My Intention for this BLOG on the subject of politics

 

I have always been fascinated with philosophy, spirituality, and sociology; to understand ourselves and our world and how we can reduce suffering and increase wellbeing. Wanting this, of course, leads to politics. The organizing power of people can encourage and support wellbeing for everyone.

Politics, for many, also leads to a struggle. There is the pain of sitting on one side of the political viewpoint and hearing the hateful tone and words from the other side. How do we create wellbeing while noticing this?

The Buddhists have an answer. Non-attachment.  Suffering, according the Buddhist tradition, is caused by our thoughts and desires and our attachment to them.  This attachment can be to a reality that is other than what we see, an attachment to an idea, a relationship, or thing other than what it is, etc.

Also, in the yogic philosophy, the practice of balance in all things adds to the likelihood of finding wellbeing -- eliminating the extremes, staying centered, non-violence in thought and deed.

And Jesus said, "But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also."

Since paying attention to politics sent me out of balance and caused me to feel stress, I’ve intended for a few years now to use this as part of my spiritual practice. Here is my intention:

1)      To see all views as valid.

2)      To forge an understanding of all sides

3)      To loosen my attachments to different viewpoints.

This does not mean I don’t carry my own opinions and vote. This just means I don’t feel emotionally off balance.  I have compassion and understanding for all views and am not affected by the vitriol that is thrown around by those who are unconsciously so attached to their own views that they cannot see any others.

My practice has created a shift within me. I sense new energy surrounding commerce and politics. I realize it isn’t obvious out in the world, yet. But it all begins with each one of us.

If you want to commit to this practice too, I invite you to follow my  Blog, The Evolution of Political Consciousness. It doesn’t matter where you are on the political spectrum. When we learn to listen to one another with love and understanding, we will be able to heal the societal landscape.

 

How to solve our most perplexing problems

 

(It feels a bit like Andy Rooney meets Oprah Winfrey)

 

1) Immigration. Let it be known that to stay in the US if you come illegally, you must give 2 years of service to your new country. Have congress create special units, teach them English, give them orders.

a. Give up citizenship to your old country. Dual citizenship isn’t allowed in the US military

b. Don’t want to join the military or do not qualify? Serve in another capacity.

 

Not only does our military need more soldiers and sailors, it would be a disincentive for others who are not serious about being a positive contributor to this country to come in the first place.

 

2). Get the cell phones out of our children’s hands especially while at our schools. There is no good reason to have them while in class and multiple reasons why they should not. It’s ruining their emotional wellbeing, causing dangerous consequences from predators, consistently a distraction, and taking away from nature, physical activity, social engagement and on and on. And teach civics, self-reliance, problem solving and life skills.

 

3) Realize what we are doing to half of the citizens in this country by not listening to them, shoving significant, new cultural changes down their throats, and then criticizing them endlessly. People don’t like change. Isn’t there a better way to foster personal growth and acceptance of diversity? The motives were good, but the methods of correction have stretched too far in one direction. Like an overextended rubber band, it is going to cause an over-reaction in the opposite direction. It has created the Donald Trumps of the world rising to be these people’s heroes and leaders.

 

4) For many years there has been an increasing war on men; in entertainment that includes humiliation, blame for every society failure, no credit for all the innovation, creativity, protection, loyalty, or formation of the most equitable form of government ever devised. From Jackie Gleason to Married with Children to Barbie, men have taken the brunt without complaining. Any human being benefits from recognition. It’s gone solely to the minorities and women for too long. This too is an over-correction. In correcting the inequity of the sexes, we seem to have demonized one and that should be curbed now. We must appreciate men too. What world are we bringing our boys up into?

 

5) Our tax code is incredibly complex, with layers upon layers of new rules piled on top of it with each new administration. Within the rules are conflicting laws, mesmerizing rules of qualifications for deductions, contributions, taxability of cash flows, ridiculously difficult for the average tax payer to understand themselves. Attempts to simplify it always fail. Let’s start with personal income, corporate returns will be more complicated, but should also be addressed next. An example, have simple exemptions for family members, with income tax brackets starting at an income of $35,000, more for a family. Flat income tax of 10% up to 100,000, 15% up to $200,000, 20% for up to $300,000. 30% for all over $400,000. A taxpayer making $125,000 would have an effective bracket of 10.25%. This should leave enough of a living wage with the taxpayers.

 

6) Now onto health care. I am a capitalist, however, as stated in a quote by Vaidya Brahmanand Swamigal, “Wealth earned from medical science is always contaminated as it comes from the suffering of others. Thus, it must be practiced with compassion and humility. Without greed and ego.” This presents a problem. We see, from other countries who have social health care, the downside: long waits for appointments, less motivation on the medical community, innovations lagging, those who can afford it come to countries like ours, which provide state of the art treatment and prompt care.

Yet, between Big Pharma and medical care, money runs the show. Treatments that are effective but bring little profit receive little attention, profits often run the care choices instead of what will bring more wellbeing to the patient. You can’t patent natural products, so those go unseen. We do need a new form of healthcare based on prevention, not waiting until symptoms become debilitating and then treating the symptoms instead of addressing the cause. Perhaps a tiered system from social medicine choices to for profit choices. But it isn’t quite there yet.