ONE PICTURE AND ONE NAPKIN

Below is a partial list of national issues that have ganged up on America in the past few years.  They are all related and interconnected.  Individually and collectively they challenge America.  They belong to each of us as individual voters, and to all of us as a nation.

As our next voting opportunity soon approaches, we need to find public servants and leaders who are willing to take them up as opportunities that continue to take the American success story forward into the future.  While everyone who we elect won’t agree on how to solve each individual challenge, everyone should at least carry the same list on their “napkin.”  Everyone should approach their leadership opportunity as a chance to show how they think these issues interlock, and how they can do their part in keeping America’s future bright.

The biggest challenge America faces today is that not even one leader from the top to the bottom of the ladder has all of these are their napkin. 

How would things be different now in the world order and in America if our leaders in Congress and the Executive Branch had and were all carrying this same list on their “napkins?”  What if they worked for the good of their communities and for America using the principle that says, “If I take care of my brother and sister, then I will be well cared for.”  This principle certainly doesn’t reflect current reality, but it could.

Here’s the list:

• Bombed Syria immediately after confirming they had used chemical weapons?
• Organized a special select committee to investigate Benghazi as soon as it had happened?
• Compromised toward consensus with Obamacare?
• Deployed the missile shield as planned in Poland?
• Funded NASA enough to keep an independent astronaut launch capacity?  Let’s not forget that our trip to the moon gave us our current life.
• Find consensus on the gun issue consistent with the 2nd Amendment and the need to protect our citizens?
• Passed consensus legislation that serves our national security, is compassionate in how we treat humans and recognizes that the strength of America is in our new immigrants?
• Thought clarity about the severe NSA intrusion into our privacy rights versus our need for security.
• Natural gas development.
• Keystone pipeline construction.
• National debt.
• Balanced budget.
• Middle east peace.
• Iran nukes.
• Middle East democracies and despots.
• Liberty and opportunity.
• Campaign finance.
• The IRS scandal.
• The Veteran Affairs health care scandal.

If we all vote and use the Voting Alert Beacons, we can restore common  sense to our government, we can thank and say goodbye to the politicians forever, and welcome a new cast of public servants and leaders.

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

Cantor vs. Blat and Voting Alert Beacon #5

Did you see it?  Have you heard?  Today, the earth is still trembling after David Blat beat Eric Cantor in the Virginia Republican primary for Congress.  

The newspapers and the news websites are all declaring the magnitude of the earthquake and guessing about the dramatic changes this one election may predict about the elections next fall.  It was predicted in the morning and by afternoon, Mr. Cantor had resigned his position as Majority Leader in the House.  Now the guessing games by the political professionals is focused on whether John Boehner can survive as Speaker of the House.  

In the last election, Mr. Cantor won by a wide margin.  Actually, almost the same margin as Mr. Blat defeated him by last night.  Keep in mind that Mr Canter had served since 2000.  The reasons for Mr. Blat’s victory have been declared.  Mr. Canter wasn’t returning to his district often enough.  He was out fundraising across the country for other Republican candidates.  In the past few years, his focus had shifted from his district to his own position of power.  It is said that he coveted the Speaker spot.

Now enter Voting Alert Beacon #5 about Money.  This Beacon recommends that voters should vote for the candidate that doesn’t take special interest money, and only takes smaller donations from individual citizens.  So, here are the numbers.  Mr. Canter spent over $5 million dollars in the election (by all accounts largely negative).  Mr. Blat spent only a little more than $120,000.  Yup, you read that correctly, and I’ve verified these numbers with the Federal Election Committee records.  What do you think?  I’m guessing that Mr. Blat isn’t in any special interest pocket, and he modestly appreciates every vote from ordinary citizens he received.  

OK, so we know it works.  Vote for the NON-incumbent and for the candidate who raises and spends the smallest amount of money.  Whatever political party is irrelevant.  At this point the parties just don’t matter.  In my next post, I’ve give you some numbers that demonstrate why that is true.

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

Could Mayors Do A Better Job?

I promise you won't regret spending the 18 minutes needed to listen to Mr. Barber.  You will see it as time well spent. 

In his TED presentation, Benjamin Barber offers a thoughtful analysis on why democracy seems to be in trouble in America and around the globe.  His thoughts connect well and make sense.  See what you think!

http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_barber_why_mayors_should_rule_the_world.html

What do you think about his idea of "changing the subject?"  Do you believe him when he says that mayors already rule the world?

In my previous post, I proposed we keep our Senators and Representatives in our states and districts more than we send them to Washington DC.  If we do, won't they feel the need to get things done just like mayors?  Perhaps, they will learn from the mayors. 

What would happen if we were to cast our votes as if voting for city mayors or council people?   Use the Voting Alert Beacons to increase the power of your vote.

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

A New Vision - Bring Them Home

What if Representatives and Senators moved their principal office from Washington DC back to their districts and states?  With the transportation and communications systems available in this modern era, there are many reasons why it would work and even more reasons why it would be a good step for better public service and good government.  Keep in mind that very profitable companies now work daily on a global distributive model.

