Julie Boler, freelance writer
founder of Maslow's Peak author of this blog selfless provider of searing commentary on US politics and policy. |
Wait, before you start scrolling!
Do you realize how easy participatory democracy can be??
Allow me to explain.
You have to vote, of course. In every election.
But what about between elections--how can you have a say then, too?
By following these 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Hit the links: senate.gov & house.gov. Use your address to follow the prompts and find your own Senators and Representative.
Step 2: Use the email form provided to drop a quick note. Share your concerns on any issue. Don't worry about formality or phrasing - just express your thoughts. Hit send. Then...
Step 3: Burst with civic pride.
Do you realize how easy participatory democracy can be??
Allow me to explain.
You have to vote, of course. In every election.
But what about between elections--how can you have a say then, too?
By following these 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Hit the links: senate.gov & house.gov. Use your address to follow the prompts and find your own Senators and Representative.
Step 2: Use the email form provided to drop a quick note. Share your concerns on any issue. Don't worry about formality or phrasing - just express your thoughts. Hit send. Then...
Step 3: Burst with civic pride.
FROM THE BLOG
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Where did Donald Trump get the idea he could take credit for lowering the unemployment rate among African Americans? Never mind, what's the point where. But he can't, and I wanted to take a moment to spell that out. "Inform JAY-Z" indeed. read more
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C'mon, man.
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The big, bubbling burst of Democratic dialogue about whether Oprah Winfrey should run for president in 2020 was interesting. It first hit me one way, then another. But more than anything it made me anxiously -- maybe optimistically?-- hopeful about our process as we approach 2020. We really, really have to do this right, folks. read more
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Here's one group taking a positive approach.
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Observation - the last refuge of citizens? Don't stop paying attention. We've seen now that our phone calls to Congress and questions at town halls do make a difference. Even if you do none of that, just a watchful eye is better than the alternative: staying oblivious. There's always a lot to focus on, just pick something and pay attention. My suggestion right now? All eyes on Paul Ryan. read more
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Is it time?
I've been so resistant to conspiracy theories and rumors of tyranny. But hey, if the bandwagon has a seat left, maybe I should jump on.
read more
I've been so resistant to conspiracy theories and rumors of tyranny. But hey, if the bandwagon has a seat left, maybe I should jump on.
read more
Well, she is pretty intimidating. Brilliant, courageous, and dogged. Those poor fellas who compete with her for office... But couldn't they just stick to what they know, like policy?
Oops - maybe they don't know policy.
read more
Oops - maybe they don't know policy.
read more
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VOTING: NUTS AND BOLTS
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On Tuesday, October 4, the VP candidates will participate in a debate of their own. Here's hoping they find their way to the right one.
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Well this is refreshing. Always good to know where folks stand. Last year, when Donald Trump descended, fittingly, to a small platform to announce his candidacy for president, he showed he was ready to continue a tradition started by the Far Right in early 2007. As it became clear that the country had a truly competitive black candidate who would soon be vying for the White House, high profile media folks and even elected officials began saying things aloud and in public that were previously, presumably, spoken in low tones in private. Far be it from Mr. Trump to force us back to simply wondering what bigots were thinking... read more
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They say they want a revolution...
“In a real revolution the best characters do not come to the front... (The revolution) falls into the hands of the pretentious intellectual failures of the time. Such are the chiefs and the leaders. Hopes grotesquely betrayed, ideals caricatured – that is the definition of revolutionary success. There have been in every revolution hearts broken by such successes.” –Joseph Conrad, Under Western Eyes Well, Joseph Conrad not withstanding, they're banking on Bernie. read more |
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"Sunday is the Lord's day. It's a day of rest. Folks shouldn't be traipsing to the polls to vote on that day."
Which North Carolina leader said this while speaking out about proposed legislation to remove Sunday voting from the state's election schedule? Multiple Choice: A. A pastor, sharing his beliefs with an eager flock. B. A devoutly religious voter, explaining her own decision to refrain from voting on Sundays. C. A sitting state representative, supporting the measure, which would remove Sundays as an early voting option for all North Carolina voters. Answer: here (But I bet you've already guessed.) |
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5/29/2014
Today President Obama addressed the graduating class at West Point, delivering a major foreign policy speech.
