Conversational Advice For Liberals & Conservatives

I describe myself as a tough-love, consequences-compassion oriented, progressive-conservative. The result is confusion by most and animosity from all sides. Despite this setback, I cling to the belief that this posture will enable me (and hopefully the majority of America) to thread the needle and avoid polarization.

The following examples might clarify this situation:

When in the company of conservative, limited government, spend thrift oriented folks, if I express support for a breakfast program for students, I get ridiculed as a big spender, big government guy. So I recommend leading off with how students scored higher on tests and ease into explaining that this occurred thanks to the breakfast program whereby kids learned better because they were not hungry. Lead off with the results and the consequences rather that starting with program proposals and funding requests. The end goal is to get their attention followed by their agreement. If your audience is hell bent on not spending on kids, ignoring their hunger and will not consider the positive test results, further conversing and convincing is probably an exercise in futility. This strategy using the breakfast program could be applicable to all sorts of situations where programming and spending is needed but starting the discussion with real world examples and human interest stories showing concrete benefits and consequences gets better results.

When in the company of liberal, progressive oriented folks who support more government and increased funding, I get ostracized if I propose cutting waste, reducing bureaucraacy, requiring accountability and demanding consequences for programs and funding. For example, I propose slapping an ankle monitor for an indefinite timeframe to a spousal abuser until such time that the abuser participates in therapeutic counselling. Require 24/7 monitoring and tracking until mandated and intensive therapy changes the abusers’ ways and he comes to terms with his demons. The initial reaction of most liberals who consider themselves to be progressive would be that I am harsh and draconian. I counter that it’s actually more compassionate and progressive to mandate intensive counselling and require continuous supervision/surveillance since in the long run that’s best for the abuser. Get to the root cause of malevolent behavior. Stop depending on useless, after-the-fact restraining orders and get the abuser off-the-street and into treatment. Start with toughness and consequences and end with compassion.

As with the conservatives, it sometimes makes more sense to get the liberals and progressives listening and agreeing before they immediately assume you are being harsh, discriminatory and regressive. If they are hell bent on ever expanding programs and unlimited spending, then no amount of discussion of consequences, personal responsibility and root cause solutions will change their perception of you as some sort of heartless neanderthal. 

In sum, enter every conversation with someone of an oppositional persuasion with human interest stories and concrete examples that hopefully will resonate with them. Engage in a thought experiment where there is no mention of whether you are a liberal or conservative, believer or non-believer, democrat or republican, libertarian or even an anarchist for that matter. If you can achive agreement at this stage, it will be harder for the other person to backtrack at the tail end of the conversation. There will be those who agree up to this point and reverse course at this juncture in the conversation. That’s ok because you have flushed them out and they are showing their true colors. Now you know that further attempts to change attitudes will be an exercise in futility.

I hope that this suggestion assists and look forward to any further feedback and suggestions. As always, my ongoing blogs can be found on www.dunnwriteswell.com

ALTERNATIVES to what has become The American Nightmare

These hands represent college debt, housing cost, credit cards, wage stagnation

We were raised believing in the American Dream. 

This included the notion that every generation aspired to do better than their parents’ generation. 

I propose alternative thinking since it’s ludicrous to assume that every generation must become “better off” than the preceding generation. Once everyone has enough food, clothing, shelter and adequate medical care when you get sick (and mitigation of pain in hospice when terminally ill), what more should we be expecting? At the risk of setting the bar too low, I question why we are so obsessed with “bigger and better with each successive generation”. I’m not against scientific and technological advancement, but once the basic material needs of “3 hots and a cot” are met, what more do we really need? To all those who lament that their lifestyle is not exceeding their parents’ generation, I ask the following questions:

When you got up this morning, did your toilet flush? 

Was your toilet inside the house? 

When you went to bed, was your belly full? Did you have a coat, hat and shoes when you went outside in the cold? 

Did you make it through the day without being terrorized by a warlord?

If you answered YES to all of these questions, then you need to “keep calm and carry on” resting assured that “the sky is not falling” and you will live to see another day in reasonable comfort.

How much more stuff do we need? How many more vacations do we need once we are not starving and not freezing. I’m all for enrichment and enjoyment in life but first there must be a fundamental sense of contentment and peace. Our society and the pursuit of the elusive, commercialized, commodified American Dream has us chasing “bells and whistles” rather than the basics.

That said, let me propose 4 areas where ALTERNATIVES might rescue us from the American Dream trap.

College Debt

Establish alternative pathways to higher education that include:

Open-source learning, vocational training, on-the-job training (OJT), peer training, internships, mentoring, apprentices, skill swapping, learning pods on the neighborhood and community levels.  

Skills learned and subjects mastered via the pathways described above could be verified by certifications and on-site demonstrations of proficiency. In sum, there could be more “credentialing” grounded on practical knowledge and demonstrated mastery rather than nebulous (and vastly more expensive) diploma tracks via higher education. 

Once an alternative route to higher education has been established by creating a more viable and affordable pathway to careers, the higher education institutions will need to adjust their inflated prices or shrink their footprint to match lower enrollment. Students and families will no longer be pressured to plunge into debt just to be able to say they “went to college”. The phrase “good school” will remain in our lexicon and it will continue to be used by those who can afford it. But for the rest of us working class and middle-class chumps, this alternative will redirect us from a life of indebtedness. 

