John L. Liffiton’s Post

Another story about the depth of corruption in the United States. America is perhaps the most corrupt democracy if one can still call us a democracy, in the world. Were it not for our military power we would be considered a failing state, and if the election goes to the Trump christofascist Party (TCP) (former Republican Party) it will be game over. This is all coming down to the American voters. So how are you planning to vote.

Distrust is expensive. Not only are federal level debates emotionally taxing, consider all the gridlock that results when we don't trust each other. In a landmark study by the Pew Center titled "Trust and Distrust in America" (2019), they reveal how far American's have come down the hole of distrust. Regardless of who you are, we simply don't trust most elected officials to solve some of our biggest problems, even when we can agree that they need to be solved. But there is an overlooked narrative to all this doom and gloom. It is remarkable how durable trust in state and local governments has been over this same period of time! This could be due to many factors, but one possibility is government problem-solving at the state and local levels just feels more proximate, more accessible, more accountable, and more practical than any federal level effort. https://lnkd.in/gBq88ACB

President Biden has issued a sensible and long overdue executive order to assist immigrant families, and, as expected, there is outrage by xenophobes whose only goal is to sabotage immigration reform. Republicons are constantly screaming about an "invasion", which is nonsense. They're telling us that countries on the "terrorist watch list" are sending people to attack the US when the reality is that right-wing domestic terrorists were responsible for all the mass shootings in 2022(look it up). Then you have the neo-fascists, like the 3%ers, Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who are promoting FALSE TALKING POINTS about "whites being replaced by immigrants." That, along with T-DUMP'S deranged rhetoric provokes more lies from the cultist noise machine. Time for a fact-check. Wisconsinwatch.org is just one of many reliable sites, along with the ACLU and Politifact. When you hear this garbage, be sure to set them straight.

In case you missed it... Our new article by Jay Kennedy, DSC's Director of Policy and Research, explores 5 things national politicians could do to boost civil society. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eusjTw5S

In this piece I talk about how the next UK govt needs to engage with #Charities and #CivilSociety much more and much better, to meet the UK's big social, economic and environmental challenges. This includes: 1. Parity of engagement/influence with other sectors - treating civil society leaders and orgs on a par with business and the public sector. 2. More robust policy scrutiny - so we can help improve govt decisions at the outset and spend less resource fire-fighting bad policy after the fact. 3. Reversing the financial meltdown in local government - this is vital for a multitude of services that help millions of people across the country and millions of people that rely on them. 4. Boosting philanthropy and giving - not to replace the state but so civil society as a whole can recover resilience after the pandemic and cost of living crises. 5. Protect charity independence - including the independence of the Charity Commission and of individual charities, as well as trustees, volunteers, donors and beneficiaries who engage in public debate and the democratic process.

“So please, lobbyists, if you are going to tell people to contact their lawmakers, make sure the organizations you are working for have a system to share lawmaker information easily, succinctly, and personally - to set up their supporters and members for success.” Bethany’s guidance is spot-on. So nonprofits, give your volunteers and community partners talking points, toolkits, and lobbying practice sessions to make it easier for your allies to connect with policymakers. And if you want some guidance, bring in Bethany, a supportive specialist in nonprofit grassroots lobbying. https://lnkd.in/gxCQPShw

"While it would be hyperbole to call the potential eviction of a few dozen people from their homes a global human rights crisis, the United Nations is correct that Washington’s governor and the White House should intervene in a dispute between the Nooksack Indian Tribe and some of its former members. It’s a complicated, fraught situation. The Nooksack people have tribal sovereignty rights in the United States. That gives them wide latitude to manage their internal affairs. At issue are some of the “Nooksack 306,” former members of the tribe who lost their standing when the tribe determined they were incorrectly admitted because their ancestors came from a Canadian village. While that might strike outsiders as a craven attempt to limit the pool of people who get to share in the wealth generated by the tribe’s casino, membership is an internal matter. The Nooksack Tribe has the right to be capricious. What’s less an internal matter are members of about 20 households among the 306 who live in properties held in trust by the federal government. They were supposed to be part of a rent-to-own program partly overseen by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. The Nooksack Tribe seeks to evict them so that people it deems actual members of the tribe may live there. Last year, the United Nations Human Rights Commission warned that this has become a potential human rights violation. It called on the federal government to intervene. Nothing happened, so the U.N. commission reiterated its view in a March 31 letter calling for action and full due process. Both the U.S. Department of the Interior (answerable to President Joe Biden) and the WSHFC (answerable to Gov. Jay Inslee) are dodging the issue. They hide behind tribal sovereignty, but these people are Washingtonians and U.S. citizens, too. They have rights and deserve justice in a federally-funded and state-approved program. They should be able to stay in homes that have been theirs for more than a decade, not be evicted over questionable tribal purity decisions. Many of them are elderly, some with disabilities or chronic health issues. Even if direct action is impossible, Biden and Inslee should bring indirect pressure in the form of public condemnation and threats to withhold fiscal support. We are unaware of any time that the United Nations has ever intervened in potential human rights violations with a U.S. Native American tribe, let alone twice. This might be a small, isolated incident, but it is one that brings shame on the tribe, the state and the nation."

 Developed by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank operated by many of Trump's current and former political allies, Project 2025 aims to reshape the federal bureaucracy to align with extremist conservative values. Its proposals include dismantling the Department of Education, cutting Medicaid, and reversing policies on gender-affirming care. Critics of Project 2025 have expressed significant concerns about its potential impact on American democracy and governance. https://lnkd.in/eXQWQzan #project2025 #minoritybusienss #blackbusiness #supportblackowned

A Pew Research Center survey ahead of #WorldPressFreedomDay reaffirms Americans' belief in the importance of a free press. That's why the Reporters Committee is dedicated to safeguarding journalists' newsgathering rights. Whether it's our Legal Hotline, free reporting resources, or our attorneys' work on behalf of reporters in the courts, RCFP stands up for the media's First Amendment freedoms to support a healthy, functioning democracy. Ahead of a contentious election season — where the potential for threats against journalists will be high — RCFP is committed to preparing and protecting reporters so they can do the essential work of informing voters.