What is essential is a long sought communal discourse – SpectrumEngagement – which is neither symbolic nor by proxy, but a reality.
There is so much to reflect upon from the reflections shared by President Biden, Vice President Harris and three new Senators, which she swore in on that day.
Still the only “she” in that sentence, but not the only “she” of profound distinction and spirit on that day. And the three Senators, each independently, came with great distinction and, for those of us listening to them these last many months, they bring a distinctive language and spirit.
There is also much to reflect upon from the reflections of the media commentators, and those of political and academic insight, who joined them on that day and significantly during these last two weeks.
NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE THE MOVE IN SHIFTING THE PARADIGM OF OUR NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT.
Just some of the critical takeaways for us to reflect upon, as we ponder what we need to do to be transformational?
1. Changing the conversation and how we talk about the nature of our society.
The Language of SpectrumEngagement.
2. Politics as a participatory, not spectator activity, with an infrastructure for exchanges that can launch Communal Discourse.
Tri-Dimentional Constituent Engagement
3. The perception of the arena which reflects a stage which every individual can stand upon and interact on the issues.
The SpectrumEngagement Platform
4. Partisan politics with personal conviction and without polarization.
Shifting from bi-partisan to multi-partisan.
– Making space for anyone who is not is a Democrat or Republican.
– Making space for anyone who may alter an element of their position within the array of Republicans and Democrats.
Among these four are the repeated components for the critical innovations which require Tri-Dimentional Constituent Engagement and the SpectrumEngagement Platform.
Tri-Dimentional Constituent Engagement is the expansion from the current perception that constituents are the people, but engagement is seen only as a function of the leader engaging constituents – Constituent Engagement1
The reality of civic engagement is dependent on this tri-dimensional Constituent Engagement.
Two of these have been unrecognized and without the necessary infrastructure.
It is clear that Constituent Engagement1 is a function of the leader. Often for no other reason than to secure votes for re-elections.
Ask the greater population – what do you expect before an election – advertising.
The Constituent Engagement1 infrastructure is well determined.
On the other hand, ask anyone among the community residents – what is the given infrastructure for Constituent Engagement2 which enables each of us to raise an issue with your elected leaders: Mayor, County Supervisor, Superintendent of Schools, State and Federal Representatives?
And finally, ask the same person – what is the given infrastructure for Constituent Engagement3 in which individuals can mutually share their concerns and perspectives about issues and their neighborhood and the society – regional, state, national, global?
What is the given infrastructure which insures you all will be able to share in ongoing, mutual exchanges to explore policy positions, so you can each take public policy positions knowing that you have each heard the diversity of perspectives from others, incorporated aspects of their needs related to the issue, having fully shared – not through media sound bits or advertising – why each values their position on the issues?
The SpectrumEngagement Platform
The current language suggests a line, along which constituents must find their place.
A friend, just after the inauguration, talked about getting calls “from both sides” when he mentioned something political on air, which he rarely did as a radio DJ. This comment was prompted when he played a song in acknowledgement of the passing that week of Hank Aaron. He mentioned how Aaron had lived to see Georgia elect Warnock and Ossoff to the US Senate.
Calls “from both sides” of our society.
Thus, leaving us fixated on “bridging the divide” to “unite” our society.
Better – calls “from the spectrum,” within an established context of “engaging” the whole society.
How many times in the last two weeks have we heard “both sides” and “uniting the nation” in the same reference. As long as uniting the nation is a vision of bridging the divide, it is both a misnomer and unachievable.
That language opens the door to, and now perpetuates, the image of one line, which assigns everyone to either one side or the other – everyone either among the Blue or Democrats or the Red or Republicans.
Thus, we have a national statement of an historic linear and exclusive society, as well as the systemic exclusion of the range of perspectives which fills the middle – somewhere between the ends of a line.
Better, the language which give us the image of a circle. An image which celebrates the reality of a pluralistic, inclusive, democratic society. A statement which calls us to envision communal discourse – guided by different language, reflecting a different attitude, eliciting a different conversation and giving us a different outcome.
It is now time to transition to conversations on Constituent Engagement which affirm an arena which is a platform on which every individual or collective can find their place – SpectrumEngagment.
We strive for “We The People” which demands an infrastructure of the people – “All The People.”
What’s Next: The Double Framing of the Circle – The Next Infrastructure
Finding All The People – SpectrumEngagement
Engaging All The People – Tri-Dimentional Constituent Engagement