Congressman Peter Meijers and Michigan Rep. Fred Upon Choice and its Implications

The very problem with politics is the group clan mentality that leads to pressure for people to choose based group norms and not their own conscious. Its important to respect Freshman Michigan GOP Congressman Peter Meijer and Michigan Rep. Fred Upon' right to choose based on what they believe is the right path forward. This isn't a judgement call about what they choose. 

It is helpful to remember that the ability to step out of one's social pressures to stand up for what one believes is a responsibility of our politicians. Looking back over history it was the failure of leaders to choose their conscious that led to all types of national/international calamities.

I understand that this is not how things work in the "real world" and I also understand how the "real world" nature of politics led to our capital being sacked and the continued decline of our great nation. It makes no difference what we believe and what we think the outcome should be in so long as we afford the right of "choice".

We vote by our party affiliations and we create pressure on people to vote one way or another (This isn't party specific). The problem is that as the details of the events unfold we will likely become aware of more information that may make us think twice about our choices (hindsight 20/20). Thus choice is dependent on information and rational decision making at a specific moment in time.

At present, we don't have all the details of what is happening which makes quick voting difficult also risky but it does not stop our politicians from making a choice base on their own personal experiences and values. Without all the details we have a choice of conscious by which people must "construct" the missing pieces based on recurring themes (You may want to read about neuroscience and the construction of ideas HERE as well as the construction of public opinion HERE). 

The root of bi-partisan decision making is that people have the right to choose based on what they believe is in the best interest of society. This isn't about whether one is a support of Trump or not; he is/was a mixed bag who existed within a national context. Leaders are often chosen based on broader environment factors in which they were elected (That might be a better place to find broad reaching solutions?🤔".

Democracy is about the right to choose based on one's personal beliefs. We voted for people to make decisions. Whether one agrees with their decision or not I can say that was their choice and I respect their integrity in the process. That doesn't mean that those who voted "no impeachment" are wrong; its a judgement call.

It only means that as a free democracy we must have people that are willing to choose based on what they personally believe. While we may generally follow our Republican or Democratic principles anchored to our party's perspective we are not bounded to always choose one way or another.

We do not want "yes men" and "yes women" in politics. They are to be our leaders (no matter how they vote.) We need them to work with their parties, opposing parties and come to a final conclusion they own for themselves. We are going to "own" our outcomes as a society so we should let our politicians make free choice.

If we are rigidly bounded then we are no longer free to choose and thus we can question the integrity of our politicians that are no longer free to make decisions they agree or disagree with. Do we have free choice and free elections or do we have something just a little less?

I may not choose impeachment or I may choose to impeach depending on what I think the intention was and the general needs of society. The point is that working within a party is very important to get things accomplished but there must be enough "wiggle room" to ensure it is free choice; it helps in societal trust.

The highest state of human development is when people choose based on their understanding of the world and their personal value systems. "Maslow summarized, they were perceptive, self-accepting, spontaneous, autonomous, empathetic, and creative. They always made up their own minds...." displaying independence and free will (You can Read some stuff about it HERE). 

Right, wrong, or indifferent they voted what they believe was important and they did their duty to society. I agree with their right to choose weather or not I agree (or disagree) with their choice. I have my own opinions but at the moment are not relevant. Where we will be a year from now will depend in part on the total sum of our choices as a society.  

President Trump Encourages Partisans to Not Engage in Violence

 The President discourages partisan groups from engaging in violence and encourages appropriate expressions of freedom. It is helpful when our elected leaders come out to create a uniform expectation that people should not engaged in violence. We all have the right to express our needs and views but we don't have the right to engage in violence. The central message of all of our political leaders, no matter which party they adhere, is that we have time honored methods of dealing with disagreement and we should use them....without punching, kicking and biting. 

Federal Reserve Bank Releases Economic Data - Mixed Economy

The Beige Book offers information on the state of economic affairs and is used by Federal Reserve economists and staff to assess economic conditions in the Federal Reserve Districts. It is helpful to watch these indicators because they can lead to insight into possible Federal Reserve policy changes and in turn investment prospects, economic activities, etc... 

