do better

I don't need your approval
I never had it
yet, here I am

Due to our foolish two-party
structured Congress, it is important
to vote in a Democratic majority
in both Houses to take back our
democracy from the oligarchs.
State legislatures also need to be
majority Democratic for state-level
democracy.  We must do our
due diligence to vote for candidates
that actually represent us.  Pay 
attention to who the candidates
are, what they have done.  This
attention is good practice for when
(hopefully) we are again doing
democracy.

Originally, in the pre-US, the
assumption was a republic by and
for the elite lang-owning class.
We evolved into a democracy, of
by and for the people at large,
for as long as the people each do
our part to make it work.

Could the promoting of this
"Nazis on Substack" concern
be created by those Nazis
to take resources from their
opponents (often excellent
journalists using this route to
support themselves), perhaps
take over the platform?

for any point of time and space
it is what it is

Trump and buddies run roughshod
over us because too many don't want
to rock the boat
Yes, we have our brave resisters,
sometimes bold; sometimes amazing
Yet, a lifestyle of protest becomes
untenable, or tragic, not
sustainable -- like our planet

Inexorably  portraying prophecy
Descending
Letting evil men have their way
Ultimately, we've accepted
Just Look!  Such stupidity
Let it all unravel 
What a great way to be free

They always look only to find
differences they can use against
you.  Their opinions are not worth
listening to.
You can do better; you do, every
day, than their self-imposed
limitations could imagine.




what is this common knowledge 
that Democrats suck?  Yes, some do.  
Then, all people do sometimes, 
some much more than others.  
Being a Democrat does not increase 
one's suckage.  It's a disinformation myth.  
It's GOP projection.




I am so completely sick of all 
of this race as color, national origin, 
gender identities, created to keep 
humanity at war with ourselves
Get Over IT, people -- we are all 
people trying to make this world work for us
This has been going on for my whole life, 
and long before.  Do better!




it becomes ever more important to 
protect our children, all of us really, 
by teaching them/us to be aware, 
and to learn the actual facts, 
think critically, don't take anything 
at face value, and in every way 
enhance our humanity




far from being banned from today's 
primary source of information and 
connection, children and everyone else 
need to learn these social skills, to think critically, 
to check multiple sources of different kinds, 
to question, query, look for the logical 
inconsistencies, to be able to act effectively 
in the world we have made

4/18-5/7/26 

that social sphere

 
Why do we choose to punish our 
dependent children for the crimes 
of under-regulated mega businesses 
and our own lack of time/energy/ability?  
Many children, the most vulnerable, find 
their only friends, people like them with 
whom they can find kind belonging, 
on social media.  
You don't want kids exposed to the evils 
and can't reign in  those exposing them, 
give them good places online to participate 
with each other, and, better, good places irl.
(of course, we tend to hate our children,,
and are in thrall to monied interests, celebrities.) 

as so many people remind: We in the US

are already paying for our universal healthcare --

we just aren't getting it

That social sphere where extroverts live

It takes engaged introverts to notice

what extroverts are too enmeshed to see

Those so few introverts who are able to be

heard become responsible for the bulk of

discovery, invention, creation

Sometimes just getting through,

dealing with what becomes unbearable,

day by blessing, unrelenting

Born less than advantaged,

that layer like concrete between

what is/what could be

All of that accreting luggage

above what any of us signed up for

Nobody minds when we finally break down

Who does that inconvenience?

Nobody that matters

Only we who could have used/valued

your wisdom, if we had any inkling

what is it with Republicans abusing children -- 

sexually, physically, economically

is it because it makes them feel powerful? 

Is it because that is what they experienced 

when they were being formed?  

Is it that joining the Republicans and abusing 

children come from the same place?

voting is the fundamental duty of a citizen of a democracy to deny citizen's their vote is Treason The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason... www.annenbergclassroom.org/article-ii-s...

Article II, Section 4 – Annenberg Classroom

The impeachment process begins in the House of Representatives with a vote to impeach. Then the president stands trial for the accusations in the Senate.

www.annenbergclassroom.org

we, humanity, are having a deep problem with loneliness and yet, here we have all these lonely people seeking each other we need to do a better job of connecting, not dismissing

We tell ourselves

better to defend with aggression --

Never take a chance on trust-based

cooperation

We fail to recognize our power,

even as we misuse it

to keep us down

4/12-17/26

MAGA = "Make America Go Away"

 

White Christian Nationalists are well aware from 
their favorite Bible book, Revelations, that before 
the Second Coming and Judgment Day, we need 
the reign of the AntiChrist. 