The address described a framework for national security that is decidedly liberal in philosophy. It's sure to be unpopular on the Right in its perspective. But as I listened, I also wondered how it would fare on the Left. Some Obama supporters see little accomplishment by this administration in shaping our institutions according to the guiding principles he espoused during his first campaign in 2008. They are losing sight of how far we have actually come.
Will the left allow a modern - liberal - foreign policy room to grow?
read more
The address described a framework for national security that is decidedly liberal in philosophy. It's sure to be unpopular on the Right in its perspective. But as I listened, I also wondered how it would fare on the Left. Some Obama supporters see little accomplishment by this administration in shaping our institutions according to the guiding principles he espoused during his first campaign in 2008. They are losing sight of how far we have actually come.
Will the left allow a modern - liberal - foreign policy room to grow?
read more
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8/31/2013
What do you think we should do about the atrocities in Syria??
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Participatory democracy in less time than it takes to brush your teeth:
- click here: senate.gov, and here: house.gov
- follow the prompts to find your own Senator and Representative
- write a brief note
- hit send
- burst with civic pride
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7/23/2013
We get to carry each other. On North Carolina voting rights, U2 lyrics, and wealthy white demonstrators. read more |
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8/25/2013
Protester, Raleigh, NC
Bad news from the Supreme Court today.
The court struck down a critical part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act by removing the requirement placed on some states to clear with the federal government any changes they want to make to state election law.
The court struck down a critical part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act by removing the requirement placed on some states to clear with the federal government any changes they want to make to state election law.
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5/5/2013 - ALLOW ME TO BE YOUR LINKMISTRESS
A little spring bouquet of excellent websites.
A little spring bouquet of excellent websites.
- TO TAX AND TO SPEND - Take in some full-on leftist economic theory by Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman. Guy does not suffer supply-siders, and truly, evidence mounts in favor of his adamant theory that trickle-down doesn't work, never has, and never will. Here's his 4/25/13 column in the New York Times, laying to waste austerity policy. If you like that, the man blogs obsessively on his NYT.com blog.
- GOVERNMENT CHECKS AND GOVERNMENT BALANCES - Ever wonder how much dough folks on welfare actually get, and what's expected of them in return? What are the work requirements, really, and are there other responsibilities for recipients? Welfare in the US is called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. Most requirements and guidelines are set at the federal level, and you can get the facts about them at the Health and Human Services official TANF website. Check the Wikipedia entry too - it summarizes the program in a reader-friendly way. Then you can put all that Mittinformation behind you.
- KIDDING! - Fans of political and social satire know the consistently hilarious "news source" The Onion. (A couple of sample headlines: "JCPenney CEO's Severance Package Includes 34,000 Pea Coats" and "Target Demographic Growing Up Right Before Advertiser's Wistful Eyes".) Now a couple of competitors are gaining on The Onion - competition sure to keep all the jokesters on their toes. Good thing, because we count on top-notch comedy to help us keep the Era of the Insane Conservative in perspective. So check out The Daily Currant - these guys slipped onto the scene quietly, and their roguery has ruffled feathers as their stories get picked up by (careless?!) straight news outlets and reported as real stories. Daily Currant recent headlines: "Republican Bill Demands Immigrants 'Americanize' Their Names," and "Anthony Weiner: 'I Have A Hard-On For New York City." But whatever you do, don't miss The Borowitz Report. Another satirical news column, this one is written by comedian Andy Borowitz, and published online by The New Yorker. Borowitz, like the others, is mercilessly cynical and irreverant. He has conned his share of readers too, apparently to little consternation at The New Yorker, where they so far have allowed him to plow ahead fearlessly, lampooning the antics of our faithful leaders. A couple of recent stories: "Republicans: Obama Must Take Action In Syria So We Can Criticize Action He Took In Syria," and "Scalia Never Going To Another NBA Game."
