The Trump countdown requires some heavy thinking

 We, (not just U.S. voters), are looking at the loss of Trump's dictatorial powers beginning in less than 100 days.  We need to be careful as he will not give up his power without a fight (not likely a fair fight).  He still has wealthy supporters and too many ignorant voters on his side.  Ignore them at your peril.  There is still lots of prejudice to be stirred up.  For now we see the Democrats as the best instrument for justice.

The issues that non Trump voters can rally around are affordability, ICE and unnecessary wars.  He has already attempted to restrict voting and is prepared to contest any result contrary to his desires.  Although there are many other issues that especially progressives feel are critical they should play in the background.  Climate change is one issue that is getting more acceptance, but is not a strong enough vote incentive as affordability.  Concentrating on what people want is the safest way to insure victory at the polls.  

We should also bear in mind that there is a gap of close to 3 months between the vote and inauguration of the new Senators and House Representatives.  The actual numbers do make a difference.  The losers may react in a variety of ways.  Some will bide their time until the public mood changes while others will fight with whatever legislative power they have and some will accept the public verdict perhaps with some relief and move on.  Trump will be more desperate, realizing his power and even his freedom will be attacked.  

Assuming they do indeed achieve real power the Democrats still need to be careful.  Being vindictive can have negative consequences.  What the Democrats campaigned on and helped them win should be the priorities.  Like many others I believe Donald Trump belongs in prison, but the effort will stir some backlash and will take time away from other goals.  

My priority would be to get climate change acknowledged and dealt with more effectively.  But there are so many other issues.  Decisions have to be made for priorities.  Below are a few thoughts.

Al Gore once said that before climate change can be dealt with we need to fix the political process.  This could be a long effort, but the idea that the electoral college should control all other decisions needs to be challenged.  The losers in that effort would be small states.  Rural residents will also feel threatened.  Proportional representation is fairer and cuts down on political manipulation.  Obama once told us that inequality encourages violence.

Having been a poll clerk I do like the idea of proper identification, but it must be accessible for everyone.  We need to make it easy for everyone to vote.

Affordability has many angles.  Tariffs hurt everyone.  On the other hand poor countries may require protection against rich countries.  Making the world a fair place may not be an immediate priority, but people should be aware that a balance is also in everyone's interest.  Wars should not be the result of a threatened president wanting to cover his sins.  Congress should have the final say.  Taxes need to be balanced, but admit that the rich may not co-operate.  This is a loaded topic involving incentives for hard work and innovation, spending for fairness and overall health.

Immigration is for many a touchy subject.  The irony is that America (and the west in general and Japan) need immigration to replace the unborn babies we count on to take care of us in our old age.  There will likely be dirty work that established citizens look down upon.  Really to be honest, we need their energy and their perspectives.  Much of our innovation and entrepreneurship has been driven by immigrants.  Fortunately the cruelty of ICE repulses many voters.  

Trump made a very big deal with using his executive powers on inauguration day to enact his idea of changes.  The new crew needs to have their own agenda and announce it promptly.

A balanced budget that helps lessen the national debt may not be noticed by many, but would have a few immediate benefits and increase everyone's freedom in the long run.  That means attention to revenue as part of all spending decisions.  

A long term project is to fight ignorance that too often leads to hate.  Trump has pointedly tried to cut out awareness of American acceptance of slavery and indigenous abuses in national museums.  Education is primarily a state responsibility, but obviously national interests are involved.  In the conflict with Iran it has been stated and thought that "they hate us because we're Christians." when the truth is Americans have helped overturn an Iranian democracy in 1953.  Trump has stated that the rest of the world has taken advantage of Americans which is a distortion of reality.  This will be an ongoing battle, but I like to think that a little light will help open our eyes (and hearts).

The Supreme Court is another touchy issue that affects us all.  Traditionally the President makes a nomination and the Senate debates before confirming.  The court needs to be above politics.  As a progressive I recognize the danger of catering too much to public mood, but the court should be respected.  The future is uncertain, but it should not be decided by a group of powerful people.

Winning Congress is only a short term project.  Winning the 2028 election is vital so wasting time and goodwill is counter productive.  

The American Revolution was supposed to give power to the people as opposed to a monarch.  Most Americans overlook the role of the Magna Carta on the road to democracy.  Many of us would agree that Democracy is a fragile thing that needs careful monitoring.  Donald Trump has provided a scary proof of what can happen if democracy is taken for granted.

Think like a freak and be more innovative

Have you read "Freakonomics" or "Superfreakonomics?" They are full of interesting facts that often have practical implications, but weren't "common sense" thinking.  This third book by the two author team is intended to encourage thinking that uncovers solutions to problems that have been overlooked.  Innovations come from thinking and maybe freak thinking opens up more possibilities.

In their original book I was struck how they analyzed a fall in crime.  A lot of propositions have been suggested including better police practices, greater incarcerations.  They determined that the suggestions did not cover the total decline in crime.  They took note of the date when crime trends started to decline and dug deeper.  The critical factor to close the gap was when  in the next twenty years after the abortion laws were liberalized with Roe v. Wade there were fewer unwanted babies many of whom would have been brought up in trying circumstances.  This is not a conclusion that would be welcomed by everyone, but still the implications are profound.  Wanted babies are very desirable.

In thinking like a freak there are a few guidelines.  A key one is revealed by a phrase not often used, "I don"t know."  Too many of us are ashamed to admit our ignorance or we just don't care.  Starting from the admission of ignorance we can discover more possibilities than many "educated" people normally consider.

A California experiment to encourage better water habits demonstrated the power of herd behaviour.  Rather than being motivated by saving money or saving the environment the most effective results came from pointing out that their neighbours were adopting some new practices.

Don't be afraid of the obvious.  Sometimes we overlook an explanation that just seems too simple.

When presenting your ideas avoid name calling.  Everyone will not understand or accept your thoughts, but keep the door open.   What has more effect?  We are inundated with mega data and that is likely to increase.   What we really respond to are stories that make a point.

A key decision we all have to make is when to quit.  Winston Churchill is famous for advocating never give up.  When a venture is well on its way and not going to plan we have a tendency to factor in how much we have already invested (time, money).  The authors suggest we should evaluate the opportunity costs, ie. what we could be doing instead of continuing on our problematic route.

Stephen and Steven are always finding new ways to look at things.  Keep up to date, http://freakonomics.com