Dear Legislator:

Elections are on the horizon. As you know, many Americans have developed strong opinions, influenced by their peer group, reinforced by a narrow selection of news media. Combine that with opinion polls and your own access to demographic studies, and you know what concerns the voting public. But rather than directing your campaign in a way that might maximize your support while widening the divisions in our country, it may be time to become bigger than the fray and offer some leadership.

It seems to be off the radar, but we need a revision in our foreign policy. We have been at war for 227 years out of our 243 as a nation. I know it would cost you a lot to deny the donations of the various “Daddy Warbucks” who have a vested interest in armament sales, but a platform dedicated to rolling back the Orwellian reality of continuous war might be enough to encourage grass roots donations. I’m broke on my ass but I’d find a way to donate a hundred bucks to the party that would set a priority of ending destructive foreign alliances and incursions. Our strained relations with North Korea, Iran and now Venezuela are symptomatic of our failed diplomacy.

World trade? The plight of US workers, the household economics of millions here and abroad, all are suffering from a 19th century colonial outlook that must be revamped before the US is simply bypassed as a former power by nations with a more practical and contemporary view of present day economics. The trade war with China is utter folly. Achievement based competition would be much healthier.

Gun violence may be more a problem of suicide prevention than gun control. Improving our outmoded medical system and providing care options for troubled individuals would be a better use of our energies and would likely receive a better reception than gun confiscation. How about mandatory gun education, licensing gated by weapon sales, and in this digital age it would be easy to make safety course completion records available to sellers as a prerequisite to sales.

Then there’s the decreasing prosperity of individuals and the American family. Some people may view this as an inevitable consequence of globalization, responding by either fighting the inevitable interdependence of all nations or shrugging and rationalizing our national policy failures in economics and international cooperation. Eliminating measures to reverse industry effects on the ecosphere and blaming immigration for job losses is retrograde policy bordering on madness. Fully embracing green power, training and motivating people to excel in new technologies, providing a living wage for traditional endeavors - these types of changes incur cost at implementation - an unpopular but necessary proposal.

If eternal war posturing and concomitant spending were removed from the picture we could quite possibly afford universal education, and replace welfare and student loans with investment in our citizens, rather than penalizing those seeking a better future. An increased tax burden on corporations or government control of business would be dangerously close to fascism, but we must halt the tax loopholes and subterfuge that allow excess profiteering with no regard for the welfare of the nation. Mandatory profit-sharing, required employee ownership of stock shares, a guaranteed minimum income - maybe all these remedies applied together would restore a love for country, pride of citizenship and cohesiveness in our communities.

Admittedly, uncontrolled immigration would be a problem until we work religiously to improve the quality of life in all the Americas. The inticement for illegals is our employers who depend on cheap labor and allow false social security information to pass by without scrutiny. There’s no immediate answer to the problem of filling menial jobs that hold little or no appeal within our culture. Societal mores will need to change, giving respect to careers previously scorned due to our historic vision of upward mobility. Increasing compensation, underwriting companies who cannot profit if employees are paid beyond the poverty level, saluting those who choose to serve - these are big changes, but an inspired leadership can change established attitudes.

And colonialism, imperialism and intervention in other countries politics must be replaced with enlightened and constructive foreign aid programs. Something akin to the peace corps could replace the threat of military might and our economic domination can no longer be allowed to drain their economies. We need to lift our neighbors up, abandon “zero sum” economic philosophies. World education, world development, starting in our own hemisphere and expanding to other geographies - hopefully by invitation once regional successes are known - this would be far better than continuing our bellicose policies and shading the knowledge of both our corporate and clandestine operations.

These are large changes that require true leadership, increasing the understanding of the citizenry and inspiring us to accomplish. We are inclined to adopt one of the two major parties and root for our chosen allegiance as though we were sports fans - obviating the need for thinking. Convincing people to accept previously obfuscated facts and replace their mindless party affiliation with an interest and demand for reality based solutions is the way out of the present morass and recent decline of American greatness.

How ironic that we have fallen prey to a con man, the most unqualified and destructive persona we have ever had occupying the White House. In an America already great for its penchant for liberty, already great for our compassion, great for our sense of equality and human dignity - we have been taken down a path of internal division and betrayal of our long standing allies with the slogan “Make America Great Again!”

