Time for a CEASE-Fire

The 2011 policies of the Obama Administration can be summarized in one phrase: Hope that things are stable enough economically and globally for re-election next year. I am using the word CEASE as an acronym to expose the paucity of principle and the absence of substance found in current leadership.

C = There is no CLARITY in current decisions. Until the recent months, Libya was barely on the radar screen and her leader a bit player. Now we are "liberating" Libya? Why was it wrong for both Bush Presidents to engage in Iraq but Clinton and Obama can drop bombs?

E = There are no ETHICAL principles guiding this Administration other than ideological vagaries and political expediency. Yes, sometimes economic realism forces us to work with regimes we find distasteful - and isn't interesting that we are in tune with the Saudis who fund terrorism and bombing a nation that renounced it?

A = There is few AMERICAN interests behind current trends. The Administration is determined to make us good global citizens at the expense of the creativity and liberties that make us an exceptional nation.

S = The lack of STRATEGIC thinking is tragic and does not bode well for our future. There are strategies for all the wrong ideas, especially policies that increase federal control and oversight. Obama is content, like all totalitarians before him, to try to ride above the contentions of his minions and then appear to save the day.

E = The utter lack of ENTHUSIASM for American life and our potential is evident, with all the bowing to foreign royalty, calls for "humility" and outright capitulation (dare we say submission?) to the Islamic interests we are "reaching out" to. Our friends do not trust us, our enemies see us confused and the world lacks a clarion call to freedom.

There must be a candidate for President willing to balance the budget, use military force wisely with as little occupation as possible and keep our land free from self-destructive dependence on resources from regimes dedicated to our destruction.

Republicans must choose wisely and be ready to endure a hailstorm of abuse from many voices, who, though disappointed with Obama, cannot bear the thought of ethical, principled leader who is patriotic, devoted to liberty, determined to reduce federal waste and a believer in the potential of every person.

An Opportunity

Current crises present thoughtful people with opportunities for impact as the polemicists of the extremes wear themselves out. I suggest the following for our discourse and decisive action:

Let's stop the name-calling. Whether we are conservative or liberal, progressive or libertarian, labeling and hyperbole keep us from actually looking at the issues. As long as we can call someone a Nazi or a Commie we will never make progress. This said, we also reserve the right to see the links between philosophy and policy and ask for explanations of principles!

Let's live within our means - and as the means change, we all benefit or sacrifice accordingly. Why do firefighters, police and teachers suffer the most while we cannot even audit our bureaucracies? We cannot concomitantly be a warfare and welfare state forever.

Public and private entities need to be partners, not enemies. We need ethical oversight (NOT ownership or administration) of private enterprise and excellent systemic change in public administration that sharp business leaders can provide. The amount of redundancy in government is stunning. We must rebuild infrastructure and the successes of the 1930s and 1940s are instructive.

Public order requires private virtue. Liberty is built on morality and truth. We cannot question all moral structures and expect less than anarchy followed by totalitarianism. We do not need a government regulating our daily menu; conversely, we are personally responsible to feed well, clothe and care for ourselves and our children. If conservatives want less government, they must step up local and personal care. If liberals want healthier citizens, they must insist on personal accountability.

All business is service. For people who claim to be biblical in their world-view, they need to remember that God is the Owner and we are the stewards of creation, property and wealth. Throughout the Hebrew and Christian texts, there is a delightful balance - property rights are protected and prosperity is not a sin. At the same time, the poor are cared for and unjust economic and legal structures are confronted by the prophets. If we own businesses, we should have women and men lined up wanting to work for such ethical, kind and effective companies. If we are employees, we owe our leaders a full day's effort.

Compassion and other government operations are best delivered locally. Fewer tax dollars to Washington mean more for our cities, counties and states.

Radical Islam is a threat to all who love freedom. Of course most Muslims want peace and toleration - but most people are not patient revolutionaries with a long-term goal of a universal caliphate. Here is the 21st question for all Muslims of conscience: Will you strive to create a world where people of all faiths or none live in full equality, with the liberty of conversion, free speech (even if offensive) and the right to question religious leaders? If you answer yes, there is hope for peaceful coexistence and even reform within Islam. Any qualification of this query means subversion of freedom is never far away. Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and agnostics, and all other must answer yes as well. Society is best served when there is a real "free market" of religious options.

