Existential Inequality - To Abide in Peace or Not

There has been much focus on the glaring income inequality in the U.S.  On the immorality of some people having so much, more than they could ever possibly make use of, while so many people have so little, not being able to make ends meet, homeless, even while working, while many others barely keep their heads above water.

Clearly, income inequality has a huge impact on the lives that people are able to live.  The extent of creature comfort and financial security they are able to obtain.  The education their children are able to get.  And the list goes on.

But does income inequality impact whether a person experiences peace and happiness in his or her life?   The answer is no.  Acquiring material things, while they may satisfy ego needs and desires and make you feel good, does not in practice equate with peace and happiness.  Nor does the lack of material security equate with the lack of peace and happiness.  Ask any psychologist or therapist, watch bio-documentaries, and you will find this is true.  

This seems counter-intuitive.  Certainly if you live in poverty, how can you have peace and happiness?

Before going any further, we must first define peace.  Peace is the absence of fear, anxiety, hatred, guilt, shame, doubt and confusion … or better put, it’s not the absence of these emotions but not being controlled by them. It’s also being free of an intense desire for things you don’t have or to be someone other than you are.

Without question, most people who live in poverty do not have such peace.  But then most people of affluence also don’t have such peace.

The answer to this riddle is the following.  The only way to achieve peace and happiness is through a spiritual practice that frees you from the emotions, judgments, cravings, and attachments of the ego-mind.  Whether rich or poor, the only people who experience true peace and happiness are the ones who have rediscovered their true selves and freed themselves from the control of their ego-mind.

“So?” the reader may ask.  Since there is nothing more important to the human soul than experiencing peace and happiness, the greatest inequality in our country, and in the world, is between those people who have achieved a spiritual practice that provides freedom from the control of their ego-mind, or who have made progress in that direction, and those who are bereft of a spiritual life and are subject to the control of their ego-mind and thus to the whims and vagaries of our culture and their immediate surroundings.  It is more damaging to suffer psychically than materially.

What happens when you free yourself from the control of your ego-mind?  

1. When your buttons are pushed, you will have no emotional reaction.  You will be aware, but you will not react.  
2. You will know that you have everything inside you that you need to be at peace and happy and allow nothing to disturb that peace and happiness; you need nothing outside of yourself.  You will undoubtedly desire other things, whether its someone special in your life or material things, but those are all icing on the cake; their absence or presence does not impact your peace and happiness.  You will not attach to them.
3. You will know that all you need to be at peace and happy is to offer yourself and others joy, respect your mind, respect your body, be in touch with nature, and live within your means.  And if you have loved ones and friends, to be in contact with them.
4. You will know that you will be ok, safe, regardless what life throws your way because you have returned home to your true self, free of your ego-mind.
5. You will as a result experience true freedom, the ability to do what is in your true best interest.  What your ego-mind tells you to do, and thus what you want to do, is not in your best interest because it is captive to all your anger, fear, and doubt, to your learned experience, to your conditioning.  (See my post, “Freedom - What Does It Mean,” on www.thepracticalbuddhist.com.)

I know of no surveys that assess who has a spiritual life and who does not.  Certainly, questions commonly asked about religious practice are not a marker for having a spiritual life.    Many people “believe” in God or in Jesus Christ, even feel they have a “personal” relationship with Christ, but nevertheless do not lead their lives as God or Christ would have them do, even if they are orthodox and follow all the prescribed rituals.  For their relationship with themselves and the world around them is controlled by their ego-mind, not by their divine essence.

Just looking around me at what I see happening both in my immediate surroundings and in the broader world, it is safe to say that the number of people who have freed themselves from the control of their ego-mind is relatively small.  And as long as that continues to be the case, we will live in a world primarily characterized by its dysfunction, whether within the family, the workplace, or the broader world.

Those people who follow a spiritual path, and those traditions that support the teaching of our God/Buddha essence and the purity of our natural state, thus need to expose more people to this teaching.  Not by proselytizing but by making their teaching/beliefs on this subject known so that people who are suffering have the opportunity to say, “I think there may be something here,” and take the step to begin their own inquiry into their true self, their soul.

Why Do People Put Up With Our Economic System?

Income inequality in the United States is well documented.  Looking at the top 1% of the population … whether it’s high-flying corporate CEOs or tech billionaires or financial gurus or even the top worker bees … the disparity between their incomes and the average worker in their firms is staggering.  That people live in poverty, not having enough food on the table or living in substandard housing, while the super rich bank their millions and billions is unconscionable.  

