Midterm Election 2022 Turn-Out-The-Vote and Be The Change You Want to See: Vote In Every Election, National, State, and Local!

The 2022 Midterm elections are upon us! With the increasing violation of our voting rights and the threat to our democracy, starting exploring "who is who" is up for election in the upcoming November 8^th, 2022 midterm elections ahead of the game isn’t a new normal but a game-changer when you know who is running, when to head to the polls, where are the polling stations, what is at stake-your issues you care about and what the candidate stand for, why voting is not just a right and a duty, but your voice; and how your vote can make the change you want to see! Of course, when you embrace the 5Ws + 1H and vote in every election, national, state, and local, you will be the change you want to see!

Turn-out-the-vote isn’t limited to presidential elections only, but all elections-National, State, and Local. Helping citizens to be eligible voters isn’t enough! Teaching them how to vote on the issues that are at stake, who is up for election, and what the candidate stands for is the most crucial part of ensuring your vote is not wasted but count in a way that speaks to your voice/represent your ideas/issues.

In the upcoming November 8^th, 2022, midterm election at the national level there are a total of 469 seats for US Congress that are up for election. 34 Senate seats and all 435 House seats are up for election in November 2022.

Voters tend to pay little attention to state politics but at the state level there are State Executives, Legislatures, and State Judges-36 Gubernatorial seats and 30 Lieutenant Gubernatorial seats up for election, 30 Attorney General seats, and 27 Secretary of State. Thus, 239 state Executives are up for elections across 44 states in 2022.

When it comes to local officials the number of people who get involved with local politics is even less than state or national politics even though everything starts at the local level, and Americans are more trusting of local government than of their state government. New Gallup survey found that 72% of American adults trust their local government compared with 63% who said they trust their state government.

At the local level, 88 counties out of 99 are up for election 2022-that include municipal election by states and mayors of the 100 largest cities.

 

Who Is Running for Midterm Election 2022?

The best source of information on elections in your area is your local elections office and your State website. Also, information about elections can be found on many election websites such as https://www.usa.gov/midterm-state-and-local-lections, and or https://ballotpedia.org.

Having volunteered in the election arenas, both national and midterm elections, I have seen many people arriving at the polling stations not knowing who to vote for or what are the issues on the ballot, hence, they ended up with a guessing vote, unsure whether it was a right choice for the right candidate.

It is worth noting that, voting for a wrong candidate simply because the voter did not have prior knowledge of who to vote for and what the issues the candidate stand for is very common, and a problem that needs a solution because your vote must reflect your true choice and the representation you deserve.

To turn out the vote in a right and correct way on November 8th, 2022, it’s better to get familiar with your national, state, and local elected leaders/candidates well and where they stand on the issues that affect you and your community. For example, if your issue of concern is the increase of gun violence in your community, find out what the candidate who represents you stands for on gun control measures, and whether the candidate stands for or against the NRA regarding guns control measures. Same for other issues such as affordable healthcare, college education, housing, and or increasing the minimum wage; know where your candidate stands on these issues and many more that affect you and your community on daily basis.

“Our political leaders will know our priorities only if we tell them, again and again, and if those priorities began to show up in the polls”.

A research survey conducted by the Pew Research Center find out that about 44% of regularly voters know little about their candidate, while 13% think voting doesn’t change things-this are most likely the group of people who are not bothered about who is the right candidate or what are the issues at stake!

 It is true that if you cast your vote to the wrong candidate, it’s a wasted vote because it may come to haunt you. Informed voters are likely to make the best choices of the candidates who will represent them and their issues.

 

Does Your Vote Matter?

Former President Barack Obama once said, “There is no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. It all matters.”

Certainly, your vote may matter to you or to others depending on whether you did your voting homework well.

It doesn’t matter whether you are affiliated with Democrat or a Republican party, for it mostly identifies you with the issues you stand for. Voting either Democrat or Republican is up to the voter’s understanding of how his/her vote may affect him/her depending on the choices he/she make either to support a candidate who share the same issues/values as yours or instead of voting for a candidate that has the opposing view from yours and your vote, in this case, may not matter to you the best way because you choose your opponent.

Vote411.org site can provide voters with worth information to get familiar with who is who in your local, state, and national politics.

Likewise, listen to your local volunteers who help to simplify the issues at stake and who are the candidates up for election, and what is on the ballot to be aware of.

