The Word Is "democracy"

 How to do it is the main objective, but it helps to know what it is.

            Democracy means government b the populace at large. You and I are part of a populace.

            In a democracy the power, authority, and doing is with and by the people. The people often being the citizens. As a member of the people, you have a lot of company.

            Democracy entails the participation of  ordinary citizens in their own government and is much more than just voting.

            A dictionary tells us that democracy is government by the people, especially by the social class considered the ordinary people. By us that has been considered government by the citizens of the country. As a citizen of a country considered a democracy or a democratic republic you are not doing your duty as a citizen their by voting. That is not governing. Voting can be a part of governance. Holding a public office is another part. Having a fulsome say I who your armed forces kill is another part. Participation in the nominating process is an important part. Participation in overcite of governmental doings is a big part of active participation in your democracy. Democracy must be done by citizens.

            Your dictionary may tell you that democracy is a mode of governance in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly. Government is done directly by the people. Perhaps you do not want the responsibility of governance. That's fair, but then it does not seem fair for you to say you want democracy. Of course there are degrees of democracy to choose from. As a citizen of a "free" country you are free to choose. 

            A democracy occurs when everyday citizens take responsibility for authority. They have the great advantage that they are many and that no one of them has to do everything. 

            Democracy seems proven to be too bothersome for most common people of America. But then even a republic seems to be too bothersome for many of them. Even the running of a republic calls for citizen responsibility.    

            It is very difficult for new citizens to know how to govern when they had grandparents did not teach their parents how to govern. Most schools, primary and secondary, have taught almost nothing about how to govern since a little after the second World War. The U.S. was becoming an empire and it is hard for an empire to be a democracy. It is difficult for an empire to be a republic. It is not easy for new citizens to govern themselves in such a situation. It is still possible. Our Constitution still allows for much self governance.

            There is still much about governance online for those who would learn. There is information about citizen governance, social governance, republican governance, democratic governance, self governance, and more. It may be good to have in mind that those who choose to take no active part in their governance have taken a step toward and there is less use now for even a good slave.

            My newer dictionary says that a democracy is based on democratic rule. It does not make the nature of democratic rule very clear. It may be something like fair and effective rule together. It could be rule be citizen activity wherein each citizen has equal opportunity to participate in rule. I like to use the word "governance" rather then the word "rule." This same newer dictionary also says that democracy is the principles of social equality and respect for the individual in a community. This book does little to clarify this. We can figure it out pretty well, even if we have to recheck the meanings of a few words.

            Interesting stuff. There seems to be a lot more to be learned about democracy and how to do it. Well we have heard that "practice makes perfect." Well it does seem that practicing the doing of something does often seem to help us get better at that doing. We can practice some governance. We could practice some self governance together. We could practice governing ourselves. We could choose to practice democratic self governance together in any way we choose. If we wanted to we could to choose to look alternatives to democracy. We could choose to try find out why so many have been interested in democracy for so long. We could try to find out what the values they saw in it were. We could look for examples of well working democracies today.

            The idea of democracy is active in the minds of many people of the USA from the very beginning. They chose to begin with a republic. Why? We could choose to find out how a republic is well done. We could learn something about how a government is kept going well. We could find out how to do a government well for the most of its members. We could find out more about what makes for good results from governance.

            Could democracy in a group or organization for learning help that group be successful? Why has it been thought that a republic is more practical than a king? Why has it be considered that a democracy is better than one man rule or oligarchy? Why might self governance by yourself be an important aid to self care.

        It seems that when we feel the need to learn something, there is plenty to learn. It is possible to learn together. Democracy might help us learn together better. Now, what are some of the main principles of democracy?

        

            You could suggest a simple improvement for this little and help me correct my errors. You can use the "comments" section just below.

            Thank you for reading.

                                                                Richard S

Schooling Around You

             Here I write with our public schools in mind, but the writing may also apply to most learning opportunities in the republic and to the culture we pass on to the children, youth, and all of us.

            For example each citizen of the republic has some direct responsibility for the schooling the of the children and youth around us. Such schooling benefits each as well as those being schooled. The better that schooling the better the benefits for all of us. To fulfill that responsibility we need to maintain among us a useful understanding of our citizenship, an up to date concept of the doings of  a republic, and a knowledge of the kinds of schooling we want to share among us. 