When your toilets backed up and guests about to arrive at your house, do you stop the plumber because he or she did not attend a “good plumbing school”? Likewise, in any real-world situation, the primary question to be answered when making a hiring decision is whether the candidate can handle the job and ideally “hit the ground running”. Admittedly, it’s nice to be well rounded with a liberal arts education and be able to converse on a variety of topics. However, with the accumulation of perspective that comes from maturity, life’s experiences and intellectual curiosity, a person can acquire the soft skills and critical thinking skills embodied in the social sciences. Thanks to libraries, YouTube videos, open-source learning, discussion groups and lectures (for example TED Talks), a self-motivated person can become well-read and erudite. In sum, it leads me to believe that for most persons taking a philosophy class fresh out of high school might be a waste of time. I’m embarrassed to admit that even though my undergraduate degree is in political science, it’s only after years of working “in the field” and participating in organizations that I finally grasped “how things really work”. If I had to hire a cop and could only chose between a kid who had a criminal justice degree and spent time on a campus partying OR a kid who spent some years counselling delinquent kids and worked as a mall cop catching shoplifters and breaking up fights, I vote for the candidate from the real-world who is battle tested. This person is more likely to demonstrate familiarity dealing with challenging situations and a diversity of persons be they racial, cultural, and economic.

Housing Costs

Everywhere I lived has served me well for that particular point in time. The middle-class suburban colonial that I grew up in was fun but looking back I never realized how much my parents struggled to build it and retain it. The rooming houses that I lived in when I was broke after graduate school provided both shelter and some interesting experiences. Looking back, I appreciate the fact that rooming houses even existed in contrast to skyrocketing housing costs and shrinking housing supply for persons like myself on the first rung of the housing ladder. My ancestors reportedly ran “rooming houses” providing frugal shelter to fellow Irish immigrants. We could benefit today from “rooming houses” providing a first step to all sorts of immigrants.

Looking back, I realize this was the beginning of a life-long journey of paying someone else for my shelter whether it was rents to the landlord, condominium fees to the condo board or mortgage payments for my houses. After 30 years working concurrently at 2 and 3 jobs, I have the privilege of “owning” a fixer-upper that never got fixed up. I’m exhausted both physically and financially after a life of paying rents and mortgages. In my twilight years, I look forward to nothing more than downsizing to a 200 square foot living area enjoying a minimalist lifestyle that is debt free and maintenance free with predictable low overhead costs. Is that too much to ask for? Maybe I have set the bar low, but that’s just my observation after a lifetime on the housing treadmill.

As gloomy as my housing journey has been, my adult children’s housing pathway is much worse in light of skyrocketing housing costs and the speculative, commodification of housing. 

Therefore, I propose a whole new approach to housing to get off the merry-go-round lunacy of boom/bust cycles and escalating prices driven by speculative greed. 

Alternative: housing cooperatives.

Resources are pooled, participants only pay for what’s needed to maintain the structure (and set aside for replacement) and there is a sense of community among participants. The cooperative housing model gets back to the notion that housing is a necessity rather that a commodity. Cut out the high interest rates driven by speculative pressures. The cooperative housing model, by its very nature, requires a sense of community. When I lived in a condominium there was some sense of community among fellow condo board members and other owner-occupants. However, our sense of community and camaraderie was undercut by the fact that the majority of the complex transitioned to renters who shared none of the values and vested interest of owner-occupants. This coupled with the fact that blight and crime was overwhelming the neighborhood soured my experience. 

Even in the single family, owner-occupied, suburban neighborhoods where there is a moderate sense of security and community, I had to spend upwards of 60% of my disposable income for the privilege of calling myself a “home owner”. Waving at neighbors and exchanging pleasantries has been the norm of suburban life but I never got the feeling of “all for one and one for all” that my ancestors fondly described in the neighborhoods of yesteryears. With increasingly hostile and polarizing political and cultural circles, there is reluctance to discuss any topic that runs deeper than the weather and road conditions. Nobody really wants to get too chummy with their neighbors fearing they might find out too much and bite off more than they can chew in terms of empathy. In life in general and suburbia in particular, we give lip service to the phrase “it takes a village” but deep down we are terrified of deep, long-term commitments and entanglements. The suburbs offer superficial friendliness but I crave a community where there exists a sense of solidarity, security and uniformity of purpose where I feel comfortable growing and contributing. Why can’t there be a housing complex or a neighborhood where “everybody knows your name” to paraphrase a line from the sitcom “Cheers”. Maybe the nostalgic sense of camaraderie in that show explains its popularity.

Alternative: Gated, secure, self-sufficient cooperative communities (also known as “intentional communities”). 

I suggest that low income and working-class persons should be able to reside in gated, safe, self-sustaining cooperative communities just like their wealthy counterparts. Unlike the wealthy enclaves whose residents are clustered by reason of their wealth and social status, these low to moderate income cooperative communities could be grounded by common goals of safety, affordability and self-reliance. As I transition to what will probably be the last shelter in my life and as my kids launch their housing searches, I suggest this cooperative model as an appealing alternative to the traditional housing market rat race. There’s a reason they built castles in the Middle Ages, surrounded them with moats and created a self-sustaining community. Maybe it’s time for an updated castle with geo-thermal energy for heating/cooling needs and solar panels for energy independence. Sturdy and attractive fencing of the perimeter, video documentation throughout the site with a Welcome Station at the entrance manned by community volunteers on a 24/7 basis might create that sense of security and self-determination that everyone deep down desires. Within the community there could be a community garden contributing to both self-sufficiency and a sense of community. Cross-training of skills, sharing of tools and ideas and mutual support among the cooperative residents could coincide with the alternative paths to education and careers as previously described in the college debt, /college trap section of this blog.

Alternative: Modular Housing/Micro-Housing/Tiny Housing/Repurposed Housing (i.e, storage containers, etc.)

Imagine if single family suburban neighborhoods had sufficiently deep, large rear yards where one of the aforementioned housing types could be inserted. Understandably, there would still require site plan and design review requirements concerning health, safety, environmental and aesthetic considerations in accordance with local prerogatives and regulations. Advantages to this proposal include more money for the home owner generating a revenue stream while providing much needed housing without adversely impacting the front yard setbacks and without disturbing the pleasant single family suburban atmosphere. Downsizing families, empty-nesters, recent college graduates starting new jobs all might benefit from this scenario. 

Alternative: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) either within the envelope of existing residence or discretely attached to existing residences.

