CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY

When (Not to) Sit Down and Shut Up

Colorado and Maine are speaking up for the good of all, popular or not

Around 2010, I was working at a Southern California tech company. I had a little bit of influence since I consulted with executives on sensitive projects. People generally didn’t want to upset the woman who had access to financial, personnel, and payroll information. Bubbles form around the company you keep, and those within them are generally quiet and discreet. Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) demand it.

Upper management wanted employees in the dark about how their rewards and punishment plans worked, and what their leadership philosophies were. So, they tolerated my raised eyebrows and occasional complaints.

During a division meeting with 400 employees, an executive gave a presentation on projects, goals, and outstanding issues. We were experiencing frenetic mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs, and an intense focus on stock prices. Layoffs had occurred, and more were quietly coming.

As an aside, the speaker mentioned North Korea was our company’s biggest customer.

I was tempted to ask, “Are you kidding me? You don’t think we should try to diversify the customer base?” I sat quietly thinking about my next job. The five-minute company performance review grew even worse. I thought back to some of the manipulations upper management used on employees, and how tough it was to console some of the people who reported to me when they were laid off.

I raised my hand.

“Can you tell me what the California Warren Act is?”

The executive didn’t know, and I pretended to be fuzzy on the details but clarified the phrase “WARN Act” twice. Marketers say three times are needed for people to remember.

A few people probably wondered why I was asking an unrelated question. Others knew me and did their own research.

I was intentionally contributing to the narrative, and many would recognize the refocusing ploy. I couldn’t say, “Watch out people — you’re about to lose your jobs.”

The California WARN Act is similar to a Federal program that requires employers to notify employees if a significant layoff is coming. The threshold requirements are tricky, but basically, the company must warn employees if a significant percentage are at risk of being laid off. For a large employer, the local government must also be told. This helps the industry and administrators prepare for unemployment claims as well as a sudden large population of unemployed workers.

Destabilizing the local economy and disrupting people’s lives is bad.

I knew it could help people to be forewarned. The company certainly wasn’t eager to start losing top performers in critical positions, but the talent pool was relatively deep.

The Vice President of HR stopped by my office. “You need information on the Warren Act?”

I weighed my options.

“Yeah, I heard it mentioned. What is it?”

The fact he mispronounced it — as I initially did — signaled he wasn’t well-versed in the legislation.

He started to repeat what he’d been told by a subordinate. A light appeared to go on behind his eyes as he recognized the correlation between the company's performance, the potential for layoffs, and my concern for employees.

“Do you follow politics Patricia?”

“Of course not — I’m too busy. Did you catch the Lakers last night? Are you done with the requirements for resume processing and hiring criteria? How about defining the red flags?” I asked.

I let him talk about the Lakers before refocusing his attention on what I needed from him. He walked away determined to meet a deadline.

I’d effectively controlled the focus of the conversation.

My “be effective, but not threatening,” demeanor had become second nature after decades of working in a field where women weren’t enthusiastically welcomed.

When not to be quiet

There are times to be quiet, times to yell “Fire!” and amber waves of gray grain between the two. Deciding how to voice your opinion when you raise your hand is determined by your values, the good of all, and the situation.

I was fortunate because my skills were in demand and I had deep insider information. The bosses knew I wasn’t married to my position so they tolerated the occasional poke.

If my options were more limited and I desperately needed to keep my job, my actions might have been different.

Nah.

The company was golden and so were the executives' parachutes. In my mind, it was their job to run the company responsibly for the thousands of people it employed worldwide.

National and Global Affairs

I have the same attitude about the US government and International Affairs. Whether the general population recognizes it or not, the global economy is highly reliant on the value of the American dollar, US interests, and America’s stock exchange system (NYSE, NASDAQ, and many more).

The US dollar replaced the international Gold Standard valuation in steps, including a correlation and convertibility in 1939, then largely severed ties in 1971. International currencies are now dependent on the US dollar and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

When the US economy suffers, the global exchange rate and economic stability among other nations do as well.

The Great Depression started in 1929. Since the US imports from all over the world, the US stock market collapse on Black Tuesday hit suppliers hard everywhere. Europe and the US felt the repercussions most severely with fortunes wiped out overnight. A massive migration began as unemployed workers headed west to find better opportunities. Much has been written about the hardships suffered during this time, including John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.

In 2008 the US Economic Crisis was part of the Great Recession. Layoffs and home foreclosures hit Americans hard, while the global impact reverberated across the world. Again, US imports and exports, as well as financial products and the hit on the US dollar impacted traders and investors.

JP Morgan’s “London Whale” incident in 2012 illustrated inadequate oversight and regulations as risky stock trades were made. Over two days, trading spurred a $6 billion loss for the bank and fees and penalties of almost another billion.

Chase is arguably the most powerful consumer lending bank in the US with lobbyists and tremendous influence in lending practices. High mortgage, credit card, and overdraft fees are hard to defend since these are managed digitally. JPMorgan Chase influences banking standards and practices, so your financial transactions are also influenced by what Chase does, and how government regulators respond.