In the era of disinformation as a tool to lure voters, find reliable sources of information. An informed friend, co-worker, or a neighbor can be more helpful if you share the same beliefs than relying on TV ads and social media sources which have become increasingly misleading, confusing, and deliver falsehoods on both candidates and the issues they stand for or on the ballot, leaving voters confused than ever about where the candidates stand on the issues.

Know Your Candidate Well Enough to Deserve Your Vote

If there are lessons from Democrat Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Krysten Sinema of Arizona who joined Republicans and voted against their party’s agenda, Build Back Batter Act and Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, both bills are favored by most American people and wanted these bills to pass on the Senate floor, however, the bills were killed by the minority group after the two democrats sided with the Republicans. The defeat of the most popular bills that are supported by most Americans left many voters reflecting on how they voted their leaders to the offices. Perhaps a working call for the upcoming midterm elections to think twice on who to vote for.

What electro prospects one has that motivates or discourages one to vote to depend solely on the understanding of real issues and their base support on those issues either by tricks or manipulating voters.

Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema holding hostage and perhaps kill the key legislation the country needs the most to address the crises the country currently facing, from erosion of democracy, violation of voting rights, the threat posed by climate change; to income inequality which all affect all American people except the 1% wealthy people was a slap on the voters’ face, particularly those of West Virginia and Arizona.

Democrats of West Virginia and Arizona have a lot to think about their votes to these two candidates who represent them yet their votes to these two candidates have not yielded the desired outcome they voted for!

It is up to voters to decide if such obstruction of social and economic progress can be avoided by electing candidates who are attuned to peoples’ issues and need to serve the American people more and better than serving the interest groups and big corporations that funds their campaign. Find more about issues and candidates on the issues at https://onTheissues.org/

Let’s all remember that bad politicians are elected by good citizens who do not vote often and are not well informed to make the best decisions and choices with their votes, but it doesn’t mean that their leaders should take their votes for granted and go against their voters’ will.

 

 Turn-Out-The-votes In 2022 Midterm Elections!

“Every election is determined by the people who showed up.”

Women and the youth are two groups of people that are most vulnerable as they are mostly affected by the policies government implements, whether it is reproductive rights, the equal jobs for equal pay, affordable housing, high cost of college, minimum wage, gun violence in schools and inequity in education among the schools and students or available jobs for the young people after graduating, etc.

These groups suffer injustices and gender discrimination, and the only way to fight back is through the power of the vote by turnout massively to the polls on November 8^th, 2022, to surpass the 2018 midterm election.

In 2018 midterm elections was the highest voters turnout in decades according to the US Census Bureau. Voter turnout among all eligible voters and major racial and ethnic groups reach the historic point of 11% higher than the last midterm election in 2014. 53% of the citizen voting-age population voted in 2018.

In the 2020 presidential election, both Joe Biden and Donald Trump brought new voters into the political process than any other presidential election in the history of the presidential elections, a total of 66% of US eligible voters cast a ballot in the 2020 election.

In many ways, the turn-out-the-vote campaigns were at an all-time high, and volunteers worked hard to register new voters and targeted the registered voters to get out and vote. The four years of Donald Trump's unconventional and unpresidential behaviors helped to fuel the voters' turnout. When voters consciously and regardless of their party affiliation put their mind into what is proper and necessary, they vote with conscience, not their party.

Democrat party outreach outweighed the Republicans for encouraging new political comers and was all-time higher which paid off, Joe Biden is president because of such effort to turn out the vote.

Fortunately, numbers don’t lie, they expand or shrink! So, for those who suspected their loss and started to engage in creating a mountain of lies that election was stolen from them and continue to repeat the lies with the intent to confuse and antagonize the public was and still is a bad political game for it went violent and led to January 6^th Capital Hill attack due to “Big Lie” about the stolen election.

Rather than focus on how to turn out the vote in proper and legitimate ways, which means for Republicans to redesign/reinvent their political ideology to attract newcomers, and to recruits and integrate the party members, instead of relying on tricks and manipulations, and or violations of minority voting rights and frankly, “voters stealing” as they intend to continue spreading big lies and violence as a “legitimate political discourse”.

The dynamics of an ever-changing society demand the acceptance of diversity and inclusion. To continue to deny diversity and inclusion in the political parties is setting your party for failure for it won’t be relevant or present with the dynamics of the 21st Century society.