The previously described policy concerning a discrete policy of creating additional and affordable housing also applies to ADU’s. Likewise, ADU’s offer financial advantages to empty-nesters seeking to downsize while not relocating from familiar surroundings and still maintaining their status as owner-occupants. Reconfiguring within existing structures, converting garages, adding dormers and bonus rooms or extending a wing to the structure could utilize existing infrastructure thereby reducing costs and minimizing alterations to the streetscape.

Credit Card/Debt Trap 

Reviewing the thousands (yes..thousands) of cancelled checks I’ve accumulated over the years, it’s astounding how much has been spent on the financial treadmill. More depressing is the realization that the vast majority of expenditures were for necessities that included food, clothing, utilities, insurance, taxes, medical costs, day care, purchasing and maintaining vehicles just to name a few. None of these expenses generated capital for me or a retirement nest egg. Despite my frugal lifestyle, it’s only during the twilight years of my life that I can finally claim to be debt free. I daydream about how liberating and calming it could have been to experience a debt free lifestyle. The vexing question remains, how could this have been achieved?

Alternative: Pooling of resources, sharing of talents and adjusting lifestyle

What if I participated in a lending program similar to the way I checked books out of the library? 

Rather than buying a riding lawn mower (which is only valuable half of the year and even during the summer it’s only used every couple of weeks), I could have participated in a lawnmower borrowing program paying a nominal participation fee and not worrying about storage and  paying annual tune-ups. The same logic and scenario could apply to almost every other landscaping related expenditure (i.e. spreaders, weed whackers, tillers, ladders, etc.) and especially the big-ticket items. I’m ok with acquiring my own household tools and products that are low cost and frequently used (i.e., vacuum cleaners, mops, hammers, screwdrivers) but a lending library might have generated significant savings over my lifetime.

What if I had not tied up my money buying cars, paying interest on car loans, insurance costs, motor vehicle taxes and maintenance/repair costs? 

With the advent of Uber, Lift and Zip Cars (Wheels-When-You-Need-Them on a reservation basis) and the Turo app (Airbnb for cars), just think about how much money could have been redirected to saving for retirement, building assets, purchasing property and gaining financial independence. Cars are a convenient luxury but consider the following: They are only useful for 1/3 of your life because you are not driving them when sleeping or when you’re at work. In todays constricted economy, you only use cars when running errands or engaging in planned trips. Long gone are the carefree days when you “just take rides”. With thoughtful scheduling and alternative means of transportation such as scooters, electric bikes and ride sharing, we can be weaned away from costly car ownership. 

What if I lived in a self-sufficient, supportive cooperative community where I could avoid paying exorbitant amounts for daycare for my children thanks to an extended support network?

What if I had bought the majority of my clothes at secondary market sources such as Goodwill? I will concede that underwear and shoes are items that need to be bought brand new and it’s probably ok to splurge on one well-tailored suit but consider the savings buying on the secondary market for most other clothing needs. Additionally, consider the reduced carbon footprint and reduced environmental waste if a lifetime of items (clothes, household items, tools, etc.) were all purchased second hand or acquired on a loaned, exchanged basis. 

What if the homes that I “owned” (actually the bank/mortgage lender owned them) were active investments rather that passive investments? 

What if the garage was rented out for storage or used as a workshop? 

What if a bedroom was rented out when the nest became empty? 

What if two large trees located dangerously close to the rear of the house were removed and the wood was used for a wood burning stove in the chimney thereby providing a secondary source of heat. This would lower my heating bill while adding self-sufficiency providing an alternative heating source. Removal of the trees would reduce my insurance costs by eliminating that liability and possibly extend the life of my roof.

What if every backyard had a victory garden providing basic vegetables for the family and possibly some surplus to sell or barter with others? What if garden produce was canned to provide provisions through the winter months? 

What if I only had one credit card and paid off the balance at the end of each month thereby beating the credit card cabal at their own usurious interest rate game? This actually describes me.

What if I did not buy Christmas gifts or other presents at holidays? Well, I might have to bend this rule a bit but money saved could have been spent travelling, building relationships, sharing memories and enriching every member of my family without acquiring “stuff” that only has to be donated or disposed of many years later. 

All of these suggestions would require adjustments and re-thinking of spending habits. All require lifestyle choices in opposition to the American Dream brainwashing.

Wage Stagnation & Economic Inequity

Every one of my jobs had a honeymoon period (some longer than others). Even in companies where all employees were generally on the same page concerning the mission, there exists a natural tension between management and labor. Every work environment contains anxiety among workers who subconsciously know that layoffs and management changes lurk on the sidelines even in the best of working circumstances.

Alternative: Worker Cooperatives and ESOPs (Employee Stock Option Plans)

As with the prior discussion advocating cooperative housing, there exists a need for worker cooperatives with employees having a vested interest in their business and their futures. This could take the form of employees actually owning the company or having some sort of majority interest on the board of directors or it could be limited to allowing an ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan). Whatever path is followed, there needs to be more “skin in the game” on behalf of employees. A greater sense of agency and self-determination results when residents in a housing cooperative or employees in a business are “all in”.

A major caveat concerning these proposals for cooperatives in housing, cooperatives in the workplace and mutual aid societies includes the elusive need to start the initiative with full blown uniformity. When I reflect on some persons I have worked with, persons I have lived with and communities I have been affiliated with, I shout a resounding “hell no” if I were to be forced into a cooperative relationship in the housing, business or community realm with some of them. In other words, everybody must start on the same page and continue to trust each other fully if the cooperative venture is to succeed. This is easier said than done. In retrospect, I’m finding it difficult to envision this level of unity in all the housing, work and community settings I have experienced. I’ve worked with and lived with some wonderful persons. However, every workplace has its share of “lazy bees among the worker bees” and “show horses among the work horses”. Every housing and neighborhood have its share of knuckleheads. Every organization has its cantankerous, untrustworthy members. My daydreams include a bringing together of the best individuals in a synergistic relationship where there is a unity of purpose and supportive, nurturing environment. I’ve had fleeting moments of “oneness” in various circumstances whether that was schools I attended, places where I lived, places where I worked  and organizations I joined. I hold out hope of finding that elusive sense of unity as an alternative to the dog-eat-dog, divide and conquer, Hunger Games mentality propagated by the top 10% of our society to keep the other 90% busy chasing their tail. 