You cannot but help ask yourself that if the system is so unequal, if it is so broken, why do people put up with the system.  Why is there no major protest, either on the streets or at the ballot box?  For clarification, the Tea Party or Trump middle-class supporters, are not protesting the economic system, they are protesting the role of government.  And the progressives who are protesting the system have not attained the critical mass to bring about change; they are still a splinter group.

The answer is that while the income inequality is huge, a large proportion of the population is doing ok; the system works for them at least to some extent.  In 2018, the top 15% of households made $150,000 or more; the top 42% made $75,000 or more.  That means that 40% of the population have a decent standard of living unless they’re living in New York City or San Francisco.

The people who are really impacted by income inequality are those for whom the system just doesn’t work - the 50% of households who make less than $50,000.  And it doesn’t work for them not just because they don’t have enough money to afford what most consider essentials, let alone live as they would like. 

But the added indignity is that the system constantly clobbers them psychologically.  Indeed, it clobbers almost everyone who isn’t in that top 1%.  Why?  Because most people in our society are all about ego.  They identify themselves in comparison to what society and the media tells them the good life is, what people who have “it” do, how people who are successful live.

And most people, certainly not those with household incomes under $50,000, but not even those with incomes of $150,000, are not able to live the life that is posited before them as their goal by our media.  They cannot have the housing, the education, the food, the travel, the clothing … none of the accoutrements of those that are held up as models of success. 

Our society cultivates us to always want more.  That’s what keeps the wheels of consumerism spinning and the economy growing.

That results in most people feeling frustrated, disappointed with their lives.  Whether you’re homeless, working poor, middle class, or lower upper class, people want more and are dissatisfied with their current state.  Indeed, the more they have the more they want.

Why isn’t that a cause for revolt?   Ironically, regardless how frustrated people are, even those who have been beaten down by the system, most still believe in the system; they see themselves as somehow being at fault, or perhaps the government, but not the system, and indeed they want to use the system to get ahead.  That is why rather than disdaining people with money, those are their idols.  That’s who they want to be.

And so instead of people either having a choice to fight to change the system or accept their lot in life and be happy, people in our society mostly have no choice.  They are trapped by the golden handcuffs they wish they had, and so they suffer.  How sad.

Trump’s Iran Folly

While Trump’s careless action in ordering the murder of General Suleimani was not an impeachable offense, it is certainly yet one more example of why he is unfit for the office of President  and why he is a danger to our country.

The issue here is why did Trump order this targeting killing?  Why now?  Suleimani has been an easy target to find and the military has offered his killing as an action option to Presidents on numerous occasions as far back as President George W. Bush.  Most recently, they presented this as an option to Trump after the rocket attack near Kirkuk killed an American contractor.

No President has accepted that offer because the risks of killing someone that high in the Iranian hierarchy were great.  There would likely be further loss of American and allied lives from retaliatory action, and, perhaps most importantly, it wouldn’t change the situation on the ground at all.  

Secretary of State Pompeo called it a definitive action.  It was anything but.  When a high official is taken out, he is just replaced by someone else.  It doesn’t slow or halt the battle, other than momentarily.  On the other hand, it presents a situation which the Ayatollah must respond to with appropriate force and violence, otherwise he will be seen as weak and ineffective to his people and subordinates.

It’s was bound to also be counterproductive in several other important ways.  Years of American sanctions have weakened the Iranian economy and that has driven a wedge between the people and the government.  People are restless and have been protesting.  With one action, Trump has united all Iranians behind the Ayatollah, much like all Americans were united after 9/11.

It was also bound to be counterproductive because by violating Iraqi sovereignty, he not only angered Shiite Iraqis but all Iraqis.  And likely lead the Shiites to push to expel U.S. troops from Iraq.  Which is exactly what has just happened in the Iraqi parliament.  Our departure from Iraq would be both a major foreign policy failure and leave Iraqi Sunnis and Kurds feeling unprotected from the Shiite majority.

So why did Trump order his killing?  Because he sat stewing as he watched scenes of Iraqis assaulting the U.S. Embassy compound after the U.S. counter-attack on Iranian-backed militias.  And I’m sure he heard how Iran thought he was weak since he had previously backed down from using force against Iran (apparently because Tucker Carlson told him it would upset his base since he had promised to uninvolve the U.S. in the mideast).

So out of personal pique, not careful policy analysis, Trump ordered the strike.  Not an unusual action for him.