            Among some of us the word ''schooling" is becoming a "bad word" much as the word "politics" has. A politic is a way of governance. It is up to us to choose the best ways for our governance. We can choose very bad politics, but that does not make politics bad. We can choose very good governance, very good ways of taking care of ourselves, we can each politic we choose an excellent one. Schooling is much like that. Schooling has meant imparting the best ways of doing life that we know. There exists bad schooling but that does not make schooling bad. We have the power of choosing good schooling, and better schooling, and to aim to have the best schooling we can.

            Much good schooling has been done in homes, by parents, grandparents,

siblings, friends, and neighbors. Still some schooling is best done by experts we choose.

            Where we are citizens of a republic we have responsibility for much of what our children and you learn and that which we ourselves learn. And we and the those who come after us certainly benefit from that learning. In our republic each and every one of us has some responsibility for the learning of our children and youth. Paying taxes does not fulfill that responsibility, seeing how those funds are used might. You and I and our fellow citizens have responsibility for the quality of our future citizens. The quality of our citizenship and the quality of our lives depends much on our learning. That learning can be strongly supported by the schooling available to us. We are many so the doing of our schooling need not be burdensome. We may accept the benefits of the schooling around us with pride.

                When we are parents of children and adolescents we often become more aware that our responsibility for their education is more than legal and moral. It is vital for the quality of our culture. It affects the very survival of our culture and species. We often become more aware that we are all responsible for the improvement and maintenance of our society and culture. When the people of that society and culture do not fulfill that responsibility, God help us. A society or culture can die. Some times that death can come quickly. Let's remember that we are the ones to see that the best of our culture is passed on to our offspring and the carriers of our culture.

                We know that culture is more than something found in a museum. Our culture is all that we are not born with. It is all that we experience, learn, understand, remember, and more. We also know that our common culture is all that makes us a people.

                There is a world of practical doings to consider. One of these is assuring that we have competent and appropriate observers of our schools report to us. We must find, train, and keep eyes on observers whom can be well trusted by us and who deal well school officials. And, also who do not interfere with the instruccion they observe. We must also observe school administration. Then we need to support those who help us to interpret the information gathered and then to report our findings.There is plenty for active citizens to do, but we are many and help is available. If we need a boss, we can choose her.

                We can help teachers to obtain that which they need to do their job. That help could include helpful ongoing education for them, small enough class sizes, helpers for them and their students, appropriate help and support from parents and others. what happens and what is done in our schools is up to us and we could use ongoing education for ourselves. It is great that there are so many of us.

                It is up to us together to decide how we want our schools to be. We need to have their purpose well in mind. We may have to school ourselves in that sort of decision making. We do not want to be the responsible many, but want to be smart too. How do you want that particular school near you to be? What is it important for the students their to learn. We may decide how we want the lives of our children, our youth, and ourselves to be, what we want to learn, and what we need to learn. Perhaps there is more to learn about learning to learn! 

                We need  to show up for our governance of our education and that of our children. 

                There is little that we have to do on our own. Our common governance needs to be handled by us together or we may end up in a very unpleasant place in deed.

                We need to show up for the decisions as to what our youth and children are to taught and how that teaching is to be done. We do not have to do this alone. In reality it It may have to be done together. Of course when it is for us it is best done with our participation. We are free to consult with our teachers, our neighbors, our youth, and the best experts available, but we need to show up.

                                                                                            RCS

    

            

Just Getting Together

Common action is better when more common.

We can learn more, do better, and enjoy the learning and doing. We can each be our own Queen or King and be sovereigns together as much as we want. We can pleasantly beat them at our own game. We can learn to use our own Magna Carta and Bill of Rights and better enjoy our days.

                                                                                                            rcs 

Start Your Life as an Active Citizen

 You can start or restart your life as an active citizen by taking one or more of the following actions. 

 

More may be better, but not necessary.

Consider:

~ making an opportunity to attend a couple of meetings of a civic organization.

~ learning a little more than just a little about your county government.

~ keeping politically humble, curious, and modest.

~ joining a political party. Its OK to change parties.

~ registering to vote in a primary election. It can be interesting to register as a party member.