If anything, the 2020 presidential election will be remembered in the history of the US as a tumultuous year in review for so many reasons, including, the ending of Donald Trump presidency craziness, failed attempt to stole election from Joe Biden by staging an attack at capitol Hill Jan. 6^th during the certification of states electors, refusal to concede the defeat and hand over power as traditionally done since the formation of the republic; and the continuation of Republicans defiance of the rule of law, their action that threatens the US democracy, and the massive state laws that violate the voting rights of the minority groups.

All these still playing in the heads of most decent Americans who are ready to defend and protect the ideals and principles the American is founded on, such as fighting to protect voting rights will motivate them to another record-setting of turning out the votes in 2022 because the stakes have never been so higher with one major party involved in violation of voting rights, attacking democratic institutions, and engaging into authoritarian tactics.

 

In a nutshell

The 2020 election was bombarded by allegations that were fabricated or manufactured with the intent to enable a real steal of election to occur.  “Stop the Steal” was a prank orchestrated by “Big Lie” was probably more than a year in the making or perhaps of the four years of Donald Trump rule which was characterized by unpresidential behaviors perhaps because of the “Big Lie” they had in mind?

However, they miscalculated the power of the people that even their Big Lie could not sustain the power of the people. They thought because they messed up the 2016 election, they could do the same in 2020. But people were awake in 2020 and fought back with their vote. 

Even though to date, the public continues to be stunned by the magnitude of the political lies, and now the declaration that Jan. 6^th insurrection was a “legitimate political discourse” continues to remind voters of the importance of turn-out-the-vote in 2022.

 Every eligible voter should vote in every election because your vote matter! Your vote is a powerful weapon you can use to influence the outcome of the election. Your vote is your negotiation power in making the change you want to see.

Get ready to make November 8^th, 20202 a referendum on those engaging in voters’ suppression and violation of voting rights of the minority groups. Once again demonstrate through the-get-out-the -votes that the government is for the people, not the party.

It’s Ironic when you think of the 40^th Republican President, Ronald Reagan who once said, “For this nation to remain true to its people, we can not allow any Americans vote to be denied, diluted, or defiled. The right to vote is the crown jewel of American liberties, and we will not see its luster diminished.” But it’s the Republican party leaders that are now engaged in passing laws that violate voting rights. The voters must resist by turnout massively to vote in the midterm election 2022 to send a message that our voting rights must be protected not violated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Supreme Court History and Structure Are Narrative Worth Explorations!

Supreme Court was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 making it the most powerful court of the land. The Supreme court held the unique status of an independent branch of government that coexists and shares power with the Executive and Legislative branches.

 

Why was the Supreme Court made an Independent Judiciary?

Perhaps the detailed answer to that question can wait, but for now let’s stick to its existence as a branch of the government that ensures its supreme power in interpreting the national, state, and local laws are in agreement with the Constitution…that its interpretation of the meaning of the constitution and laws is final and authoritative…that its decisions serve as a guideline for every other court in the nation and can be changed only by constitutional amendment or by Supreme Court itself…But what if Supreme Court is wrong in its decision? Or when they rule as conservative justices or liberal justices?

“By making the judicial branch independent, they protected the court from domination by either Congress or the President. Consequently, although presidential nominees to the Supreme Court must be confirmed by the majority vote of the Senate, once they are appointed to the court, they serve for life and can only be removed for serious wrongdoing, and only through a cumbersome impeachment process”.

So, Supreme Court is the only federal branch that is comprised of non-elected members, because its justices are appointed by the president with the “advice and consent” of Congress, hence one can argue that, with the increasingly growing of partisan politics, this set a dangerous path that can give rise to the competition of conservative justices and liberal justices appointments cementing the partisan elements than the impartiality to the law and the body itself as an independent judiciary branch.

The Supreme Court has been shaping the laws of the United States since 1789, and the number of the Justices has changed over time, starting with six and currently settling at the total of Nine including a Chief Justice since 1869.

During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 and the economic Great Depression going on, the Supreme Court overruled most of his New Deal legislative policies proposals as unconstitutional as a result of this Roosevelt decided to enlarge the court by appointing one additional justice for every sitting justice reached age 70 years and failed to retire, a proposal that was designed to enable President Roosevelt to appoint six new justices favored by his programs, hence secure a majority member in the supreme court! Does this sound familiar or resemble what recently happened under Trump's presidency?

