January 1, 2018 Who Is Citizen? Who Or What Empowers Citizen? What Are The Limits Of Citizen?

2018 promises to be a defining year for America, and for Americans. Remembering the adage about sausage, and the making thereof, this year PPTS will be focusing on citizen, citizen activism, and citizen activists. 

Over the course of the past few years, one of the most profound discoveries I have experienced doing this broadcast has been the lack of knowledge of many of my fellow Americans about the questions posed in the title of this article. 

While contemplating the "arc" or flow of the show for 2018, this reality kept cropping up in the strangest places, but mostly in the live, on-air discussions and the conversations in our chat room. One of the most commonly heard statements from me, especially in the past year (2017) has been that one or another positions held by callers, guests and visitors "just is not constitutionally valid". By this, I mean that neither the Constitution or any laws either pertaining to the Constitution or deriving from it via interpretation of the courts up to, and including the Supreme Court of the USA (SCOTUS) support the position asserted. 

In almost every (but not every) case my statement has been upheld by research. It is also true that, on some few (sorry, but it is true) instances it was I who was in error. Strangely enough, it was those very instances which led to the most generous, thought provoking and illuminating conversations on the broadcast, especially in subsequent broadcasts. While proving no one is perfect in their knowledge, these moments gave all participants "permission" to express opinions that were inviting of dialogue, discussion and/or debate. It was as if the show itself became a Court with two sides advocating their views...the very purpose for the show's existence in the first place! I was extremely pleased these moments occurred.

The questions posed in the title will be critical to every American (or anyone who wishes to be) in, and beyond 2018 in my view. I hold this view so strongly that I have decided to make the answers to these questions the purpose and focus of as many broadcasts as it may require to answer them. Why?

Citizen.

I am of the decided opinion that this word demonstrates the power of America, both within itself, and across the planet. The hope of America lies within her people, but who exactly ARE her people?

What does being citizen mean, exactly? While you may have an immediate response, you may be stunned to discover that the quick or easy answer is usually NOT the correct one. So, as an educator, one who believes that knowledge leads to power AND wisdom, PPTS will be holding discourse on answering these and other questions emanating from these foundational questions. 

I also believe that it is YOUR answer which matters most. I want your answers to be valid ones. To that end, I am making a few recommendations for your education in 2018, with an urgent plea that you get as much knowledge as you can, as quickly as you can. It may be true that Civics has not been on the educational agenda in America for some four (4) decades, but PPTS is willing to take you to school just for that very purpose. 

I realise that, for many, this will come as an opportunity. For some it will come as an exercise. For some it may even come as an unwelcome intrusion, a task unworthy of your time, or your energy, or your willingness to participate. 

For those in this third group, it is to you that I plead most: invest. Invest in your citizenship, in your country, and in your causes.

The one thing such a journey will not require of you is your money. (A foundational tenet of the show.) 

All the work can be done at no financial cost to you. Yes, there are opportunities to purchase textbooks, certificates, etc. should you choose to do so. However, any writings directly related to the work I am going to recommend to you are at no cost. 

Because it is a journey this educator strongly recommends (so strongly as to commit some 120+ hours of his personal professional time and his international broadcast to), I will be taking this journey (again) with you. 

Please do not tell me why you didn't. Tell me rather the value of what you have learned because you did. It may be a small number of show listener/followers, and that is completely fine. We hope for a very large number of course. Citizen matters. 

If you are willing to engage in the journey, in this exercise on citizenship, it's okay to let us know; it will uplift us and give us strength along the journey. But display your willingness by your participation here, on the show, and with your own writing or your own feet, or even your own voice. 

After all, what better possible answer to our driving question could there be?

"What are YOU going to do about it?"

For the entire team, I remain,

The Tennessee Progressive

PS:

To begin the journey, I have given you some suggested starting points. Of them, I strongly suggest #1, and #3 (together, simultaneously for consideration and discussion values). 

Your mileage may vary (WMMV)

PPTS May 14, 2017

"Can One Citizen Change the World?"

Here is a link to today's live episode.

I am a "hope" addict, and always have been. 

This is not because I have not seen the worst of humanity: I have. Nor is it because I refuse to live in the realities of life: I have. 

But I have also lived in places and times where I have witnessed the unparalleled goodness of humankind. Given the option of which side of humanity to believe is the greater in number, I choose to believe on the side of the goodness of mankind. 

In my lifetime, I have seen the goodness of even one person, one citizen do selfless and amazingly good things which would defy description. Sometimes, such goodness can change a moment, or one individual's difficult or impossible journey into unspeakable goodness. 

I am alive today because of such a person, so I do have some expertise in the ultimate humility toward my fellow humans. I wrote about this person in my personal blog. You are invited to become acquainted with her personally. She also happens, quite by purposeful intent, to be the Executive Producer of "Progressive Politics: Tennessee Style" (PPTS). She is known to us here are "Progressive Patty". If you are ever in our lively chat room, you will speak with her. If you call in to our live show, she will welcome you. 

I am not, by any means the only person who can say that Sara has positively change a life. In fact, thousands of Tennessee citizens can, and do say such things about her and her work, one life at a time.

Do I know that one citizen can change the world? YES!

Examples are all around us, if we would but look.

In a recent article, I offered another example of one citizen changing the world. I offer it to you in the hopes that you might understand some of the qualities of such heroes as one person changing the world.

In preparation for today's show episode, I'd like to offer you one more example of how one person, one citizen has changed the world. Again, consider the circumstances this human faced, and decided he had no choice but to do all he could to change the world for good.

Also please notice in the final two minutes, that a cell phone or two is illuminated by all those who this man inspired to become a force for good in their world. Snowflakes all. 

On today's show, we'd love to have you call us and share with us someone you know who has changed the world for good. It doesn't take a monumental task; it just takes one person with one moment of determination. Perhaps you would even be willing to share with us something YOU are doing about it. 

We're on the air! We'll see YOU there!

For the entire team,

The Tennessee Progressive

Sunday, April 30, 2017 "What YOU Can DO About It!"

"What YOU Can Do About It--TODAY!"

Do You Feel It Yet?

*sigh*

To my reckoning, there are basically two types of people in our nation, and in our world today as they relate to Trump's first 100 days in office as President of the United States of America. Generally, they are either:

A. Trump fans, 96% of whom are ecstatic with the performance of "their" President, and

B. Everyone else.

I have hesitated all week long before writing this companion piece in preparation for this coming Sunday's show. The research has been to be honest, nothing less than disheartening. It has been a time of concern, disillusionment, sleeplessness, concern, angst and not a little anger.

In all these things, what I have found more than not is that I am absolutely NOT alone in these experiences. It is to all of those sharing my experience that this report is written. It has taken me all this week to get to the last item on that list: determination. I knew in my soul I would reach this point, but I simply had to experience every item on the list above before determination would arrive. This point in this particular journey is usual for me. The entire experience is, however, unique in our current American History. It has happened before, but never in my lifetime, and certainly not in myself.