~ learning about the nomination process for running for a public office.

~ getting a better understanding of an issue, policy, plank, or specific bill.

~ learning from a civic or political mistake.

~ contacting the office of a specific office holder and asking what his or her position is on an issue which interests you.

~ asking to help in a person's run for office.

~ calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard and telling them your zip code. They will transfer you to the office of your Representative.  

~ telling your your Representative's representative what is on your mind: ask your question or what it is you want of him.

~ writing to the office of your Senator. Check on line to see how to spell his name. Address your letter to him in care of the United states Senate, Washing to, DC 20515.

~ Writing to your Congressman/Representative by name at the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington DC 20515.

~ sitting quietly for a while and letting what you have learned work itself around in your mind. You may be beginning to cook a bit politically. 

~ that "political" and "politics" are not bad words. Check their extended meanings in a dictionary or online.

~ remembering that nobody and no one has to be politically active all the time.

~ finding a friend who seems to be politically active or civically interested. Talk with her or him about civics or issues and like that.

~ checking the kids civics lessons and remembering your humility and modesty.

~ attending meetings of your city council or your local school board. Its OK to just listen and watch.

~ keeping your sense of humor and having some fun as you remember that a civic organization can have powerful effects on the society in which you live.

These suggestions are directed to US citizens, but most of them may be adapted to your country.

Thanks for reading, citizen!

 

                                                                                                                        RCS 

Positive Actions: Big actions are okay

 Governance With RCS: Big Actions Are Good For Us

                This post is mostly for U.S. citizens. It is about positive actions a citizen may take.

                If you are not an American citizen, this post could spark an interesting thought or two. Or lead you to explore this blog.

                Go to a political party meeting. You can sit in on local party meetings and consider doing so as a learning experience for you. Look and listen. Listen. Check online, at your local Post Office, or Library for a meeting time and place.

                Before you speak or even raise your hand at a meeting, learn the county and state party party by-laws for that party. You could even read a copy of Robert's Rules of Order. Then with few friends you can politely and powerfully take control of a meeting or of an entire local party. Party rules and by-laws can be found online. Read those rules and by-laws and get to know them.

                Before you can complete all of the above you may be asked to join a party. Parties are usually easy to join and to unjoin.

                Start preparing to run for office next year. Yes you. Run for school board, city council, county treasurer, U.S. Senate, member of Congress, governor, Secretary of State, or dog catcher. Dog catcher may no longer be an elective office in your county.

                Run for office. All there is to it is to do it. Still it is good to do some learning along the way.

                Make a tiny plan right now.

                Rise up and do it. You could talk to a friend about it. It is often best to begin taking steps for yourself right now.

                One year, definitely do run for precinct delegate. Every precinct in America elects delegates from each party. You may be selected to attend a national party convention to nominate the presidential candidate. Consider it a learning experience. Nomination may be a bigger deal than voting.

                Thank you for reading.

                                                                    rcs 

People Power Plus

 Governance With RCS: People Power: Change is important.  Effective social doings call for communal knowledge, collective understanding.

 

                I find that when we use the terms "people power" or "power to the people" that we often have a fuzzy understanding of the concept involved. This unclear understanding can be of tragic danger to a people. At times, these phrases seem to have been a call to revolution. From time to time that call has been answered with thought to the fact that revolutions are unpleasant for many and that their aftermath is often long suffering.

                Change is. It is important and necessary, often pleasant and healthy, and seldom revolting. 

                In revolution there is too often too little planning and agreement among us for what is to come next. With revolution comes the need to clean up the nasty mess it causes. after the clean up, is the need to build the new order. That need calls for the common understanding of the plan for doing that building. People are often left with no agreed upon plan and few resources; they are at a loss for what to do!

                Revolution can turn out to be repugnant, revolting, sickening, and deadly for too many. A high cost. Revolution has seldom been a good plan. It has sometimes been worse than no plan.

                When we want "what is to come next" to be better than what we have now deserves some thought. We need to consider carefully what it is that we want and are out alternatives for getting it. At the very least, we need to consider that much. To be a "we" we need to agree, we need a common understanding of the nature of our common want. We need to carefully consider our alternatives and choose one as our agreed on common way forward. That way may or not be revolution.  