Although Roosevelt’s court-parking” legislation as it was known didn’t survive, the Supreme Court has had an average of a new Justice joins the Court almost every two years. And one can argue that this happened in a recent situation while the nation is under the threat of a deadly pandemic, just as FDR was during the Great Depression one party or both can engage in “court-packing” as the case of Donald Trump who spent his presidency packing the court with far-right conservative judges, and now the Supreme Court has the conservative majority justices threatening our voting rights, same-sex marriage, and women rights.

This unprecedented act of “court-packing” has sparked a debate about the future of the Supreme Court as an 'independent Judiciary' that is capable of functioning impartially given the appointments of its Justice members based on partisan. If the number of justices is to remain unfixed will set unprecedented political turmoil sooner than later.

As Robert Reich put it, “Should the Supreme Court Be REFORMED?” (https://fb.watch/aOLBaSj9Yp/, https://www.facebook.com/568279950/post/101615341841129951/?=n ). He suggested several proposals that need to be adapted to strengthen the Supreme Court. I believe the Supreme Court term limiting and expanding the court members to be very crucial to avoid partisan loyalty due to how the Justices are appointed nowdays-the competition and maneuvers between the two political parties as to whom should appoint the Supreme Court Justices is becoming too political jeopardizing the whole functioning of the Judicial branch.

And yes, the “Supreme Court drive its strength not from the use of force or political power, but from the integrity as an impartial judicator. In the era of increasing political polarization, we should rethink how the court is organized, to rebuild public trust with neither the sword nor the purse; trust is all it has”.

Currently, we see a Supreme Court lacking its supreme leadership as an Independent Judiciary branch even under its leader, “The Chief Justice, John G. Roberts, Jr. who was not interested in presiding over the Senate impeachment trial against former president Donald Trump-whether the constitution offered him such leverage or there was/is judicial integrity challenged or missed led to many questions about the Supreme Court power of impartiality. Or recently the Supreme Court ruling against women's rights-reproductive rights by siding with the states of Texas and Mississippi to restrict/ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy which undermines the constitutional rights to reproductive rights for women established in Roe V. Wade.

All Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr. could do was to issue a warning against inappropriate political influence in federal courts, stressing the need for Judicial independency, “The Judiciary’s power to manage its internal affairs insulates courts from inappropriate political influence and is crucial to preserving public trust in its work as a separate and co-equal branch of government…Decisional independence is essential to due process, promoting impartial decision-making, free from political or other extraneous influence”.

That warning should not be taken lightly, for it is a sign that more needs to be done to curb political influence in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court needs to be impartial, not political, abiding by the rule of law, and remain unpartisan, however, given the most recent Supreme Court involvements on issues pertaining to public safety and individual rights it seems inevitable to call for the Supreme Court reforms to bring and ensure public trust on the highest court of the land.

The recent announcement by Justice Stephen Breyer, age 83 set to retire at the end of the current term in June has spiked the debate once again as to who will replace him, conservative or liberal? However, this time the debate is about whether a black woman could fill in the position. The debate has intensified because President Joe Biden hinted that he would appoint a Black woman.

I would argue that most Americans would want to see a more diverse and inclusive Supreme Court. As it stands today, only two Black men, Justice Thurgood Marshall appointed by the 36^th President, Lyndon B. Jackson in 1967, and Justice Clarence Thomas appointed by the 41st President Georg H.W. Bush in 1991, all were Republicans, appointed by Republican presidents!!!

It will be enough, to agree on two critical realities: One, that it is overdue to have another Black Justices in the Supreme Court. It has been 30 years since the last Black Justice was appointed to the Supreme Court. But second, that appointment should come from a Democrat president, though by the essence of the Supreme Court functions as impartial and independent branch who nominate which Justices should not carry water; but more importantly, its time to make the Supreme Court more diverse and inclusive to represent true ideals and principles of the founding fathers about equal representation in all levels.

Not only that Joe Biden must consider a Black woman to appoint for Supreme Court to make the Supreme Court diverse, but also less gender bias, at the same time honor what makes America of all stripes equal in serving their government.

Is it an intentional or unintentional bias when the media make an argument that President Joe Biden should have not said that he will appoint a Black Woman to the Supreme Court?

Not only that it is biased, but also shameful remarks consider that his predecessors said the same thing about who they would nominate for the Supreme Court when the opportunity avails itself to make appointments of the Supreme Court Justices, yet there was no outcry argument about their choices of nominees as it has been on Joe Biden. Why?