Let's roll up our sleeves, meet together and create a better future. We can argue over the climate or unite in private/public partnerships. We can drill for oil and develop new energy technologies. We need less conversations about the United Nation or a North American Union and more on revitalizing our local economies.

The time is now.

Time for Helpfulness, not Hubris

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan remind us all that natures' vagaries show no favoritism. Right now thousands of workers and millions of dollars are making their way to beleaguered populations. We are not in control of the waves and winds, but we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by this moment.

We must pause for prayer, reflection, and generosity. It is also an opportunity to think deeply about what really matters in the human condition and set aside the ideological rants and political posturing.

Human beings are more than their material conditions. We are complex creatures with the potential for gross depravity and great dignity. We work and worship. We want a future for our posterity. We can be crassly materialistic and creatively magnanimous and philanthropic. Most of us spend most of our best hours working in order to eat, clothe and shelter ourselves and others - and we wake up the next day to do the same. Yet in the midst of our survival we find time for altruism and art, liturgies and loves.

When a family member or close friend dies, the extended clan and neighbors rally to help. Somehow the computer can wait while we mourn, bake bread or help clean a home.

Our global family has suffered loss - can we take a moment to pray and look for ways to help? Why don't we suspend political wrangling (even about climate change) for one day and focus on our friends in the Pacific? Maybe it will help recalibrate the rest of what we do.

We Can Do Better

Civility is a dying principle in our public discourse. The viral world of blogging and tweeting foments unrefined communication allowing the reaction of the moment to become part of a global conversation. We have thousands getting their news from two comedians and celebrities and politicians issuing threats and using obscenities as a matter of course. Sadly, what is lost is reasoned debate on the serious issues at hand. Political posturing goes back to the sophists in ancient Greece and will not go away until the end of time.

We can do better than this.

We can allow the First Amendment to flourish - even when we are indignant at their ideas. But we must be fair and any restrictions need to be applied equally. Rev. Walter Hoye peacefully protests abortion in Oakland and is arrested multiple times. But gay activists are allowed to scream blasphemies and disturb Catholic religious services. A former Muslim female leader is not allowed to speak at Berkeley and is physically forced off the platform by people protesting her "hate" speech while they call her every name in the book! Meanwhile, anyone who wants more information on Obama's upbringing in marginalized as a "birther" and threatened with investigation (and considered a threat to US security). It is OK to interrupt the funerals of fallen soldiers, but wrong to defend marriage.

We can do better.

I have strong convictions on a number of issues; however, I will defend the right of my neighbor to differ and freely express her or his thoughts in any peaceful manner. I am a Christian, but my friend's community has the liberty to worship in other ways. I want churches to be able to build - and I affirm the right of other religious groups to do the same. I love good art. I am sometimes offended by what others call art - but they have the right (with some limits for age and content) to express themselves. I want the poor fed, the sick healed, the vulnerable protected and our children well-educated. I think we can do these things while balancing budgets and decreasing federal micromanagement. Others disagree and want to accomplish these goals differently. So let's argue - without name calling, appeals to emotion and timeworn cliches.

We can do better. Our future depends on it.

I challenge all of us to think deeply and act decisively. I urge us to ask tough questions, such as:

Why can't we alter our currently unsuccessful military ventures, bring most of our troops home and use our carriers and special forces to fight terrorist hot spots?

Is it possible to see an Islamic democracy where all faiths or people of no faith are real equals, with no dhimmitude?

When will our politicians stop spending money we do not have and create conditions for wealth-creation instead of devising new strategies to tax the productive?

When will the country club Democrats and Republicans roll up their sleeves and show compassion with action and not just words?

When will we realize that the only democracy in the Middle East is a little state called Israel - and they deserve our support?

When will churches lead the way in caring for AIDS victims, just as the persecuted church served plague victims in the third century, during the worst Imperial oppression?

When will we realize that the imperfect but self-correcting experiment called America is still the finest system of human governance on earth?

When will we realize that the government dies not bestow rights - it protects them!?

We can do better. We need to love more, serve the poor more, care for those who cannot return the favor more - in short, think about how to give and not just get. But we cannot forget that humanity is born to create, to infuse into history new products, technologies and other ways to enhance our lives. Wealth distribution is impossible without wealth creation - and such creativity cannot be initiated by a apparatchik in a government building.

We can do better.