Alternatives proposed in this blog require collaboration among participants. There also needs to be allowance for participants to enter and exit relationships as needs, interests and passions change. 

The biggest challenge to implementing ALTERNATIVES to the American Dream (aka Nightmare) is to break the indoctrination that it’s attainable and it’s the only path to success. Creating viable alternatives is challenging but it’s worth the effort if we hope to forestall the demise of the working-class and middle-class.

As always, feedback and comments are encouraged. More of my observations and recommendations can be found in my bogs on www.dunnwriteswell.com and in my novel titled Mall Child.

3 words that will reunite America: Violence, Waste, Corruption

The 3 issues that MIGHT unite left & right, liberal & conservative

There are plenty of non-starters which make collaboration and communication Dead On Arrival (DOA) in any conversation. For me, it’s when persons insist that the holocaust and mass shootings are fake, the 2020 presidential election was rigged and the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capital was “no big deal”. 

There seems to be no “feel good” or “do good” or “common cause” endeavor on the horizon that will unite all persons on the socio-political and cultural spectrum. It seems like no amount of positive modeling, fact checking and rationalizing will avert polarization in society in general and politics in particular. 

Instead, the common denominator seems to be anger, distrust and disillusionment expressed by everybody. Every conversation tracks back to concern about violence, waste and corruption. So let’s drill down on each of these situations and figure out how seemingly odd-bedfellows can unite over common concerns.

VIOLENCE

For the record and to be very clear, I’m not advocating violence. 

That said, the fear of violence, crime and personal safety is a common denominator for everyone. We are hard wired as fight or flight creatures.

Many folks (particularly the MAGA supporters and many conservatives) are outraged by illegal immigrants who commit crime, especially felonies. Their concern is certainly legitimate. 

However, if they could ramp up to be equally fired up by every violent crime committed by EVERY person, including USA citizens, maybe we could pledge to work together to root out ALL violent felons and repeat offenders. Pledge to follow the mantra of “a crime against one is a crime against all”. Pledge to not cherry pick what violent crimes and repeat offenders we chose to get outraged about. I suggest making a pact to march to the courthouse and demand justice for EVERY incident of violent crime no matter who is the perpetrator and who is the victim. 

Common sense and logic dictates that EVERYONE would want to see that NOBODY who commits acts of violence should be allowed to roam in society. This especially applies to repeat offenders, the incorrigible, the most heinous acts of violence and those who by their actions show no regard for human life. This would include child molesters, rapists, mass shooters, drive-by shooters, road rage shooters and serial killers just to name a few. It would seem that everyone could buy into the proposal that all these individuals be permanently removed from society. What I’m proposing here is universal intolerance for violent perpetrators and swift justice for victims. Notice that I am not mentioning gun control or regulation. I’m not defaulting into discussions about mental health issues. I’m not distinguishing the characteristics of the violent offender based on wealth, race, ethnicity or citizenship status. For those whose outrage varies depending upon who is the perpetrator and who is the victim, I question whether we are on the same page concerning the topic of crime and violence. 

If we can get onto the same page, then we can begin to work together on solutions concerning the non-violent offenders. Once we can agree concerning what to do about ALL violent offenders, then the conversation can proceed to find common ground on violence prevention, mental health treatment, addiction prevention and remediation for everyone else. 

WASTE

Everybody HATES waste, no matter what their political stripe. Nobody is ok with spending “good money after bad”. Everybody insists on a positive return-on-investment (ROI). You get more mileage out of identifying wasteful situations rather than proposing programs and arguing about spending levels. Unite around specific examples of cutting the fat. Avoid generalities lamenting waste and bureaucracy in government. Focus on outrageous, willful misappropriation of funds rather than getting into debates concerning how to spend money or where to cut budgets. A side benefit to focusing on specific examples of waste would be rooting out employees who are lazy, indifferent and inefficient. Once the waste issue can be resolved, there can be meaningful conversation about how to best spend funds. A side benefit might the fact that additional funds may be found when waste has been identified. 

CORRUPTION

Everybody seems to derogatively refer to “the powers that be” and despise monopolies. This applies to big pharma, big medical insurance industry, big tech, big bad real estate speculators, overpriced colleges and their loan servicing cohorts, venture capitalists and hedge fund moguls flipping houses and canibalizing, commodifying our economy. The root of all evil as perceived by the masses, the working class, the middle class and the rest of us “little people” tracks back to the big, impersonal and out-of-control cabals that keep our prices high and destroy our dreams of a better future. Just ask my adult kids who have lost hope of buying a home or escaping crushing college debt. Just ask all the persons who work 2 and 3 jobs barely making ends meet and saving nothing. Just ask persons who lose their home and file bankruptcy because of medical debt. It all started after the 2008 crash when the “big shots” who were “too big to fail” got bailed out while the rest of us got squat. Persons of every political, ethnic, racial and cultural stripe need to agree that we’re getting systematically screwed by these cabals. They need to focus like a laser on examples of how these “powers that be” are crushing us. We need to put aside our differences and work together for mutual benefit. If everybody got enraged by the white-collar criminals as much as they got enraged by the local criminal thug, we might get more mileage taking our country back. Conversations need to be re-directed from culture wars and emotional hot spots. Worry less about whose in our bathrooms, what’s on our bookshelf and whether I stand or kneel during the national anthem. Instead, focus on the pure greed and corruption that if unchecked will revert the middle class to subservient serfdom. Tap into the universal question as to why we all are working harder while achieving less.

In sum, the mantra that will unite the USA needs to be a sense of common outrage where an attack on one is an attack on all. The reality is that anger motivates and anger unites. If this anger can be channeled, we might avert the slippery slope of polarization and alienation. 

