Common Sense: Rule of, by, and for the Common Man?

  What happened to the teaching of civics and government? Are parents doing the teaching? Is it really true that we are no longer willing to govern ourselves? Has democracy just become a waste of time. Do we really love becoming serfs and slaves? Why are we unwilling to take responsibility for our own governance? My whom do you expect to be governed.

What does government mean to you. If you don't do it yourself its them that does.

You can be ready, willing, and able to govern democratically if you decide to. There is some learning and enough help and cooperation if you look for it, but does it make sense? What are the likely results of abdication?

                RCS

Organization: What's to like in yours?

 We know that organization increases our power enormously. We know that our organization informs us and educates us well.

We are capable of forgetting the pleasures and satisfactions of organization. I expect the pleasures and satisfactions I am recalling just now will not be the same as yours. Even so, among mine you may find one or two of yours.

I have an interest in ad hoc organizations and those of longer term. Below are are many of my personal likes, of the moment, in organizations. Among mine you may find one or two of your own.

An organization which attracts me often has:

~ members who feel connected, involved, and respected.

~ the motive of helping me an others to thrive.

~ a clear understanding of costs an benefits.

~ members who promote widespread participation and responsibility.

~ members who embrace reality and who are willing to approach the truth.

~ members who value honesty and justice.

~ a mission I find valuable and pleasing.

~ plenty of talk in which all participate.

An organization which pleases me is one which:

~ which keeps me in the information loop.

~ most members feel well connected with leadership.

~ makes very clear who pays how much and who gets what.

~ moves in the direction of democracy.

~ tends to be inclusive.

~ tends to safeguard that which I value.

~ includes those who study and promote actions good for me and others.

~ advocates and protects people and processes important to me.

~ promotes dialogue which leads to appropriate action.

I find an organization congenial when it includes:

~ teaching the process of organizing.

~ the process of advocating and protecting me.

~ objectives very like my own.

~ individuals I like and respect.

 I expect to post more on organizing and organizations here.

Right now and just below were it says "comments," note a like of your own or question me on one of mine. It is easy to do so anonymously if you so wish,

A Little List (for the political)

Governance With RCS: Many in the U.S. are considering brand new political organizations on a wider than usual scale.

                They want organizations capable of working with large numbers of active citizens effectively. They are expecting wider participation in self governance. They want to do that which effectively furthers their aims right now.

    

                We might analyze those aims into organizational aims and platform aims, but here here I will just offer a first draft of a "to do" list. It seems OK to call our organization political for now.

To Do Now:

* Restate clarified (party) goals and aims.

* Arrange to have each member help in achieving those goals.

* Arrange to take care of all business promptly.

* Arrange for the ongoing education of all members.

* Make each member an educator.

* Keep in mind that teaching one another is important. Outside help is seldom as good as that which you do for yourselves.  

* Demonstrate abundant and appropriate trust for each member.

* The fewer secrets the better and "no secrets" is the best policy.

* Be inclusive. Help anyone who wants to be a member to be a member.

* Let each member know that he or she is in building and maintaining the organization, its philosophy, and its doings.

* Lay out clear steps for important and doable goals of your organization.

* One goal must not only be important and doable , but also a truly  attractive, challenging,  big deal. 

* Set out two or three goals to be worked on today. You want an organization where there are happenings right now.

* Every member needs a job they can do right now.

* Make clarifying the "grand vision" of your organization an ongoing activity. (Learning and teaching participatory, democratic, self-governance would be an attractive"grand vision" for me.

* Aim to govern yourselves by practicing self governance. Begin with teach-ins.

* A big enough vision for a brand new political organization might be "Govern ourselves and help others to govern themselves.

May you find that your consideration of my early hints lead you to thoughts of your own organizational plan and action. I wish you active citizenship.

Many in the U.S. are considering brand new political organizations on a wider than usual scale.

                They want organizations capable of working with large numbers of active citizens effectively. They are expecting wider participation in self governance. They want to do that which effectively furthers their aims right now.

                We might analyze those aims into organizational aims and platform aims, but here here I will just offer a first draft of a "to do" list. It seems OK to call our organization political for now.

To Do Now:

* Restate clarified (party) goals and aims.

* Arrange to have each member help in achieving those goals.

* Arrange to take care of all business promptly.

* Arrange for the ongoing education of all members.

* Make each member an educator.

* Keep in mind that teaching one another is important. Outside help is seldom as good as that which you do for yourselves.  

* Demonstrate abundant and appropriate trust for each member.

* The fewer secrets the better and "no secrets" is the best policy.

