THE REVIEWS

THE CRC: ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN POLITICS

There is not a single person who wants interference with our local, state, or national elections. The reality of life is that foreign influence campaigns in politics occurred long before the 2016 presidential cycle. It probably will happen again to some degree. 

The impact from the influence campaign from Russian actors is highly exaggerated for political reasons. The campaign was poorly executed and there is no real proof that people changed their votes based on the clearly misleading information presented. 

The hysteria is leading policymakers to place undue responsibility on social media companies to regulate political advertisements as well as speech on their platforms. Conveniently, private firms do not have constitutional restrictions government deals with. 

Facebook and Twitter responded to social and political pressures in completely different manners. Facebook wants no part of suppressing free expression as it pushes back against criticism. On the other hand, Twitter decided to no longer accept paid political ads.

There is a general unfairness in attempting to make private firms shoulder the responsibility of policing speech. Government is essentially seeking a loophole to get around constitutional protections covering free expression. Censorship is not an appropriate response to fake news. 

Early efforts to filter content demonstrated a clear existence of political and ideological biases at the highest levels of social media companies. Any non-liberal non-Democratic voices were silenced by so called moderators, especially many legitimate conservative media members. 

The best defender against fake news is an educated, engaged, and informed society. While all should act in society’s best interest, there is always inaccurate or incomplete information out there. Not always purposeful but can still have the same impact. 

People who read a wide variety of legitimate news sources and stay abreast of issues can clearly identify and filter out fake news. The advertisements used in 2016 were clearly unconvincing and amateurish. Many were released well after primary contest ended in the impacted state. 

The real focus should be ensuring foreign governments cannot manipulate election results by altering vote counts or inappropriately accessing election data. States need to improve their systems and protocols around balloting. Paper ballots is an unnecessary regression. 

Foreign governments may always seek to influence. The United States too might continue influencing foreign elections. The key is to ensure the voters voices is truly reflected in the results. In 2016, the voice of the voters was heard. 

THE CRC: CHANGE AFTER CHANGE


Cindi McCain, widow of Late Sen. John McCain, commented that the current form of the GOP is not the same party that her husband served under for decades. In many ways, she is spot on. 

The modern-day GOP is much different than the one that nominated Sen. McCain in 2008. In the same manner, the modern-day Democratic Party is much different than the party that elected Presidents Clinton and Obama. 

Both the Republican and Democratic Party experienced strong shifts in the attitudes of their bases, which led to the purge of many moderate candidates. Including center right and center left in favor of more ideologically rigid ones. 

The problem seen with moderate candidates was the inability to take accountability for policy failures as well as an overt focus on their own electoral and political outcomes rather than the policy impact on constituents. 

For instance, Republicans grew tired of candidates running on conservative principles while campaigning only to govern almost similarly to their Democratic counterparts once elected. 

The sheer number of unsatisfied voter groups in both parties made it clear to current candidates campaigning on salient principles better govern under those principles or face the prospect of a short time in office. 

As we know, the appeal of candidates like President Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders is the perception of authenticity, using straight talk instead of carefully crafted and vetted political speak. 

The more politically rigid tribes of both parties appear to prefer candidates that wear their emotions on their sleeves. Preferring populist theme in campaign style which places greater importance on emotions that rationale. 

Many of these political rigid factions are not interested in seeing our political parties compromise, negotiate, or cooperate, but stake unyielding positions that make every issue a crisis. 

The main goal for many supporting change in 2016 was to reposition the focus of elected officials, not create a chaotic style of government focused on power grabs, hysteria, and barbs traded back and forth. 

All change brings intended and unintended consequences. The intended complete economic revival and strengthening of our national security, but unintended strong division and hysteria driven obstruction in response. 

Where is the adult in this environment? A good question as no one has the incentive to take the high road or be the voice of reason. Any middle of the road sentiment will be mischaracterized for political fodder. 

The media traditionally plays the voice of reason amid partisan bickering. But, many media members are not sitting on the sidelines this time. Many are taking sides and seeking to influence political outcomes. 

Journalists traditionally separate their political and personal leanings from the underlying truths in coverage. While there are plenty of good journalistic content out there, many purposely cover issues from a slanted view.

The vetting of stories and investigative journalism does not appear to be at the same level in the Trump Era, as soundbites do more for ratings and clicks, especially amongst those holding strong anti-Trump views. 

Many news organizations are not willing to set aside emotions around the subject of coverage, which clearly impacts how they cover that subject and what the editorial boards approve for release. 

Journalists should cover subjects in a fair and objective manner, reporting facts consistently. Independent press is a fundamental institution in our society, but the press is not independent when there is a clear political agenda. 

Every major problem in our society is typically solved by people, either through voices or innovations in our private sector. An important step forward will be shifts in attitudes and behaviors regarding politics. 

Change not in who, but how they support a candidate, political party, or ideology. The idea of engaging with those that think differently or hold views that are not same is a foreign concept to some. 

Political cheerleading and tribalism sentiments make many on the fringe believe that politics should be about who can yell the loudest or can harass their opponents the best. All better solved with negotiation, compromise, and debate.