I’m all for dreaming big, engaging in forward thinking by keeping our eye on the long game. However, when I observe the angst, disgust, and disillusionment expressed by persons everywhere on the spectrum (especially the far left and far right), it might behoove us to focus on the genuinely outrageous and unjust in the present circumstances before we consider tackling future projects. The recent national election is an indication that this might be a more prudent and practical model for longer term success. It’s a strategy worth considering. There may be no path toward addressing long term, big issues such as global warming and social justice until we acknowledge visceral, practical situations and channel sentiments that we can agree upon. 

As always, feedback and suggestions are always encouraged and check out my ongoing blogs at www.dunnwriteswell.com

Did any president, political party or government policy ruin my life? No, but read on for the real causes.

What were life setbacks and who was responsible?

Leading up to the presidential election there were all sorts of accusations that candidates and their parties irreparably harmed me.

Since I’m retired, I have the luxury of reflecting and concluded that I made my own bed and only I am responsible for sleeping in it. 

No mayor, governor, president, political party or government policy caused any of the following setbacks:

Bought a car while still making payments on another car.

Bought a condo and the real estate market collapsed and the neighborhood went to hell in a handbasket

Built a house and shortley thereafter employers of both my wife and I issued us pink slips. Different companies and the layoffs were for different reasons none of which could be traced to any politician, political party or government policy.

Got notified with no prior notice and for no perceptable reason by a despicable former boss that my salary was being slashed by $20,000. Asked if I was being cut back to part-time status and they said NO. So I was working full time at a part-time rate. 

Worked 2 and 3 jobs at the same time for over 40 years to keep financially afloat. 

Put 3 kids thru college but accumulated tremendous Parent Plus debt that will last well into my old age or till I drop dead, whichever happens first.

While fellow voters frequently attribute their misfortunes to politicians, political parties and government policies, I take responsibility for the choices I made and the path my life has taken. However, in my meloncoly reflections, I wonder why I have payed so much, worked so hard and accompished so little. I do not suffer from addictions such as gambling or alcoholism. I have not been arrested, spent time in jail, had to pay restitution for lawsuits, divorce, alimony, child support or other financial albitrosses other than exorbitant interest rates on auto loans and mortgages. 

And that gets around to my explanation for the dismal circumstances of myself, fellow baby boomers and working class Americans.

The root causes of this generational backslide can be traced to the following examples of commodification and speculation which collectively have stunted the American Dream:

The unholy alliance of the realtors, financers, and speculators that have transitioned the basic necessity of shelter to a debilitating survival march. Spending 25 years house-poor in a fixer-upper that never could get fixed up soiled the phrase Home Sweet Home. The American dream of ownership was achieved but at what cost for this pyrrhic victory? 

The unholy alliance of higher education institutions, college loan financeers, unhelpful FAFSFA, and U.S. Dept. of Education created the perfect storm of life-long indebtedness. The American dream of college education was achieved but at what cost for this pyrrhic victory.

The unholy alliance of the insurance, pharmaceuticals and finance industries that pad costs, hide transparency and offer no rewards for loyalty. Clients are steered toward Medicare Advantage plans when Medicare Supplement might be more appropriate. Ever changing policies, steadily increasing rates, escalating complexity and soaring deductables is the modus operandi of the revenue hungry insurance industry. My driving record is perfect and I’m paying for those who are uninsured. I live a healthy lifestyle exercising regularly and eating healthy but health insurance costs escalate. 

So any candidate or political party that can address head on these unholy alliances will garner my support. The candidate and party that can offer outside-the-box alternatives to the housing and education cost trap has my vote. The candidate and party that simplifies insurance, finance and pharmaceuticals has my vote. Don’t distract me with wedge issues. Stay out of my bedroom, my medicine cabinet, my bookshelf and my value system. Instead, disrupt the cabals that inflate prices, commodifying basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, and health. 

Some talking points and strategy suggestions for Democrats going forward

Moving forward by working smarter and not just harder

The following is a “stream of consciousness” reflections and suggestions concerning how to best move forward and work more strategically. 

Determine WHO is amenable to persuasion.

Determine WHAT is the actual size of this population. Are we looking for the proverbial “needle in the haystack”?

HOW do we access that person?

WHAT is the best presentation for persuading?

HOW long will all this take? Consider cost-benefit, time/effort value analysis.

If we fall short concerning all of the above for a variety of reasons, then how do we motivate the existing base of support so we do not experience a repeated shortfall concerning turnout?

When outreaching to all the afore mentioned persons, maybe we should consider the following approach:

Ask what EXACTLY bothers them and what are they most passionate about. Focus on specificity and not generalities such as the quality of life, the economy in general, and the decline of moral/family values for which no person or political party can directly change. FYI, be prepared for their specific answers and prepare concrete responses/solutions.

Common responses by persons who are not fans of the Democratic party and opponents of progressive/liberal policies include the following:

Big government, over regulation, bureaucracy, wasteful spending, crime concerns and corruption/fraud. Hone in on specific examples and work to the greatest extent possible to address these concerns. Move from generalities and perceptions to actual solutions in tandem with the respondents’ concerns. In partnership with them, fix what can be fixed reminding them that you accomplished this together. There will still be persons who either despise Democrats or are lukewarm to Democrats even after all these specific, concrete efforts but presumably a dent will be made in the negative perception of Democrats. 

Following this strategy, Democrats need to re-invent the Tammany Hall format of precinct politics (of course without the corruption) getting back to the bread & butter basics of political organizing. This household-by-household level of organizing needs to be done for a couple of years before the flurry of phone calls, emails and literature distribution campaigns occur just prior to the next election.  

The perception, messaging shortfalls pertain to the following:

Democrats are soft on crime (this includes the border issue) and they’re wasteful spenders. This is where Democrats need to pivot to the tough-love, consequences-compassion messaging applied to specific, concrete, common sense situations.