I am a self-identified "hope addict". Some call me an idealogue. I say that "My feet are firmly rooted in the clouds." By that, I mean that while I maintain optimism and hope in citizen, I am also very much attached to the reality around me. A major part of my citizen activism these days is in the preparation, presentation, and follow up to this show. While I am gratified with the current 2017 show statistics (66,100 listens), and know the info is getting out around the globe via downloads, links, and rebroadcasts around the globe to countless others, I am wondering sometimes if the message we wish to present is actually "getting out" to the hearts of those listeners.

Sometimes, things happen at the speed of life. For instance, yesterday I learned that one of our previous Special Guests on PPTS just recorded a major victory. You will no doubt remember our two-show special series on the passage attempts on the ERA Amendment to the Constitution with Sandy Oestreich, President and Founder of (among other things) 2passera.org.

On March 23, 2017 the State of Nevada's legislature passed a resolution calling for the Amendment's passage.

"They ratified the ERA 45 years to the day since Congress originally passed it."

What does this mean in the reality of things? It means that only TWO more states need follow the lead of Nevada, and the Amendment becomes a reality.

What else does this mean?

Hope.

Then, I found an article that really spoke to my heart. I think it will speak to the hearts of all those "everyone else's" hearts, too. It is an excellent piece of writing, from the heart of a writing colleague of mine. I strongly recommend it to you, especially if you feel the same as so many of your fellow citizens are feeling these days.

Last night, I had a rather long and detail-oriented conversation with another colleague, Geoffrey S. Jade Barrett while I was completing research for this show. This is relevant to the show on Sunday for two reasons:

1. Jade and I, while from different political backgrounds and affiliations, are symbiotic it seems. We agree on so many things, it is difficult to tell where my Democratic background ends and his Republican-esque background begins. We find ourselves in agreement on so many things that we have had some trouble actually identifying (at least I have) where we disagree. Jade is a superb writer, and is a leading writer (Pundit) over at Yabberz. He is (depending on the time of any particular day) the leading (most influential and most prolific) writer on the site. He has a lot to say about many things, from political awareness to personal (individual) activism. As you might rightly expect, his words (along with many others) have impact, value, and credibility. He is well worth reading, and listening to. His time spent with me is a great gift to me personally, any person who identifies themselves as "citizen", and the world. He is an activist leader who describes his leadership as "Creating, participating in, and supporting, endorsing, and encouraging activism."

2. After a few conversations with Jade, I felt it imperative to offer him time on PPTS to talk about, and talk with activism and activists--citizen. No newcomer to talk radio, Jade has been a broadcaster for many years who has hosted shows on various and sundry topics of particular interest to him. He has agreed to spend time with us this coming Sunday as our 2 hour Special Guest. He will be live to take your calls. He will be observing and responding in our chat room. He and I will be talking about specific things every one of us can do, right now, to become the change we seek as citizen activists. Yes, every one of us, including you, dear reader.

You see, the simple matter is that YOU are the difference. YOU are the reason this PPTS show exists. What you do, from clicking on a survey, to writing an email to your electeds or even your friends, to marching in protest, or holding a sign (or a town hall meeting with your neighbors in your home) can make a REAL difference. Citizen IS standing up, stepping out, showing up and showing off.

Hope.

I hope you will join us this Sunday, April 30th, 2017. As you know, I have told you on previous occasions that a particular show episode is one you will not want to miss. This is most definitely one of them, as this third episode in our new season. You will not want to miss this opportunity to share, learn and grow live with Jade Barrett, and the live callers--you will want to be one. Do yourself a huge favor, and get a load of hope. Get from despair to determination.

We're on the air! We'll see YOU there!

For the entire team,

The Tennessee Progressive

To Whom Does Citizen Owe...What?

Some Things Obvious...Some Things Not.

As often as we may, as individuals, confront and attempt to resolve the problems this question, more often than not we simply fail. 

Some things we owe to ourselves because we are simply human beings. (At least, that is the presumption I make when considering who may be reading or interacting with this blog.)

Yet, even at this fundamental level, the answers to the question are different for every living, breathing human being. It doesn't take very long, even in the solitude of our private thoughts before we come headlong into conflict. That conflict usually occurs when we arrive at that magical point where "should" and "do" collide. 

I once worked with a man who had a terrible habit of saying, to whomever might be listening:

    

    "Review the basics once a year. It takes about a year to review the basics."

              ~W. Clement Stone

I've always considered these to be some of the most profound words I have ever encountered. In the rush to live in today's world, with constant movement, raging emotion, and rambunctious information, assailing us at every moment, it can be difficult to concentrate on the basics--even the basics of who it is that we, individually are. Sometimes, finding out who we are at some given moment surprises, shocks, or amazes us. We can find it taking much longer, and much more concentrated time than we ever thought necessary to get to that point of "Me". Many times, we at first do not believe we have arrived because we do not recognize what we see before us. You may believe this has happened only to you; you would be grossly mistaken. 

Some folks ignore or avoid this moment at every turn. They don't care for what they see, how that feels, or what the realization means not only to them, but of them. Who would want affinity with that person? Each of us experiences this reality daily, yet believe no one could possibly share our perception of the experience itself. 

What has this to do with answering the question?

Simple. We do try to convey our best selves whenever we are called to interact with other humans. Think of those communities you exist within. Work. Family. School. PTA. Union meeting. Grocery. Bank. And, yes, voting booth. 

The simple truth is that we carry this self with us no matter where we go, or what we do. We fly forward with the gigantic hope that our best self will somehow outstrip even our limited abilities, and show up anyway. Mostly, we are disappointed in that hope. But, every rare once in a while, someone shows up that we cannot imagine being us because of the greatness of their appearance. In life, that can happen when we, almost without thought, do that which is right and not that which is convenient, or invisible, or practiced, or easy, or even best. You know, those moments when you silently hope against hope that someone else sees, notices that you. You wonder how that person might become the usual, the habitual you. 

Eventually, you recognize that this person can only become the superior you with painful, relentless practice. For many, that is a price too much to pay. They retreat, in defeat, leaving themselves only the other self which they must somehow learn to accept and accommodate. It is a constant battle that these folks will lose much more often than win.

The real truth is that this is most, if not all of us. It takes more than most of us can muster once, much less every day of our lives. Yet, we do know that there lies, deep within us, Citizen. Proven in war, and peace, our sense of that greater than ourselves rests deep in the core of our being. Americans seem to have an extra dollop of that. We are a nation of winners who have, upon occasion lost. But, those battles we have won mean more to us than life itself, if we are honest about it. Of course, some of those winning moments truly matter most. With more practice such moments could even become usual. But what purpose could compel the tough work required to be that person as a matter of habit, like breathing?

