Let’s take a step back.
We all care deeply about issues, regardless of which candidate we support (or which candidate we say we cannot support).
So, let’s put down the pies for a moment and try to see some of what we still have in common.
What are these issues we care about and, more importantly, what are we each doing in non-election years to push our agendas forward.
I’d like to take a poll — not a multiple choice thing, but one where we answer some basic questions about our issues, our priorities, and our personal actions to push our agendas forward.
Maybe when we have an opportunity to see what motivates us, we’ll be able to re-find the common ground that used to unite us. I see people say around here that we have more in common than we have in difference — let’s see if it’s true.
Here are the questions:
1. What are your top three agenda priorities.
2. What, when not in election mode, do you do in support of your priorities
3. What charities do you donate to (either with time or money), and why?
4. Who are you supporting in the primary and why are they your preferred choice (without saying anything negative about the other candidate)
Some ground rules to keep this from turning into a pie fight.
1. No slamming of candidates, priorities, or charities — this isn’t about changing minds, it’s about sharing information.
2. Positive replies to comments only, please. Offer support, ask reasonable questions, or don’t say anything at all.
I’ll go first:
1. What are my top three agenda priorities:
- Climate Change
- Educational Inequality
- The Centralization of Capital
2. When not in election mode, what do I do in support of my priorities:
- Live in a small footprint — electric car, solar panels, urban living, locavore.
- Teach by choice in the toughest neighborhood in Los Angeles
- I do not bank with any big-five bank, choosing credit unions instead.
3. What charities do I support and why?
- Planned Parenthood — I believe they do more good for more people in this country than almost any other charity.
- Homebody Industries — I think their model of love-before-judgment help is something we can all learn from.
- California League of Conservation Voters — I’m a strong believer in leveraging power through lobbying.
4. Who Am I Supporting in the Primary and Why?
- I will be voting for Secretary Clinton on June 7th. I am deeply impressed with her record on social issues and I am a strong believer in her ability to make progress in the face of stiff opposition. I think she’s incredibly smart, highly capable, deeply knowledgeable, and able to get things done. I agree with her stance on the minimum wage, debt-free college, and her policies to reign in “quarterly capitalism.”
Any Takers?