Most significantly, the JP Morgan Chase debacle demonstrated a weakness in the financial system. America’s strong influence on the World Banking Group suffered a loss of confidence as a result. Oil-rich nations have raised the possibility of tying the resource valuation system to other commodities and/or groups.

Political ignorance, or manipulation?

These are fairly well-known facts about major events impacting how the Global Economy works. Many US corporations are global, employing millions of workers and maintaining offices worldwide. Most of the highly specialized US industries draw upon talent globally as physical labor is replaced with tasks performed online. Despite recycled arguments concerning immigration going back to the 1600s, we depend on good foreign relations.

And yet.

Politicians who should know better would lead the under-informed masses to believe we can be an isolated nation.

We can’t.

Are the politicians lying, totally ignorant, or being condescending? Either they’re carefully dumbing down the narrative for the lowest common denominator, or they’re incompetent.

We lose, either way. The distinction is whether the manufactured outrage over false claims of being “invaded by people who pollute our bloodlines” bothers us, or if we’re merely insulted over condescension.

Our foreign diplomacy, trade agreements, and security efforts must remain global. Without partnerships in innovation, information sharing, and economic development, our economy would suffer severely.

Consider the California-based monopoly called Meta. Nearly every American recognizes Facebook, and most know about Instagram. It’s a monster revenue producer, but most of the users are not based in the US.

Corporations like Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Microsoft, Kraft-Heinz, GM, and more are owned and based in the US but have global distribution and partnerships. Together, they’re responsible for the livelihoods of tens of millions of people.

If we turn inwards and stress isolation under the false belief we are fully self-sustainable, the wealth of US companies will falter. The cost of manufactured goods we import will likely rise as our influence in the world diminished. If we limit Google, Microsoft, and other’s reach, they’ll be forced to raise prices.

To think we can operate independently of other nations is a dangerous fallacy. We are no longer a manufacturing base of operations. If we alienate countries providing raw materials and components, our prices will increase. Think Taiwan and semiconductors.

Colorado and Maine’s decisions to disqualify Trump

The Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to leave former President Trump off the 2024 Presidential ballot arose from their interpretation of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment.

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 of the United States, or as 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 thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

I can poke a lot of holes in the meaning of this text. Practically any skilled debater would take apart the language, context, and implied restrictions. We live in a time when the statement, “I am.” can be twisted and turned.

For starters, eleven words in is “or elector of President.” Sounds like a voter. So, those who took an unguided spontaneous tour of the Capitol on January 6th might be excluded from holding elected office. Often, felons give up the right to vote, but may still run for Congress. Can they vote for themselves? What if they were charged with a misdemeanor after smearing feces on public property, or breaking down a door?

Maine’s election officials also disqualified Trump on December 29, 2023 through their Secretary of State.

Taking responsibility and removing blinders

Climate change is real. In the past few years, the US has experienced an unprecedented number of fires, hurricanes, floods, atmospheric rivers, tornados, and other natural disasters. Yet Trump pulled us out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Under the Biden administration, steps have been taken to reduce the dangers we’re facing. Trump wants to disband, or severely limit the power of the Environmental Protection Agency, as he did in the past. We can’t afford to see his next step.

At what point do we agree that January 6th was a disgrace that tarnished our reputation and should not be repeated? Any Pied Piper with the right attitude and noise can lead revelers. It takes more to lead a country.

Some people can and do change. My junior high teacher said I’d be dead or in prison before I reached 21 because I held an insolent look a beat too long before class. But I grew up.

Investigators look at past behavior as an indicator of what people may do in the future. Trump has been open about hoping to seek vengeance if elected in 2024. He appears to be intent on acting like a dictator.

Many feel Donald Trump’s behavior reveals he’s a psychopathic malignant narcissist. Other opinions range from strong and determined, to bully, to uncontrollably juvenile. When told he shouldn’t emulate Hitler, he doubles down, saying “My advisors say I shouldn’t say this, but…” and goes on to lament foreigners “contaminating our bloodlines.” He then describe how he plans to act as a dictator and seek revenge on enemies and actions he doesn’t like.

Many women feel threatened by Trump, both physically, and in relation to personal reproductive rights. His angry reaction to the “Pussy Hats” demonstration likely is linked to his influence in restricting abortion rights.

Former Joint Chief of Staff of the Armed Services leader General Milley now needs security personnel to maintain safety for himself and his family following Trump’s remarks that he should be considered a traitor for reassuring China the US Government was stable following the events of January 6th.

Looking to other states to follow Colorado’s lead

I applaud the Colorado Supreme Court’s actions and hope other states will follow suit. The fact the people involved in bringing the lawsuit were primarily conscientious Republicans appears lost on most. The fact they, and those tasked with making the ruling are now under fire and getting death threats is shameful, but precisely what the Trump Potemkin puppeteer wants.

Maine’s elected officials joined Colorado in disqualifying Trump from appearing on the ballot, though the effects of this decision aren’t yet clear. As the deadline for appearing in the 2024 Presidential election draws near, several states are weighing their options. Sadly, Trump will likely dox the Secretary of State on his social media site, and she and other officials taking action will become targets.

