It's the economy ...

The top concerns for most voters are jobs and the economy.  Yet too many voters tend to box issues, as though the economy is different from health care or Social Security, Afghanistan, the nation’s schools or the housing crisis. And too many politicians ignore the economic implications of these issues.

Health care: Voters cannot work if they are seriously ill. Many who are healthy today realize that might not be the case tomorrow. Nearly half of Americans – seniors, veterans, the poor and disabled – are covered by public health.  Most people can well imagine the fear of losing their insurance, after a job loss or a medical condition. Yes, the seriously ill can seek care at the local emergency room, but that is not the most efficient form of treatment and hospitals are adept at pursuing payment.

Reproductive health: Women and many men do not want to risk new regulations on birth control. Sadly, an unexpected pregnancy during an economic downturn is a nightmare and not blessing.

Wars: The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has estimated that about 15 percent of the deficit can be attributed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Into its 12th year, Afghanistan is the longest war on record. Investments in diplomacy and non-military foreign aid can reduce wars.

Taxes: The Bush tax cuts account for about 30 percent of the deficit. The tax cuts were made without reducing programs. There’s a reason, Americans want many of those programs, especially during a time of need.  No leader can both keep the programs and reduce taxes. Income for the wealthiest rose while the income of middle-class went stagnant or decreased. Many voters support tax hikes to reduce the federal debt. The Bush tax cuts had a sunset clause – and so could any tax hikes. Businesses and households with budgets typically want to eliminate debt – and do so by rising prices before reducing service, production or quality.

Education: Children who receive a substandard education are more likely to cause social problems. Some may enter a life of crime. Others will become home health aides or serve us in fast-food restaurants and struggle to do their jobs. It’s wrong to put 30 or more children into a classroom with a math teacher who is paid a fraction of she or he could make in industry or a university – and expect high morale, good community relations or academic success. Children are the future workforce and future citizens, and their teachers need safe conditions, training, respect and appropriate wages.    

Immigration: More people produce growth – they work, buy products and fill houses languishing on the market.  Good policymaking, regulation and business could come up with an enforcement system that charges undocumented immigrants a fee.


Social Security and Medicare: The elderly depend on these programs, the centerpiece of any retirement planning in the middle class. Candidates who propose any privatization or reductions should be clear just how much people have to save to compensate for reductions. Age cut-offs won’t work among the elderly because they care fiercely about their children and economic health.  Younger workers will resist paying for a program that provides for current seniors but is slated to end.    

Climate Change: The science points to rising carbon dioxide emissions as contributing to volatile weather and rising seas. Ongoing denial will only add to future costs of food, shelter, insurance and business.

In the end, voters need to understand the economic implications of every issue. Optimism, confidence in addressing challenges and cooperation do more to boost revenues than criticism, fear and every man and women out for themselves. 

Photo courtesy of the US Department of Defense and Wikimedia Commons. US Army Spc. Tiffany Larriba teaches counting and English with the Soldier in the Classroom program at Karabti San, Djibouti.

Clash

The posters in the New York Subway stations represent:
a. Clash of civilizations.
b. Clash in religions.
c. Clash of speech.
d. Or, all of the above.

Activist Mona Eltahawy was arrested for spray-painting over posters suggesting that Muslims are uncivilized. "Eltahawy was arrested after a supporter of Geller's initiative attempted to prevent her defacing the sign with a purple aerosol," reports Peter Beaumont for the Guardian. 

Eltahawy defended her action as "free speech," too. But then she didn't pay $6000 in advertising costs for posters in 10 subway stations. In New York City, paid advertising carries more weight than activism.

The American Freedom Defense Initiative, which commissioned the posters, and Eltahawy are receiving far more publicity and attention than either paid for.

As a side note, The Color Purple is one of my favorite books about literacy.

Update, September 30: Eltahawy is on UP With Chris Hayes, and she describes the spray paint as pink - not black, so people could still read the poster. Chris asked her, why she responded to the trolls? She responded, that she felt compelled to respond to the bullies. Still like purple, not changing the art. Readers have asked who is the artist. Answer: 2-minute Paint creation.

Fighting for faith

My mother, Jeanne Marie Froetschel, was my role model for approaching other religions and respecting others' beliefs.

I remembered her wisdom this morning and wrote about her for On Faith blog of The Washington Post, after reading about about ads suggesting that the beliefs of 1 billion Muslims might not be civilized:

"Early in first grade, one of the nuns advised our class not to associate with children who attended other schools and believed other religions. My teacher, a younger nun, looked uncomfortable and quickly changed the topic.

"Later that day, I asked my mother about playing with friends who worshipped at other churches.

"'Playing with other friends won’t change your beliefs,' my mother said. She was beautiful, devout and confident that her children knew right from wrong at an early age."

The ads are immature. The competition is unseemly. Great religions, great thoughts, do not have to advertise or insult the beliefs of others. Religious leaders shouldn't limit what adherents read or whom they associate with. Committing violence against nonbelievers does not convince others that a set of religious beliefs is worthy. 