It's difficult to really atomize such a concept. Sometimes, the circumstances dictate the person. Sometimes, the person dictates the circumstance. This is the muddled world of citizen. When should someone stand up, and step out, and declare themselves to be either in favor or, or opposed to something? Many would say that the more muddled or confused, or strained the circumstance, the more likely the best of us is compelled to show up, and show off. Sadly, many more would declare that the best self must be always protected, regardless of circumstance, and become as fair weather citizens. Pretenders all. 

For citizen, as for self, it is not the easy, or the convenient, or even the imperative that compels us to the fore. Before citizen can change a nation, citizen must change citizen. Given that citizen does have a bit of a civic flavor to the terminology, the implication is that citizen is the force for change where citizen lives. Not just under the home roof, but at every point between the kitchen table and the council table at the Courthouse. Just as there are significant concerns on one end of the citizen spectrum, so are there significant concerns at the courthouse, and the Statehouse, and the Whitehouse. But, regardless of the home in question, there are questions which citizen is obligated, yes obligated to ask, and answer. Some examples:

How many people in my community went hungry yesterday? 

How many people in my community were homeless yesterday?

How many people in my community were without any money?

How many people where I live live in poverty?

How many people where I live do not/cannot access basic healthcare?

How many people in my community need, and cannot find honest, honorable, respectable work?

How many people in my town cannot read, or write?

How can I help? What is available, and what can I do about it?

I challenge you here, now. Choose the question which seems the most outrageously false to you. Get undeniable facts from the most authoritative source you possibly can. You will be stunned, flabbergasted, gobstopped. Then consider the last two questions. Remember the who that you are. Consider the you that you might be, or would wish to become. You are citizen. 

What are YOU going to do about it? Not because you must. Because you can.

I am, and remain,

The Tennessee Progressive

Plans for the Future at PPTS

Dateline: Columbia, Tennessee
April 22nd, 2016

Hello, Mr. and Mrs. America, and...?

If you remember this tag line, complete it in the comments below. You may win a prize. Beware, you may be revealing pertinent information about yourself that you may not want others to know... :)

It's been an interesting time around here of late. We've been mostly off the air, for several reasons. We've had medical issues (a few niggling one remain), we've had staff changes, we've had (and are still dealing with) some pretty severe technical issues, and then there's this.

We've been watching with interest the primary campaigns. So much has been happening at such a lightening pace that we have not been able (see staff changes above) to keep up, create relevant stories, gather the public figures to explain the goings on, and generally been a bit (ok, a LOT) hesitant to position this particular project in the line of sight of all the shenanigans going on between candidates, campaigns, debates, primaries, caucuses, recounts, news stories, arrests at demonstrations, issues developing before our eyes....just like you. It 's easier to report as an observer, but not necessarily better reporting comes from that. 

1. We need some volunteer citizen journalists to help us as this circus narrows itself down to about three main rings. Investigators, fact checkers, interviewers, and witnesses top our list of needed volunteer supporters. We also want a few dedicated journalism students who would like an intern opportunity to develop or hone their skills to join us. The show is also on the hunt for additional staff members (Producers, EPs, co-hosts, etc.) Why? More on that shortly.

2. By the end of May, we will be back on our regular schedule. The shows will air live every Sunday afternoon, between 2 and 4 PM. We will be as engaged as possible through the conclusion of the November elections, and beyond. But we really do need some financial support to make this happen. Not a lot, just enough. Nobody here is looking for a salary. We just can't continue to feed the needs of the production, time, and work from our own pockets. Asking for the help of those who receive benefit from our labors is both honorable and ethical. 

3. It is not that the show will be restructured so much as it will return to its original structure. We believe, and are committed to honest, unbiased, ethical, moral and legal journalism, be it print or broadcast. We would love to believe that those with a growing interest in, or desire to participate with real journalism might come forward and accept the offer posted above. Hardest, most thankless work you will ever love. Guaranteed. You can work with some of this industry's leading talent in multiple areas. High School or College more than welcome to apply. Contact the show for details. Soon.

4. So, what's all this really about? 

It's easy to fold up shop when you are the only one dedicated, or even interested in the product. When 20,000 people listen to that product each week, it gets a bit more difficult. PPTS is a product of a desire to engage, through civil discourse those of shared or opposing viewpoints with dignity, safety (as possible) and respect. We believe that people can disagree without being disagreeable. For the most part, that has been our experience on this project. We still do not suffer fools easily, and we do not allow tomfoolery on the show. 

It's hard work. It takes a lot of time. We have not been doing some things correctly. I know that because we have not had any, repeat ANY relevant feedback either on the show, or on this space, from those who seem to be listening. If nobody is listening, I got plenty of things to use those hours for, and so do the other members of the PPTS team. Believe me. I'm not ranting. I'm asking for your feedback, and input on what we are doing, and how we are doing it. If you like it, say why. If you don't like it, please say why. Participate, citizen!  For years, we have worked to empower you, citizen to get out, stand up, and do something about it--whatever the it of it was. We can only hope that you have done so, because you have not reported back to us and told us what you did about it. Frustrating, and crushingly disappointing. It's just really hard to have a conversation with yourself for two hours at a clip for more than a couple of shows. (People start looking at you funny!)

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be restructuring the organization. I need your help if we are to continue. That is a decision left to me. I'd like it to be with your participation and input. Yes, that means we'll have to crank up the networks again. Researchers, come forth! We will have to get into the water again. Yes, indeed. Legislative specialists, start your steno books! Technical support will be upgraded. Staff and studio and blog specialists, On YOUR Marks!

More as it develops. Thank you for hanging in there with us. It means more than you can know.

For PPTS,

Bud Fields--The Tennessee Progressive

Looking At History To Determine Our Future

PPTS has completed the groundwork of a 24 week series entitled "The War On The Poor!". In retrospect, the arguments raged, even for the series title. Many on the team, and from listeners wanted the series to be called "The War FOR The Poor!". I chose the final series title because the alternate option seemed to be more appropriate for those who would come to disagree with the information presented in the series.

I did, however choose for each "battlefield" to include the word "for" because these eight investigations, each lasting (at least) three episodes deal with areas of our nation's life which seem to be at risk. Women, equality, healthcare, education, Justice, etc. ...these battlefields all seem to stand in the gap, at risk.

That's because they are. Forces well above the abilities of the average citizen, those who make up the 99 percent of us all are engaged in a very uncivil war to capture each battlefield, not for the greater purposes of increasing the lives and living in America of all her citizens, but rather for the taking by oligarchs, corporatists, plutocrats and theocrats for nothing more than the joy of refusing their bounty to any but themselves.

This is, in the end democracy itself at risk. Mine is not the unthinking cry of the vain, or the timid. These are not thought experiments or some laboratory exercises.  Nor are these inscrutable mysteries innoculated from our thought and reason. They are the vanities of man.

Has this ever happened before, anywhere?

Of course it has. It has happened since time immemorial. Power has been defined, denied, refused and won by man over man, but to what end? In some cases, for the betterment of all. In other cases, for the vanity of a few.

