Our Current Political Crisis (in addition to Trump and Trumpism)

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“Using Lotteries to Create an Open Democracy”

May 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The June 2023 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series helps us think about democracy more profoundly, more creatively, and more boldly than we are used to doing. Instead of narrowly electing one person or another, how could we devise a more profound kind of democracy in which ALL people have real voices and real power?  How could we eliminate the corruption caused by big businesses, extremely rich people, and political parties?  How could we empower real people instead of being dominated by a political class of overlords? Anyone anywhere can watch this June 2023 program through this blog: WATCH […]

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“We the People vs. Corporate Rule: It’s up to Us” — May 2023 TV program and article about constitutional amendment

May 23, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The May 2023 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series makes a solid case for amending the U.S. Constitution in a way that would greatly strengthen democracy and promote fairness and progress for the wide range of issues people care about. For a long time the Supreme Court has given business corporations constitutional rights that our nation’s founders intended only for human beings – and the Supreme Court has allowed Big Money to corrupt our elections. Glen interviewed two well informed guests who are savvy organizers working with the organization Move to Amend.  They explain how we got into this […]

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Poverty results from this: A Quarter of Biden’s Budget Will Go to Pentagon Contractors. They donate heavily to Congress’s armed services committees.

March 26, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

A Quarter of Biden’s Budget Will Go to Pentagon Contractors March 9, 2023:  Today the White House released the President’s budget request, laying out the President’s priorities for the country. Lindsay Koshgarian Originally in National Priorities Project https://ips-dc.org/release-a-quarter-of-bidens-budget-will-go-to-pentagon-contractors/?emci=25fec40e-5dbf-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&emdi=2e50aed4-6cbf-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&ceid=3993183   Congress’s Armed Services Committee members received $5.8 million from military companies during 2022 election cycle By Taylor Giorno March 3, 2023 1:43 pm https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/03/armed-services-committee-members-received-5-8-million-from-defense-sector-during-2022-election-cycle/?emci=0661e8b7-c6bd-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&emdi=8c04c0d9-c4be-ed11-a8e0-00224832e811&ceid=8396435   Here is an interesting post about budgets and military spending: https://stephensemler.substack.com/p/bidens-fy2024-budget-request   World Beyond War created a billboard that connects the dots between military spending and hunger: https://worldbeyondwar.org/explained/   I wrote this article and produced my […]

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Right-wing extremism is a serious threat to democracy in the U.S. and many other countries

March 26, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The right-wing attacks on honest democracy in the U.S. are occurring in other nations too.  They SERIOUSLY THREATEN democracy in the U.S. and elsewhere.  Ordinary people need to organize smart strategies to protect honest democracy, human rights, immigrants, religious minorities, etc. Here are some recent relevant articles:   It can happen here: Lessons from ‘Rise of the Nazis’ on 90th anniversary of Hitler’s coming to power:  https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/2/2/2149419/-It-can-happen-here-Lessons-from-Rise-of-the-Nazis-on-90th-anniversary-of-Hitler-s-coming-to-power?detail=emaildkre&pm_source=DKRE&pm_medium=email   Right-wing extremists dominate some nations and promote chaos instead of competent governance: John Feffer wrote this article explaining that House Republicans, Euroskeptics, Vladimir Putin, and Jair Bolsonaro are the agents of a […]

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Republicans are persistently WRONG + INCOMPETENT about COVID

March 21, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

It’s surprising that anyone trusts the Republican Party after they have screwed up so badly regarding the COVID pandemic.   When the pandemic struck, Trump denied that it was happening.  Then he said it would completely go away within 2 months.  He said it was nothing more than the flu.  He blamed China in a very racist, xenophobic way.  He put incompetent and corrupt people in charge of it.  When he conducted nationwide TV programs about it, instead of providing honest scientific information he promoted “snake oil” cures manufactured by companies his cronies owned, and he used those TV programs […]

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What to do about right-wing extremists who deny election results and oppose honest democracy?

March 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Decent Americans who want democracy to survive and thrive are deeply concerned about right-wing extremists who deny election results and oppose honest democracy.  These include Donald Trump, Kari Lake, and a great number of Republicans and people more extreme than they are. Actually, people who disagree with us differ in some ways from each other, so let’s not lump them all together and become so frightened that we feel overwhelmed and powerless.  We can devise smart strategies to deal with them. The article here provides some fresh information and insights.  The article is titled, “Forget the Deplorables and Focus on […]

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War hawks promote war with China. We must PREVENT that!

March 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Much smart research — and many smart articles — have exposed the hard reality that much of the U.S.’s foreign policy is driven by military weapons manufacturers that profit by promoting our militaristic foreign policy. Also, many politicians promote nationalism and militarism as a way to rally voters to cheer for them.   Now powerful forces are rallying the U.S. to support a war with China — or if not an actual war, at least the steps leading up to war.  They don’t seem to recognize that wars fail to solve problems.  Also, they don’t seem to realize that the […]

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Now the news media are IGNORING the climate crisis, so WE MUST ORGANIZE a big, strategically savvy GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT!