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5/4/13
Charles Krauthammer: who is that guy? Find out more about his sunny disposition and political fairness in my latest post from today. Hint: imagine him as the weatherman. "Looks like rain later today. Thanks, Obama." |
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2/08/13
Hasn't there developed a growing swell of intolerance in the atheist movement? Without minimizing the harm that can be done in the name of religion, as a matter of social development and functionality, it is no more useful to put energy into disparaging and ridiculing someone's faith and beliefs than it is for people of faith to disparage and discriminate against a nonbeliever. Wouldn't such vehement energy be better spent working to maintain the separation of church and state? We have to be stalwart in our support of that wall, and right now it is under attack everywhere. We need all hands on deck! People of faith must be able to believe what they want without discrimination. What they cannot do is use those beliefs to write school curriculum or set public policy. As long as that fundamental principle is upheld, the rest shouldn't matter. See today's post on this topic. |
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2/6/2013 -
See today's post, in which we discuss
Republican tantrums, deadly drones,
and the future of democracy in America.
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12/2/2012
If you have the time, listen to this Charlie Rose panel discussion on the impact of justice system policies on American black men. It's long, but powerful, and not a wasted word. Each of the guests alone would have made for a fascinating interview; together they are a brain trust on the topic. Learn more about (and from!) Rose's guests:
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from "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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11/14/2012 - from the desk of Julie Boler
Dear Readers,
Time for a post-election break. I am relieved, excited, and optimistic about the future of the country. We have a smart, compassionate, dedicated, and visionary man in the White House for four more years. There is lots of work to be done, and I think the country is ready to do it.
Thank you so much for all the feedback and comments throughout the election season.
Happy Holidays!
Julie Boler
Time for a post-election break. I am relieved, excited, and optimistic about the future of the country. We have a smart, compassionate, dedicated, and visionary man in the White House for four more years. There is lots of work to be done, and I think the country is ready to do it.
Thank you so much for all the feedback and comments throughout the election season.
Happy Holidays!
Julie Boler
Tuesday, November 6th, 2012
PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
RE-ELECTED
AT LONG LAST, ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER 6TH, 2012
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Election Day is Tuesday, November 6th, 2012!
Are you registered to vote??
Get help now at RockTheVote.com!
Read nonpartisan reporting at Reuters.com.
Dissect claims at FactCheck.org.
Get help now at RockTheVote.com!
Read nonpartisan reporting at Reuters.com.
Dissect claims at FactCheck.org.
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10/02/2012 - Harrisburg, PA
Pennsylvania voters without photo ID will be allowed to vote in this year's presidential election. Commonwealth Judge Robert E. Simpson ruled today that it was unlikely the State could ensure that every registered voter in the state would have the required ID in time to vote, so tight new restrictions could not go into effect until after this election season. The State has not said whether they plan to appeal. For more background leading up to today's decision, see my series on Voter ID. |
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9/18/2012 - Philadelphia, PA
An interesting response from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Instead of making a black-or-white decision in the Voter ID case before them, the PA Supreme Court sent the question back to the lower courts. The two judges that appeared during the trial to be against the law dissented, and it is a defeat in that the Court failed to strike down the law. But to me it's a relief that the law was not simply upheld. If they weren't going to strike it down altogether, this move can only help in this crisis situation. The lower court was given the burden of proving voters can get the ID they need to vote, rather than allowing the State to assume it will happen, or just claim it will. Huffington Post has a great article that includes a link to the full decision. See my series on Voter ID. |
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9/13/2012 -Philadelphia, PA
All eyes on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Oral arguments begin today, as the ACLU-PA heads up a challenge to the Pennsylvania Voter ID law, the strictest such law still standing in the country. Court convenes at 9:30 a.m. In order for the law to stand, the Pennsylvania Department of State must convince the Court that implementing strict new ID standards for voter identification, just before a Presidential election, is the right thing to do for voters in the state. Watch for updates here. See my series on Voter ID laws. |
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8/30/2012 - Philadelphia, PA
Registered voters in Pennsylvania who don't possess a government-issued photo ID, now required to vote, are scrambling to get them in time for the November 6th election. Complicated procedures for obtaining the necessary documents are making that hard. The Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia-based nonpartisan group for fair elections is working to inform assist voters in need of the new Voter ID. |
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False Advertising
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8/28/2012 - Raleigh, NC
Mitt Romney and his campaign continue to run a series of ads making claims about Obama's position on work requirements for welfare. These ads are false. Read my post from today, which provides the evidence so you can judge for yourself. |
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8/22/2012 - Raleigh, NC
Changes in election law are happening at lightening speed right now. It can be hard to keep up, or even know how you feel about things like voter ID requirements, early voting hours, and the purging of voter rolls. It's easy to wonder why some are making such a big deal about the changes. In your effort to form an opinion, or persuade others of the one you have, try to answer these questions:
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Long voter lines in Ohio, election day 2004.
