Larry D. Lauer

Trust in most everything is gone. Whatever you think about Pete Buttigieg from his campaign, you should read his book, simply titled Trust. He writes beautifully and in-depth about the importance of trust at this critical time in American history.

The long-respected Scientific American recently endorsed science, health, and Joe Biden for president. Its editors were not taking a partisan stand. They were desperately taking a stand for truth and transparency.  

What more do we need to inform our vote? Trump’s endless belittling of contracting Covid-19; his endless ignoring of those in quarantine, dying, and losing jobs; his endless cruel attacks; his endless lies about voter fraud; his endless threats on cherished American institutions; his endless racist and conspiracy trolls; and his endless daily tweets to create chaos and deliberate distractions? Extremist groups and individuals are already responding by threatening violence, and even civil war. Trust in most everything is gone.

And to make matters worse, the New York Times now tells us that Trump’s tax return data shows chronic losses, taxes were not paid over a ten year period, hundreds of millions of dollars are owed to foreign entities, and Trump’s wealth is accumulating from foreign and lobby patronage seeking improper benefits. Trust in most everything is gone.

I yearn for the day when we once again have highly educated experts on planning teams advising presidents who know something about American and world history, and are curious enough to read and learn about complicated issues, and are therefore able to clearly articulate rational decisions. 

I also yearn for the day when losing an election does not mean losing democracy. 

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My conclusion: Trump was Trump. Biden was Biden. The moderator was not in control. The chaos was an embarrassment to our country all around the world.  

Many scholars thought that Kennedy won the first televised debate. And those who listened on the radio thought Nixon won. Nixon sounded more informed on the issues. Kennedy was more charismatic.

I suggest that “selective perception” was probably in full swing during this debate. If you started out liking Biden you probably became more committed. And vice versa if you liked Trump.

But many others probably got totally frustrated, even embarrassed at all the shouting. They might even be thinking they will not vote at all. But not voting is still voting, and that’s not a good solution. You must vote.

And there always are a few undecideds looking for a reason to make a choice. In the past, these people often found one or the other slightly more likable. So a few votes might have been decided this way.

Bottom line: Most political scientists I know have concluded that debates rarely change people’s minds. They become reinforced in what they already thought. Is that what happened to you? 

That said, this country does not need another debate like this.

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There are two physicians on my street that have Trump signs in their yards. I have been thinking a lot lately about how that could have happened?

Is it because they have never actually worked directly with frontline health care professionals?

Is it because they really do not want people to have affordable health insurance? Or Medicare? Or social security?

Is it because they are wealthy enough see the stock market as the primary driver of their personal worth?

Or are they connected financially with healthcare organizations that benefit from Trump’s tax breaks?

Or is it because they really think that recent tax breaks have actually helped working people?

Or is it because their patients are all at their same income level?

These are smart people. Do they simply not see the damage that has been done? In education? In infrastructure? In foreign affairs? In human rights? In climate change? In the loss of jobs?

The sad news about Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing came to me as I was writing this. Her career should be a lesson for us now. She was bigger than politics. She was a cultural icon for democracy and individual freedom. This election is not about making a political choice. It’s about solving a very serious national problem. Save the sorting out of political party ideology for next time.

For this election… do you want to reelect an “only I can do it,” authoritarian dictator? Or do you want to save American democracy?

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I have written about the impact of media revolutions at many times and in many different ways. Every day it becomes more and more clear how they go on disrupting so many lives.

Here is still another way of explaining the situation:  

When information implodes all around you every day, and you have a special interest or an angry complaint, it is now easier than ever to find people who agree with you. You can always find them somewhere on social media, and that discovery will very likely reshape your universe. That’s the good news, but…

If you are inclined to favor conspiracies finding so many others with the same inclination may surprise you. Your alternate universe will accommodate your underlying fantasy life.

Your universe also offers an illusion of personal safety. So you can go ahead and exercise that mean streak that has been lurking just below the surface of your personality. But eventually could become an angry person.