There is another issue here.  Is the targeted killing of a high official, such as General Suleimani, a political assassination or an acceptable combat decision?  Political assassination of foreign officials is prohibited by Executive Order.  In response to Senator Sanders’ characterizing it as an assassination, Mike Bloomberg said that was ridiculous.  

Obviously killing the Ayatollah would be a political assassination.  So where and how do you draw the line?  I would say given Suleimani’s actions over many years, and his status in the hierarchy, this was not a combat decision but a political assassination.  Indeed, John Bolton praised the attack as the first step in bringing about regime change in Iran.

Congress should act quickly and decisively to prevent Trump from leading us into a war with Iraq.

Why Have Anti-Semitic Attacks Increased in Recent Years and How to Reverse the Trend?

Anti-semitism is not new to the United States.  It has always been here, sometimes more openly than others, but it’s always been part of the social puzzle.  

Until the end of WWII, anti-semitism was very much in the open.  There was nothing politically incorrect about it.  Whether one looked at restrictive covenants in real estate development that prohibited selling property to Jews or the segregation of Jews in various professional organizations such as law firms or country clubs that barred Jews or the popularity of the anti-semitic radio personality Father Coughlin in the 30s, or the openness of Henry Ford’s anti-semitism in his widely read Dearborn Independent, the openness of anti-semitism was in all areas of society.

But after WWII and the holocaust, as well as Supreme Court decisions outlawing things such as restrictive covenants, being anti-semitic was no longer socially correct.  That does not mean, however, that the attitude disappeared.  It just went below the surface.

Violence against Jews, however, was never part of the American experience.  Jews were never subjected to the violence that Blacks experienced, probably because Jews had power despite their being discriminated against.  They were never dehumanized as Blacks were.  Bigots and anti-semites are cowards.  They only beat up on people who they know are weak and whom no one will defend; so they won’t get in trouble.

And the latter is what has changed since Trump has come to power.  Anti-semites, be they white supremacists or Black Hebrews or others, know, or at least believe, that they can act out their hatred against Jews with violence without fear of being attacked because the person in the White House, Donald Trump, is their man.  Because in his weakness, he has supported the white supremacist movement despite the fact that his daughter is a converted orthodox Jew and his grandchildren are Jewish.  (The Kushner’s have not broken with Trump over this, but that’s another matter for another post.)

Although Trump has not personally spoken out against Jews, his violent speech against all other suspect immigrants (mainly Hispanics and Muslims) together with his implicit, and at times explicit, support for white supremacist organizations, has lead such individuals to believe that they have the permission to commit violence against all those who they consider to be different, non-American.  And so there was an observed rise in hate crimes immediately after Trump assumed the presidency.  So direct was the connection.

What has to happen to reverse this recent trend are two things.  First, Trump must not just disavow his support for white supremacist organizations, he must clearly state that no violence against any group of people, be they undocumented Hispanics, Muslims, or Jews, will be condoned in the United States.  It is un-American.  So as not to appear hypocritical, he should do a mea culpa apologizing for his past rhetoric.  He can say that illegal immigration must be stopped and undocumented people here should either become citizens or be deported, but violence must stop.  And he must stop dehumanizing Hispanics and Muslims.  He must say that they are mostly good people.

Second, he must publicly and with ceremony activate the full force of the Federal government to fight this scourge of violence.  Hate-based violence is a Federal crime, whether the victim is Jewish, Muslim, Hispanic, or LGBTQ.

Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that Trump will do either of these things.  He will tweet that an attack on Jews is horrific, as he did after the attack in Monsey, NY.  But that is meaningless.

So that leaves good-hearted Americans with only one choice … removing Trump from office.  As part of the 2020 campaign, the Democratic candidate must speak out forcefully against hate crimes against all groups.  Think what you may about a group or a person, but do not commit an act of violence against them.  Force voters to put that issue in the equation as they decide for whom to vote.  And once in office, the new President must do what I just suggested Trump do.

The values and greatness of our country have been diminished by the actions and rhetoric of the Trump presidency.  We must make America truly great again by defeating Trump at a the ballot box, hopefully decisively.

I Don’t Get Republican’s Impeachment Trial Posture

If Senator McConnell and his Republican colleagues truly believe that the Democratic case for impeachment is so weak, a sham, wouldn’t it be to their political advantage to run a proper trial, to give the appearance of impartiality, and then acquit Trump.  They have certainly prejudged the case, so that is a foregone conclusion.  Why not subpoena Mulvaney and Bolton and have them support the President’s version of things under oath?  And apparently Trump wants a real trial, not some quickie; he wants to be vindicated.