We can end the conflict in Wisconsin immediately, if union leaders and members unite with government officials and think about the good of their students.

Let's go beyond the failed polemics and sound bites and solve our problems based on clear principles and practical applications. We can do better. Posterity is counting on us.

So Many Questions - But Will We Accept the Answers?

Local, national and global events assault our senses as we go about our day, consciously working and unconsciously worrying. What is the meaning of the unrest in the Arab nations? Why is the USA going to rebuke Israel at the UN? Will the politicians stop posturing and figure out how to get spending under control? When will we welcome our troops home from inhospitable lands that resent our presence?

But there are other, more pressing questions. Will I have a job next year? Will we be able to pay our mortgage or rent? Will my investments - especially in real estate - hold up? Will my kids have a better or declining future? Is climate change real? Is today's solar flare a sign of things to come?

As I write these words, I am grateful for the breakfast I just ate, hot water that works, clean clothes and a full "to do" list for the days (OK, weeks and months) ahead. I have a great marriage, three wonderful adult children, purpose in life and friends and colleagues that challenge me toward growth and love me as I am. As Art Garfunkel sings, I am "blessed and truly grateful."

But the questions remain and I cannot hide away in my office or try to create some kind of detached mental or physical bunker to escape my connectedness with the real world. One of my gifts is clarity, so I want to get to the heart of each matter in a few sentences and confront myself and others with our responsibility for the current problems. It is not enough to talk about "them" before we look in the mirror.

The unrest in Arab nations is not new, but it is well-planned and staged for a global audience. Corrupt regimes are being challenged and the protesters are in two groups. The first consists of moderate or liberal, well-educated and caring people who want to establish freedom. The second group, lead by the Muslim Brotherhood and other devotees of radical Islam, will join with the first temporarily to be rid of the current regimes. Their goal is to gradually impose sharia law and attempt to return these lands to Koranic values. On the surface this sounds like self-determination, but it means oppression for women, dhimmitude (inferior) status for other religions and a long-term aim of a universal caliphate, thrusting the world back to the 13th century.

Peace with Israel is simple: She must have an unconditional guarantee that her existence and sovereignty will be honored by Palestinian neighbors and surrounding nations. Settlements will stop and boundaries will be established when Arab leaders want peace. As long as the Arabic speeches scream blood libel and spew out violent propaganda, there is little hope for resolution. Whatever influence Obama thinks he has (and it is precious little) should be spent arm-twisting Arab nations and the Palestinians, not lambasting Israel.

Our leaders must summon the courage to stop the economic bleeding NOW. Impose an immediate freeze on all increases, cut ALL budgets by at least 10% and start looking for ways to re-empower states and localities and re-engineer the process of resource distribution. The tragedy at the federal, state and local level is that when cuts are imposed, they hit the most vulnerable instead of targeting the bloated boards and bureaucracies. We need more dollars for the mentally and physically challenged, the young and the old, and for the classrooms. We do not need more dollars for employee pensions that must be privatized, duplicate agencies and wasteful Pentagon contracts. Cut the fat, keep taxes reasonable, eliminate the death tax, and create environments for wealth creation. We can again be the economic leader of the world if we will stop lying to each other!

The moment spending is under control, investment will grow, money will be more available and stability and growth will return. Our understandable personal fears will diminish if our future is not wasted by the abusers of power and purse.

By the way, one of the core issues underneath all our problems is that we cannot sustain a warfare and welfare state simultaneously. Both Democrats and Republicans have lacked the courage to stand up to the false compassion and the faulty contracts that place us in this mess.

Let's keep rapid deployment troops near terrorist hot spots and bring home our troops. We do not need to be an occupying power in inhospitable lands. Taliban leaders can be toppled by popular unrest - and we can support this intelligently. But the presence of US forces long-term is now a liability. "Bring Him Home" Mr. President.

Underneath the overt media-driven narcissism, below the surface of our consumerism is a wellspring of compassion, creativity, hard-work, neighborliness, entrepreneurial strength and hope that is the soul of the USA. With a moral and spiritual awakening and some common sense, we can renew our land and be the beacon of hope for a world.

I remain hopeful and realistic. History demonstrates the great good that comes from concerted ethical action (Wilberforce and slavery; MLK and Civil Rights) and the tragic consequences of economic and moral decline (Rome in the 3rd-4th century and Spain after 1588). Let's make history by creating a better future starting today.