What does some of the fine print look like?  What does this mean?  In terms of the week, this might mean our public servants are in Washington DC on Monday and Tuesday.  For the remainder of the week, they are close to their constituents.  In terms of staying in touch, keep in mind that individuals and groups of people are now routinely connected with each other no matter where they are on the face of the planet. 

What else might change? 

The most important high level change is that they are closer to who they represent.  It is easier for them to remember where they come from.  Their “memberships” in the political parties will be correctly balanced by proximity to their constituents.  Their representation of us becomes stronger then their allegiance to issues and parties. 

The Representatives and Senators are also closer to their state government counterparts.  When they properly work together, they form an important counter weight to the accumulation of power in the federal government.  State’s rights is reinforced.

Special interests would have a more difficult time asserting influence.  The special interests will find it difficult and costly establishing a lobby office in each state.  Now they just set up one office in Washington DC.

Local media becomes more important and pronounced.  National media will have some of the same problems as special interests.

There will be important practical advantages too.  It will be less expensive to set up state or district office versus a very expensive and egocentric DC office.  The perks of office will likely be more normal if the Representative and Senators are close to their constituents.

Goal:  Work toward a time when great ideas will cast a show on the accumulation of great power.

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

Truth and Honesty

Our history as a country has demonstrated time after time that we can accomplish anything when we work together and focus on the mission.  When this happens the beginning is always with truth and honesty in recognizing what the reality is and how we relate to each other.   As a country we need to understand again what these two things are, and once again, put them first in our thinking, discussions and actions. 

Truth can be found in the alignment of our senses with ideas and viewpoints that are supported by facts.  To pursue the truth we need to use our intellect, our spirit and all of our powers of intention.   It has always been a quest, and still is.

Outside of a way of living, talking about something, or in taking an action, honesty doesn’t mean much.  However, it is everything when our lives, the words we speak, and the actions we take line up perfectly with the truth.  The truth, not from only our point of view, but from point of view of others, too.  Our honesty isn’t so much about ourselves as it is about how we treat others, the actions we take, and what we give of ourselves to the world around us.

When we cast our votes for our public servants we will be blessed as a country if we find people who have vision for the truth and the will to fully embrace honesty.

The Voting Alert Beacons are based on, and stand solidly on, truth and honesty!

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

IS AMERICAN DEMOCRACY DEAD?

On the CNN news website today, Julian Zelizer posted an opinion article that raised very serious questions about the health of democracy in America because of the influence of money.   It’s hard not to feel a little apprehension after reading it.

In the first paragraph, Mr. Zelizer identifies the problem and underlines its seriousness.  Throughout the article he recalls the history of how we “got here.”  He states what all of us know to be true based on what we see happening around us.

Read his article for yourself here.

It is the season to act!

We voters can do something about this problem.  We can fix it one vote at a time (THINK THE POWER OF ONE).  Voting Alert Beacon #5 drives a stake through the heart of special interests money, and their effect on our democracy.

It’s very simple!  First we all need to vote.  Second, if we follow the basic steps that the Voting Alert Beacons lay out in making our selections in the voting booth, we can shut down the special interest money like a water faucet that doesn’t leak.

Some would say that the Beacons are too simple.  I would say that is the very reason why they will work cleanly and effectively with dramatic effects.

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

LIMITS ON DONATIONS REMOVED

This week the US Supreme Court removed the limits on campaign donations by wealthy individuals while leaving the individual candidate limit intact.  The ruling means a wealthy liberal or conservative donor can give as much money as desired to federal election candidates across the country, as long as no single candidate receives more than the $5,200 cap.  Most commentary agrees that this opens the flood gates to large increases in private election donations.  As strange as my thinking seemed to even me, it finally made sense to me that the court decision is a good one.  We don’t need laws that limit any of our constitutional rights, we need to powerfully use our right to vote to elect public servants that are honest and willing to consistently “just say no” to money and special interests.

For years, politicians (all kinds) have sponsored and passed laws in an attempt to limit the amount of money spent in our election campaigns.  However, the amount of money spent in elections has never trended down, but has continued to rise.  Over time most of these laws, or parts of them, have been ruled unconstitutional as against the right to free speech. 

Neither the legislative branch or the judicial branch have been able to find an effective limiting process.  Then, as demonstrated by the 2012 Presidential election where the combined dollars spend by both major candidates was almost $2 Billion, the executive branch doesn’t have the tools or inclination to solve this money problem either.  

Now, we voters need to take our turn.  As voters we simple need to apply the steps in Voting Alert Beacon #5:  The Money.  It may take several elections, but if we follow the steps, we can begin to take the money out of the system so that honesty and public service can rush back in.

NOTE:  Moral laws don’t make moral men and women, but moral and honest men and women can make moral laws.  With the power of our individual vote, we can elect the honest men and women that we desperately need.

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.