Archive for September, 2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Please check out the Series that had begun on Friday (9/24) and, yes, there is more to  it later today.  In the meantime, we remind you that Peter is right over here =====>

So, give him a read, and tune into one of his podcasts, too.

More of our material shortly.

Series 6 (see ’start’ day 9/24)

It’s All About:  The Cultural War… is it Risen and Rising, or Exposed and Dying?

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

More to Come at 5 pm (PST)

Series 6 / Day 3 of 3

It’s All About:  The Cultural War… is it Risen and Rising, or Exposed and Dying?

Politics: No Directions, Lines, or Pendulums

By Nora Thomason
August 20, 2007

I’ve read some really good posts here at Everyday Citizen recently. The posts have gotten me thinking about who Americans really are – and, what America’s politics are all about. When I read Pam’s essay on Who’s Progressive, I was struck by how “mainstream” and inclusive progressive beliefs are. Progressive values are essentially American values.

I identify with Lucy’s newest post, What Game, too. I think many Americans do. We care deeply about issues, but not about candidates. It’s the issues that get us to brave the cold, the rain or the traffic in order to stand in lines at the voting polls on elections days. Not candidates. Then, when I re-read the stirring speech that Simone provided here, I was struck by its solid patriotism.

When Ally offered a glimpse of young people who are making their own way in politics, I felt renewed hope. Evidently some young people are writing some of their own rules along the way, now, and, discarding some of the less genuine traditions of their party’s politics and procedures. But, they are not bowing out of politics – in fact, they are jumping in with both feet. This helps me to imagine a better nation.

So, where do I stand?

Reading those four posts raise many questions. The political parties, the modern candidates and the media have used terms, words and definitions to encapsulate Americans somewhere along political spectrums.

Right, left. Conservative, liberal. Pro-business, pro-union. Republican, Democrat.

So, where do I stand? That question is leading me on a search for definitions.

Right off the bat though, I feel like a round peg in a square hole. I don’t see myself on a spectrum and I found somebody that explained it to me. George Lakoff succinctly agreed with me that I’m not on that spectrum that the political world wants to put me on.

He believes that Americans are progressive, in the main, and that progressivism is essentially the American value.

George dispels the linear spectrum myth and gives a realistic explanation of what Americans are. Here, I share some of his words with you:

“Centrism” is the creation of an inaccurate self-serving metaphor, and it is time to bury it.

There is no left to right linear spectrum in the American political life. There are two systems of values and modes of thought — call them progressive and conservative (or nurturant and strict, as I have). There are total progressives, who use a progressive mode of thought on all issues. And total conservatives. And there are lots of folks who are what I’ve called “biconceptuals”: progressive on certain issue areas and conservative on others. But they don’t form a linear scale. They are all over the place: progressive on domestic policy, conservative on foreign policy; conservative on economic policy, progressive on foreign policy and social issues; conservative on religion, but progressive on social issues and foreign policy; and on and on. No linear scale. No single set of values defining a “center.” Indeed many of such folks are not moderate in their views; they can be quite passionate about both their progressive and conservative views…

Get rid of the very idea of the right and the left and the center. American ideas are fundamentally progressive ideas — the ideas this country was founded on and that carry forth that spirit. Progressives care about people and the earth, and act with responsibility and strength on that care.

The progressive view of government is simple. Progressive government has two aspects: Read more…

The 18-29 Year-Old Vote

Electionland

A nifty map of all the states, simply click on the one for which you want election info.

http://electionland.com/

Yesterday, it was the Counter Culture. Today… it’s
Tuesday, September 28, 2010

More Here @ 5 pm (PST)

Est. 1964 Re-Incarnated by Public Demand

This is the original, 60’s, counter culture, LA Free Press. Today’s Best Alternative View & Our Old Hippie Headlines, Too! A Head Trip for Smart Minds.

(This article refers directly to today’s issue of the Los Angeles Free Press. If you have not yet seen today’s issue, click HERE. But FIRST you should click HERE to see the beginning of this Series.)

Yesterday, it was the Counter Culture. Today it’s…

…all about: The Cultural War… is it Risen and Rising, or Exposed and Dying?

by Steven M. Finger

Commentary will be posted here @5 pm (PST)

Just a quick not here before full commentary – as I see now that some folks read this first, and then go onto the other pieces.  Do read the first posting today first; go to its links… in all they make for a real ‘primer on progressives’.  And that is what our discussion here will be about.

And while I will add more about this, for now – that post comes from everydaycitizen.com, an excellent site well worth exploring, and links to an all-inclusive, informatively-linked manifesto by the site’s Founder, Pamela Jean.  It will, not only tell you about the motivations of Progressives, but provide you with some insight as to what she, herself, is trying to achieve and why that site is a window as to the promisingly good future for us all.

Here are the keywords to our thinking today: Changing Society, Self-Improvement, Social Change, Society & Culture

Here are links to today’s items:

[1] x http://losangelesfreepress.com/politics-no-directions-lines-or-pendulums/

[2] x http://losangelesfreepress.com/the-18-29-year-old-vote/

[3] x http://losangelesfreepress.com/electionland/