March 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Does the climate crisis still exist?  Has it gone away? It is NOT in the news now. In order to solve the climate crisis, WE MUST MAKE IT A HOT ISSUE AGAIN!!!  WE MUST ORGANIZE A SAVVY GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT to expose the problems and propose solutions!!!   Page 62 of the February-March 2023 issue of The Progressive Magazine (www.progressive.org) reported this: “Only one independent news source, Truthout, reported on a Media Matters for America study that found that morning TV shows gave almost as much air-time to Bezos’s 2021 space launch as they did to all climate crisis news in […]

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To solve political-social-economic problems, we must organize PEOPLE-POWER grassroots movements

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Several years ago, a guest on one of my TV programs said that only 5% of democracy is about voting, while 95% of democracy is about organizing grassroots movements.  I agree. People who have official power (politicians, big businesses, etc.) want ordinary people to feel powerless and get out of the way, so they themselves can make all of the important decisions. Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” If ordinary people actually did recognize our power — and our huge potential to organize strategically from the grassroots […]

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FREE, ONLINE: Watch a powerful 1966 British film about nuclear war

February 28, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

In 1966 the BBC produced a powerful film, “The War Game,” about what would happen if a nuclear war hit Britain.  It was so powerful that the BBC was afraid to show it on TV until several decades later. “The War Game” simulates a documentary about people experiencing a nuclear war and the realities that occurred afterward.  The film was so strong in 1966 that BBC did not air it when it was scheduled.  Later it was shown at film festivals – and ultimately on British TV on July 31, 1985, a week before the 40th anniversary of the Hiroshima […]

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House Republicans use the phony-baloney “debt ceiling” to hold the U.S. hostage and cut programs we really need

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Mainstream news media keep giving credibility to Republican propaganda about the “debt ceiling.” The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution.  It is simply a law that could be repealed, but Democrats keep failing to take that necessary action.  Congress has routinely increased it — including in every year of the Trump regime — but when Republican Newt Gingrich had power in the House and when Democrats Obama and Biden have been President, Republicans act like terrorists and hold our nation hostage and threaten to shut down our government because they want to cut spending for programs we really need, […]

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Here is what a REAL “Christian nation” would look like

February 4, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

Right-wing Christians and most Republicans keep saying they want the U.S. to be a “Christian nation.” But they do NOT want it to be the kind of society that Jesus was actually promoting. Jesus NEVER objected to abortion or homosexuality or immigration. What Jesus REALLY kept teaching and practicing are ethical, humane, loving, compassionate actions: Feed the hungry Heal the sick Welcome the stranger (and the foreigner and other ethnic groups) with equal human dignity as ourselves Instead of attacking LGBTQ persons or persons who want abortions, Jesus REPEATEDLY LAMBASTED: Rich people who failed to share with the poor Self-righteous […]

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Nonviolent Ways to Heal Our Society’s Dysfunction — Watch Glen’s TV program online or on cable

February 2, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The February 2023 program on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series provides insights and inspiration to help people solve problems that have been getting worse in our society. After mentioning some serious problems, we pivot toward proposing some smart nonviolent ways to solve the problems.  This TV interview is positive, upbeat, creative and practical. Rivera Sun is the expert guest who helps us explore these topics.  Rivera Sun is an author, activist, and the Programs Coordinator for Pace e Bene / Campaign Nonviolence. People in Thurston County WA who have cable TV can watch it on channel 22 three times a […]

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How could we frame our international peace message to avoid a rhetorical pitfall?

January 27, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

We want peace worldwide.  We need to help people understand international issues with a worldwide vision and values that reach all around the globe. However, the right wing — and ultra-nationalists — have been promoting rhetoric AGAINST this worldwide view.  They denounce “globalism” (and often hatefully claim Jews are behind it).  Unfortunately, the right-wing media and many Americans — including some members of Congress — fall into the trap. This irrational mania interferes with our legitimate organizing for peace and international problem-solving (including global environmental, climate, disease, economic, and other problems). Actually, part of the problem is global CAPITALISM, but […]

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The “debt ceiling” is a Republican scam to prevent funding programs we need.

January 25, 2023 GlenAnderson 0

The media are currently obsessed with the “debt ceiling” and are grossly distorting the realities! The “debt ceiling” is NOT in the Constitution.  It’s just a law — a law that has been changed many times. Republicans keep using it to bully Democrats into cutting Social Security, Medicare, and other important programs that people really need.  Republicans NEVER call for cutting the Pentagon budget. Spending is one side of the ledger.  The other side is TAXES.  Republican who are worried about deficits and the public debt NEVER call for raising taxes on RICH PEOPLE or BIG BUSINESSES.  They want to […]