That mean streak can quickly become an attack weapon. Using Twitter and other social media platforms, individuals, organizations, and governments are able to attack each other spreading fear.

Many young people are able to create their own digital universe from their bedrooms. Some get so hooked that they lose interest in communicating face-to-face. Bullying originates in these lonely bedrooms.

Easy online relationships sometimes result in dangerous liaisons. Social media produces artificial feelings of safety.

Consumers today usually find and stay with news sources they agree with… avoiding other mind-stretching ideas.

Media revolutions change journalism. Digital technology enables news sources of all types and biases. Commercial TV success produces celebrity reporters, faster stories, shorter interviews, and endless ads.

Extremists in both parties are politicizing and polarizing voting districts. When they go to Washington they remain polarized and controlled by those who fund them.

Also, computers today are able to repeat the same messages over and over automatically (often called bots)… confusing entire societies about important political and social issues.

In short, media revolutions produce daily information implosions which end up dividing the public on important issues. They create a strange social media world that changes people’s beliefs, and behaviors both in our homes and governments.

Therefore, the news media simply must stop reporting wild tweets and false statement as daily news. Media revolutions have changed journalism. And it is already past time for this profession to call out lies and false statements no matter who makes them. Our democracy and world peace depend on it.    

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Whether you are conservative or liberal no longer matters. Our American democracy is literally at stake!!

Listen carefully to the president’s words. He divides us. He uses cruelty and anger, and it usually inspires more hatred and violence. His ultimate goal is to replace America’s democracy with his unqualified cabinet and family-run monarchy… with him as the sole monarch.

Opponents to this–whether liberal, conservative, or independent–must quickly go on the offensive:

1. Biden and other leaders of the opposition must articulate a powerful vision for America’s future, and a specific plan for how that will happen.
2. Biden’s running mate and other supporters must very aggressively counter all cruel attacks, fear-mongering, anti-immigration comments, and white nationalist statements.
3. Anti-Trump Republicans (some calling themselves the Lincoln Project), concerned independents, and young people wanting to unite the country, must speak out against fear-mongering rhetoric wherever it occurs.
4. Also, journalists and patriots everywhere must learn how to recognize fake news, whether its origin is foreign or domestic, and take the lead in explaining and countering it.

Multiple bank loans and financing, foreign money laundering, repeated bankruptcies, criminal relationships, and personal greed, are all reasons why monarchs and dictatorships eventually fail. But sometimes entire societies and civilizations fall before that can happen. 

RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE THIS ONE CHANCE TO SAVE THE DEMOCRACY THAT MADE OUR COUNTRY EXCEPTIONAL… AND ALL AMERICAN PATRIOTS MUST QUICKLY COME TOGETHER TO SAVE IT!  

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It wasn’t surprising to hear that the Trump Show this week is being produced by the former producer of Trump’s reality show, the Apprentice!

What ever happened to the Grand Old Party? The party of Lincoln? What a sad situation. This “conference” is simply a four-day immersion in confusing word-salad. And every supporter is reflecting the same Trump cult-inspired narrative.

Now, saving our “democracy” will fall to the Democrats… if only they will get their act together. We need to hear much more about their plans for the future, and what roles their former presidential candidates will play.

Our society has been torn apart by the social media revolution. So we must get our act together too.

1. For the most part politics has become a series of reality show campaign rallies.
2. Constant rants have resulted in a deluge of fake news.
3. The news media can’t resist reporting (and thus legitimizing) daily senseless blasts.
4. Fear-mongering has divided us, and often even inspired violence.
5. The Web has become a weapon.
6. Cruel attacks are now too tolerated.
7. Lies have become commonplace, and for many they have begun to sound true.
8. Opposing everything without providing serious solutions has become far too acceptable (Obamacare, climate change, immigration, etc.)
9. And some got totally hooked into a cult, conspiracies, and dangerous wishful thinking.
10. And too many have replaced personal disappointments with a blind loyalty to a demagogue.

Whether you are a conservative or liberal no longer matters… this time our American “democracy” is literally at stake!!

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