* Be inclusive. Help anyone who wants to be a member to be a member.

* Let each member know that he or she is in building and maintaining the organization, its philosophy, and its doings.

* Lay out clear steps for important and doable goals of your organization.

* One goal must not only be important and doable , but also a truly  attractive, challenging,  big deal. 

* Set out two or three goals to be worked on today. You want an organization where there are happenings right now.

* Every member needs a job they can do right now.

* Make clarifying the "grand vision" of your organization an ongoing activity. (Learning and teaching participatory, democratic, self-governance would be an attractive"grand vision" for me.

* Aim to govern yourselves by practicing self governance. Begin with teach-ins.

* A big enough vision for a brand new political organization might be "Govern ourselves and help others to govern themselves."

                May you find that your consideration of my early hints lead you to thoughts of your own organizational plan and action. I wish you active citizenship.

                                                                                                            by Richard Sheehan

Why Can't a Third Partty Take Off?

A third party may be best at popularizing new planks and new platforms.
Third party members do gain office. However, their most important function may be to educate voters.
.

Little "d" democrats

Governance With RCS: Democrwatic tendencys in the not so distant past in the good old US of A.    

                   In the distant past there were democrats. There were democrats in the recent past. There are still some democrats. A democrat might be thought of as a person who believes in people and in their ability to learn and do. I know little about what democrats are doing at the moment. I do have a sharp memory of that which some democrats did in my lifetime.  

                Democrats have tended to promote certain doings. Some of  those doings tended to be definitive of their beliefs.

Democrats have promoted:

~ enhancement and protection of democracy among us.
~ the study of legislation affecting democracy.
~ vigorous ongoing education about the use and doing of democracy.
~ improved communication among political parties and within them.
~ development of widespread leadership rather than super leaders.
~ enhanced education for participation in governance.
~ cooperative self-governance.
~ willingness to thoughtfully and promptly change a bad law for the better.
~ strong respect for our laws.
~ inclusivity  and diversity in public life.
~ cooperation within and among groups.
~ knowledge of the history of democracy including it's  limitations and advantages.
~ respect for the varieties of democracy around the world.
~ our Constitution and it's Bill of Rights.
~ our national Bill of Rights.
~ loving care of each and every child.
~ respect and honor for the individual, the family, and the neighborhood.
~ more nearly equal opportunity for access to healthcare for each person.
~ strong support for public health.
~ respect for and support of the position of minorities.
~ wide, ongoing educational opportunities for all.

                The above could suggest planks for the platform of a present party or candidate.


                                                                                  by Richard Sheehan

There Are Still Some Real democrats

Governance With RCS: There Are Still Some Real democrats: Why the little "d" in democrats?

                In the distant past there were democrats. In the recent past there were some democrats. And, there are still some democrats. A democrat might be thought of as one who believes in our ability to learn and to do. I know little about what those who call themselves democrats are doing now. I do have a sharp memory for much of that which democrats have done in the past.

                I hope you understand that I am not using the word “democrat” to refer to a member of a political party, but rather to one who holds a certain philosophical position. A Democrat can be a democrat, but she doesn’t have to.

                Democrats have tended to promote certain doings. Those doings have tended to be definitive of their beliefs.

Democrats have promoted:

~ improved communications within political organizations and among them.

~ enhancement and protection of democracy among us.

~ the study of legislation affecting democracy.

~ vigorous ongoing education about the use and doing of democracy.

~ development of widespread leadership rather than super-leaders.

~ enhanced education for participation in government.

~ cooperative self-governance.

~ willingness to thoughtfully and promptly change a bad law for the better.

~ strong respect for the law.

~exclusivity and diversity in public life.

~ cooperation within and among groups.

~ knowledge of the history of democracy, including its limitations and advantages.

~ respect for the varieties of democracy around the world.

~ our Constitution at its Bill or Rights.

~ loving care for each and every child.

~ respect and honor for the individual, the family, and the neighborhood.

~ more nearly equal opportunity for access to healthcare for each person.

~ strong support and oversight for our public health systems.

~respect and support for the position of minorities.

~ the practice of better dialogue.

~ wide, ongoing educational opportunities for all.

~ honesty.

This list can be greatly improved. However, there is already enough here to suggests planks for the platform of a present political party or candidate, or, a new party and candidates.

 

 

by Richard Sheehan

 

Noam Chomsky on Democracy

More public participation. More choice. I can participate. What is our present method of effective participation in governance? The less participation the less democracy. The more participation the more democracy. Let's be certain of the meaning of "democracy."