The cost of democracy has, is now, and will always be nothing less than diligence. From even before our experiment began, we were warned of dangers to democracy by those very same founders (and many others) of our nation. History has, so far, proven their warning prescient and timely. Strangely enough, even ancient warnings are holding sway today across our land. There has been, and remains to this day, only one power strong enough to overcome those who would simply take from democracy and The United States of America all they can hold before tossing aside the vestigial remains of what once was.

That is the voice of citizen.

During this month of October, 2014, we are investigating realities from our past, from even before the founding of this nation to the present day to see, and realize just exactly what it is we have accomplished, what it is we stand to lose, and what we can/should do about it right where we live "...within 12 miles of where you live."

Thomas Jefferson believed that his generation must win the independence, and the next must win the equality for all. From the enlightenment of the world, we faced the eventual necessity of addressing our inhumanity to our fellow man directly, painfully, and finally. That task remains, to this day, unfinished. Equality is a noble ambition, yet one fraught with difficulty and danger. Thus, our investigation quickly moves from the "know about" to the "know how" of democracy in our time.

Victorian and Edwardian England have much historical significance to our goal as a true liberal democracy. If every person, every citizen matters then we must understand how nations have failed at proving it. Yet, the history of that time in England reverberates with the words and feelings--and actions which we must deal with now. Those same words and feelings from way back then are being heard in our own country today, but not only where we live, but across the planet. As repugnant as we may find them, we do not create service for ourselves or our fellow citizen by ignoring them. We've been trying that for a very long time, indeed. It is also important to note that many great and wonderful things came through those desolate days, as well.

By investigating the thoughts and mores of those times in England (primarily due to their overwhelming presence at the time, and the clear historical record which remains of them), we can get a more observable view of ourselves today. We might even understand that the "War ON the Poor!" of those days has not changed very much, much to our national shame.

I promised a video that would be very difficult to watch, yet one I believe we must see in order to begin a genuine conversation and discourse about what WE should do about it, right now. Here is that video. It's approximately 90 minutes long. It is very difficult to watch, and is not safe at work or for children. Nevertheless, I urge you to view it. Take notes. Make observations. Look around our national landscape today, and see if you can hear, or see anything akin to what this documentary presents to you.

From the days of the workhouse/poorhouse, we visited the history of America and the world from 1900 to 1950. Two World Wars, planetary economic collapse, and the folly of greed and avarice. Why one assassin's two bullets killed tens of millions of humans in the search for power and economic superiority was investigated. I stopped the series here, because I believe we have enough reason just from these few episodes to take seriously the series which came before it.

From this point until November 9th, 2014 (following the national general elections), we will be looking for your response to both series, and your election stories. Do you agree, or disagree with the views expressed by PPTS during these past two years? Why, or why not? How did your voting go? Was it important enough for you to do what was required to experience the sanctity of the ballot box, to actually "exercise the franchise"? Were you citizen?

As this is written, early voting is under way. What will be the story we share on November 9th, and beyond? What have we, as citizen, determined to be the foundations of our nation's future history? Will democracy be preserved, or have we chosen to allow our land to slide over the abyss, not into war, but into Hell itself? How shall we answer the world, and the ages?

That will be decided one of two ways. Either citizen will show up, and show off, or citizen will not. There is no other possible conclusion to this most important election in 2014. We hope we have explained why we hold this conviction. We hope you have become sufficiently informed, and we now look to you to share with us YOUR reasoning, and YOUR actions.

For PPTS,

The Tennessee Progressive

One Series Ends; Another Series Begins

It has taken PPTS 28 weeks to present a 24 week series we call "The War On The Poor". During this series, we looked at eight principle battlefields upon which this war is currently being waged. Having now looked, in three week "chunks" at each of the eight battlefields, we have completed the research, but have not yet determined any useful conclusions, talking points, or action plans for this war. We will, but we want you, the progressive soldier to have some time to consider how this information can be of the best use to you in your cause, where you live. That got the team talking.

Without "finalizing" and putting to bed this issue, one we obviously believe to be singularly important to us, because we do absolutely believe it to be of the greatest importance to you, our conversations have turned to what many would believe to be the next important question:

How do we use this information to determine our future actions? How can we implement a determined strategy in time to have the impact we wish on the November, 2014 elections? Who should lead us? How should we communicate with those leaders effectively, in a timely manner so as to create the opposition against our adversaries? What would victory look like?

It was that last question that had a bunch of people looking squarely into my face, as if I should, somehow not only be able, but willing to forcefully and passionately discourse on THE answer. Hundreds of pairs of eyes, mind you, from across the nation are looking at me like I'm somehow the Shell Answer Man.

I gave that job up some long time ago now. Having had the position for more than four decades, I felt that I had done my part; that it was well time for someone else to pick up the ball and run with it, as it were. The trouble was that I did have a few answers. I thought they were good ones. I want(ed) to put them out for consideration. (Note the sliding transition?) I think they should be considered; moreover I believe they are such correct answers that they should be immediately employed across our nation, right now.

Where are we going, as a nation? That's a huge question. While not necessarily the answer many would accept in 2014, I do happen to be a bit of an historian by nature and education. If you want to truly understand the nature of a thing, look at the people involved in, subject to, or affected by that thing. In 24 recorded 2-hour events, PPTS has done just that. But, there lies at the heart of our nation today a much more, I would contend, fundamental question than our show's mantra of "What are YOU going to do about it?"

In our latest show, we begin to search for not merely a functional or useful answer to this question, but one which compels us, as citizen, to act. That is, after all, the Progressive way. (It's available for you here, on the right sidebar under our "Current" shows listing.

In the coming weeks we will look both to history AND current affairs to come to some fundamental conclusions about the answer to this question. Through our staff research and (hopefully) yours, we should have some civil discourse  about the answer to this new question. In fairness, this question is not new. It has been answered on several occasions before, in (and before) our history as a nation.  We'll use that historicity to look at some potential answers to this notion of where we are, or at least where we should, as citizen, be leading our nation into the decades and centuries ahead.

My contention is that we do have the opportunity to reevaluate the conditions which led to previous answers, so we can understand how to make current decisions that will make those answers better for us as citizen. This is neither easy, or easily dismissive work. Yet, in my view it is the most immediate and necessary work citizen can do for our nation, and for our democratic republic. We do stand to lose both. The fact that you do not fully appreciate the truth of that statement so alarms me that I am putting the resources available to me into full use. This isn't play time, and the work required is absolutely NOT for the feint of heart, or for the "sunshine patriot".

I hope you will join us for these next weeks as we hear from history as we ask, and answer this most compelling question of our time.

For PPTS,

The Tennessee Progressive

PPTS: July 27, 2014 "The Battle For Coffee Party USA (Part 2 of 3)

Comes to us now the question that is most often uttered by the non-believer:

"What Can I Do About It?"