There appears to be a Democrats as failures
 story that keeps spreading without bothering 
to thank those many Dems who do their jobs 
far above and beyond, some even being 
murdered for doing what was not meant to 
be a dangerous position.  I blame big tech 
disinformation and American bad education

We keep kids in schools for a large
part of their time, so this is their
greatest influence on understanding
the world they live in.  This time is
sold as vital education. Yet, we
get exposed to far too little of what
we ought to know to be successful
citizens, to have meaningful interactions
and actions as part of a successful
society.


It is common for many people to 
spout off about situations they have
little actual knowledge of.
When they express common complaints,
they may be widely respected, repeated,
agreed with.


This is not my overall experience of
how things work, who people are.
Yet, I keep seeing these statements,
complaints, as if of course everyone
knows this.  Seems more like
insidious propaganda than useful
information.


The real enemy is not so much, or
just, the Nazi scum, but all those
normal folks, just living normal lives.


Lives abused, used up, turned dross
in service to regal cruelty


Apparently MAGA truly means:
"Make America Go Away"


Relax, like a bee flitting from
flower to flower, enjoy the ambiance


Just another old person, born and
raised in the USA
who expected a very different today.


If We, The People do not take our
power back, none of this stuff has
any chance of mattering at all.
Let's self-educate to self-rule!


3/30-4/9/26

politics of stupidity

 

we do not have a king, a champion who 
won through battle or an heir to the throne.
We have a very troubled coterie of mean 
children who got bigger and older, but not 
adult.  We have people with too much to 
lose in their estimation who bend their knees 
bloody to accommodate.
We have people who try to do what is 
right but are handicapped by the world 
the way we learned it having crumbled 
before our eyes, our minds not yet ready 
to make the leap.  We have chaos, we 
have changing paradigms and definitions, 
we have a mess.  
Maybe we can clean it up.




as long as We, The People are 
discouraged from doing our job of self 
rule, discouraged from performing our 
fundamental duty as citizens of a democracy, 
which is voting, as long as we see that duty 
as our only duty as citizens, we will think we 
have no choice but to accept the rule of the 
wealthy, when that is a vicious lie



we, all of us who want to believe we live 
in a democracy, need to get over believing 
wealthy paid advertising for candidates 
who look to them, not us
we need to reclaim our self rule, our 
volunteering and actual research and sharing 
our actual research and getting out the vote
don’t blame/complain/refrain from duty – 
show that you value democracy, and do it!



stop telling teens (or anyone) they are 
depressed -- 
not helpful and a bad frame
tell them or better ask them what they 
are actually feeling, what concerns them, 
how they can better work within their 
situations to feel empowered



look at all the ways they are killing us, 
preparing to kill us
it's as if they don't think the damaged 
planet can support everyone, so they're 
eliminating the competition (like good 
insane capitalists)


there are, of course, many bad politicians 
(in all kinds of ways for all kinds of reasons), 
as in pretty much any profession – 
fallibility, they name is Human
Stop giving up your democratic duties to 
parties and wealthy influencers: do your 
due diligence – 
find the reps that actually rep you; 
promote, promote, promote (be persistent 
and creative and reaching out to others), 
register, get others to register
VOTE and get others to vote.


We need to admit:
Pedophiles are far more common
than we acknowledge (and it's not
love, but unfeeling destruction by
those who use)
All these children learning that life
is where the strong fuck the weaker
(metaphorically and literally)
Admit our mundane shame --
make it stop!


Pay attention to what that feeling
of fear is warning you.  It may not
be what you assume.
Fear is saying:  "Look!  Listen!
Be aware!  You have important
decisions to ponder, quickly, but
with full respect for your goals."


I see these people remembering
their mothers with love and gratitude,
knowing I can't relate. I did love and
feel glad for my Dad, who treated
me as an actual person, not a
responsibility.  Yes, I was a difficult
child, which begs the question:
would I have been so difficult if I
had felt at home?



Could it be that Trump's Iran
excursion is largely for Putin's
benefit?  


From what I can see, most
Americans, for the most part,
are happy to have politics for
the benefit of the powerful,
even if we would prefer better
results for ourselves.  They won't
even bother to do simple, easy
actions to make our voices heard,
or to inform themselves about how
politics works, or could.
Prove me wrong.


3/10-28/26

the words we use to separate us

 


When strongly struck by an occurrence,
a sudden realization, 
when absorbing emotion escapes
into words


They share their joy in cruelty
with pride
It unites them.


This endless, thankless, excruciating
job, compensated with occasional
joy.