Noam Chomsky on Privatization

Governance With RCS: Putting our public resources into private hands

                                             

Moving public property to the hands of very few private hands. Why do the 99% still want to transfer more of their cash and resources to the 1%???. please enjoy  another video right here. Look for hard to find videos here.
Privatization is putting our public resources into private hands.

                                                                    RCS

Habeas Corpus

 

Our U.S. Constitution was written with the Common Law in mind.

You may find the Common Law worth learning about online. 

You may want to know and support more of common law.

Habeas Corpus is an important part of our common law. It has important ramifications. Recently I was reading online of some of the more important details of Habeas Corpus. Let me repeat just one below.

Today, the Common Law's ancient writ of Habeas Corpus is one of our most important defenses against tyranny. Tyranny is a bad word you can enjoy reading the extended meaning of online. 

By issuing a writ of habeas corpus a judge or court may compel those holding a prisoner, to produce that prisoner and to prove that they have legally incarcerated the individual. When that prisoner is friend or family it is best that the judge be our judge and the court our court.

Note that when I use the word "our" above, we have claiming and supporting to do.

We really have a lot to learn. I am willing to learn more about habeas Corpus, our constitution, the Common Law, the growth of tyranny, our judges and courts.

I have already learned much of what my old aunt told me more than once: "Use it, or lose it"

by Richard Sheehan

Governance: Organization, Effective Citizenship, and the Power to Do

 Governance With RCS: Organization, Effective Citizenship, and the Power to Do

               

                 Your organization can make you a more effective citizen. There seems to be a new or renewed urge toward new political organization and active citizenship these days. Many of us have a growing understanding of democracy. We see that more active citizenship brings more democracy.

                A new organization is much like an old organization. It takes people to organize, but many of those organizing are new not old. Persons new to organizing, especially political organizing, have a lot to learn. Their energy and enthusiasm will be an important aid to their progress. 

                An organization may have a beginning in individual minds, but its realization will be in a group. A group of people is most often a mess and a mess of people is not an organization. To become an organization there are doings such a mess of people must do. They can begin with a bit of togetherness and continue with a growing ability to cooperate. 

                Agreement that a new organization is necessary or a darn good idea can be a useful beginning. Agreement, perhaps tacit, to work together can be another important step. Finding ways to cooperate is important. Old organizers found many ways to facilitate cooperation.

                Soon the purpose of the organization must begin to be identified and clarified. Clarification of purpose is an ongoing process and activity. This may often be begun by a small group of leaders, but must be carried on by many others.

                Say that the original growing group is made up of citizens who have discovered that they want a brand new political organization. They have some willingness to work together. The also have understandings and misunderstandings to work out. A lot of work.

            

Do less yourself and let others do more

                Members of this very new organization need to maintain an ongoing understanding of the aims, values, and wants of others in the organization in so far as they affect the organization. Not easy, but important to their ability to increase their effectiveness.

                An important benefit of an organization is that which needs to be done, need not be done by one or a very few, but rather can be shared among and by all members. In fact the more involved with the important work of the organization that are all members, the better the moral and effectiveness of the organization is likely to be. 

                The members of a well functioning group can feel themselves to be effective doers, and can be those effective doers in fact.

There are some doings and practices which have helped others to start and maintain their organization.

Doings and practices to begin promptly:

~ Consider how you intend to keep in contact.

~ Begin identifying your goals and aims.

~ Clarify goals and aims.

~ Restate goals and aims.

~ Arrange to have each member help to achieve these goals and aims.

~ Take care of all business promptly.

~ Arrange for the ongoing education for all members.

~ Practice dialogue skills.

~ Arrange for members to have opportunity to be educators.

~ Enjoy your participation.

~ Keep in mind that teaching one another is important. Outside help can be very good, but seldom as good as that which we do for ourselves. As we teach, we learn.

~ Demonstrate abundant and appropriate trust of one another.

~ Keep in mind that the fewer the secrets the better. "No secrets" is a good policy.

~ Be inclusive.  as a policy, help anyone who wants to be a member to be one.

~ Encourage equality.

~ Remind one another that each of you is important to and responsible for the maintenance of your organization, its philosophy, and its doings.

~ Lay out clear steps for achieving important and doable goals and plans for your organization.

~ Aims and goals ought to be not only doable and important but also be an attractive and challenging big deal.

~ Set out one or two doings or goals to be worked on today. Your organization will benefit by having important things to be done right now.

~ Keep in mind that there is much to be done and that each member ought to help with those doings.

~ Make clarifying the "grand vision" of your organization an ongoing activity. "Learning, teaching, and practicing democratic self governance for all" might be an example of such a vision.