The critiques of Joe Biden as to why he would suggest a Black Woman for the Supreme Court have failed miserably or purposefully to recognize that it has been 233 years history of the Supreme Court existence without a representation of a Black Woman Justice in the Supreme Court.

Now in the 21^st Century, a Black Woman is ought to be nominated for a Supreme Court Justice especially since there are capable and qualified Black Women layers/Judges in all levels of the legal system to hold such a position. That is what the principles of equality, justice, and liberty for all US citizens stand for, i.e., an equal opportunity and freedom to become, and the rights to acquire and possess a job that you are qualified for.

The Federalist paper 78 Alexander Hamilton writes, the Judicial branch “will be the least dangerous” to the liberty of the American people, but that reality is far from the truth if the Supreme Court continues to exist under the current political sphere of influence, instead of an 'Independent Jucicialry' as envisioned in the Constitution.

Recently, we saw Supreme Court supporting the state's laws by trucking down federal laws that have been previously passed to protect the liberty of American women-Roe v. Wage, the siding with the big corporations on vaccines mandate at the expense of the overall public health and safety.

Another, political scenario: Let assume Donald Trump decides to run again, and his party nominate him, ignoring the fact that he has been previously impeached twice, supported insurrections, staged fake election electors, and violated many laws and the constitution, including the 14^th amendment section 3 that states:

“No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer in the United State, or a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same or given aid or comfort to the enemies there”.

Will the current Supreme Court with a conservative majority tied in loyalty to the party than to the constitution, act impartially to stop him, or will they further ignore the Constitution and rule in favor of the party/Donald Trump?

There is no higher court than the Supreme Court. If so, what is the higher purpose of the Supreme Court than interpreting and applying the laws impartially, not as conservative justices or liberal justices?

In a nutshell

Joe Biden’s Supreme Court Justice appointment must be viewed as nominating a law-abiding judge worth the Supreme Court position, at the same time as an acknowledgment of the long-past-due denial of equal representation that gives all citizens equal rights to serve in their government, including the Supreme Court.

Instead of arguing and worrying about whether to nominate a conservative or a liberal justice, it is time to act and say unequivocally appoint a Back Woman to the Supreme Court because that makes the Supreme Court diverse and inclusive as envisioned by the founding fathers’ ideals and principles of the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should Government Leaders Shirk Political Discipline?

Should political leaders say anything? Or things they only want you to hear? Or say things they cannot do or deliver? 

In politics, leadership discipline isn't understood or practiced differently or out of context on how leadership discipline is applied in other areas of organizational functions in our societies.

 

Political discipline is a practice of making people obey rules or standards of behaviors and facing consequences/accountability when disobeying the rules occurs. In the political arena, law, order, and discipline are placed in the hands of our elected political leaders and the governing bodies.

 

So, the business of governing and governing is a contract and consent between the people and the representatives of their government. As such, "Leaders inspire those they supervise to find their voices." 

 

But what happens when our political leaders are stuck on political partisans?

 

The growing partisan politics or political tribalism in America and around the world is contributing to the erosion of discipline in politics and governing effectively weak political leaders tend to shirk discipline-violating leadership norms, fail to abide by the rule of law, and sentiments of abandoning the constitution and their oath of office, paving the way to disruption in the society and authoritarian behaviors that is characterized by political violence.

 

According to studies conducted by Mason and Kalmoe, "Partisan identity strength" as to how much being Democrats or Republicans is part of who they are is the most important factor in endorsing political violence...Thus, more Americans now are using their political party affiliation as a source of meaning and social identity, with these identities linked to differences in "leisure activities", consumption, aesthetic taste, and personal morality". And in doing so, they are diluting the strength of the American unity and threatening peace, freedom, and democracy due to intensified disagreements about political issues of our time.

 

The shifting of demographics in the US is increasingly associated with changing the identity of the US. Its diverse population, according to Pew Research Center, is shaping the US political narrative.

"Americans are more racially and ethnically diverse than in the past, and the U.S. is projected to be even more diverse in the coming decades. By 2055, the U.S. will not have a single racial or ethnic majority... Over the next five decades, the majority of U.S. population growth is projected to be linked to new Asian and Hispanic immigration . . America’s demographic changes are shifting the electorate—and American politics. The 2016 electorate [was] the most diverse in U.S. history due to strong growth among Hispanic eligible voters, particularly U.S.-born youth. There are also wide gaps opening between the generations on many social and political issues. Young adult Millennials are much more likely than their elders to hold liberal views on many political and social issues, though they are also less likely to identify with either political party: 50% call themselves political independents."

