he’s telling me down is up.
September 8, 2008Get real ~ Unintended transparency
It’s a bit like when you hit “reply all” to an email that was intended only for a few. Political consultants Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy were caught on mike in a candid discussion of their opinions of John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin for Vice President.
They describe the selection of Palin as cynical.
What is cynical is how readily moderator Chuck Todd and the general public accept the disparity between what is said on the air and what people really believe.
What if they – and we – were all caught on mike telling the truth? How about transparency being the norm, not a rare glimpse behind the curtain of deception? Our leaders might not be able to model it for us, but I’d love for us to give it a try. When you see how readily people fall in line and defend their side, it seems clear – someone’s toting the party line. We all do it in some ways – and that’s destructive to the democratic process.
September 2, 2008Get real ~ You can wish your candidate had more experience AND still support him or her
Get real. In life there’s middle ground. People who don’t acknowledge weakness or limits in their candidates don’t sound credible – and don’t give any room to “Unite and Concur.”
I heard a politician make a non-credible case for the experience level of her candidate. I thought – why not just say:
- I’d prefer Candidate X had more experience, but the policies and accomplishments override my concerns about that.
Unite and Concur outlines logical fallacies – and black and white, either/or, absolute thinking and arguments that gloss over nuances and distinctions. This kind of argument is unreal.
So get real. You can wish your candidate had more experience AND still support them. Lose the absolute thinking and put forth honest arguments.
Unite and Concur Pressroom