~ Aim to govern yourselves by practicing self-governance.

                There was a 'comments' window below for comments on the content of this posts.

                Have you already reviewed the other posts on this Governance site. 

                                                                                                           RCS

A New Political Organization

 Communication, co-operation, organization, working together with common understandings through dialogue practice.

 

                The title of this blog begins with the word governance. For me, governance is about taking care of ourselves. To take care of ourselves takes co-operation. To be effective, cooperation takes organization.

Co-operation and Organization

                A new political organization is much like an old political organization. It takes people to organize, but many of those thinking to organize are new, not old. It's good that new people often can learn fast and well, because there is a lot to learn.

                An organization is made up of individuals; it's a group of people. A group of people is often a mess. A mess of people is a pretty poor organization. There is a lot to learn about organizing. To become an organization there are many things a mess of people can do. They mostly do it one thing at a time, but but sometimes nearly all at once. They do it with a bit of togetherness called cooperation.

                We already know a lot about cooperation, but there remains much to learn. For the moment we can begin by remembering that cooperation begins with operation. The heart of operation is work. By the way there is no law about work being fun or not. The "co" in cooperation means ''together." So, it is good to remember that cooperation is about working together.

                There is much to learn about politics and about organizing. It helps to know much about individuals and much about society. Still, one need know very little to make an important beginning. The less we know the more mistakes we are likely to make. Each mistake may be a great learning experience; a chance to enhance our understanding and effectiveness.

                One can try to find out how we have organized in the past. It is helpful to consider the nature of a successful organization. For exampled, the quality of communication may me important to the success of an organization. 

                I am about to begin a new blog called Dialogue With RCS It can be an aid to the oral communications of an organization and to the process of organizing.

                                                                    rcs

We Raise Hell

Governance With RCS: When we war we raise hell.

                 Men may be well justified in warring to protect the lives of their women and children.
Still there are most often more just ways of doing so.

                War causes strife. It makes life worse and confuses people. It increases quarrel and contention in the world. It is a state of active contention and antagonism. War is a state of prolonged armed conflict the purpose of killing people and destroying their resources. In war we kill and maim people. It makes those who live, angry and vengeful. 

                With war we destroy puppies and kittens. We destroy libraries, schools, and children. We destroy ponds and baby ducks. We destroy farms, pigs, and farmers daughters. We cause men to kill women. We cause men to kill other men's loved ones. Making war makes enemies.

                War is made on people, by people.

 

When we war we raise hell.

 

                                                                rcs

Little "d" democrat

                In the distant past there were democrats. There were democrats in the recent past. There are still some democrats. A democrat might be thought of as a person who believes in people and in their ability to learn and do. I know little about what democrats are doing at the moment. I do have a sharp memory of that which some democrats did in my lifetime.  

                Democrats have tended to promote certain doings. Some of  those doings tended to be definitive of their beliefs.

Democrats have promoted:

~ enhancement and protection of democracy among us. 

~ the study of legislation affecting democracy.

~ vigorous ongoing education about the use and doing of democracy.
~ improved communication among political parties and within them.
~ development of widespread leadership rather than super leaders.
~ enhanced education for participation in governance.
~ cooperative self-governance.
~ willingness to thoughtfully and promptly change a bad law for the better.
~ strong respect for our laws.
~ inclusivity  and diversity in public life.
~ cooperation within and among groups.
~ knowledge of the history of democracy including it's  limitations and advantages.
~ respect for the varieties of democracy around the world.
~ our Constitution and it's Bill of Rights.
~ our national Bill of Rights.
~ loving care of each and every child.
~ respect and honor for the individual, the family, and the neighborhood.
~ more nearly equal opportunity for access to healthcare for each person.
~ strong support for public health.
~ respect for and support of the position of minorities.
~wide, ongoing educational opportunities for all.

                The above could suggest planks for the platform of a present party or candidate.

 

 

                                by Richard Sheehan = RCS

What's to Like in an Organization

Governance With RCS organization: Organization creates the power to do. Our co-operating begins that power

 

 

                Organization increases our power enormously. We know that our organization can informs us and educates us well.

                We are capable of forgetting the pleasures and satisfactions of organization. I expect the pleasures and satisfactions I am recalling just now will not be the same as yours. Even so, among mine you may find one or two of yours.

                I have an interest in ad hoc organizations and those of longer term. Below are are many of my personal likes, of the moment, in organizations. Among mine you may find one or two of your own.

An organization which attracts me often has:

~ members who feel connected, involved, and respected.

~ the motive of helping me an others to thrive.

~ a clear understanding of costs an benefits.