For example: If their concern is migrants committing violent crime, deploy the following conversation:

Ask if they have met any violent criminal migrants? Has this happened in our jurisdiction and at what scale?

Agree that when such an incident occurs within our jurisdiction, pledge to accompany them to the courthouse and follow that trial to make sure that justice has been served. Concurrently ask them to pledge that they will accompany you to the courthouse and follow the case doing whatever is needed to make sure that ANY violent criminal (immigrant or native born) in our jurisdiction is brought to justice and the victim is appropriately compensated. 

Shorter term strategy:

Every conversation with a Democrat should lead off with emphasis on personal accountability, consequences for crime, waste, fraud, violation of civil rights, specific injustices and real live examples of government overreach. This is establishment of the “tough” perception. It’s ok for Democrats to advocate “locking up violent criminals and throwing away the key”, taking away drivers licenses for repeat DUI offenders, repeated rage driving incidents, repeated street take over participants and slapping on ankle monitors to offenders for as long as it takes until it is determined that thru mandated therapy/counselling (the tough part of the love equation) affirms that the root causes of their anti-social behavior have been addressed. Mandated intensive therapy/counselling coupled with vigorous monitoring and supervision should be part of the lexicon of Democrats to get them out of the corner that Republicans have painted them into. Lastly and importantly, the tough-love model will not only break the perception mold for Democrats but it benefits those receiving the “tough-love”.

Longer term and ongoing strategy:

Democrats need to tap into the outrage concerning the following:

Commodification, speculation, price gouging, usurious financing and hollowing out of the middle class and working class

 This includes:

Exorbitant…..student debt….housing prices…commodity price gouging…astronomic insurance costs, high deductibles and unaffordable health care

Democrats need to offer alternatives to outrageous student debt and unaffordable housing while tapping into the rage over monopolies and the feeling of helplessness by the middle class and particularly the working class.

My election day Declaration of Independence and my Miranda Warning to everyone else

Freedom isn’t free if you don’t speak your mind and call out what’s wrong

This election (and beyond) I’m declaring my independence from the following:

Trying to convince the inconvincible

Trying to understand blatant lies and crazy conspiracy theories

Falling down social media rabbit holes that waste what little time we are blessed with on this good earth

Making nice to anyone who questions my patriotism, spirituality, intelligence, character and morality just because of my beliefs, philosophies, attitudes, perspectives, values, background and life experiences

Now for my Miranda Warning to everyone I encounter on election day and beyond:

I have the right to remain silent when you impose your values and attitudes just as you have the right to go silent on me.

I have the right to push back on what I find hurtful, despicable, immoral, and deceitful as you have the same right concerning me….with the understanding that we also respect each others right to silence and stay out of each others lanes should either of us chose that path.

In sum, we have the right to disagree but not be disagreeable. We agree to curtail our conversations and relationships to whatever level is palatable.

One final heads up concerning what are “relationship/communication deal breakers” so there is less confusion if I go silent or distant:

Deal breakers which are “last straws”:

Denials of…..holocausts, mass shootings, validity of the 2020 presidential election, gravity and atrocity of the violence committed at the January 6th insurrection/riot and the hateful, Nazi supporting, antisemitic march in Virginia

Going forward for myself no matter what is the outcome of the 2024 election, my focus will be less on ranting/raving and more on mission driven endeavors. I’m focusing on personal initiatives, family matters, implementing solutions and making the most of what for me is probably the fourth quarter of this game of life. I’m recommending this strategy for everyone for a better nation and a more meaningful, productive life.

As always, I welcome constructive feedback and for details concerning my social commentary and solution-oriented suggestions, check out my website at www.dunnwriteswell.com

’Twas The Night Before The Election

Vote before it’s too late, before they seal your fate!!

Twas the night before the election and all through the house

Everyone was stirring calling each other a louse

I’m exhausted and needed a nap. But I trimmed my beard, put on my bright cap and trudged out for one more lap.

To the doors I did go, asking everyone… “What did they know?”

And much to my amazement, many knew nothing or could not decide.

The know-nothings grumbled like bears woken from hibernation. I put no credence in them saving our nation.

The contrast of candidates for me could not be clearer. I was surprised the undecideds could muster the strength to open the door.

Sleepwalkers shuffled on every corner. Blissfully dreaming. Unaware of the nightmare awaiting them at dawn.

My reindeer were nervous. They heard unfound rumors. Even reindeer scroll social media. Dogs and cats being abducted and eaten by illegal immigrants. Might reindeer meat be next? 

And reports of a rampant “migrant crime wave” gave them the jitters. 

But I warned them of the greater threat posed by local trigger-happy critters.

So dash away, dash away off to the pole. Not the one way up north but the one in your neighborhood.

So with great trepidation I bellowed “Ho, Ho, Ho off to the great unknown we go”. 

And to those who sit on the sidelines and later complain, I remind them of the price you pay when you opt to abstain.

Garages to Studios: An invisible and practical solution to the affordable housing crisis

What if 1/3 of all garages were converted to studio apartments?

During my evening walks thru my suburban neigborhood, I conducted an informal survey of garages and estimated that approximately 1 out of 3 are NOT storing vehicles. Telltail signs included: exercise equipment stationed in front of garage doors, vegitation, supplies or abandoned/unregistered vehicles in front of those garage doors. When by chance the garage doors were open, I observed they were filled with “stuff” just like my own garage which has never had a vehicle parked inside of it for the past 24 years. When I googled the topic, I noted responses included an affirmation that approximately 1/3 of all garages in America are NOT used to house vehicles.

The reason I define this as an INVISIBLE and PRACTICAL tool in the toolbox to address the affordable housing crisis is as follows:

If the studio is attractively configured within the garage, there will be no significant change in the size and appearance of the house. 

