Wednesday wanderings in early July

Time for a walkabout, but I better get out in the morning before the heat bakes in. As I wander, here are a few miscellaneous wandering thoughts.

• Having a mass shooting on Independence Day is apropos is it not? Nothing says America like folks being gunned down when they don’t expect it. Not to belabor the point, but other multiple victim shootings occurred this week in the US.
• Voting matters. If people are upset with a hyper-partisan Supreme Court, vote for people who won’t put such people on the court. If people are worried that the previous president pulled us out of the Paris Climate Change accord, then don’t vote for people like that. If people are upset that the party of the former president wants to do away with the ACA, don’t vote for people like that.
• Although, I would not vote for him giving his politics, the former football star Hershel Walker once responded to a reporter’s question on why he did not celebrate touchdowns in the endzone. He said he wanted to act like he has been there before. I think of this when I see too many elected officials dishonor the offices they hold by lying and denigrating people. Regardless of politics, these officials owe us the truth. The truth matters. Being collaborative matters.
• On this last point, elected officials do not have to swap spit. Just get along enough to work together to solve problems. The Oakland Athletics baseball team won three straight championships in the early 1970s. Yet, they fought like cats and dogs. But, when they got on the field, they were like an orchestra. Our various legislatures and assemblies could learn a lesson from these guys.
• Finally, I say this often, but it needs to be said often. If someone uses a label or name calls, that is a lazy person’s argument. They want people to hear the label and just ignore what the critics are saying. A former president has lasted this long in the public eye for his ability to get people to ignore his many critics. His ability to purposefully distract people away from bad press or misstatement is his greatest skill. It is akin to him faking a throw of a bone in one direction watching the dog chase something that is not there.

If someone uses a label or name calls as argument, ask more questions. If someone says they are going to take away rights, tear up deals, or give advantage to corporations to pollute with impunity, believe them and vote for another person. Democracy requires hard work. We have to do our homework. Otherwise, the autocratic tendencies in leaders wanting power will surface more. And, do not let anyone tell you that is a good thing.