There is only one reason:  they fear that more of the public will come to support impeachment after being exposed to the facts in such a trial, perhaps even some Republican Senators.  And what if Mulvaney and Bolton support the Democrats’ charges, not Trump’s version of things?  That would really throw a wrench in things.

There is no way that McConnell will change his posture, unless Trump forces him to.  Democrats only hope is that when they challenge the process in various ways with Chief Justice Roberts, who will be the Presiding Officer and under the rules of the Senate controls all aspects of the process … although he can be overruled by a simple majority … he will side with them.  

In that case, if the Republicans overrule his decisions, that would expose the whole Republican stance as dishonest and a farce to all but Trump’s devoted base.  The Democrats will have won even if Trump is acquitted.

Make Use of Conservative and Evangelical Voices Against Trump

To the extent that they can, it is absolutely critical in light of the total subservience to Trump of Congressional Republicans that the Democrats make good use of the conservative and evangelical voices that have spoken in support of Trump’s impeachment.  This is their only opportunity to show that this not a partisan effort but rather a principled one.  

The recent op-ed pieces in “The American Conservative” and “Christianity Today” are a strong indictment of Trump.  Their readership may not be huge, but these are legitimate, well-respected publications.  There was also an op-ed piece in The New York Times written by a group of Republicans that have formed an organization, the Lincoln Project, dedicated to defeating Trump in 2020.  These expressions of conscience are all the more powerful because they know the disdain that they will be treated by most of their colleagues.

The Democratic leadership should hold a press conference together with these groups to press the point that this is not a partisan endeavor.  It may certainly be true that most Democrats have had it in for Trump from the beginning.  But that is not because he is a Republican, it is because he is in so many ways unfit to be President and has shown a lack of respect for his office and for the institutions of our democracy on an almost daily basis.  That is not partisanship, that is principle.

Some Republican Senators Have Crossed a Line and Disqualified Themselves as Impeachment Jurors

In an impeachment, the Senate’s role is to sit in judgment and vote either to convict or acquit the person charged.  The Senators are the jury.  No Senator is appointed to play the role of defense counsel.  That role is undertaken by the President’s lawyers.  

As jurors, when the impeachment trial begins, the Senators swear an oath to “do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.’’

Now, no one expects any Senator, certainly not in the current environment, to be impartial when sitting in judgment of President Trump.  However, there is a difference between Senators prejudging the case and Senators meeting with top White House aides, as reported recently in The New York Times, to discuss the strategy to be used for the impeachment trial.

That crosses the line between being a juror and being part of the defense team.  Their action flouts all pretense of impartiality.

There is no precedent for this.  In Nixon’s impeachment, the Republican leadership did not strategize with the White House; they (Hugh Scott, Barry Goldwater, and John Rhodes) went to the White House to tell Nixon that he faced near-certain impeachment because of eroding support among Republicans.  As for Clinton, I could find no indication on the internet that Democratic Senators met with him to strategize his impeachment trial.

I would therefore argue that when the Senators are sworn in as jurors by the Chief Justice, the House managers of the impeachment should raise an objection with the Chief Justice that because of their strategizing with White House officials regarding the impeachment trial, such Senators should be barred from voting. They have disqualified themselves.  Who are they? Senators Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, John Kennedy, and Lindsey Graham.  Mind you, a majority of the Senate can overrule such a ruling by the Chief Justice; but McConnell has only 2 votes to spare.

Then there’s majority leader Senator McConnell.  He recently stated that he’s “taking his cue” from the White House on how to run the impeachment trial.  "Everything I do during this, I'm coordinating with the White House counsel." He made clear he would do everything in his power to quickly acquit the president.” 

That without question also crosses the line.  He has stated he’s going to be talking to the Democratic leader and others, but if the bottom line is what the White House wants, those other conversations make no difference.  By running the trial the way Trump wants it run, he is abandoning all appearance of independence and impartiality.  The trial must be set up to get at the truth.

Removal of these senators from the Senate jury would not likely change the result of the trial.  With 95 senators voting, 16 Republican senators would still have to vote for impeachment, assuming a solid Democratic voting bloc.  But their removal may embolden enough Republicans to vote for impeachment to at least provide a simple majority, if not the required 2/3 majority to convict.  A bi-partisan majority in favor of impeachment would gravely weaken Trump in the 2020 election.

And it would send a very clear message that even in politics, some actions are beyond the pale.  We have lost that faith under Trump.  It needs to be reasserted.