French Doors (aka carriage doors) actually upgrade the appearances

In addition to upgrading the attractiveness of the house, the carriage doors can adddress the requirement of safe accss/egress

Since the studio is configured within the envelope of the existing structure, costs can be minimized concerning utilities (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc.) and a foundation already exists even if it’s just a cement slab. Rough estimates of such conversions depending upon site/building circumstances range in the $50,000 to $100,000 category based upon preliminary, cursory internet searches when this question was posed. Of course, more could be spent but this appears to be a reasonable baseline estimate.

Since one out of three garages already have vehicles parked in the driveway, the addition of one more vehicle would hardly be noticeable. A maximum allowance for one vehicle is reasonable since a maximum of one person occupancy (absolute maximum of 2 persons) would be reasonable.

Establishment of a local design review requirement is quite reasonable and recommended so what’s designed is in keeping with the character of the neighborhood. Again, the emphasis upon quality design and unobtrusive appearance bordering on invisibility.

As a practical, fiscally prudent matter, studios replacing garages could provide a revenue generator for a cash stapped, house poor homeowner. If the studio generated rental income of $800 to $1,000/month (likely figure in my high demand, high cost housing market), this studio would pay for itself over time and add value when the time came to sell the house. Given uncertain economic times, the inevitability of increasing inflation and the ever present spector of financial crisis (layoffs, illness, etc.), single family homes can no longer be passive investments. The studio conversion will make the single family suburban home a more dynamic investment without deterring from the character and quality of the neighborhood.

As a social, family friendly and intergenerational strategy, the studio conversion would provide an opportunity for the older homeowner (presumably the baby boomers) to age-in-place while downsizing if they find themselves in an empty-nest situation. Likewise, the young adult members of the family who can not yet “leave the nest” because they are burdened with crushing college loan debts and astronomically high housing purchase costs could gain a sense of independence while saving up at home. Mutually beneficial arrangements concerning child care, elder care, babysitting and healthy social intergenerational interactions would be condusive if garages could be converted to studios.

If financing is an issue, a reverse mortgage might be an option or consideration of tapping into retirement funds that need to be spent as part of the RMD’s (required minimum distributions) might be an option. Pooling of family resourses is recommended among the family members who will benefit from the conversion. For baby boomers many of whom have paid off their mortgages or those persons who have very low interest mortgages have no intention of acquiring additional debt or moving. This might be an option for them as circumstances (age, illness, family configurations, etc.) change. If there were any public funds made available as either a grant or low interest loan for garage to studio conversions, there would have to be a stipulation that the studio be rented at an affordable rate for a reasonably long timeframe (possibly minimum of 10 years).

On a personal note, whenever I advocate auxiliary dwelling unit (ADU) proposals emphasizing their discreatness, one of my sons askes “why do we have to hide affordable housing and act like it’s something to be ashamed of?” My response is that we have to propose and implement what is politically practical, economically viable and doable. Last, but not least, being from New England, I tell him that I do not like the idea of being “tarred and feathered” when making such proposals. Requiring that there be an owner-occupant on site (whether he/she reside in the studio or in the house proper) also goes a long way to making this proposal palatable to those who might be skeptical. Builders and contractors should be on-board with this proposal since there would be money to be made implementing the conversions. 

Also, on a personal note, I have experienced living in rooming houses and some very tight, uncomfortable spaces that lack a bathroom or kitchen. As a minimalist, the small space is not an issue but having your own bathroom and even just a kitchenette makes all the difference in the world. 

As with all my blogs recently, I aim toward solutions that most everyone can buy into. This seems to be a very practical, aesthetically pleasing, politically appealing and fiscally sound proposal. This proposal might assist with “shaking up the backlog of housing supply” by supplying more housing without requiring the sale of housing. I’m working on upcoming blogs concerning variations of ADU’s (auxiliary dwelling units) and cooperative housing alternatives, so stay tuned.

The only looser in this proposal for converting garages to studios might be the junk that fills up our garages. To that I say “good riddings” and I encourage recycling to the greatest practical extent.

As always, seeking feedback and further ideas via http://www.dunnwriteswell.com

Whatever Happened To Happy?

How I remained relatively happy while others became angry

We grew up the same, so why the change?

There once was a boy named Happy.

He was perfectly content to build roads made of close pins on the carpet in the living room of his aunts house. Years later he became a city planner.

One November day, his playing was interrupted by an announcement by Walter Cronkite on tv that president Kennedy had been shot. Shortly thereafter while eating a tuna sandwich at his aunts house, he witnessed the killing of the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald as he was escorted from the Dallas Texas police station. He absorbed the images but there were roads to be built and homework to be completed.

Years passed playing army in the woods building foxholes and battling imaginary enemies ranging from the Nazis to the Viet Cong. His parents were not so happy since race riots erupted during the summer of 1968 and the draft was fast approaching for Happy to fight in Vietnam for real. Along came Nixon with his Law & Order and an end to the draft and everybody was happy again, at least for a while.

And then there were the lies. 

Nixon with Watergate, Clinton with Monica, Reagan with the Iran-Contra arms deal, Bernie Madoff scam and Enron lies, Weapons of Mass Destruction WMDs never found in Iraq, real estate appraisal lies bursting the bubble and crashing the economy. Happy had every reason to be skeptical of big business and big government. 

But still Happy remained happy keeping busy with work and getting on with life.

Family and friends have come and gone. And there will be others who come and go.

Yet Happy has remained relatively happy.

So what gives with his boomer counterparts and their sadness and anger? 

They have experienced similar ups and downs. Tragedies and triumphs. Laughs and tears. 

Were they always sad and angry and Happy just didn’t notice? 

Was he too busy to notice? 

What happened in their lives to make them so sad, so angry, so vengefull.

Happy worked 2 and 3 jobs at a time and never made much money. But he remainded relatively happy. His boomer friends and the acquaintances he made during the course of his life made more money and yet seemed increasingly sad and angry. What gives?

Why do they live life looking through the rear-view mirror while Happy looks through the windshield?

Happys blissful childhood happiness has been replaced by cautious happiness and a tempered optimism that he wishes his childhood friends and fellow boomers would share.