As Ian Ward writes in his interview with Luttig in Politico,

“… J. Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative legal scholar and former judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, who, together with the liberal law professor Laurence Tribe, promoted the idea that the 14th Amendment disqualifies Trump from seeking a second term.”

ABC News reports over a dozen states have attempted to invoke the 14th Amendment to no avail. These include Michigan and Minnesota. However, other states are likely to follow Colorado’s lead. This will certainly be decided by a right-leaning conservative Supreme Court.

It takes courage to do your job when the stakes are high. People who attain upper levels of management and hold positions of power are typically intelligent, capable, and ethical. If they’re not and operate in the public sector, or don’t get results in elected office, they don’t last.

Appointed judges and Supreme Court Justices are another matter.

Unfortunately, those in charge are also those frequently targeted. It’s why so many do their jobs quietly and try to keep low profiles.

The 2024 Presidential Election

Everyone loves a good cross-town rivalry in sporting events, but we face a far more serious challenge in 2024.

In the story I told about layoffs, I redirected the conversation from any perceived subversive acts on my part to the Human Resources Vice President’s responsibilities.

Sound familiar? Control the narrative, shift the blame, and refocus attention. These are standard practices for politicians and people in power. Adding fear to the mix helps keep people preoccupied and destabilized. Eventually, they’ll stop listening, put their heads down, and focus their attention elsewhere.

The Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s Secretary of State have raised their hands and asked, “Don’t we have a provision for keeping us safe from tyranny?”

In this case, the country’s democracy isn’t golden, and the risk to America’s shining waves of grain — or representational government — are pretty black and white rather than grey. If we get the 2024 election wrong, voters won’t have golden parachutes to ensure their rights and freedoms are protected.

Trump plans to use the National Guard against demonstrators and domestic enemies using the Insurrection Act.

I pointed out the effect of the US economic clout and climate change policies to illustrate the important roles we play in the world and the interdependent relationships we have with others outside our country.

The issues I outlined should be understood by Presidential candidates and conveyed in a reasonable, responsible manner. Promoting prejudice and isolating nationalism while pretending the economic, climate, and security challenges facing the world are independent of us is a dereliction of duty to a voting base that deserves better.

There are notable contributors to Project 2025: Presidential Transition Plan who have a rather isolationist, Christian Evangelical plan for the new administration. Reading the documents and noting the freedoms that no longer exist is frightening, and illuminating.

Donald Trump appears not to understand the basics of the economic, environmental, and security principles outlined. Those are just a few — there are countless others, including immigration, the military, education, drugs, cybercrime, healthcare, housing, AI, and more. Like Biden, he could surround himself with smart experts who could advise him, but he repeatedly claims he is the most stable genius, and that he consults with himself. This was evident during the pandemic and in his response to the 2020 election. He will choose what to believe based on self-interest.

Just ask the people serving time for January 6, or his co-conspirators indicted in Georgia. He’s turned his back on every ally.

Smart people recognize they cannot possibly know everything about anything, and surround themselves with people they hope are smarter than themselves for sound advice. Trump’s ego doesn’t allow this.

Trump plans to expand presidential powers and speaks increasingly in anti-democratic terms. Every time a country has given up democracy in the past 100 years they’ve suffered economically, and personal freedoms have been curtailed. Poverty has risen, corruption increased, and a crackdown on freedom of the press and individual rights has been the norm. Reclaiming or initiating a representational government often takes decades, if accomplished at all.

Conclusion

Sometimes I use satire to make points fast and furiously. This four-minute piece covers potential challenges to rules governing presidential eligibility.

Voters need to appreciate our privileged place in the world and the impact our discussions, opinions, and votes carry here and beyond our borders.

The Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s officials have raised their hands and asked, “Don’t we have a provision for keeping us safe from tyranny?” You might recall that then-President Trump told China’s President Xi and Republicans he thought being named “President for Life” was a good idea he liked.

The economic ramifications of the events outlined above will likely recur if we lose our representational government. Trump’s interests are self-serving. He’ll find a way to profit, as his family did when he was in office. Others will face a harsher reality.

While it may seem voters are uninterested sheeple at times, there is a global network of heavily financed groups who do have strategic plans.

The Department of Defense and the Pentagon are trying to thwart China and Russia’s attempts to influence the election and sow discord on social media and other digital services. Manufacturing outrage, redirecting our attention, and polarizing the country is part of the plan.

As long as we’re arguing and have limited attention and interest, we’re easy to manipulate.

Hiding in our rooms under the covers might have been an option when we were children, but now we need to be the responsible adult who banishes any real or perceived monster for the safety and sanity of all.

No matter your political affiliation or values, when you communicate with friends and family, please consider alternatives to Trump.

Thanks to Andrew Rodwin, publisher of Brain Labs, whose editing and contributions qualify him as a collaborator — just less insolent. :)

Thanks for reading.

Hopefully one of my last on AI, this addresses copyright and other issues.