Trust

There are dark days ahead when it comes to trust.

Trust is the cement that binds relationships, keeping spouses together, business deals intact, and political systems stable. Without trust, marriages fails, voters become apathetic, and organizations flounder. Without trust, no company (or country) can ever hope for excellence.

Our democratic republic is built on trust, and a distrust of the King that ruled us all. That trust is ensured by a system of checks and balances that are supposed to hold our leaders to account. That system is eroding into one party rule, and that party is genuflecting to a would be oligarchs. That party used to talk about a smaller government with minimal government interference. Not anymore. The end game, a few will have power over the rest of us. There will be no one to represent us.

How to be trustworthy?

I found these factors at a veterinarian website. A successful vet succeeds if they exude trust.

 
Key indicators of trustworthiness:
Consistency: Do their actions align with what they say?

Accountability: Do they admit when they are wrong and take responsibility for their mistakes?

Honesty: Do they openly share information, even when it's difficult?

Reliability: Can you count on them to follow through on promises and commitments?

Integrity: Do they demonstrate strong moral principles and ethical behavior?

Respect for boundaries: Do they respect your personal space and decisions? 

We have none of this

We have toxic leadership.

Toxic leaders often display traits such as narcissism, manipulation, aggression, and a lack of empathy. They devalue people, stifle creativity, and breed a culture of fear, mistrust, and resentment. Toxic political leadership can have a range of negative effects including: decreased public trust in government, increased societal division, erosion of democratic institutions, reduced civic engagement, economic instability, and a decline in overall wellbeing due to heightened stress and anxiety within the population. (Variety of online sources)

The final questions, No matter your political leanings, why would you ever trust a liar? And, why does Elon Musk have control of our Treasury Department data, or anything else for that matter?

There is some seriously bad stuff going on. 

"Last time I checked, no one voted for Elon Musk. His “DOGE” was never actually authorized by Congress. He has not been confirmed by Congress. Democrats (and any Republicans with a spine) need to step in and stop this madness. Call your rep now (202) 224-3121"

Robert Reich 

Playing politics with our health

 Trump's political appointees are playing games with our safety and well-being. Political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services are scuttling reports from the CDC they believe might be unflattering to the president. Why? Because the reports might hurt his chances at reelection.

This is from the the NY Times.

The Times reconstructed the White House’s push for a plasma therapy, and found a pattern that helps explain the intensifying concern that President Trump could demand pre-Election Day approval of a vaccine.

For instance, in August, President Trump called the director of the National Institutes of Health, demanding fast action to approve expanded use of convalescent plasma to treat the coronavirus. Even though it didn’t come, Mr. Trump announced the expansion of the treatment anyway, with the F.D.A.’s approval, on the eve of the Republican National Convention.

Tensions over the White House’s urgency to show progress against the pandemic, which has killed more than 193,500 people in the U.S., are also playing out at the Department of Health and Human Services, where political appointees have repeatedly meddled in weekly outbreak reports prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where's our integrity? Where's our ethics? Where's our compassion for our fellow human beings? Where's our common decency? Where's our love for all people? This last question is supposed to be a bedrock value of Christianity. What does this say about his so-called Christian supporters? We're way too deep into partisan politics. It's needs to end, now!

Reaching Across the Divide

Building Bridges not Barriers

In a discussion with a group interested in reaching across the political divide, I questioned, "How do you reach somebody who refuses to participate."

Recently, at Thanksgiving dinner, we were going around the table sharing things we're thankful for. Most of us talked about our family, pets and friends. One person decided to insert politics despite and agreement not to talk about partisan politics at the gathering. He boldly stated, "I'm thankful we have someone as president who is making America great again." The table went stone silent until his wife reminded him forcefully, "No politics!"  

Prior to that, talk around the table had been amicable with broad ranging discussions on a variety of topics including the environment, presidents past and present, food, movies and work. Fortunately, order was restored, and friendship prevailed despite obvious political differences.

I was reminded of an anonymous quote I ran across 30 years ago, "There's my informed and intelligent opinion, and anybody who disagrees is a brain dead zealot."

And then today, I saw this...

There needs to be a change. That change needs to come from us, because it's not likely to come from the top. There are wise words to follow from people much smarter than I.


You cannot reap what you have not sown. How are we going to reap love in our community if we only sow hate?
- Saint Óscar Romero


Now, this country is going to be transformed. It will not be transformed by an act of God, but by all of us, by you and me. I don’t believe any longer that we can afford to say that it is entirely out of our hands. We made the world we’re living in and we have to make it over.
- James Baldwin

People on opposite sides are going to need to to start talking with each other. Maybe that means listening to each other first. There's a book I've been reading, "Soul Force." The authors, Reesheda Graham-Washington and Shawn Casselberry, offer seven pivot points toward courage, community, and change.

The pivot points are:

1. From Fear to Freedom
2. From Barriers to Bridge Building
3. From Self-Centeredness to Solidarity
4. From Hurt to Hope
5. From Consuming to Creating
6. From Charity to Change
7. From Maintenance to Moving 

To me, it looks like the antidote to everything the Trumpians seem to stand for, but by saying this am falling into the same trap?

Be Heard - Vote

As I read, I move from moments of hopefulness to, "Oh, what's the use." I'm reminded of some of the great civil movements. It is not hopeless. Martin Luther King, Jr. responded to the idea that legislation could not be used to change hearts.  

"It may be true that the law cannot change the heart but it can restrain the heartless.
It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me but it can keep him from lynching me and I think that is pretty important, also.
So there is a need for executive orders. There is a need for judicial decrees. There is a need for civil rights legislation on the local scale within states and on the national scale from the federal government."

The time is right to listen, find common ground, and build coalitions that will bring about change. Maybe part of resisting is to resist the forces that would divide us.