Here's one man's answer:

This is one of the more important speeches of my adult lifetime. It should be one of yours, as well. Why?

As much as I believe it gives clear and convincing evidence of the fantasy of the question above, it also speaks directly for--and to the Coffee Party USA. This speech was delivered by Rev. Dr. Barber the evening immediately following the "March On Detroit", a Netroots Nation action addressing the plight of some 90,000 Detroiters who found themselves without water.

Amazing as this peroration is, it also addresses the central (core) question of today's investigation of the Coffee Party USA:

"Why Should I Care?"

There are many who believe that everyone believes the implicit answer to the first question, and that no one fancies answering the second. Yet, if we were to pay just a bit more attention, with our unique ears, the ears of "citizen", we might well see proof that there ARE individuals who are not only activists in their speech, but in their direct action as well.

From a single comment, from one single person on a FaceBook page has grown a movement of more than 1,100 members, more than 400,000 "likes" on FaceBook, multiple local organizations, and significant national, regional, state and local activism. Regardless of what you may believe, that's a lot of result for one person's single comment on social media. One person.

The amazing journey has seen tremendous victories, and dangerous failings. That's the way of movement birth. Trying to consolidate a unified message around so many prevailing needs, activities, and activists is very much like herding cats. Even on a good day, it can seem nothing more than disorganized chaos (the worst kind of chaos, after all!). Passionate activism is difficult to contain, and even direct. The Progressive tent is perhaps the largest among them all, but even this canopy cannot always contain those individuals who seek a wrong, and try to make things right. The progressive movement is not one defined by, or restricted to political ideology: it is all about action that helps those with passion and purpose become the change they seek.

Bringing resources to bear on those things that matter most in a land so often divided can be a daunting task in the best of circumstance. Coordinating, or even defining a message that will be shared and agreed to by so many requires many skills. Perhaps the greatest among those skills is flexibility.

"Now!" is a very important term when you are discussing movements of change. The Coffee Party USA has found itself squarely in the sites of its own members at times, who care much more for relevant activism than the mundane affairs of organization. So it is with new movements. Flexibility matched with patience and perseverance are hallmarks of activist organizers. Leaders often find themselves more the victim then the victor. When so many issues of such great weight and importance assail a nation--or a world, time is often the greatest of all enemies. Every month paced as details and plans are made, it is inevitably people who have to pay the greatest price. Sometimes, when that people is enshrined in a person you know, and care about, time is mostly measured in time lost. While it is easier to see that reality in far away places, it is sometimes as close as your own small rural community. You will often hear a quote by Former U. S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neal, Democrat from Boston, Massachusetts who said that "All politics is local." But, very few ever complete the quote. The full quote of Mr. O'Neal is that "All politics is local--and personal!"

While much can be forgiven or overlooked when the first part of that quote is bandied about, the same is not true for the second and concluding part. It is true that the closer to the roof under which you live, the more politics matters, when it becomes personal for you is when politics matters the most. War is not such a terrible decision until your child dies in combat. Education is a large, nebulous issue until your school closes because the citizens of your community refused a mill levy increase to provide salaries for teachers. Poverty is endemic, and a reality in every nation that doesn't "touch" you until you are living under a bridge, hungry and unable to receive the medications you need to live.

Issues and news items become depressing, and untrustworthy as you see them on the evening telecast. We feel, but we are very likely not to care as much as we would if we were the news that evening. It is quite difficult to empathize with a mourning mother until it is your child laying on a Mortician's table. Politics is local--and personal. We as citizen have for years tried to insulate ourselves from the "tyranny of the urgent" so prevalent in our news. Not only as citizen, but as humans our life experiences have been impacted for so very long, and to such a very great degree that we repair to the seeming illusion of safety within our families and even our towns.

We have, for four generations now, failed to teach our progeny the important lessons of citizen. One of the guiding principles of democracy has been that it is citizen who defends and protects that same democracy. Like it or not, there are times when citizen is called upon to live up to the demands, obligations, and privileges of that same democracy as citizen. One person, acting in accord with others who not only understand the term, but are somehow hard wired to live it out. It is not when being citizen is convenient that we find our best measure, but when being citizen is so very, very hard.

When those hard times come calling, citizen seeks citizen for comfort, for understanding, for guidance and leadership in ways and areas that polity does not tread. Our political ideology fails us, and we seek out the knowing eye of citizen standing beside us to find our strength to stand up, step out, and through transformative action renew a pledge made long before by those who have paid, even with their blood.

It is at times such as these that communities of activists seem to emerge from the fog of the irrelevant, from the long gone veteran to the child taught that citizen is not merely a word, but a birth right. We grow within it, most often without even knowing that it is citizen being prepared for "that" moment when not one more moment can pass without our activism. From protecting our planet when the aggregious and casual arrogance of mankind makes the damage (and the potential results of that arrogance) so very clear that we can no longer avoid or ignore it, to discovering that the failure to expand Medicaid in your State is directly impacting hundreds of thousands of your fellow citizen, those moments do come. When they do, it is through movements such as the Coffee Party USA that we rally around each other because we must. It is who we are. It is what we do. It is why America matters, not just to citizen, but as a citizen herself to a global community screaming in agony for hope.

The original founders of the Coffee Party USA have confidently left the organization to its membership, to have the battles that will rage for so long as anyone has that moment. In good times, and through some presently very bad times, the significance of the Coffee Party USA lies within the vision, mission and purpose of the organization. That is where citizen matters. That is where citizen gathers. When it is your moment, the organization should rally to your cause, just as you rally to another member's cause in their time, their moment. Now, these visionary Americans are doing what they do in other areas of our land, calling other citizens to their very best moments--and their worst.

What Tip O'Neal knew so many years ago is that "Now!" is very real, and a time any self-respecting politician should always watch for. Of course, his was a history where some citizens arose to greatness, while others simply had greatness thrust upon them. We today are no different. We are no less citizen and we share the responsibility for our national life and identity. Beyond the sometimes terrible strife and angst of party ideology, or the "sturm und drang" of national life, citizen still receives the call. That call is inevitably local, and very personal. It has always been so.

A community discovers to its collective horror that a corporation, interested in nothing more than corporate profits, intends to remove any semblance of health or medical care from thousands of its citizens. With the absolute assurance that in only months, communities who have survived the worst the world had to offer could begin their death throes for no reason more or less than the profit of a not-for-profit business entity wanting to pump up its paid insurance collections, to dilute its mix of medicaid payments and poverty-stricken patients who, while being diverse, are also pretty poor overall. The community looks for direction, for the leadership to help them avoid this dangerous cliff.

Welcome to Belhaven, North Carolina, 2014. The community looks to it's local government and its mayor to keep its citizens alive, and healthy. And together. The Mayor reaches out to the hospital corporation, seeking discussion. Nothing. The Mayor reaches out to the Governor of his State, and his Statehouse delegation. Nothing. He reaches out to his federal delegation. Nothing. The hospital is going to close, and the closest medical care will be 109 miles away. If that's a problem...move.

