Monthly Archives: January 2013

(Community Matters) In less than 24 hours my opinion took a u-turn before I was even able to read the book.

update: a wise friend counseled me within the frame that John is just a true libertarian. Listening to his NPR interview took some of the sting out of the “fascist” characterization since it wasn’t said with animus.

I’m glad John’s taken the word back

(Community Matters) Stumbled onto this gay web series

youtube

(Community Matters) I’m hoping this documentary comes to Austin. It’s about stories and experiences of young, black gay men. Doesn’t only deal with homophobia but also racism within the LGBT community. It’s screen writer and director says it is centered around community and how young black gay men can build community.

(Community Matters) Today was one of those days when I had a lot of interesting meetings with interesting people. The most unexpected was with a freelance journalist who writes for Forbes, Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune and The Wall Street Journal Asia (and author) Ioannis Gatsiounis. Not sure how we were connected (I forgot to ask), but he called Marfa Public Radio to find me. I hope he settles in Austin. He’d  be a good addition to our creative capital.

Ordering his collection of stories, Velvet & Cinder Blocks, and a nonfiction book, Beyond the Veneer: Malaysia’s Struggle for Dignity and Direction.

(Community Matters) I’m encouraged by the enlightened perspective of a House GOP member, Scott Rigell, R-VA.

“After I got into office and heard my Democratic friends make the case from the floor so many times that revenues were not high enough, I thought, well, let me either prove or disprove this,” Rigell said. “That took me on a journey of evaluating our budget and looking at historical data — I’m a data-driven person — and it led me to this conclusion: We have a revenue yield under the old tax code … of 16.9 percent. We have not run our republic on that level of revenue since 1959 — before Medicare and Medicaid were even on the table — so I knew that we had a revenue problem.” http://huff.to/W7fte6

Not surprisingly with this perspective, Rep Rigell has come out against holding the nation’s debt ceiling hostage to spending cuts.

(Community Matters) Over lunch a new friend asked me to summarize my many activities. I quickly answered they were all about building community, said they took many forms but were nearly all intended to make up for the tears in the social fabric as people move away from families and historical support systems. For some, the perspective of community is broad, for others quite small. And, as I think about it, there’s a priority for ensuring equality of opportunity. (Think I’ve gotten over my intellectual struggle with self selection.)

Then, I thought about Christopher Hayes book, Twilight of the Elite, how the contract between the Elite and others in our country seems to be broken. For decades Americans have voted the Elite into public office with the understanding they would work for the greater good. Chris suggests that understanding too often isn’t honored in today’s world. And, there’s another shift – expectations and accountability. In his book he argues that the Elite most often promote from within their own tribe – hire the sons and daughters of other elite, and are often willing to overlook mediocrity while enforcing rigid and exacting standards of accountability on others. We talked about being born on third base and thinking you hit a triple. Just remembering out loud.

oh yeah, this fits into a thought trail I’ve been on lately. It’s definitely not well thought out yet. I haven’t been able to decide on any positions. Just, still thinking out loud. Anyhow . . . people who aren’t actively contributing, for whom doing good in society, contributing to their communities isn’t a priority. First thought: those with children; good gosh, focus it all on them. Then, well . . . they need to see you focus on others too, but mostly focus on them. And, folks with less means and/or for whom life is just too overwhelming. I start thinking, perhaps we shouldn’t expect them to volunteer or donate or help their neighbors. But, can’t help thinking it would be better for them (& society) if they did. Coaching little league, checking on neighbors, teaching Sunday school, answering a hotline, serving meals, raking leaves, donating money, organizing precincts, otherwise volunteering or donating . . . so many ways to contribute.

(Community Matters) Certainly expect this to rock our worlds

Politico Playbook:

EXCLUSIVE : “Mitch Stewart, former Obama for America battleground states director, and Jeremy Bird, former Obama for America national field director, are starting a new grassroots organizing firm — called 270 Strategies [270 electoral votes to win] — to help clients build people-centered, data-driven, digitally-sophisticated campaigns by applying the historic Obama organizing model to campaigns of any kind. 270 Strategies will open offices in Chicago (to be run by Bird) and in D.C. (run by Stewart). Stewart and Bird led the 2012 OFA grassroots organization of 10,000 neighborhood team leaders, 30,000 core team members and 2 million volunteers in registering 1.8 million voters, holding millions of persuasion conversations with targeted voters, and replicating the 2008 electorate across battleground states.