                We see change; happening is change and doing is change. Doing is less frequent. Doing is done on purpose, it is done consciously. It takes effort to learn to do effectively. We do learn to do effectively and we can learn from our doing. observation helps. Its good to know that we do learn.

                For long, many Americans many Americans have been pleased to vote and to "throw the rascals out" when our representatives displeased us. We used our vote to do that. We have begun to learn that voting is not enough. We have been slow to provide candidates to vote for.We have been slow to take part in the nomination process. We have  organized to do so from time to time, but have failed to teach our children how to do so. We have proven to be to easy to disorganize. Some of us are practicing organization again, but we have forgotten many of the basics. We still have not lost all of our co-operation skills.

                We see that there seem to be plenty of "new rascals" to take place of the "old rascals." Too many of us are unsure of what to do about that an to be unsure of why that happens. 

                The designers of our Constitution knew a lot about the whats and whys of governance. They also paid a lot of attention to the  hows of governance. They condensed much of what they learned and knew into the Constitution we adopted as our Constitution. Some of us participated in that process and learned that the key to working the Constitution was participation. Many wise men over a couple of hundred years admired that document as a practical and beautiful way for us to learn to govern ourselves by practicing the ways it laid out. They saw it as a way to much more. For example: as a way to democracy and a way to adaptive governance. 

                The people of Venezuela seem to have found that voting is not enough and not only "threw the rascals out" but also "threw the baby out with its wash water." They let themselves get so exasperated that they threw out to much of the old with little consideration how they would institute the new they would need.

                I have some memory of the overthrow of the U.S. surrogate leadership in the in the Philippines. The people of those islands decided it was time for a change and chased our man, Marcos, out to U.S. shores. A change was made, but the Philippine people were not prepared to handle the results and had not agreed on useful alternatives. The results are history.

                Those 1980s happenings in the Philippines provided little learning for most of those effected. A certain few Americans gained some advantage. Most Americans did not know what happened and did not  notice their loss. A very few Philippine individuals felt a little advantage, others felt some satisfaction at seeing Marcos leave the islands, most experienced very little change and no advantage.

                To make beneficial changes in governance, an understanding of  the present government helps. A wide understanding of common wants and needs is also a help. Another help, which calls for some learning and experience, is knowledge of the kinds of governance available to mankind. A great understanding of the governance of the state and government with which one is most familiar may be vital. We benefit by learning to justly, legally, and effectively use our actual government.  

                Power with no action is no power at all. That may be good because there are some powers worse than others. Most agree that a power used for good is the better power. Power can be very good when it is handled with skill and understanding. The greater that skill and understanding the better the chances are for a good result. We each have the power to improve both our understanding and our skill. We need the will to learn and to practice the basics of civil co-operation.   

                All of us can benefit by each of us developing a better understanding of democracy among us. 

                As for people power, its power may be measured by the will of the people to govern, and of their understanding the nature of governance, A good source of understanding is experience. Experience can include organizing for action and education. Such experience may also be gained in the practice of politics, civics, social co-operation and most democratic social activity. Knowledge of the workings of ones actual government may be vital. Knowledge of the laws and systems of your government is important. That is a clear understanding of the workings of your present government is important to any success. Details are important, but a clear overall  vision of the governance is often more powerful. So, in the USA, the ongoing improvement of your understanding of the meanings to be found in the Constitution, the more powerfully effective you may be. Frequent quotations from that document are seldom helpful.

                When one is active the ongoing clarification of plans and goals may become critical.

                A good beginning for an active citizen is showing up. Also the practice of associating oneself with clear, realistic, appropriate goals and plans can go far in keeping one out of difficulties.

                People power, in the hands and heart of those who show up to participate, listen, learn; and then to act with love and respect for themselves, their body politic, and humanity in general, has a great chance for being strong, enduring, and good. 

                Your deepening understanding, of democracy and the will of the good people around you, can give you effective strength.

                Satisfaction can be found in co-operation with to practice governance of one's self and in co-operating with others in your common governance.

                Thank you for reading. I appreciate comments to the contents of this post.