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On CBS, 60 Minutes, August 12, 2012
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8/12/2012 - Raleigh, NC
On 60 Minutes, Mitt Romney describes his process in selecting Paul Ryan as his running mate as a methodical decision that unfolded over a year. They reportedly have spent lots of time together discussing policy. Yet when asked about the differences in their budget proposal, Romney says he hasn't "gone over (Ryan's) plan point-by-point." Well, why haven't you?? This has become Romney's go-to response for tough questions. When asked about his taxes, this high-level financial manager says: "I can't remember for sure," "My accountants did it; I just signed it," and of course, "I'll get back to you on that." His feigned innocence is not cute. |
Scranton city workers
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7/11/12 - Scranton, PA
Public employees in Scranton, PA are paying a harsh price for the radical private-sector-only philosophy of right-wing Republicans, who have made a fetish out of denigrating the use the of federal funds to solve domestic economic problems. When government budgets all the way down to local municipalities are bereft of funds for basic expenses, it is not the time to experiment with extremist policies. Republicans in the House and Senate recognize this country runs best on a balance of public and private resources. They should allow the mixed economy we have always relied upon to operate. they should allow some desperately needed stimulus funds to flow from the Capitol into the country, and use a more stable period to make their case for laissez-faire. |
Scranton Heavy Rescue truck
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7/10/12 - Fort Worth, Texas
The 2012 Texas Republican Party platform is made up of planks I don't agree with. Makes sense - I'm a Democrat. It includes positions I find egregiously regressive. To be expected - I'm a lefty, and the Texas GOP is very conservative. What doesn't make sense, though, is a very peculiar statement the platform contains. In addition to their stated political ideology, their social and economic positions, their goals for the state, and their itemized priorities, in the section called "Educating Our Children", the Texas GOP comes out officially against critical thinking. Literally. The platform states: "We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), values clarification, critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus (sic) on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." I would invite my readers to use their critical thinking skills to evaluate the advisability of that policy. Update 7/24: Party Chair Steve Munisteri explains at length how this was simply a case of a poor choice of words. |
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6/22/12 - Sanford, FL
George Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara has released videotapes of Zimmerman's interviews with police from the day after he shot and killed Trayvon Martin. O'Mara's team has set up a website dedicated to the case: George Zimmerman Legal Case, gzlegalcase.com. Audio and videotapes now in the public domain can be viewed there. |
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Paul Cameron, Family Research Institute
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MAY 16, 2012 - Colorado Springs, Colorado
I'm not a huge proponent of the theory that all homophobes are closet cases. My thinking is that for some, progress on gay rights is more complicated than that. But... Listen to this fella, Paul Cameron, one of the meanest and most prolific homophobes out there, as he describes what he thinks of as the gay agenda; "...the long term goal of the homosexual movement is to get every little boy to grab his ankles and every little girl to give it a try..." Oh my. Here is the radio interview. |
5/8/12 - Raleigh, NC
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Berean Baptist Church, Fayetteville NC
Pastor Sean Harris and wife Pam Harris
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5/2/12 - Fayetteville, NC
I don't understand this hate. I don't understand this level of delusion. I don't understand how someone can say these things in the name of God. I don't understand how someone can try to recruit others to join in this hate and violence. Am I referring to a group of terrorists, or members of a cult? No, just a homophobic preacher speaking this past Sunday to his congregation in Fayetteville, NC, telling his congregants to punch their young sons if they "act like a female" and "crack" their wrists if they're limp. I noticed there is a support group for parents of gay teens just 42 miles from this creep's church. I wish somehow he was forced to stand in front of them one day and say the exact same words, with the same tone and vehemence. How would he tell them to treat their kids? How would he justify the violence he proposes? Update 5/3: Read Harris's non-apology apology here. He says he never suggested punching children for acting gay. And he didn't. It wasn't a suggestion. It was a clear directive from the pulpit. Harris goes on to clarify that although he is not (legally responsible for) advocating child abuse, he also does NOT "apologize for the manner in which the Word of God articulates sexual immorality, including homosexuality and effeminacy, as a behavior that is an abomination to God." In some ways the retraction is worse than the sermon.