Suddenly, national conversations around Medicaid expansion, The Affordable Care Act, and Medicare have come home. These issues are now local. And then? While waiting for an hour to be airlifted to the closest hospital facility, a member of the community dies from the ravaging effects of a myocardial infarction (MI), a heart attack. She expired in an ambulance, in the care and company of EMT's who had done all they could. As the helicopter landed, this community citizen died.

Politics is personal. A family of three children and a loving husband have lost their waystar. A community has lost one of its own. The Mayor? He determines that, for himself, this must not stand.
Hear Belhaven Mayor Adam O'Neal (R-Belhaven) (no relation), and his continuing story, in his own words:

This is one man's journey to citizen. Tomorrow morning, around 10 AM (Eastern Time), he will cross the 14th Street Bridge into the bowels of Foggy Bottom. They wouldn't come to him. He is coming to them. I hope he has just a ton of fellow citizens who will complete the last five miles of this walk with and for him. The Coffee Party USA didn't create Mayor O'Neal, but the Coffee Party USA is cognizant of the truth that one person can make a difference. One person can even change the world. Bus loads of the members of his community will be waiting for Mayor O'Neal tomorrow. So will Rev. Barber. A local, personal saga continues for one man. I hope his walk will ignite citizen across this land.

That's why you should care.

June 14th, 2014 "The War on the Poor:The Battle For Religion" (Part 2 of 3) "Dialogue"

Today's show now posted for your viewing and commenting pleasure, is a "raw" cut, which means it has not yet been edited. When that edit is complete, I will reload the edited version to the Blog Talk Radio site, and this blog as well.

In a quick re-listening (always a difficult task for me), I must tell you I was not drunk. That being said:

The working title for this episode was "Dialogue".

The term comes from two Greek words of origin. The first is "Dia", which is most correctly translated as "two". The second word is "logos", which most correctly translates to the English word "words".

The rather common definition of the term, then, comes to us as "Two words". The words themselves are each owned by another than yourself. The idea behind it is that it takes two to have dialogue, or discourse on some subject or another.

Before the words matter, the concept of dialogue should be addressed. Sometimes, by voluntary participation, two different words, or ideas, or positions find each other in the same place at one time. In these days, many feel compelled not to speak at all. Most of those who feel a significant allegiance to one position or another may not come to that position from a logical path. When faced with the option of participating in discourse, any number of emotional responses might immediately feed the mind, while completely ignoring the voice. Words make us think. They also make us feel. Emotions do not think. Logic does not feel.

It would therefore make some sense that these two relational differences might at first seem to be antithetical to the entire notion of dialogue. That's because they are. These two worlds exist as polar opposites, yet they do feed into the human determination of what in politics we call "position". Do you have a position on ____?

How many times will your initial response be something like "Well, I'm not sure. Let me give that some thought (and emotion) and I'll get back to you. Would that be alright?" Why should it be? Why not?

Asking for, or offering a position on virtually anything can nail you forever to that particular spot, no matter what the topic may be. It may be a voluntary assignment, or an involuntary determination placed upon you by another. We have this overwhelming competitive spirit as humans (well, at least those of us with a belly button!) that we will most often immediately gravitate to the internal opinion that we are needing to be "right" (correct). Our opinion or understanding of a topic really takes a back seat to our intent to win.

Politics is filled with this dangerous paradigm. We must, however recall that, across the arc of human history, politics has started or ended many fewer conflicts between humans than religion ever has. Human secularism has sought to fill it's population from that perspective, namely if religion has wrought this, then religion just is not for me. Further, and in these days more commonly, we hear that having a religious identity or a personal faith is an outward sign of our ignorance. I refer to such thinking as "fleeing to the extremes" because that is precisely what we do. How can dialogue exist in such an environment?

Oddly enough, that very truth has become a defensive weapon on one side, and a powerful offensive weapon on the other side of the Battle For Religion. One reason fleeing to the extremes is so potent for both sides is that the middle ground is vacant. It is the middle ground where dialogue potentially exists. As a result, dialogue just doesn't happen.

Is it possible to create dialogue in such a place with views, opinions and/or convictions are so concretized as if hard wired within us? What is it that we fear losing, and at what cost? If we can come to grips with this answer, not only does dialogue become possible, but so does dialogue about pretty much anything else. Therein lies the hope of some, and the greatest possible danger to others. The ideology surrounding this concept is the power center for both. When we exit the possibility of dialogue, we give up the possibilities for dialogue, consensus, and compromise. We need not give up our religious or faith beliefs to have such a dialogue, yet we constantly feel threatened at the notion.

Abortion. Marriage Equality. The Death Penalty. These are but brief examples of a very long list of issues which are, or are alleged to be centered around the idea of "religious liberty". Some look at our First Amendment to The Constitution as giving American citizen the freedom OF religion, while others view the statement as insuring the American citizen the freedom FROM religion. Sadly, there are very few better examples of fleeing to the extremes. The First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a State Religion. This comes from history, specifically feudal and fiefdom theology of Europe, where towns were said to belong to a specific religion. We said that we would not have such a thing as a State Religion here in America. Some States and Commonwealths did establish official "State" religions upon their founding. Pennsylvania and Massachusetts come to my mind. Utah comes to mind. Pilgrims were considered to be a religious sect. That notion, and those constitutional foundations have since been repealed.

Bring us forward through the annals of our national history, and you arrive at the notion of religious liberty as it applies to virtually everything, and usually in a most negative way. The Catholic Church is excoriated for it's denial of child sexual assault while protecting the perpetrators from the world of Justice. Many Catholics now face the wrath of ignorance by those who tell them that being Catholic automatically implies their support of pedophilia. This is the cultural insanity that can originate in one wrong logical thought. Why bother having a dialogue about this, or any other religion-centric topic?

For the same reason we should come together, and reason together.  The American citizen is not asked which side should win. The American citizen is not asked who is right in the position they hold.

The American citizen is required to answer the question that asks "What is the best result for the citizen?"

If we can just come together with our different opinions and convictions, especially with the answer to this question as the basis (and limit) of civil discourse, there is much we can do. There is much we cannot do, issues we cannot reasonably arrest and force into the common marketplace of ideas, debate and discourse. But there are many things we can do. Having a reasoned, civil, respectful, honest discourse is something we can, should, and must do. We must determine that we will not flee to the extremes.

Even in conversations about religion.

Where Have The Blog Posts Been?

Interesting question. More interesting answer.

Note To Whom It May, or May Not Concern: 

You chose to allow me no respect, civility, courtesy or rational discussion on your blog. No problem. I'll do it on mine. Come and find me. Just remember, I know where you write, as well. It ain't over until I've had MY say, too. Deal.