 

                                                                RCS 

                                                                                      Here's More !                                      

Governance With RCS: revolution and people power             

                 Most attempts at revolution fail due to lack of understanding of the ways and means of rule. A grave lack is, failing to achieve consensus of what to do after the "bad guys" have been deposed. This is often due to lack of will to use communication skills to better advantage. An ongoing inclusive dialogue seems called for.

                Often a resolution is mounted by a coalition of parties. Once the oppressive rulers have been deprived of power, members of the coalition parties lack sufficient skills at cooperation with and compromising with the other groups. So, governance relapses into a state of sickness.

            It also seems worthwhile to consider that, that which begins in killing often does not go forth well.

                Comments on content are welcome.

                                                                                                Richard

 

Universiry of California at Berkeley

Governance With RCS including: Californians, people, citizens, governing, education, university, Land Grant College

 

                It appears that most Californians no longer think of the University of California as our university.  If that is the fact, I am sure that there is a very good reason for them to think so.

                Californians now, it seems, think so little of their university that the now give it very little support emotionally, intellectually, or financially. For the first time in the history of the University, private philanthropy contributes more to it than do the people of the State.  I am grateful that such help is available. However, I also see it as another case of giving to the 1% that which once belonged to the people.

                Once, our plan for the University was that it not only be an engine that fueled the economic prosperity of California, but also an institution that developed citizens capable of governing the State and to help govern the Nation.

                Where we once were willing to pay for for the education of  students who were able to govern as well as to produce wealth, we are now putting our governance into the hands of those few parents who can afford to pay for a great education for for their offspring now and to those certain powerful organized private parties with a great accumulation of wealth.   

                What is the status of U of C at B as a Land Grant college?

I love suggestions, comments, and interesting information.

 

 

                                                                RCS

 

Citizenship?

 Governance With RCS:It seems that there is a lot to learn about this citizenship business; for US it is active citizenship and self governance.
            

                If someone asks me how I use my school district I might say, "I don't go to school? That ask me how other people use it and I might answer, "Your guess is as good as mine."

                If that same bothersome person asks me if I'm interested in water, I might say that I sometimes drink it and often bathe bathe in it. The person may ask me where my water comes from. I might answer, "doesn't come from the lake? He might ask me how I use my water district and I may say, "What's a water district? 

                If that same person ask me if I vote, I might say yes. If he asks me how I use my electoral district, I might say, "Huh?"

                If I ask you what your favorite planks are, how would you answer me?

                Are we good citizens? What kind of citizenship are we practicing? What's citizenship?

                Does our electoral district do things with our votes?

                Who's in charge here?

 

 

 

                                        RCS 

 

Test Questions:

1. What's the difference between a salamander and a gerrymander? 

2. What is it that is being gerrymandered?

3.What is the purpose of an electoral district?

4. What is proportional voting?

5. What is semi-proportional voting?

Place answers, additional info, questions related to content in the "comments" section below.

          

           

An Active Citizen

You can restart, or start, your life as a active citizen by taking one, or more, of the following steps. More, may be better.

Consider:
1. what an active citizen can do to help his/her school district, town, city, state. You might start at you local library. 
2. keeping politically humble, curious, and modest.  
3. making an opportunity to attend a couple of meetings of civic organizations.
4. Joining a political party. It is Ok to change parties.
5. registering to vote.  It can be more interesting to register as a party member.
6. Getting a better understanding of issues, policies, planks or a specific Bill.
7. Contacting the office of a specific office holder and asking  what his or her position is on your issue of interest.
8.  calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard and telling them your zip code.  They will transfer you to the office of your representative. Tell your Representative's representative what is on your mind; ask your question or say what it is you want. 
9. writing to the office of your Senator. Check out how to spell his name online. Address Your letter to him at United States Senate, Washington DC 20510.
10. Writing to your Congressman/Representative by name at United States House of Representatives, Washington DC 20515.
11. Sitting quietly for awhile and letting what you have learned work itself around a bit in your mind. You may be beginning to cook a bit politically.
12. Remembering that no one has to be a full time politician all the time.
13. Finding a friend who seems politically knowledgeable or civically interested, and  talk civics or issues of governance and like that.
14. watching/attending meetings of your city council or of your local school board.

15.Keeping your sense of humor and having some fun as you remember that political actions can have seriously important  consequences.

Thanks for  reading citizen!


by Richard Sheehan
for you