~ members who promote widespread participation and responsibility.

~ members who embrace reality and who are willing to approach the truth.

~ members who value honesty and justice.

~ a mission I find valuable and pleasing.

~ plenty of talk in which all participate.

An organization which pleases me is one which:

~ which keeps me in the information loop.

~ most members feel well connected with leadership.

~ makes very clear who pays how much and who gets what.

~ moves in the direction of democracy.

~ tends to be inclusive.

~ tends to safeguard that which I value.

~ includes those who study and promote actions good for me and others.

~ advocates and protects people and processes important to me.

~ promotes dialogue which leads to appropriate action.

I find an organization congenial when it includes:

~ teaching the process of organizing.

~ the process of advocating and protecting me.

~ objectives very like my own.

                I am interested in hearing of your likes and values in organizations. I hope to live long enough to post in related topics, such as dialogue skills. Also I expect to post more on organizing and organizations here.

                Right now and just below were it says "comments," note a like of your own or question me on one of mine. It is easy to do so anonymously if you so wish.

                                                                            RCS

A New Political Organization (with a little update)

 Governance With  RCS: A New Political Organization, with 3 people you can have one

                A new political organization is much like a old political organization. It takes people to organize, but many of those thinking of organizing are new not old. Its good that new people can learn fast because there is a lot to learn.

                An organization is made up of individuals. It is a group of people. But a group of people is a mess. A mess of people is not an organization. There is a lot to learn about organizing. To become an organizations there are many things a mess of individuals can do. They mostly do it one thing at a time with a bit of togetherness. Co-operation may be the best second step.

                Now tell me how ought a good new political party look? What ought its main goals be? Sorry, you can't answer these questions here because Google has eaten the ''comments" app for this blog site.

 

 

                                                                                            RCS

Our Wars

Governance with RCS: Our Wars, our history,  our future

 

                The following is an introduction to my intention to write about some of our less known wars.

                As I write our union has lasted about 244 years. I find that of those years only six have been free of war. I also find that in a great many of those years we have fought more than one war year. I our 238 years of warring many of us have been killed and we have killed many. If we do not hold the record for average number of wars per year, we may soon do so.

The years we have not warred are 1935 through 1940 and 1897. It may well be worth while to learn more about these years.

From 1899 to1934 we had mostly just "Banana Wars;" mostly not only. People of our neighboring countries of Central America may object to my word "just." Those Banana Wars were among the most traumatic happenings in their entire history. In those wars we stepped on their labor movement hard. The people of those republics have found it difficult to laugh about what we have called our Good Neighbor Policy. 

When taking a close look at historic near the U.S. it seems we have hated the people of Haiti the most for the longest time. That we have invaded Mexico only 13 times since 1837 makes it look like we love Mexicans more than we have hated the people of Haiti; but I digress. These doings mostly count as wars.

There are doings related to our wars that are curious and peak my interest. For it is curious why we insist on killing one another when we could be arranging to protect ourselves from comet and asteroid rains, various virus, plagues, solar flares, rising sea levels, and the like. When I have said "we' here, I not only refer to you and I, our fellow citizens, and our fore bearers, but also those who find it convenient to war with us. 

My curiosity extends to wanting to know why part of our Civil War occurred at Gibraltar and why Mysore played a part in that same war. I'd even like to know why Sweden was our allie in our first Barbary War. What about the German Coast Uprising in the Territory of Orleans? Just why did we invade Canada? And like that. And you may agree, that our recent wars of say the last 20 or 30 years, have had their interesting points.

I do not enjoy writing about the killing we do or about the deaths of many of our fine young men. In fact it causes me some very unpleasant feelings. I would like to act in an honorable and legal way to minimize early deaths and killings. Not an easy thing to do since so many of us have abdicated responsibility for the war machine we sponsor.

I have a lot to learn but I do intend to be honest and factual as I write. I hope that you will correct any and all mistakes that you find on this blog. You are welcome to do so in the "comment" section just below.

More to come.

 

RCS    

 

Civics For the Brave and the Free

Some "how tos" for civics

Civility is an important part of civics and politics.

 

We can profit by learning:

~ some collaborative leadership.

~ about a deeper level of tolerance.

~ about sources of conflict.

~ how people who are fundamentally different from each other can develop sensibilities that enable them to get along.

~learning about consensus building.

 

We are at our civic best when we:

~ are listening. 

~ are working in partnership with others.

~ lead by example.

~ have the courage to be appropriately humble.

                We have a lot to learn. My old aunt told me that by beginning, we are half way there. After beginning one does ones best by keeping on keeping on.

                                                                RCS