Democracy Archives - Occasional Planet

Progressives need to move beyond their fear of talking about abortion

September 4, 2021 Arthur Lieber Civil liberties, Constitution, Democracy, Gender issues, Health, Health care, Human Rights, Media, Privacy/surveillance, Reproductive rights, Republican Brain Leave a comment

The alternative is for progressives to discuss abortion and sex at the same time and describe how abortion policy without a realization that “sex happens” will never reflect reality, empathy, and respect for basic civil liberties. Come on progressives. News organizations now let us use the ‘F’ word as an expletive; why can’t we talk about it for what it really means. It will greatly help the whole country better come to terms with the abortion issue and make more logical and empathetic decisions.

Donald Trump wasn’t an aberration; he was our most American President

December 21, 2020 Reece Ellis Democracy, Joe Biden, Language/Words, Politics, Racial issues, Trump, Trump voters Leave a comment

In the meantime, we’re going to have to wrestle with Donald Trump and recognizing that part of why he so arouses our disgust is because we see him in ourselves. If we don’t like what we see, it’s up to each of us to change it.

1968 and 2020: Years of Indecency

December 15, 2020 Arthur Lieber 2020 Election, Democracy, Republican Brain, Trump voters Leave a comment

2020 ranks with 1968 as one of the most unsettling years in American politics. The similarities between the two years are striking, but it is difficult to find shared catalysts explaining what caused them to be so filled with dysfunction. However, a common denominator might be found further back, in 1954.

A Conversation with Trump Supporters on Election Fraud

December 10, 2020 Reece Ellis 2020 Election, Democracy, Joe Biden, Politics, Republicans, Trump voters Leave a comment

Can I ask you a serious question? If there was fraud to benefit Joe Biden, why did Democrats lose seats in the House and not win the Senate outright? These allegedly fake results to benefit Democrats, would’ve had to have been Biden up top and GOP down ballot. Does that make sense to you?

Senior analyst quits Defense Intelligence Agency, citing U.S. “slide into authoritarianism”

August 14, 2020 Gloria Shur Bilchik Democracy, Foreign Policy, Protest/Resistamce, Resignations, Widgets: Letters of protest Leave a comment

It was another of the many “last straws” in the Trump era. Kyle Murphy, a senior analyst in the US Defense Intelligence Agency, went

RIP Michael Brooks

July 21, 2020 Adam Levin Community/Common good, Democracy, Media, Uncategorized Leave a comment

Michael Brooks passed away yesterday. A journalist, comedian, podcaster, and socialist thinker, he was one of the most important young voices on the left.

Students Discuss How to Steal an Election / Suppress Voter Engagement

June 16, 2020 Arthur Lieber 2020 Election, Civil liberties, Civil Rights, Democracy, Voting/Elections Leave a comment

Civitas, a St. Louis-based educational non-profit, is working with seventeen interns this summer. They are researching (a) why certain individuals do not vote and what can be done to encourage them to do so, (b) how are system of voting is changing in light of COVID-19 and countervailing forces for change, and (c) current race relations issues in the United States and around the world.

Creative strategies that could have worked in aftermath of George Floyd Murder

May 30, 2020 Arthur Lieber 2020 Election, Activism, Civil liberties, Civil Rights, Crime/Violence, Democracy, Ferguson, Police, Racial issues Leave a comment

It did not work well in Ferguson, MO in 2014; it certainly is not working well now in Minneapolis and a host of other cities. Are there other ways to deal with citizen concerns besides massive displays of armed power?

Odd, but Coronavirus Brings Good Karma for Political Introverts

March 17, 2020 Arthur Lieber 2020 Election, Bernie Sanders, Democracy Leave a comment

Whenever anything unexpected happens, there are unintended consequences. Such is the case with the coronavirus and its impact on American politics. Rallies are out, and for good reason. Whoever heard of a rally in which supporters had to comply with six-foot social distancing rules?

Putin wins Round One in Iowa

February 5, 2020 Arthur Lieber 2020 Election, Democracy, Democrats, Politics, Voting/Elections Leave a comment

Yes, there is no evidence that the cause of the tabulation fiasco in Iowa was because of Russian hacking. But the elephant in the room (besides Donald Trump) has to be Vladimir Putin, who put the fear of disruption in the hearts and minds of all “woke” Americans.