 

Given that shift demographically, our political leaders now more than ever are engaged in political violence-politics of confrontation, thrive on intimidating others, and are participating in organizing and supporting faction groups that are committed to acts of political violence against the government and its democratic institutions. The Jan 6th, 2021, an act of political violence against the US Capitol Hill during a democratic process sessions-at the core of democracy was the most wicked crime against democracy in the history of the US.

 

Despite what happened on Jan. 6th, 2021, democracy endured but left Americans more divided than ever...If the same stairs that harbor the chaotic hatred and chaos that day, are the stairs of faith, strength, and hope for the future is remains to be seen, or in other words, it remains in the hand of the people, who are the ultimate defenders and protectors of democracy.

 

Nevertheless, as a society, we should never miss the sight of who was behind that political violence. When a leader of a country sees political violence as "good people... You will never take back our country with weakness...You have to show strength, and you have to be strong..." Then, the same leadership argue with them and direct them to march to Capitol Hill, causing six deaths and more than 140 people injured-Jan. 6th, 2021, will be Donald Trump and GOP legacy-he started the presidency he stole from Hilary Clinton with the help of foreign adversaries, lead with chaos, and ended his presidency chaotically and un-ceremonially, contrary to the well-established democratic process of peaceful transfer of power.

 

 

What is political violence looks like in America?

 

A political leader who cannot protect and defend its government and all its people is vicious... The leadership that is capable of positive change but neglect or refuses to adhere to proper and necessary change is not only participating and enabling unfavorable political behaviors but weak-those who minimize the Jan. 6th, 2021, events are increasingly accepting political violence.

Where people's lives are in danger or insecure, either because of viciousness and or weakness of a leader/leadership that is shirking leadership discipline-thus, lawlessness, corruption, and political violence denies people freedoms, justice, and liberties; and it destroys the principles of democratic government.

 

Leadership that does not shirk political discipline is based on inspiration, not domination, on cooperation, not intimidation. 

 

For GOP to engage in politics of domination and intimidation since Barack Obama's presidency, to date is not only visible but questionable. 

 

Being a leader is more than just wanting to lead.

 

Political leaders, in particular, must possess empathy for others and a keen interest and ability to find the best in people, not do the worse to people.

 

During Donald Trump tenure in office, his words and actions or inactions were full of trash talk for a leader but also accompanied by political violence-incited violence in the streets, " they are fine people...We love You... You are very special people...We will be back in some form...", Donald Trump pleased the insurrectionists of Capitol Hill.

But also, there was his divisive and discriminatory policies on Immigration, Muslim ban, derogatory language against African and poor countries, coursing with the US adversaries, withdrew the US from the WHO during the worse pandemic in the recent memories; or deny science by withdrawing the US from the Climate Change Paris Accord at a time that climate-related crisis is raging across the globe, as well as abandoning the US leadership in the world stage which flared the rising simulations/mimic of undemocratic practices by leaders of his caliber in other parts of the world...

 

If a leader cannot control his words and actions, he cannot find a proper way to manage and inspire, he also loses all the wisdom, integrity, and virtual that comes with the leadership status.

 

Having severely lack leadership discipline, Donald Trump during his time in office his administration suffered the worse staff turnovers in the history of the White House-worse political leaders are those who think they know much or more than the people who work for them.

 

On the other hand, the best political leaders are those who know that their people know more than they know and are still able to admit it, value them, their work, and their contribution.

 

Political leaders become great not because of their power, but of their ability to empower others positively.

 

The fact that there is a chunk of Republicans, and most of them being politicians continue to back Trump's "Big Lie", and worse of all pride him as a party leader highlights the unprecedented political tragedy on the horizon.

 

Shirking discipline in the political leadership that has been demonstrated by the Republican politicians and their party leadership is an attempt to abort the principles of democracy, conspiring to stand by and pledge their loyalty and support to a corrupt leader to undermine and destroy American democracy, to assume absolute power, and paving the way to a dictatorship government.

 

They (GOP) reject honesty by hiding the truth, telling lies, and speaking dishonestly; they ignore the respect of the oath of their offices by engaging in divisive, discriminative, and hateful arguments/policies/state laws; refusing to acknowledge and threaten others in their camp and opponents, by aggressive character assassination, rejecting them an endorsement, and even reprimand when they tell the truth or refrain from their unconstitutional behaviors.

