Lite Weight

I know everyone is optimistic that fears of a deep recession have passed, based on consumer spending, a hot job market and historically low unemployment, but I believe we are in a precarious position and that the current outlook is being fueled by false optimism, as opposed to reality.

There are number of events or underling factors that could burst this bubble of hope, either directly or though unintended consequences. I will share three:

ONE: extreme members of the Republican Party hold the reigns in Congress, and have a stranglehold on their party leadership. As a group their only goal is to sow chaos by picking ideological and unnecessary fights with no end-game or policy goals. They simply want to play chicken with the other side, as we are witnessing with the current debt ceiling debate.

TWO: unintended economic consequences resulting from the decoupling of US and China economies that is underway on two-levels:
 a) US companies moving manufacturing bases away from China b) US government efforts to curtail Chinese tech advancements in AI, quantum computing, etc. by limiting exports and blocking their use around the world.

I know how scary it is to have no paycheque, health insurance and now face the prospect of not finding work for a few months.

More than half the people in this country do not have $400 put away for an emergency.

Millions are single parents with no family network or savings to fall back on.

Millions more are hourly wage workers who will not be able to pay rent, in 13 days, or feed their kids without a paycheque.

The longer it takes to defeat this virus, the longer businesses and workplaces will stay closed and the longer millions of our fellow Americans will have to starve without a paycheque.

I was glad to see Democrats put forward fresh new faces, filled with youthful vigor, brimming with the enthusiasm and the fearless optimism of unjaded newcomers.

People will no doubt bring big and bold new ideas to solve our most deep, pressing and intractable problems...

No matter what happens tonight with PM May, there can be no second referendum to try to reverse Brexit.

Doing this would undermine and make a mockery of the entire democratic process. We cannot overturn results simply because we don't like the outcomes. And it ridiculous to now argue that a referendum is not legally binding because that is not how it was presented prior to holding it.

That said, there is no question the Brexit referendum was a bad idea and only done to fulfill a campaign pledge by a weak and spineless PM. Leaving a negotiating block of 27 nations was always going to leave tiny Britain at a disadvantage.

But the fact remains that the British people had their chance to hear both sides and freely made their bed - now they must lie in it - for bad or for worse. There are no do overs in life.

Bringing politics into the Grammy's and other award shows is unhealthy and wrong.

These shows are meant to entertain, not preach or add to the divisiveness that already exists in our nation.

Also, these venues are NOT the right time or place to raise issues or have such discussions; and let's be clear entertainers are NOT activists, they are just opportunists.

A few days ago, I got an email from the PM Modi's team asking for inputs and suggestions for his Independence Day speech. Here is what I sent:

Between 2011-2030 nearly 1 million Indians will be turning 18 and if Modi is unable to create jobs, not matter what else he achieves, his tenure will be viewed as a failure. There are things he must urgently do to create the right conditions for investment and growth:

1. Be unequivocal in his condemnation of social media misogyny, bullying & hooliganism, but stop short of passing new laws.

2. Understand that nobody invests in a country where rule of law is regularly trampled and sound economic policy is overtaken by religious fanaticism.

I don't blame Bernie Sanders for the mad man who shot at Congressional Republicans today, anymore than I blame Trump for the Quebec City mosque shooter.

But what is clear that we should ALL feel some sense of responsibility for these events.

The more we condone, or stay silent, about personal attacks on Trump or Sessions or Warren or Clinton, or worse, participate in the anger and vitriol on display in social media and our society - we become part of the problem.

The VAST majority on both sides would never condone violence or resort to killing based on partisanship but there are many among us who do not have the ability to make these distinctions - all they hear in an atmosphere filed with animosity and hate is a world is going to hell, that somebody needs to do something about it.

We need to restore civility into the national and political dialogue; even if our politicians refuse to take the lead in doing so.

The mainstream media's obsession with Trump is unhealthy for America and our democracy.

Yes, the media should absolutely hold our leaders accountable but this does not mean ignoring ALL other serious news in America and the world.

There is no question that Trump does and says stupid things - the issue is that the media is clearly sitting, waiting and actively digging to chastise, humiliate and desperately try to convince everyone that Trump should be impeached at every turn - it has become inane and counter-productive scrutiny.

And in their blind madness they have completely forgone fact checking, source vetting and every other basic journalistic ethic and integrity; they are setting a dangerous and reckless precedent.

Good riddance to Bill O'Reilly but let's be honest that he is not alone, and this is not a left or right issue.

EVERY organization I have worked with and for (everywhere in the world) maintains a slush fund to pay-off and silence women who have been harassed by "valuable" senior executives. I have always abhorred this policy.

But as a liberal, it saddens me greatly to once more see the glaring hypocrisy of the left on this issue.

Consider that Travis Kalanick, the CEO of Uber, has publicly called his company "Boober" and boasted about creating a culture that is openly hostile to women; one where senior executive's are lauded for sexually harassing female employees, and HR turns a blind eye to their complaints.

Yet there has been no moral outrage, no media pressure on Uber's investors to pull funding, no call to advertisers to drop their partnerships, or even a public push to boycott Uber.

The reaction has been quite the opposite. Ariana Huffington, a champion of women, and member of Uber's board has gone out of her way to defend Travis and Uber.

Sadly, until liberalism stops chocking on its own hypocrisy and double standards we will have to suffer many more Trump's (this is a large part of WHY he won).

We all say hateful, hurtful, mean and even dangerous things in the heat of emotion and should be forgiven for being human and stupid once in a while.

Here is what I am wondering:

I am with the Obama's on always going high.

Going high means never taking my cues from other people's behavior or lack thereof.

Gong high means staying true to my values and principles, no matter how unprincipled my opponent might be.

Going high means never compromising on my integrity, even when I am dealing with cheats and liars.

Going high means always being respectful of others, even when I have been disrespected.

Going high means embracing the most hateful people, so I can show them a better way.

Going high means inspiring people through my actions and always leading by example.

I once asked my father why he was always so hard on me, and seemingly critical of everything I did; even though he would see my friends do much worse, and say nothing to them.

He said; “Son, I care deeply about you, and how you turn out. I often praise your actions but if I only did that and remained blind to your faults and things you do wrong, you will never learn, grow and become a better human being. If I am hard on you, it is only because I love you.”

I love Obama but I ...am critical of his faults, failures and missteps. I do not feel the same way about Modi but I am the first to praise his economic initiatives and ideas because my love for India is greater.

It is because I love America, I will strive to do the same with Trump.

But I will never compromise on my values, principles, sense of decency and decorum; no matter whom I am up against.

It is ironic that the media is now trying to blame 'fake news' as a big issue in determining the outcome of the election - common sense tells me that majority of people ONLY look for 'alternate' sources of news when they are unable to find balanced, factual, accurate and credible mainstream sources of news...

Trump and Modi winning did not prove that democracy is broken and that our democratic systems failed us but that they worked.

They showed us that the depth of frustration the average person feels with corrupt politicians, cosy corporate lobbyists, growing income inequality, and GDP growth that never trickles down to those who need it the most - has the majority (across race, religion and party lines) screaming for change from politics as usual.

This was not a victory for hate or misogyny (without doubt there was an element of it) but it was a cry for economic dignity and equality by the majority that we left behind.

Parties that were founded FOR the people forgot the people. Now it is our duty to ensure that an alternative, more hateful, vision does not fill this void; and only WE have the power to prevent that.

Democracy is the greatest system of earth and it is NOT Modi or Trump who will destroy it but our apathy and lack of involvement; irrespective of which side wins or is in power.

So I have decided that my Facebook page and posts will NEVER again be safe spaces or an agreeable echo chamber.