If you are an employer you may look at this data to figure out wage and employment changes that help you make decisions as an employer. Businesses live within a broader economic system and as the system changes they will need to change their strategies in order to meet market needs. The Beige Book offers insight to economic change throughout the year. 

The U.P. is in the Minneapolis District: MAP

Minneapolis District economic activity increased modestly. Hiring demand increased, but contacts said health risks and other obstacles kept some workers out of the labor force. Holiday spending was better than many feared, but below last year, especially for small retailers. Commercial construction slowed, and the outlook remained weak. Agricultural conditions improved due to increased commodity prices and government aid.

The rest of Michigan is in Chicago District.

Beige Book January 13th 2021 

Congressman Bergman Releases Statement Against Impeachment

Times are changing and as a nation we must make tough choices that will close some doors and open others. One decision leads down one path and another decisions leads down another. It is important for use to listen to our leaders and understand what their experience and perceptions tell them. 

To impeach or not impeach is the question? I wonder if the process is as important/more important than actual impeachment. Regardless of a yaaa or naa vote what is most important is that the different stakeholders of society believe in the process and work within it. 

Press Release from Congressman Bergman. He represents the 1st district....... 

Bergman Releases Statement Against Impeachment

Washington - Rep. Jack Bergman issued the following statement: "The electoral process in Congress has appropriately taken place as provided by our Constitution and laws. With one week remaining before Vice President Joe Biden takes office, today’s move to impeach the President will certainly only further divide our Nation and undoubtedly delay or derail legislation that would help our constituents. "Let me be clear - as a Nation, we must address the issues that led to last week’s riot at the Capitol, and I will continue to unequivocally denounce these actions and all who participated in these riots. Today’s vote to impeach the President, without even a single hearing, is unprecedented and simply more of the same divisiveness - making no effort to heal our wounds. “It’s time for our Nation to move forward to find solutions to our problems, continue our efforts to protect our liberties, and build on our collective successes. The American people are frustrated, hurting, and tired of the nonsense seen every day in Washington - on both sides of the aisle. We must do better for the sake of our great Republic."

Standing Up to Hate-Good Can Still Come from Bad

Hate is dangerous mental exercise and leads people to engage in inappropriate behaviors. The people who relish in hate don't realize that its not always the target that gets hurt but the collateral damage to their children and their communities. I have seen the unremorseful activities of those who hate and realize you cannot appease people bent on being destructive but you can take the wind out of their sails (So they don't hurt themselves and others).  

It would be a wonderful world if we all self-reflected and had the strength to choose our own beliefs. There are a lot of people in this world who are unable to examine themselves and their world in a critical way.  

We saw this play out in our capital and we see this in our hometown communities. People build themselves into a frenzy and resort to violence and/or intimidation when they don't get what they want (not that they really know what they want😕).

Some of my readers probably know I was a target of a group engaging in hate based coordinated harassment (if we define it that way). Their behavior has shed light on some ways in which we can thwart such hate behavior (at a minimum we should be able to agree to this) in the future.

Group culture dictates that "outsiders" and those with differences are not welcome in their community. Behavior by group members quickly escalated because the target(s) do not immediately relinquish personal power. In other words, "backbone" and integrity can really threaten identities (the more distorted the identity the more the need for control).

Standing up to distorted beliefs is not a hobby for the faint hearted. People are not always happy to receive push back for inappropriate behavior. This becomes more of problem when the group has become accustomed to using aggressive tools to deal with other people in the community. 

Think about how handling conflict is a learned behavior. We learn from what we see in the world and how effective it was when successfully used power inappropriately. It takes time to learn a new tool and wielding it effectively (this is why we should avoid turning a blind eye.).

