This is an unusually long podcast for me, these days, about 1/2 hour.
But, you can skip the first nine minutes. It's very rambly. But after nine minutes I get going on what I think is a powerful idea. (One of these days I should learn how to edit an audio file.)
I propose new kind of social structure that, unlike the ones we have implemented so far, is about compromise.
We're at an interesting point in American democracy. Many of us are now highly motivated to make it work, and feel a sense of urgency we've never felt before.
The key is to find thoughtful people with similar life stories that span the redstate-bluestate divide. Good people, who love America, and want to see what we, as citizens, can work out.
It's emphatically not about building community, as blogging, Facebook and Twitter are, it's about building compromise. I didn't say agreement. No one changes anyone's mind.
Two steps: 1. Understand. 2. Compromise.
We think we can't compromise, but we do it all the time.
For example, people who are pro-life have had to accept the compromise that abortion is legal.
Another, people who were against the war in Iraq had to accept that we went to war in Iraq.
These are compromises so abhorrent that they hurt.
Well, many of us are experiencing huge buyer's remorse after the election. What could we have done differently that would have saved us from having to give so much on things we hold so incredibly dear.
But, on the other side, I think at least some people who voted for Trump either feel the same remorse now, or will soon. For example if you chose Trump because you wanted to "drain the swamp," less than a week after the election, you can see clearly that he's doing the exact opposite.
Now we have to learn how to listen to each other with respect, without trying to change anyone's minds, and then come to a compromise we can live with that's better than what we're going to get in the whipsawing policies between Democratic and Republican government, every eight years. We could use a little more continuity and predictability. We need to say no to the radical extremes, and try to arrive at less painful compromises, give a little to get a little. That's the way our government is designed.
I'm looking for very very special people, not your average Internet user. If you listen to the podcast, starting at minute 9 if you're short on time, and make it to the end, you'll get the idea. I think it's worth your time, of course, but it's totally your call.