The guest blog concludes, "Ruthless, mean competition for adherents and power, insults and violence, give reason to Americans to distance themselves from religion and explore spirituality alone or among a diverse and comfortable group of friends."

Photo of Jeanne Marie Froetschel
 

Exclusion

Exclusion goes hand in hand with religions and fraternities.

Excellent analysis from Sophie Gould of Yale Daily News: "Though Yale’s newest fraternity Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX) has announced a policy of admitting only Christians, it will have to change its membership rules if it intends to comply with Yale’s anti-discrimination policies."

But rush week isn't first-come, first-serve. It's about discrimination. 

Photo of Harkness Tower on High Street, nestled between Saybrook and Branford residential colleges, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 

Stories

Publicity doesn’t have to be a chore. Instead, authors need to turn to what they do best – tell a story, shedding light on the motivations and purpose behind their work. Every stage of publishing the book – from telling the story to attracting an agent and publisher, hiring a publicist, posing for  photos, answering questions from journalists or fans, running workshops, sending out messages on social media – should include storytelling devices. 

Stories of characters in a book probably connect with stories from the author’s life – and authors can’t help but remember moments that triggered the tale.  So, more work has probably been accomplished than the author realizes.

Every communication from an author can unleash back story:

• Books typically have several themes, and authors should have strong opinions on those themes.  If those themes connect with current events, then draft 500 words – opinion essays, book reviews, feature articles and blog entries for newspapers or television – presenting a perspective drawing on anecdotes from real life or the novel itself. Such expertise leads to speaking engagements and opportunity to tell more stories.   
•   For profiles or interviews, be prepared to answer the question, “How did you get the idea of this book?” Nicholas Sparks tells that story on his website. And there’s the story behind ideas and their process: Greg Breeding describes the story behind Bono’s song, “One,” in an article for Story Matters, an online magazine from design and publishing firm Journey.  “Great ideas do seem to come out of nowhere, but then again, the intentional push against mediocrity is the rich soil where excellence takes root,” he writes. “Hard work doesn’t necessarily produce greatness, but it’s hard to imagine that the really great ideas come without it.”
• Linking articles connected to book themes on an author’s website can attract invitations to write or speak.
• Images can relay stories and increase curiosity. Categories, captions and photos in Pinterest can reveal how an author selects details. Even a quick brief clip of a workshop, posted on YouTube, can introduce an author’s attitude.  
• Communications – enchanting, intriguing, instructive or funny – should be concise, focused on one of the book’s theme.  Twitter posts, long conversations or stand-alones, can relay a story and raise suspense. Tweets that read like poetry or moments of weakness, blasting a critic’s review, do attract notice.
• Take advantage of read-made social media for storytelling and control the story on LibraryThing, Goodreads or Facebook Timeline.  
•  No author is going to be an expert at every facet of publicity. Don’t panic. Jacket Copy from The Los Angeles Times gives the best advice – make it fun.

      One huge difference between drafting story for novels versus publicity is timing. Deadlines loom for publicity. Copy must be submitted quickly. There’s less time or tolerance for a bad first draft. Writers must be spontaneous, coherent and insightful for social media and any type of interview. Practice helps.

Photo of Afghan students participate in online discussion about traditional stories, courtesy of US State Department and Wikimedia Commons. 

Harvest

Some see work. Others see sweeping waves of golden beauty ....

Moisson en Provence, or Harvest in Provence, by Vincent Van Gogh, currently housed in the Israel Museum

Photo, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Women who murder

"Forced marriages are at the root of many of the murders committed by women in Afghanistan," reports Sohaila Weda Khamosh for Inter Press Service News Agency. "The number of Afghan women being jailed for murder has been increasing every year, officials say. More than a quarter of the 700 women in prison are serving murder sentences."

Poverty, forced marriages, inequality and narcotics abuse contribute to the violence.

The women in Fear of Beauty, though, are comfortable with arranged marriages: "Our village, like others, had a tradition of sending women to other communities for marriage. The groom provided gifts, based on a daughter’s beauty and skill, in exchange for a bride, and paid for the wedding. The system worked and kept families stable. Sending us off alone, to adjust in far-off villages, increased a young woman’s dependence on her husband. The system reduced gossip about the prices paid for women, and men understood from the start that the women of their own village were out of reach."

Perhaps the mothers of sons are more comfortable with arranged marriages than the mothers of daughters.

Troop Scoop reports on US efforts to improve prisons in Afghanistan, including Zabul Prison, and establish a consistent and fair system for the rule of law: 

“'The Rule of Law project is central to a safe and secure Zabul,' said 2SCR trial prosecutor, Capt. Harrison Kennedy, about a delivery of basic supplies to Zabul Prison to equip guards and improve living conditions for prisoners. Whether it's providing blankets for inmates or forensic training for judicial prosecutors, the Rule of Law program is making great strides in helping the GoA establish a justice system that ensures the rights for the people of Afghanistan."

Photo of a security assignment outside Zabul Prison, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and US Staff Sargent Brian Ferguson.