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5/2/12 - Raleigh, NC North Carolinians! It's less than a week until NC Primaries Election Day!! Watch campaign ads by the PRO-Amendment forces, check out a sample ballot, and find out how to get involved and speak out AGAINST the Amendment! |
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Don McLeroy, Texas creationist hero
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4/23/12 - Bryan, Texas
Behold! Former Texas Board of Education Chair Don McLeroy. I give you this Colbert Report interview without introduction; I can't do it justice. Don McLeroy on The Colbert ReportAlso, be sure to take a look at McLeroy's highly polished, well-organized and professional website.
Update, 10/15 - the website's look is vastly improved. Content? The same. Enjoy. |
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4/11/12 - Sanford, FL
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN HAS JUST BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH 2ND DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF TRAYVON MARTIN. |
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Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey
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4/11/12 - Sanford, FL
On Monday Florida state's attorney Angela Corey announced that the grand jury that was scheduled for set up this week in Sanford will not be convened. The jury was to determine whether George Zimmerman should be indicted in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Instead, has decided to move forward without the grand jury, tasking herself and her staff with the responsibility of investigating the circumstances surrounding Martin's death, and making the decision on indictment herself. Describing her process in a press conference today, Corey displayed a remarkable level of accountability, something that has been sorely lacking in this case. We can only hope Corey is as determined and committed as she sounded, in the weeks and months ahead. |
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2/22/12 - Raleigh, NC
Rick Santorum wants you to know he is having a tough time with media coverage of his campaign. Week after week, he tries patiently, tirelessly to focus solely on issues Americans most want to discuss. His priorities, he will tell you, have to do with "energy, manufacturing jobs, cutting corporate taxes, the deficit, defense, and national security". It's really frustrating, he says, when reporters only ask questions that "fit their narrative" and keep harping on his comments he has made about "faith and social issues". That's gotta be tough. Santorum drives home this steely-eyed focus on critical national issues with long-winded explanation of why amniocentesis should not enjoy full medical coverage, and whether or not Barack Obama is a Christian. On the latter point, he has generously conceded several times now that our President probably does have a belief system that is marginally acceptable. (What a relief that must be to Mr. Obama.) And Santorum - the walking nerve-center of Republican fiscal policy - doesn't bring this question up to “question what the President believes in when it comes to his faith." As he pointed out recently to Sean Hannity, “Look, he went to Reverend Wright’s church for 20 years. I mean, now, you can question what kind of theology Reverend Wright has, but it’s a Christian church.” So that's settled. Clearly, the reason Rick Santorum takes the time to dissect the nuances of the President's perceived belief system, is to get across his own core beliefs about how we can bring down the deficit. |
An earnest candidate, burdened by the excesses of a dogmatic press.
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All posts original material written and designed by Julie Boler ---- To view archives by category or date, click on blog.