The reality in politics is people you disagree can be right at times, even if you still disagree with their policies and points of view. Additionally, not every action, view, or behavior of favored candidates is right. 

The political tribes in our society of those staunchly supporting or opposing President Trump rationalize every event, issue, and problem under the framework of their support. 

The reality for those supporting President Trump is that while his policies prove effective, many of his behaviors are not appropriate for the office he holds. Supporters should be able to acknowledge this. 

The reality for Democrats that staunchly oppose President Trump is that the party is highly obsessed with removing him from office and their actions reflect that of a political witch hunt, not enforcing federal law.

Prospective voters do not have to disavow support because of some flaws but should be acknowledge the shortcomings of their candidates and objectively account for them in their evaluations. 

Consider how different President Trump would be viewed if could avoid some of the tweets that riled up many in our society? If he did not respond to every provocation with blunt force. 

Consider how little Democrats have done while obsessing over Trump. How anger led the party platform to embrace social and economic ideals Americans long rejected. Ones that failed and impoverished millions across the globe. 

Instead of enjoying the comforts of your political tribe, venture out and engage with people that oppose your point of view. Both can learn a great deal in respectful and deliberate discussions. 

Then one can understand the greater possibilities that come with compromise and negotiation instead of partisan hysteria and anger. Our politics needed change, but not a complete overhaul. 

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR: NON-EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES



The State of California took a controversial and questionable step in altering the employment relationship between many organizations and their independent contractors. California enacted legislation requiring companies to consider most classes of independent contractors as employees of the company. Proponents of the law praise access to many potential legal protections afforded to company employees. Opponents decry the potential negative impact it will have on businesses, especially ones that almost exclusively hire contract employees. As one can expect that other states will consider similar legislation, there is a need to better clarify what workers will be protected and provide clear exemptions for the obvious situations of true independent contract work. 

The intent of the law is to close the loophole companies use to avoid labor costs, such as benefits and certain types of taxes, by using contract employees or independent contractors to fill key roles in worker pool. In the State of California, regulations cover employees of a company employees with benefits requirements, wage protections, and other workplace rules. For the most part, California exempts independent contractors from these rules, which makes them attractive to companies looking to lower cost associated with labor. There is a strong argument, which California accepts, that independent contractors are not truly independent when many companies enjoy great control over these workers and these workers perform the same duties as current employees. Worker rights groups and prominent labor unions pushed this narrative, as unions will see this as a path to  expand access a broader pool of potential members. 

Generally, a person is considered an independent contractor if they operate outside the direct supervision of the payer and enjoy control over work schedule, equipment used, and cost control. The payer, the company or person, may negotiate a fee schedule, provide a definition of the deliverable, and deadlines, but the independent contractor has control over the process and how they arrive at the deliverable. In the cases of true independent contractor relationships, organizations may seek to exert greater influence on how the end product is produced, as regulatory bodies and customers require greater insight into supply chains, including professional services. For instance, one might want to protect against contractors that might hire illegal or child labor or freely associate with criminal activity. Sometimes the burden is on the company to ensure compliance of expected behavior beyond the contractual clauses. 

Another factor to consider is the growth in popularity of freelancing relationships, especially among younger workers. Many of these workers graduated into the stagnant economy during the Obama era, where permanent full time opportunities were limited, but when many tech companies offered new opportunities. Companies like Uber, Lyft, and others provided a way for people to earn compensation on their own schedule using the companies app. Besides some terms and conditions aimed at protecting end consumers, users of these apps were free to work at the own convenience, create their own strategy to maximize profits, and come and go as they pleased. The gig economy was born out of necessity created by an economic environment that did not create jobs, which many do enjoy working under. 

These users clearly fall under the definition of independent contractor. While tech startups enjoy great profitability projections and popularity, the type of labor used still falls under the acceptable definition. Other service industry workers received exemptions from California. Service industry workers like barbers and hair stylists are considered independent contractors, although their shops enjoy greater control over the work process and cost generation than the tech startups. These companies could do more to provide access to benefits, but rules should be consistent, not based solely on the profitability of the entity. 

The appropriate area of regulation is where organizations bring in these workers to perform duties similar to those of staffed employees. Many staffing companies provide organizations with contract labor to supplement existing worker bases without the cost of benefits and certain types of taxes. The company enjoys control over them as if they are staff, but also enjoys the lower cost of labor. These relationships are ones states like California should seek to apply the new regulations to. There is a plethora of contract employees performing exactly the same duties as staff employees at a much lower rate and benefit free from both the organization and the staffing agency. 

The clear path forward is focusing regulation on labor sourced through staffing agencies where workers perform the same duties as current employees. Placing limitations of periods of temporary employment or greater rules around temporary to permanent positions may help improve access to benefits and tax dollars. But, gig economy organizations do deserve some level of exemption from classifying their users as employees. These users are not employees and operate under the clear definition of independent contractor. Companies could also help their case by providing optional access to benefits packages to users that utilize the app for a defined period.


The closing of the loophole is well intended as many companies are going too far in their labor strategies and leave many people exposed. But, policymakers should protect the availability of contract labor and independent work relationships, which benefit millions. Many people understand what they are signing for and accept the conditions. Regulate where appropriate, but in a fair and consistent manner. Understandably, the worker rights group and labor unions did not fund this effort without expecting access to these worker pools to bolster potential members. 