 

In Feb. 2021 Congresswoman Liz Chaney, from Wyoming, and third-ranking member of House Republican leadership was censured and stripped of her leadership role for speaking the truth and fulfilling her constitutional role, abiding by the rule of law, and upholding the principles of democracy, and for not backing the Republicans "Big Lies" about who planned and attacked Capitol Hill on Jan 6th, 2021. Liz Cheney was also one of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump for the unprecedented second time. All the 10 Republicans were rebuked in one way or the other by their party -campaigned against them, called out to resign their positions/asked not to run again under their party ticket, and worse verbal mistreatments, simply for exercising their constitutional rights...if that is not shirking leadership discipline and political violence, what is it? For the Republican party, loyalty supersedes the fulfillment and respect for the constitution or the rule of law.

 

Time and again, we have witnessed GOP compromising their leadership integrity and shirking political discipline for failing to even tell themselves the truth, instead, they play party politics and political violence-"Nothing makes one a fool as lying to yourself."

 

Those who shirk political discipline their conduct so far reveal that their characters lied to themselves, their overall conduct also reveals that they not only betray the oath of their offices but also, is betrayal of American Values. American people, and American democracy.  

 

Political incivility in today's politics has hit the crisis level-incivility behaviors continue to rise in America from online and social media and in recent years into the political arena where it has turned into political violence...into partisan politics...into Conservatives Vs Liberals or Left Vs Right; and or into White Vs Black, as such tensions in the society are at the highest level. Incivility behaviors are felt everywhere in the political arena, in the streets /communities, and in schools and in our homes-as people, as a society, are failing ourselves…

 

According to a Pew Research Center survey, 70% of Americans today believed that incivility in society/politics has reached crisis proportion, and this is exacerbated in the leadership crisis by leaders who shirk discipline.

 

On social media, it is not surprising to see the growing number of incivility discourse/culture, but at the political level to emulate such incivility culture in policy discussion that can turn to personal attach and threat in the House and social media is unprecedented- Trump has been permanently banned from Facebook and Twitter for using the platforms to spread lies. misinformation, disinformation, misleading and fake news...others too have recently been banned from Twitter…

 

In May 2021, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green posted a harassing video against Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez...Marjorie Taylor Green also became aggressively confrontational about debating AOC on false allegations that she supports terrorists causing concern for safety among members of Congress...

 

Those who cannot discipline themselves, cannot discipline others...Likewise, freedom without discipline is chaos...

 

Indiscipline leadership and the novel coronavirus pandemic

 

The novel coronavirus pandemic that has been terrorizing every human being on the planet has also become both a tool of political discourse and political violence caused by lack of political leaders' discipline in some states...Vaccines have been turned into a political football and weaponized, fueling anger and aggression, but also anti-vaccines people making the covid spread threat unattainable allowing the virus to continue mutating and attacking with raging speed...

 

Political violence due to coronavirus pandemic in some red states not much by others, but the states leaderships leading with defiance to the vaccines causing antagonistic behaviors between the people in their states is disheartening and a leadership discipline shirking of its kind-has led parents getting violent over schools closures, aggressively attacking one another and school principals, or challenging schools systems regardless of schools rule and laws they must abide by, to ensure and maintain a healthy and safe environment in schools. Thus, neglecting what is in the best interests of a child and her/his health and safety over defiance against mask-wearing in schools, or whether schools should be closed when coronavirus infection is spiking, or whether vaccines are available for students and who gets and doesn't want to get it ...

 

Be that as it may, it’s as if all of a sudden everyone has their own sets of rights that supersede the rights of others and or jeopardize the health and safety of others-thus, the rules, laws, procedures that have guided public safety for as long as we can remember no longer works for some, or are being abused in the name of pandemic-can this go on like that and expect law and order, peace and unity, in the society and communities we live?

 

"The party of law and order has always been the greatest threat to law and order", lip-service/words that don't match their actions.

 

The recent trend in the political arena indicates that "politicians who are more antagonistic get more media attention and are more often elected than more agreeable politicians", hence, aggression behaviors today in politics is shaping the political outcomes, only for the worse since aggressive people/behaviors are associated with lack of discipline/emotional regulation and empathy. What does this imply? Are we now opting for aggressive leadership instead of decent, regulated leadership? Is shirking leadership discipline a new normal in the political arena?