I am, after some serious discussions with several different groups of individuals, corporations, national affiliations, etc., choosing to stand as a candidate for the Presidency, Board of Directors, Coffee Party USA. (I KNOW!) :)

Should I be honored enough to win this election, I will immediately be 2,847,091.06789st in the line of succession to the Presidency of The United States. So, I believe we're safe. No, I'm sure we're safe.

Because of that particular diversion of my life, the previous two PPTS shows have removed the show from the intended track just a bit.

A. Two weeks ago, the Acting President of the Coffee Party USA, Debilyn Molineau was my Special Guest. We spent the show discussing all things CPUSA from primarily her point of view. We talked of her plans and goals for the movement in the next two years, as well as her feelings of the accomplishments the Coffee Party has been able to achieve in the 2 months since her coming to the Board of Directors, having been appointed by a greatly reduced Board to the position. Mine was an offer to the Acting President of Coffee Party USA to face our membership, answer some important inquiries of concern to the organization's membership, and try to smooth some ruffled feathers within the membership.

Great show. No problem.

Last week, I invited several potential candidates to share the show with another potential candidate (myself), to perform together a bit of Kabuki theater. My idea was to have an educational experiment, whereby:

B. Potential candidates might seriously reflect upon the roles they would assume in the Coffee Party USA organization with a successful campaign and election. To that end, I believe most of the candidates did a superb job of genuinely considering the responsibilities and obligations of leadership, generally and within a fractured Coffee Party USA membership, specifically. There were some developments into particulars regarding current or future potential (or both) members of the board that came up, and I take full responsibility for every one them. It was not, as has since been falsely alleged, a "campaign ploy using Coffee Party USA Radio to further candidates in favor of other candidates". It was not "ill-conceived and unfortunate timing" by myself or anyone else, for that matter. Two things on that:

     1. We responded to questions from our audience about specifics. This was absolutely intentional. Having my Special Guests interact from the potential capacity as a sitting member of the Coffee Party USA Board of Directors was a specific educational intent of this particular show. I specifically informed my guests that, if a specific question arose, either from the audience OR the panel, it should be addressed by the person(s) whose position should most likely be responsible for handling it AFTER the election.

     2. I was on that panel, as well. I understood from the beginning that this might get "dicey" down the road, and spent many hours with many people arguing that the educational value for these potential candidates, and our general membership outweighed the potential for unnecessary drama from the ... anything.. After hearing all the arguments for and against, I went with "For" the motion. As much as this was an educational experiment for the potential candidates, I also wanted there to be a real sense of what it feels like for these candidates, now loosely confederated into some ethereal (at the time; it would concretize on this show!) entity loosely referred to as "The Civility Slate". The goal was to have real-time interaction to, and from our membership. Who are our members? What do they truly and passionately care about? I don't know, let's ask them--and listen intently to their response. They spoke, as did we, the potential candidates. We listened, as did they, the audience of PPTS. The experiment proved successful, purely on those grounds.

Not so good.

CPUSA pulled the show. CPUSA excoriated the show, myself and staff, the episode's panel--and the membership--on the (then) front page of the CPUSA blog. These actions were, according to Debilyn in a subsequent, and completely uncivil conversation on my part, the work of both Debilyn and CPUSA current Vice President Egberto Willies.

Both of these events were undertaken and completed without preamble or notice to me. I learned of them as I was preparing to leave for an emergency medical consult with my Physician. I learned of them as my Facebook page exploded in front of me. I stayed and dealt with it, and lawyers, and corporate Boads of Directors wanting some serious CPUSA financial blood. I'm dealing with the medical stuff still. I was angry then. I'm sore now. I'll most likely, at this particular point survive both. No problems. Moving on....

I own the show, not CPUSA.  It is the proprietary intellectual property of a corporation NOT CPUSA. It is my corporation's intellectual property, not CPUSA. Courtesy matters where I come from. Respect is due those who give their time, talent and treasure to your cause. Yadayadayada.

For some mysterious reason, the show suddenly reappeared. I had nothing to do with either occurrence. It disappeared, and reappeared. Again. It disappeared and has not, as of this writing, reappeared.

CPUSA used the blog post to refute the show, the candidates opposing them in the upcoming election, screaming of "unfair advantage" "incivility", etc. While I would have LOVED to respond with a Blog post of my own, I was not afforded so much as the courtesy of an opportunity to reply to that blog post. Evidently, I am persona non grata on the Blog. Time out for bad behavior. Please see item A above.

So, a potential candidate for the Presidency, Board of Directors CPUSA comes on my show, at my invitation and spends two hours presenting herself in every possible position, and it's all fine and good. "Her" camp approves. (By her own statements after the fact, just so ya know. It was honestly a tough show to host, and my guest stood in the face of an ill wind with considerable aplomb. She deserves credit for that, and I happily give what I can of it to her.)

C. We are all, as I write this, potential candidates. No applicant has been given that status of "Candidate" yet. HER candidate vetting committee is currently determining for themselves who will be found worthy to stand for the general membership to choose which candidates (that survive the vetting process) will be on the ballot. The deadline has passed (currently) for applications. The applications closed on the midnight, Hawai'i time following the show last Sunday. No more applications would be accepted. You didn't pay your membership dues until two days following the deadline for financial or other reasons? Sorry. Thanks for the bucks. Hope ya run next year. (Twice). Yeah, some of my Special Guests last week, in fact. Don't know, but haven't heard of any others.

Well, except the one person who my Special Guest from two weeks ago "supposedly" begged to run...yesterday. (Pease carefully note the quotes. This is nothing more than pure, unsubstantiated speculation--except for the email, the sworn testimony of the allegee, the eyewitnesses to the events and those immediately following the alleged incident, etc.) Are their others? Who knows? Only a few select persons (Members of the current BoD, and some 3 "volunteer members", one of whom was a previously paid employee of CPUSA, but I do digress...

Yus, I haz a sad. I'm sorry, does it show? Ignore, move along. Nothing to question here.

Ergo, the basis of why about 40% of the known general membership has been demanding for some time now that the current board step down.

Which is why I chose to run in the first place. Choice matters when you speak truth to power. Things change, or at least they can change. Silence changes nothing other than the irrational belief that there is now consent. If the membership of Coffee Party USA are willing to vote me to be the next President of our organization, it will be because I have earned their vote, I didn't buy it, or intimidate it, or promise in return for it. If I have not done so honestly and honorably, I should not be elected to this important (and volunteer) position. Nobody should. Ever.

Given that, in light of these and other difficulties over the past couple of weeks, the PPTS you know and love has gone forward to what will be, this coming Sunday, a continuation of our originally intended show's operation and investigation on "The War On The Poor: The Battle For Religion" (Part 2 of 3) PPTS is safely and permanently ensconced, once again, in our previous digs at Progressive Politics: Tennessee Style" (PPTS). The show will no longer, for at least the foreseeable future, reside or be a part of Coffee Party USA Radio Network. Why?