THE CRC: CROWD SHAMING

Pictures may tell a thousand words but never the whole story. Please click above to experience Crowd Shaming to see how society jumps to conclusions fairly or unfairly. 

THE CRC: SOUP OR SALAD?


Tough decisions have tough consequences. Click above for more. 

FAIR RESPONSIBILITY


Our society does not always assign responsibility for behaviors to the party most in control of said behaviors. How can it be improved? Please click above to find out and more. 

POWER AND RESTRAINT


In this podcast, I discuss the need for a strong national security balanced with effective diplomacy that utilizes tariffs and trade. 

CLASS WARFARE


Class warfare is commonly used to pressure society in supporting policies that normally receive public backing. Whether it is to back redistribution programs that do little to improve economic outcomes or gun control that is more about politics than actual public safety, pitting groups against each other is a common practice of the left. 

For more, please click above. 

FALSE PROMISES: THE FALLACY OF PROGRESSIVE POLITICS


A person not moving forward is said to be moving backwards. Stagnation allows those around them to progress past them over time. The same principle applies to societies. If nations are unable to progress forward, competing nations will surpass their economic production, national skill set, and other important metrics nations used to evaluate societal progress. Societies must change to move forward but change for change sake or recreating the wheel only harms the potential for growth. 
The desire for our policymakers to hold forward thinking viewpoints should not be partisan. Good public policy positions a nation to best compete socially, diplomatically, and economically against competitors abroad. For instance, forward thinking social policy can help expand freedom and civil liberties throughout society. Forward thinking economic policy could foster innovation and growth, expanding opportunities to more and more in society. Policymakers can help maintain social greatness by anticipating future needs and finding effective and efficient solutions to address them. 
There is great fervor among some to embrace the ideals of progressivism, notably on the far left. Many in that camp believe progressive liberal candidates embody greater social innovation and forward-thinking policies. The reason is many modern-day progressive candidates campaign on messaging pushing the “newness” of their ideas. Under President Barack Obama, he frequently campaigned promising a new economy and new America. Current candidates describe the ideas in the same context as well. 
The problem with many of the modern-day progressives is their ideas are not authentically new, simply rethreads of policies implemented elsewhere. Therefore, the public and political opposition enjoy real world examples to judge the efficacy of their ideas. For instance, the single payer health system that capture the eye of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is available in many European nations. While the perceived coverage benefits is what catches the eye, the quality issues, including lack of access to new medical technology and treatments, which may be costly, is commonly ignored. Other issues like appointment scheduling is overlooked as well. 
Many nations have socialist economies, like the one being proposed by Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, and other socialist backers. Many nations in South America, like Venezuela, embraced socialism as an economic distribution system. Now, those nations are plagued with economic and social strife, as millions upon millions live in abject poverty and suffer corruption and violence from the same socialist government. The thousands of migrants that seek illegal entrance into the United States and other free market economies more likely than not come from these socialist economies. While capitalism has its challenges, rational Americans should not fall for the false hopes and power grabs of socialist economics. 
The proponents of modern-day progressivism cannot fathom the fact that free thinking people will reject their ideas. Proponents will label their detractors as people opposed to change. There are legitimately some people that will stand against any change from what they consider normal. But there are many who rightfully stand against proven ineffective policy proposals and ideals that fundamentally regress our common shared values. There are valid questions concerning the driving factors of many proposals of modern-day progressives. Change in the form of power grabs or government oppression is not change society should believe in. 
The argument for change needs to consider outcomes, potential side effects, and alternative approaches. The political record for progressive agenda is not a desirable one. In addition to the notable issues above, our first attempt with addressing issues plaguing health care was an abject failure, requiring a fresh approach. Many nations are moving away from government control of industries towards greater free market capitalist principles. The outcomes increases the freedom and well being of society and greater efficiency and choice for their economies. 
The argument for change needs to also consider whether the action is moving society forward or regressing it backwards. If one looks at the actions taken against cashless stores by progressive state and local leaders, this move clearly is a step backwards. The movement forces small businesses to incur the risks and costs of dealing with cash. While the change was to theoretically protect access for the impoverished, there are many providers of similar products and services available for cash paying customers. The forward-thinking approach would be supporting efforts to expand access to banking to those currently unable to attain checking or savings account. 
Many progressive ideas are pure contradiction to common sense. Progressive leaders work to create greater social acceptance of public marijuana usage while traditional cigarettes receive the cold shoulder. Although the lung cancer risk are disparate, both still have health risk and create equal annoyance to those around them. The sanctuary laws imposed by these politicians not only increase risks and cost to communities, but it provides taxpayer funded shelter to violators of federal law. Proposed solutions to the opioid crisis creates situations where taxpayers funds will be used to support drug use, rather than reduce it. 
Social change can be good for society, if it expands our freedom, civil liberties, and opportunity. Change can be good if it helps our economy produce high paying jobs or improves our national security. Change for change sake that simply strengthens government’s power over the people is not change any one wants to believe in.