Radicalizing followers to engage in criminal activity requires distorting the truth. People don't get angry unless people they feel the target has done something wrong and violated some moral principle (i.e. the chants of the protestors at the capital and the threatening behavior of group members). 

The problem is that few people have first hand knowledge of facts leading to social construction of an inappropriate reality. The information they provided was distorted and designed to insight frenzied anger. The perpetrator knows why they are doing it and they know who will act without thinking (manipulation). 

The next time someone volunteers you information with half the truth, partial information, or doesn't appear to be logically consistent, you might want to ask yourself "Why?" If that person has a history of doing similar behavior or has some vested interested in the information then discard it as mostly useless.

What is most shocking is the breakdown of good moral conscious and lack of critical thinking of multiple people within that group. They gave all the power to decide for themselves who they are and what they believe to others who didn't have their best interest in mind. 

Members were purposely used and they don't see it! Their ability to be manipulated turned them into something resembling a hate group. 

It may be hard to stand up to groups of people engaged in dangerous and intimidating behaviors. Some of them I knew in childhood but most I don't. In turn, those people know nothing of me or my children to make any sort of accurate judgement...but that was an insignificant fact.

They acted because someone told them to act! Racial, religious, and distorted sports culture is easily exploited for someone else's personal and financial gain (This is why we must investigate the whole crime in its appropriate context to understand fully.)

As the smoke clears from our sacked national capital we now see how NOT dealing with these behaviors in school, parents, extended family members and and mental health providers leads to a certain kind of outcome.  We give signals to our society to let them know what things are important and what isn't. People then act on those signals (this is called social learning).

I had hoped that over time this group would learn that not all people who are different are "evil" (i.e. Blacks, Asians, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, etc.. ) and worthy of their coordinated harassment (intention was stated). I'm a rational optimist and very much desired for truth to sort of leak out of those who started the problem and better judgement would percolate to light.

What I found is that some members will never end their behavior or come to a greater level of maturity because they don't have that capacity. They are chained to their misperceptions for the rest of their lives and will not be stung by the light of wisdom and reason. Another way of saying their identities are pre-defined by their social groups and in turn their misperception of "superiority" can be easily challenged (a long term risk).   

I still think some good can come out of any situation. While my children were at an event one of the group members yelled out to them that their father was a "bitch". This was the same event an Arab school teacher was harassed and a local law enforcement member demanded to know if my cell phone was a gun (Using Markov modeling is it possible to figure out what the final outcome could be?).

Most people would be frightened by this attempt to ethnic cleanse their community and leave. I'm not intimidated because I know my greater responsibilities help them help themselves. Without effectively learning to deal with hate and difference we as a nation will not be able to grow and transition into something else (a better version of ourselves).  

Its important to challenge distorted beliefs when you can. I wonder if that person would be willing to do a live stream charity MMA match to raise money for abused children? Perhaps with appropriate legal and medical releases a gym to the north would agree (50/50 proceed split between charity and gym equipment). Such charity events could be a lot of fun, be a learning diversion to the group, and helps keep me on my fitness goals (just an idea 🤷)

I doubt very much the person will pick up the thrown glove because that would require personal accountability.  Walk the talk!  Most have no clue what they are saying or the impact it can have on children and other people in the community. In other words, bullies talk without facts because of their need to be liked by others (low self-esteem). 

The lesson you can take from this is that hate isn't rational and it won't end without strong law enforcement. They are part of the path forward! That law enforcement must be diligent to uphold our most cherished principles as an American people and maintain allegiance to the Constitution in which many of these essential values are rooted. Blind violence is not acceptable and we will need to learn as a nation to balance wisdom with power to turn a bad situation into a good one. 

My goal is to keep learning and sharing.  My children may have learned some new lessons about race relations in this country and the depravity of those who spread ignorance and hate. What would be nice is if there was a way to help these individuals critically think before resorting to violence, learn about the inherent value of human life, create healthier group dynamics so they do not pass their distorted beliefs from one generation to the next. 