The men who aren't men
make the women their slaves


It's not the World -- it's us
Humanity is possessed by a 
species wide insanity --
too many of us, too much of us,
exults in destruction.


in these days of fear and rage
too many people are left unnoticed, uncared for,
without solid connections
so often they may well insist on violence
loud enough to be heard


I can see the differences in gender personas of people
I can see the differences in skin shades, eye colors, hair styles
of people.  These are not what I care about, how I see
what people are.  I have my own criteria, mostly how people
treat me.  I also can be drawn in by such traits as intelligence,
creativity, humor, adaptivity, intriguing story telling, clarity
of thought and expression, many others.



of course it's illegal -- as probably most 
of what he does/insists be done
You need to understand:  
Trump does not believe in laws, in systems, 
in conventions, in truth --
 he does as he likes until obstructed.


Not for expected result,
do it to discover what happens.


You say you are saving children.
What about the children raped
and impregnated -- many with
bodies too small to support
pregnancy? Or, are the people
you save the rapists?


Don't blame the voters?
Of course I blame some voters --
certainly not all -- the voters who
don't bother to learn about those
they vote for, or don't bother to
vote the full ballot, or to vote at all,
though they can, for whatever excuse.
You don't like the candidates? Get
involved earlier and promote better
people. Voters who don't understand,
take seriously the responsibility of
fulfilling their fundamental duty as
citizens of a democracy, or think
that voting is the end of their civic
responsibilities.  Voters who think
some they is who we must blame,
when too many abdicate our self-rule.
Voters who take a snit and refuse
to take part in our democratic process,
who feel justified to complain bitterly
about those who do, without bothering
to learn what they can do under the
rules of their position -- voters who
don't do democracy.


2/23-3/10/26

This is the stage of dreaming

I have issues with this monolithic view of Democrats

 -- we all know there are many truly for The People 

with positions as Democrats, even if some are mostly 

useless (happens everywhere, you know -- 

imperfection they name is human)

how many US Constitution Amendments

(passed by The People and our Congress) 

are the Trumpees stomping over?  

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 10th, 14th, 15th 

probably 19th soon ...

the little victories of getting through

any random day

Are we really allowing our childre

to grow up seeing these people

as normal?

You voted (or declined to vote)

against genocide?

Is that what you think you did?

You must be so proud.

You voted to bring the terror home,

without doing the rest of the world

any good. To help make America

a terrorist organization of death and

destruction, at home and abroad --

shame on you.

When economic opportunities are

difficult to find, we can band together

with like challenged neighbors for

mutual support.

Money acts as a means to separate

from other people, a distancer 

within which to nurture entitlement,

loneliness, supercilious hatred.

Terrorizing, kidnapping, incarcerating,

exiling good neighbors, good workers,

good people, while freeing vicious 

criminals encouraged to plunder

What has your life been?

What have they done to you,

to create such monstrous desires,

inner death and deadliness?

Depression, pain, turned outward;

brutality become a natural shield.

It's just a nasty game of

whack-a-mole government

sponsored terrorism

until we get rid of Trump

Background people

No shining in the public spotlight

No famous name

No bio-docs nor journalistic

opinion pieces

Ever engulfed in responsibilities

Too busy to bother with being

known.

You say you want democracy

Are you willing to work for it?

Are you willing to fight for it?

Are you willing to die for it?

Even worse:  Are you willing

to come together,

to be The People?

We say kids are being adversely

affected by these substances or

experiences.  I want to ask:

Why do these kids feel compelled

to get caught up in these harmful

activities?

What are the great experiences

kids could enjoy to their benefit?

Where are the people, the

relationships they can feel a

joyful part of, they can depend on

to help them get what they need

to thrive?

Celebration, commemoration,

welcoming the resurrection of our

life-giving Sun, as it warms our

consciousness, gives rise to reveries

of far off harvest.  We visualize

stages along the way, to create

a future of prosperity.

This is the stage of dreaming.

It's people like you who have

given us this sad world --

refusing to work for solutions,

rather putting your energy into

discouraging those who do

Living a fairly simple life

most of it in my own mind, anyway,

which, at least for now, 

is freely mine

2/10-20/26

destinations

 
Feedback?

destinations

We all know these things.
They are written in our moral codes
They are exhorted in our politicians' speeches
They are preached in our religious sermons
They are part of who we are

Apparently, oh so saliently, we as well
(as unwell, as insane) are violent
madmen, intent on harm that ripples
back to harden hearts, unhumanize,
unharmonize what could have been
our euphorious song.

We know these things, yet seem
to always get it wrong.
Is that how we're meant to be, to
behave, to twist ourselves in cycles
of depravity, of have/have nots,
commoners and kings, that we lose
our lives to battle?
None of this makes sense.

We know these things.
We pour them out in stories, poems,
sculptures, public meetings.
Perhaps such ambiance leaves us
deaf to what everybody knows.
Perhaps the calls to outrage overtake
what reason, intuition, healing lore 
all demand will create our better
destiny.

first draft 2/19/26