A comprehensive approach & alternative to tackling Domestic Violence 

The insanity must stop. Protect the victim. Fix the perpetrator. Get to root causes.

I recently attended a debate among local political candidates. One of the questions posed was “What would you do about the scourge of domestic violence?”

Of course, they all professed abhorrence to domestic violence. They emphatically expressed support for the abused. They all demanded punishment for the abuser. Everyone agreed there needs to be more prevention, more therapy and consequences for abusing. The audience was served a full round of generalities and platitudes.

This motivated me to offer the following observations and suggestions:

Harden the target:

Provide the abused person with a panic button akin to the commercial in which the woman shouts the phrase “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”.

Provide the abused person with motion activated video camera surveillance of the perimeter of their residence and alarm all doors and windows of the residence. Make sure monitoring systems are active and monitored in the event of any security breach. Make sure video cameras are installed and activated in the victim’s vehicle. Costly yes, but not compared with the hospital and funeral costs to the victims. The repeat offender syndrome and the revolving door frustration experienced by police responding to the same locations strains public safety budgets and morale. Lastly, consider the intangible and astronomical costs associated with the traumatized children of domestic abuse situations.

Have the restraining order on file at all appropriate locations (courts, police, place of employment, etc.) and register this notice with all appropriate persons (family, friends, school authorities if there are children involved, etc.). This notice should include a photo of the abuser and description of perps’ vehicle so there will be no question or hesitation when trouble is near. I offer this suggestion based on my years working as a mall cop, public housing manager, mental health advocate and neighborhood organizer. In all these circumstances, there was a sense of danger and uncertainty but it was rarely clear what I was “on the lookout for” and the specificity of threats and circumstances generally remained vague. 

Set in place a protective escort system so the abused party can shop and keep appointments without fear of physical abuse and abduction. This system of volunteer escorts could be comparable to the volunteers who provide safe passage to visitors to abortion clinics. Having volunteer escorts (or possibly providing them with a small stipend) would keep costs down. Combatting domestic violence is certainly a cause that would be supported by motivated volunteers. It will require advance scheduling and require a restrictive, inconvenient lifestyle for the abused party but unfortunately this may be the only way to increase the level of safety. This is particularly important when the abuser is served with divorce/separation papers because that’s when the threat level escalates.

The abused person will need to agree to all of the aforementioned terms and conditions of living in a more restrictive and heightened security environment. It’s unfortunate and unfair but it’s necessary to keep the victims children shielded from the trauma of abuse and keep the victim from physical harm and possibly even death. 

And now for some protocols and procedures concerning the abuser. 

I’m recommending isolating, tracking/monitoring and treating until there can be reasonable assurance that the pattern has been broken. 

Get to the root causes of abusive behavior and don’t let up until the abuser is fixed.

How?

If the abuse involves violence (or the imminent threat of violence), the abuser must be isolated in a therapeutic center for intensive therapy until it can be certified that the abuser presents no further threat. Don’t send this perp to jail, where nobody gets rehabilitated and prisoners only get worse. In the “therapeutic center”, the abuser is treated to intensive therapy either in an in-hospital setting or out-patient clinic depending upon the severity of the abuse. If there are co-occurring circumstances such as addictions, add that treatment to the therapeutic regime. This should be in-patient for severe situations or out-patient for less severe incidents. 

Slap an ankle monitor on the abuser so whereabouts are constantly monitored and an alarm is activated if the physical parameters of the restraining order are breached. The duration of attachment of the ankle monitor will be determined by the frequency and severity of the abuse. Ankle monitor should only be removed when there is a clinical, professional certification that therapy treatments have been completed and it can be reasonably determined that root causes have been addressed and behavior has been modified. In sum, keep the ankle monitor on for as long as it takes. A side benefit to this strategy would be to alert any new persons entering a relationship with this abuser that a “buyer beware” policy might be prudent. This might cut down on the repeat offender, multi-victim syndrome which in turn might cut down on police/courts/criminal justice costs. Lastly, by not tossing the abuser in jail (unless circumstances necessitate it or if there is flagrant, repeated violation of the protective order), the abuser can still be employed and remain a productive member of society while getting the counselling that’s needed. 

As far as firearms restrictions are concerned, I recommend a full restriction until such time it’s determined that the ankle monitor can be removed. That’s because this coincides with therapy and behavior modification demonstrating reasonable improvement. There are no guarantees that the abuser has been “cured” but this would certainly be preferable to the arbitrary short-term restrictions to firearms whereby the abuser might just “wait out the waiting period” and open fire thereafter. Restricting firearm access without coupling to ongoing, intensive therapy might only create a pressure cooker of pent-up demand for retribution by the abuser.

Some might accuse me of being harsh and draconian for both the victim and abuser when I make the aforementioned proposals. Some might consider this a totalitarian approach. However, consider the harm inflicted by the abuser and the life of fear and trauma that the victim and the victims’ family must endure. On the contrary, I assert that this is the best long-term, cost-effective scenario for all parties involved including the affected children and society in general. Only if we take these tough-love tactics will the cycle of abuse be broken, Only then will we tackle this problem with a practical no-nonsense approach. Maybe there might be one less woman (usually it’s women) who is found dead clutching her restraining order in the misguided optimistic hope that somehow this piece of paper will somehow save her from a beating or death. 

There may be higher upfront costs to implementing these proposals but in the long run there may be a cost saving with fewer calls for service, less revolving door repeat offender situations and more long-term solutions by getting to the root problems. Beat up spouses rack up hospital bills. Dead spouses leave children orphaned and traumatized. Theraputic isolation for abusers is preferable to having them sit in jail costing taxpayers’ money and becoming more likely to terrorize all of us upon their release. 

If I was on that debate stage, this is the long answer I would have made to that short question about domestic abuse. Other questions in that debate pertained to education and housing so stay tuned for my next blogs where I try to offer some tough-love, no-nonsense, cost effective, outside-the-box suggestions. As always, I look forward to any and all feedback.