 I wonder what their children learned? What did the community learn? This might be a good time to review our state hate crime laws to ensure they are in alignment with Federal and UN standards. If we can muster something a little better we might send a signal that Michigan is the place where a very diverse new generation can live, invest, and grow to improve their lot in life (this means they and the government can grow). Sometimes dealing with problems early and at a local level helps resolve these problems before they become a problem somewhere else (i.e. capital). 👀

We can always hope something will be learned!

Impeachment Vote in the House Live

No matter what you believe these moments are historic and it sets a precedence in how to handle situations like this. 

Mitch McConnel Seeks Purge-GOP at Historical Crossroads

Its an interesting state of affairs in our White House as GOP leaders and Trump loyalists line up. The conversation is likely going to influence perceptions of what it means to be a Republican. Are you a Trump loyalist or a Republican? For some these may be the very same thing and for others there is a growing difference. The impeachment vote will determine not only our next course of action as a party but it will also open up new risks/opportunities. 

No matter what happens with the impeachment we must consider whether ends justify the means. While many institutions need major reform they are nevertheless "agreed" upon by most members of society. GOP will definitely be different after this vote and do a little soul searching as to who we are going to be and where our essential values lay. 

If our lawmakers are going to represent their people they need to think beyond party to the essential needs of our nation; wherever their decision lands. It will be their decision to make and the consequences will be for everyone else. I pray and hope they think about what they are doing and have the wisdom to choose in the best interest of society.

The system can change and adjust and therefore can be imperfectly trusted. The world is changing the the dynamics of our nation are changing as well. We cannot ignore the grievance of the people who went to the capital but we should deal with that on a different day once peace is established (Tough family talks coming!)

If we do not uphold the constitution we are not able to make a connection back to our historical foundations as a nation and we would lose the value of our symbolism. The past and the future are colliding highlighting the need for more thoughtful leaders that are able to discuss fundamental issues without radicalizing their followers (i.e. both sides/contextual mirror reflections of each other🤯). 

We can't go back and change or adjust what happens in the past or this vote. We must make decisions with the widest stakeholders in mind as possible. The ends don't always justify the means. If you need a refresher in philosophy and history (Rich man's hobby and poor man's occupation) with the following article...

Does the end justifies the means ? Machiavelli gives a complex answer to this fundamental politic problem. 

Vote of conscious means that the voters must dig deep to determine what they actually believe as a person. They should be selfless in that vote and listen to their conscious and vote with what "feels" right (i.e. subconscious) to them. When they wake up the next day they will have to deal with themselves and their choices. History defines the present....and this is where politicians earn their bread. 

I'm sticking with my country! Its not perfect and sometimes its wrong! It does change and if our elected leaders are willing to work together and focus on building a great competitive nation we can do it!...or into the ash heap of history.

Words of wisdom from history “The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation” – Jeremy Bentham who influenced a line of thinking and perhaps moral decision making? 

Free Tax Preparation by AARP Tax-Aid at Escanaba Library

It is always nice to see organizations help people file their taxes and get themselves prepared. You can find more about the organization that is offering this free service www.aarp.org/tax-aide. People sometimes struggle with filing their taxes and maximizing their filing. If you don't have a trusted accountant you might want to sign up at the library for an appointment starting in February. 

906-789-7323

You can read about some of the details in the Daily Press HERE.

Happy Tuesday

 I'm not the greatest artist but I do think it is helpful for people to have the confidence to explore multiple interests and pursuits. It is limiting for people to be closed off to experience and exploration. It doesn't matter if your good or not!

Where Trump Could Be Helpful in Final Days of Office

 According to this clip on Fox News President Trump indicates he shares some responsibility. In light of growing threat of violent insurrection at our state capitals I think it would be helpful for the President to come out and discourage these groups from coming. It may do much to restore good faith with those who have become disenchanted. Sometimes leading can be difficult and one must think of the bigger picture. As our nation struggles to gain economic footing and competitive stance we need to integrate our society into a stronger sense of "wholeness".