Conscious President Speaks: Civics Edition
Issue 46
Last week I suggested you “watch this space” for more on what I personally consider to be a dangerous dearth of civics education in America and what do you know? The space today is humming with civics.
Like new butterfly cells that inhabit and ultimately overtake the caterpillar’s chrysalis of transformation, consciously trained political types organically bring their practices into the ecosystems in which they work in whatever ways comport with their jobs and positions. For example, an American president who knows that the law of attraction is always on and that intentions matter and who, by virtue of their office, has the power to train the country’s attention on whatever they want it trained upon and who, by virtue of their practice, doesn’t ever have to say a word about being conscious or what the law of attraction is or trifle with getting anyone’s buy-in, can just act. And so, conscious politics practitioner, pretty much exactly as we did a few weeks ago, today we imagine that that’s what our current president is doing.
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Conscious President:
“Today my administration invokes the National Emergencies Act by declaring that a dearth of civics education in America is a threat to national security. With protesters in many states demanding that their legislatures act in anti-democratic ways, state legislatures passing anti-democratic (and likely unconstitutional) laws, political violence and threats of political violence on the rise, to say nothing of officeholders at every level of government who align today with anti-democratic notions, forces and movements, I am inspired to take this action by the oath I took to defend the U.S. Constitution.
So this is one conscious politics practitioner imagining what another conscious politics practitioner who happens to be the American president might do…
“America will not remain a democracy unless Americans renew their desire for and commitment to it, which requires all of us to understand far more than we do about how our government works. As Thomas Jefferson said, ‘an informed citizenry is the bulwark of a democracy’ and thus we endeavor to inform our citizenry anew via the American Civics Project. It’s a massive, multi-pronged 24-month initiative to better inform Americans of every stripe and variety in all 50 states and U.S. territories about how the United States of America works and how to advocate for change.
“Because high quality K-12 civics public education is necessary to the health of our democracy, I am tasking the Department of Education with proposing an overhaul to civics education in America within 90 days and to propose federal legislation within 180 days. And because our national security is at stake with no time to waste, my administration also today invokes the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ‘facilitate the production of goods and services necessary for the national security.’ This action speaks to the urgency and scope of the project and takes the onus off you, the taxpayer, by tasking some of our most powerful and profitable corporations and companies with facilitating a collective deep dive into American civics that is high quality, engaging, broad, fun, accessible, and productive — all in an effort to create a well-informed citizenry. It’s my expectation they will be happy to serve.
“These four initiatives will be taken immediately under the Defense Production Act:
1)
“Broadcasters ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX will each be tasked with creating, producing, and airing one full season each of some version of ‘American Idol for Civics’ with civics teachers presenting their methods of teaching to panels of well-renowned-in-the-field judges and, most importantly, Americans voting for their favorites. This is a starting point so, more immediately, the networks will be tasked with creating their own plan of how they can best execute this idea, still hewing to the general concept. They will be mandated to air their seasons consecutively, in prime time; they must also insure that the four individual parts can also readily be seen in toto, as a comprehensive endeavor. Their proposal will be due in 30 days, reviewed within two weeks, and finalized two weeks after that.
2)
“All cable news networks will be tasked with airing five hours per week of original, live, prime time, M-F programming dedicated to American civics based on current formats (e.g., live interviews/discussions and investigative stories about civics). In addition, they must air another ten hours of existing or newly-produced American civics programming of their choice every month on days of their choosing between the hours of 9am and 11pm for a total of 30-35 hours per month per network for 24 months.
“In all cases, broadcast and cable news networks will be permitted to sell advertising to this programming as they otherwise would.
3)
“Tech industry giants (including, but not limited to, Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok) will be tasked with creating a dynamic National Civics Exchange website to include:
a robust library of civics education and information including the roles of journalism and history
a national database of civics educators and other providers of civics education
a platform for educators to create digital civics courses for different audiences free of charge
the ability for anyone to log in, consume civics education free of charge, and receive ‘attendance certification’ for every hour they consume (e.g., “I consumed 7 hours of civics education on the National Civics Exchange”)
“In addition, the companies will be responsible for creating a series of age-appropriate educational and gaming civics apps available free of charge on all platforms.
4)
“Low-income Americans — be they working, under-employed, or unemployed — who complete a minimum of 15 hours of civics education on the National Civics Exchange will be compensated for up to 40 hours at a rate of $15/hour, with no penalties or deductions if receiving other benefits.
“Those are the basics and I’m happy to take your questions.”
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So this is one conscious politics practitioner imagining what another conscious politics practitioner who happens to be the American president might do to address this particular issue using one’s conscious perspective. Another conscious politician might still have very different ideas. I’m eager for those debates so let’s make more conscious politicians.
NOTE: This month’s live, interactive version of this newsletter — the Spiritual Workout for Politics & Current Events Monthly Drop-In — takes place on Tuesday, June 22. In addition to whatever you want to talk about, we will be taking our first stab at creating a collective intention for world peace.
I hope to see you there and subscribers, please use coupon code SWP622 to attend free of charge.
PERSONAL NOTE: Deep thanks to those of you who jumped on the bandwagon last week to help me with my adopted Indian family project. If you missed it, here’s what went out — and it’s definitely not too late to hop on yourself. For those who made contributions, I’ll be posting a new update this week. I can’t tell you what a difference you’re helping to make.
I will gladly relinquish my television viewing ban for these civics-minded programs! I will also glad give my kids more video game time if/when they chose these games. I'm ready to get going on my own education. Yes, please, and MORE!
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