Blog 147. Is the Constitution Outdated?

Constitutional crises threaten when a single authority can direct all three branches of U.S. government.  At present, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell can prevent or promote an appointment to the Supreme Court, stop any legislation, and enforce a party loyalty system that blindly follows the President. Continue reading

Blog 143. Blaming the consequences of climate

We experience events, not the global situation, but the world seems simpler if we can trace each event to a cause. However, within a complex system, an event cannot be ascribed to a unique “cause.” Birds flock and fish school and the stock market tumbles due to the many interactions among the participating individuals. Continue reading

Blog 140. Liberal ideology versus political reality

Today, the adjectives “conservative” and “liberal” imply an identity group.  However, at one time, the term “conservative” implied following authority, applying principles presumed to be tried-and-true. The term “liberal” implied questioning and testing.  Continue reading

Blog 138. American Angst Part 6 of 7: Relieving angst in a complex system

The daily TV news sustains the angst in America,* but unlike the repetitive TV news, the situation isn’t hopeless.

The known science of complex systems indicates the route to remedy: alter the rules of interaction among the players. Continue reading

Blog 137. American Angst Part 5 of 7: Our Social Rules

Other than continual foreign wars and the changing climate, is there a reason why Americans feel individually distressed and socially anxious? Yes. We’re threatened by each other. We each feel we’ve got to beat the competition, join a group, and distrust everyone else. Continue reading

Blog 136. American Angst Part 4 of 7: Sliding into Fascism

America is split many ways: the divide between rich and poor,(1) educated versus uneducated, the elite versus the common person. We’re beset by a self-perpetuating crime and poverty in the bottom economic class because those individuals justifiably feel hopeless.  It’s the middle classes that should be hopeful, Continue reading