Fighting the popular prevalence of illogic and untruth is a big assignment. The restoration of America as a beacon of truth and a champion of human rights in the eyes of the world is the true task for the future. Truth and human respect right here at home would be a great starting place, and the opportunity presents itself in our next great election cycle. Please don’t exacerbate our problems by descending to the lowest common denominator. Please rise above the fray, regain an Olympian perspective and inspire us to new solutions. Please unite and guide us to solve our problems without pausing to cast blame. Help us all work together as Americans, disregard party affiliations, stop spinning our wheels and end homelessness, heal the sick and injured, prevent madness, promote education, encourage faith and probity, improve our infrastructure, share wealth at home and abroad, and above all, let’s save the planet!

Who Will Save the Planet?

   Will Earth Survive Humanity?

   The hominid species, with opposed thumb, magnificently malleable brain and the blessing/curse of supreme adaptability is now the alpha species on this remarkable planet. The way we act sometimes makes me feel we don't deserve this beautiful earth, and we're going to lose her.

   We all love a happy ending. So much so, we rarely consider the possibility of tragedy, as if voicing our fears would somehow call forth negative forces that would work against our best interest. Exactly the opposite: we need concern and focus to mitigate and reverse our increasingly inappropriate impact on the very orb that sustains us. 

   Not only that - we should have started a long time ago. Far better to do preventive than cleanup. Initially there was some debate about the science. “No, just an accident the canary died," if you get my drift. Later, denial from those who profit from the status quo. Politics is expediency and messing with existing systems is met with resistance. Now our youth, who stand to suffer the most from their elders’ laxity, are bringing attention to the desecration of this unique planet, the only one of any history and beauty within light years of reach - and the argument becomes a political stalemate.

  Thus we find that a cadre of profiteering mindset has bought a position of power and will exercise every device to retain and improve that position. Regardless of impact on fellow humans or the mother planet, not only do they deny, but actually abet the destruction. It's a simple shake of the head, arrogance of power, flat out denial. When we all need to work together, instead we are divided.

  In a world where marketing rules, and unit volume must increase, this business of stopping to clean up our shit and reverse the damage must be declaimed. We are at a point where the analyzers of the "lizard brain" know how to push our buttons. If you're not distracted by the constant circuses that have come to pass as culture in much of the world, then you're routed to a deadening routine - neither of which offer opportunity for increased knowledge, analytical or philosophical thought. Thus a few power brokers control the fate of the world.

And there’s a basic schism in the species Homo Sapiens, stemming from our sexuality, our dual nature, male and female. Or if you prefer, female and male. We are a young species, only here for thousands of years on a gracious planet that has taken millennia to ripen and allow our occupation. Compared to eons, our history is short. Yet our accomplishments are great. Apparently greater than our ability to understand what we have wrought. Greater than our ability to control what we have invented. Our inventiveness surpasses our ability to foresee possible consequences. Yet we push ahead with a masculine drive, undeterred by what might be considered as matriarchal cautions.

   Predominately we have male dominated societies, with some female communities. We have families patriarchal and matriarchal. Studies have shown that conservative voters are more likely to come from "father knows best" households while those who are more liberal in their thought live in households where tasks are shared and group discussion and consensus lead to decisions. There are marketers and advisors playing us like violins. They appeal to our "demographics" to create markets for their products, whether they be material, ephemeral or political. If it's to their advantage, they will divide us. Unity is not a goal of those in power, while control is.

  Please wake up, wherever you are, and don't be persuaded by the classic arguments: "us against them," "they are causing your trouble!" We are separated by those who enjoy power. Their lust for superiority allows them to ignore atrocities with insular denial. Government is not going to save the planet. Corporations are not going to save the planet. People who love each other as fellow humans, people who ignore the manufactured differences that are dividing us, everyday people are the ones who will save the planet.

   But now we need an eleventh hour solution, a buzzer shot, a breakthrough! Love and understanding are the prerequisites to working together. We should have perfected that a long time ago, but it's not out of reach. There are many great stories of human solidarity in the clutch situation - but it will take an unprecedented and radical look at the effects of our technologies, coupled with a quantum leap in moral and ethical maturation to accomplish this one. We all love a happy ending. The problem is, we never thought there could even be an ending!