 

Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman in Scientific America narrates, "In the general population, antagonistic people are more likely to distrust politics in general, to believe in conspiracy theories, and to support the secessionist movement."... January 6th, 2021, attack on Capitol Hill is a result and a proof of conspiracy theories organized, initiated, and carried out by aggressive political leaders who spread and still spreading 'Big Lie' about the free and fair election that awarded Joseph R. Biden presidency...because Donald Trump and GOP  lost the election, they cannot accept it and therefore their aggressive attitude and uncontrollable behaviors rage them to attach democracy at its core-Capitol Hill attach...  

 

Various experiments conducted from 2014, found that "exposure to mildly violent political metaphors such as 'fighting for future' increase general support for political violence among people with aggression personalities"-as people, as adults, we need to be conscious, vigilant, and custodians of peace in our communities by first being mindful about whom we elect to lead us, and second, to avoid instigation syndrome and attitude when we disagree with one another or with our leaders... it is easy to be a follower than a leader, but it’s called upon us to be leaders, not followers...

 

Our dissatisfactions with our democratic governments and free-market reforms if genuine should, therefore, start from the bottom-up, by ‘We The People’, not up-bottom by the ‘political elites’ -thus, when it is a faction group of  ‘wealthy people, class of elites/leaders’ organizing and luring the ‘bottom working-class’ to conspire and commit to political violence against their government, it is not for the benefits of the bottom-working-class, but been used as a scapegoat for a power grab, manipulation, and corruption-instead take an active role in participating and engaging into the business affairs of your government and that of the world, in general, to be aware of not only what is going on but also of the truth to avoid falling into the 'wide and entangled web of lies, misinformation, disinformation, misleading, and or falsehoods and fake news that dominate the world of politics today.

 

A good number of current political leaders have ceased to act as professional political scientists perhaps because some of them buy their way to politics and they know nothing about political science or politics, hence, engaged in political games of aggression and violations of political norms, rule of law, and insult the constitution.

 

Ineffective Congress, all Three Branches of Government, or Isn't it?

Effective leadership not only called for political discipline but also is putting people and country first while effectively managing the required discipline of running and carrying out the functions of the government.

 

How Congress with its  supreme role performs its legislative duties has raised questions, increasingly becoming a subject of debate in schools/colleges, and has been receiving low rate public approval for over a decade-and-a-half now-thus, public/people are dissatisfied with the way Congress legislate nowadays-many founding principles have been ignored/neglected and Congress is increasingly becoming too partisan that they now cannot legislate people's agendas before parties' agendas-the infighting within the Houses has gotten worse and go above and beyond politics and nothing much get achieved-rhetoric have become the power and the tool of insult and language of manipulation-people been fed empty words day in, day out-as such, the infight in both Houses (Congress and Senate) has led to many  failures in agreement on popular common-sense bills to strengthen our democracy, like the Freedom to Vote Act: The John Lewis Voting Right Advancement Act... leaving both Houses looking like they are less interested in defending the constitution and democracy as they are for party loyalty and politics that has become a new normal in today's politics...Both Houses are engaged in neglecting even abusing the constitutional duties of carryout people's business which supersedes parties' loyalty and policy goals...

 

Now, we see all the three branches of government increasingly unable to agree on one another, work together on peoples agendas instead, they are receding into each branch overreaching its constitutional duties-working independently while ignoring checks and balances-weather is the Executive branch unilaterally issuing and scrapping away executive orders; or Legislative branch neglecting its supreme power of legislating by giving more power to the States Governors; and or the Supreme Court becoming more and more political than legal-so much so that, it’s fair to conclude that, the events that are happening within or inside the three branches of the government (aggressive behaviors of party politics, supporting faction groups, giving States rights to violate people's rights and freedoms (Texas Roe V. Wade overturn), all culminating to disturbing dysfunction in all three branches of government, and leading to the imminent threat to the rule of law, and the beginning of the destruction of the democratic institutions (Red states currently massively engaged in passing laws that suppress voting rights).

 

In a nutshell

Political dysfunction, polarization, violence, turmoil, shirking discipline, or whatever you wish to call it has reached a new height and the enemy is within, and in all three branches of the government necessitated and reflected by their failure/neglect to abide by the principles of the nation’s democracy to the tone of the Founding Fathers and the Constitution. 

 

"Political leadership discipline is a bridge between effective leadership, goals attainment, and achievements...nothing of importance is achieved without discipline".