1. Call me names. Don't take my stuff. I don't like it when you take my stuff. Ever. Call it Hillbilly Privilege. Don't hurt my people. As in, stop hurting my people. People say that I'm not significant enough to worry about. They are probably correct. They are correct in the exact same way as when they say a Mother Bear is not significant to anyone threatening her children, the baby bears. Probably. Well, close at least. Close enough? We'll see.

2. In all honesty, whether or not I am "vetted" and allowed to stand as the opposition candidate for the Presidency of the Coffee Party USA, having my show on Coffee Party Radio Network in it's current form is simply lightening waiting to strike. I learned this last week, as well. It's not Conflict of Interest which worries me, although that has already emerged as an issue for some people. Some people have told me that do not listen because they do not care for the theme music. Some say that, while they love the show, they are hesitant to recommend it to others because of the first word in the title.

Simple. Problem solved. It's not about any "unfair advantage". One potential candidate got two uninterrupted hours with me. Problem solved. You will find that show here. You will no longer find that show there. Fairness for all concerned is only fair.

This election matters to many thousands of members and interested persons looking to the Coffee Party USA to be dispassionate arbiters of compromise. As it's potential President, one of the conditions of my candidacy (and every other person's candidacy, too!) is that my obligation as Candidate (if and when that happens) requires something of me that would be only marginally required otherwise as PPTS. Here, I'm not a freakin' public figger, for cryin' out loud. I'm just a Hillbilly with a big mouth and a microphone. Who cares?

As a leader of Coffee Party USA? Yeah, that's an equine of an entirely different hue! (A famous line from one of my novels.) The show's separation does offer a couple of distinct advantages in this regard. Candidates have been urged not to campaign at all until the official ballot is released. Great, if not hilarious. Yeah, right.

We'll see you right here, on Sunday, June 15th, 2014. We'll be on the air (and we'll STAY on the air!)

We'll see YOU there!

The Tennessee Progressive

The War on the Poor: The Battle For Reason (Part 1)

Since moving to the Coffee Party USA Radio Network, I have been seeking conversation regarding what is generally referred to as "The War on the Poor".

In order to offer insight on that War, I have spent several three-show blocks investigating some of the particular battlefields of this ongoing war. On our most recent show, I began another three-week block on the fifth (of eight) battlefield: "The War For Reason". This can be a quite dangerous battlefield to investigate, so my purpose is to travel slowly through as much of it as time will allow. 

As with each of the previous (and future) battlefields in this particular war, the concluding weeks of this series will bring all battlefields into the overall focus of this ongoing war. So, in order to truly understand and comprehend the conversations, I urge you to listen to the previous conversations. The ending general conversation will be built from the conversations around each battlefield. 

I must warn you that these posts will not recount the information given during the live show. As my sainted grandmother used to say, "I don't chew my cabbage twice!" There is a simple reason for this. My listeners will already have questions and comments for this discussion. We move forward from the show to the next show. 

As a brief recap, however (and in order to have these posts make some sense) I did explain the title: "The War For Reason" on the show. "Reason" in this context is not merely used to infer "excuse", but more specifically the term describes the nature of argument, or "reasoned discourse". I explained that, one of the most important demands of reasoned discourse is the necessity to understand some of the tools used in reasoned discourse--in the honorable art of reason itself. 

Because of time limitations, we will most likely not be discussing marketing, framing of argument, or public relations using either. But, I did tell my listeners that only using a few simple rules of reasoning, one could quickly identify some of the tools (and pitfalls) of any argument. I urged my listeners to look at, and work to understand the terms and basic rules of rhetoric: the art of persuasive argument/communication.

You can find a list of some forty-five terms of rhetoric here. I urge you to bookmark the page, and learn these few terms by heart.  By mastering them, you will begin to see both truth and (logical) fallacy jumping out at you as you read, see, or hear rhetorical argument in political life. And, rest assured, political life is absolutely filled with rhetoric. 

It's not a bad thing when used correctly. However, there are several false arguments (logical fallacies) commonly used within rhetorical arguments which, when used effectively, cause you to believe something absolutely false to actually seem (or to be) true. Learning these fallacies can only assist you IF your intent is to have reasoned discourse; to create a superior, honest and convincing argument--about anything. 

These are not difficult to understand, or hard to learn. In fact, I would guess that as you come into contact with these fallacies, obvious examples of them will jump into your mind. You will find the basic fallacies here. I like this list, because it very simply defines the twenty-four most common logical fallacies in use today. 

This is by no means a complete list, but a more encompassing list is not usually required. Again, I urge you to bookmark this page, as well. You can do further research as you decide on each type of logical fallacy. I can only tell you that well over 95% of the logical fallacies used today will be found in this basic list. 

That's a lot of "stuff", isn't it.?  That's precisely the point. 

Most who would disrespect you by offering a logical fallacy, a false argument or who would use an otherwise normal rhetorical tool badly actually believe you will not discover their arrogant and casual abuse through communication. In fact, they spend many millions of dollars to guarantee this.

I believe you will learn, and master these basics to create logical, powerful and convincing arguments for those positions you hold to be of the greatest value to you. Communication, conversation, discourse all happen at the speed of light these days; especially here. 

After you have done a little work on the terms and logical fallacies, I would urge you to use them (or distance yourself from them) by using the following topic to create a short, three-point argument which clearly, concisely, and convincingly states your position on the following topic:

"LET PEOPLE VOTE!"

AP Photo|Eric Shelzig

The generally accepted form of a three-point argument:

A. State the issue to be argued simply, clearly, and distinctly.

B. State each of your three points of argument. 

    1. Present three compelling statements for each of your three points of argument supporting your position. 

    2. Use the most authoritative sources you possible can, and footnote them at the end of  your written argument. 

    3. Links are generally best practice.

C. State your conclusion. Use your argument (strongest to weakest points above) in your conclusion.

 

The primary argument in favor (Proposition) says that voting is a fundamental right of citizenship, and must not be infringed by any person, system or device. Some would go so far as to say this is required for any reason, including felony conviction. "Outrageous attacks on the right to vote are underway all across America!" (From today's email).

The primary argument against (Opposition) says that we must clamp down because of rampant voting fraud, and voting by non-citizens. They say we must have the capacity to insure "clean elections". (Same source as above). 

The easier position to argue may at first seem to be the one you agree with. Form that argument first. For extra credit, after you form the argument you agree with, form the same type of three-point reasoned argument holding the opposite view. 

If you want, feel free to email me your argument and tell me whether or not you would like it to be used on the show next week. (Not required) If so, you will be credited. If not, your argument will not be used on-air, or in our chat room. 

We'll make our air available to you on Sunday, May 4th, 2014's show to present (and defend) your arguments. Have your research and resources at the ready! We will. :)

Moving Forward Together,

Bud Fields

The Tennessee Progressive

PS: The purpose of "reason" as it is meant in this fifth battlefield sense is to convince you that one and only one argument is the correct one.