“Marlon Marshall, Bird’s deputy on the campaign; Mark Beatty, Stewart’s deputy; and Meg Ansara and Lauren Kidwell, former OFA regional directors, also will join the firm as partners. Together, this team has played a multitude of roles in building the Obama grassroots organization since the 2007 Iowa caucuses. 270 Strategies is founded on the belief that grassroots campaigns can change the world.” Twitter: @270Strategies

(Community Matters) quick Culture Map piece on Melba Whatley, who really is helping transform Austin in huge ways – especially St Ed’s new buildings, the AMOA-Art House merger and now the Waller Creek Conservancy.  I wouldn’t call her a trouble maker – though she does speak her mind; I’d say a transformation agent. I saw that up front when we served together on the Texas Freedom Network board. A very cool fashionista (w/ a cool husband too, Ted Whatley)

(Community Matters) LIVESTRONG released this response to the article in today’s NYTimes.

LIVESTRONG Foundation is recognized by multiple sources as one of the most highly-rated cancer non-profit organizations in the United States. This is in large part due to our governance procedures, to our endowment strength and to the fact that we have invested 82 percent of each dollar raised directly in programs, initiatives and advocacy efforts that support people affected by cancer. We are a Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance accredited charity seal holder; we completed the National Health Council’s Standards of Excellence Certification Program; we are rated four out of four stars by Charity Navigator; we are A- rated by American Institute of Philanthropy; and we are ranked as one of the top three cancer organizations by Philanthropedia.”

(Community Matters) the below Playbook post reminds me of another thought chain – Africa. China is battling Europe and the US for influence to source commodities, and they appear to not give a hoot about human rights.  Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations appear to be spreading. Living conditions and human rights violations in too much of the continent don’t help.

THE BIG PICTURE – “France — Out of Africa? No easy exit for French fighting terror in Mali,” by AP’s Elaine Ganley in Paris : “France, breaking its own rules with a surprise military intervention in Mali, appears to be halting the lightning advance of radical Islamists seen as a threat to Europe. But the operation raises the specter of an African quagmire in a new theater of the West’s war on terror just as France and other U.S. allies emerge from the old one in Afghanistan. … Will French troops move into a support role, behind African troops, as initially set out for the West by a United Nations Security Council resolution on Mali? Or will they be lured into deeper involvement at the behest of Mali and other African nations — and, perhaps, take Western allies with them? … The U.S. was … expected to send in drones. Britain agreed to send aircraft to help transport troops. Germany offered political support [but] firmly said no combat troops.” http://bit.ly/V8Bhaw

(Community Matters) Sorta surprised when I heard myself promoting Giuliani style governance, especially police enforcement, for a municipality overrun by violence. Will Roman & I were discussing gun control and Oakland.

I’ve thought about this – especially when I read stories about gangs becoming more prominent in Austin. I believe they are already a very real, daily threat to too many in southeast Austin.

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(Community Matters) Politico on GOP perspective on debt ceiling:

SIREN — “BEHIND THE CURTAIN” COLUMN – “House GOP eyes default, shutdown,” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Jake Sherman: “House Republicans are seriously entertaining dramatic steps, including default or shutting down the government, to force President Obama to cut spending by the end of March. … GOP officials said more than half of their members are prepared to allow default unless Obama agrees to dramatic cuts … Speaker John Boehner ‘may need a shutdown just to get it out of their system,’ said a top GOP leadership adviser. ‘We might need to do that for member-management purposes – so they have an endgame and can show their constituents they’re fighting.’ … While everyone knew the [Christmastime] tax drama would end with the rich paying more taxes, no one is sure how the coming fights will unfold. … Starting [today at a leadership retreat in Virginia Hunt Country], Boehner … will discuss his preliminary thinking on a spending strategy.

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