America's problem is Ignorance not "evil"!

 Dear Editor,

Today's ‘Fault Line’ column by Billy Hallowell regarding the “roots of evil” hit an important nerve in his first three paragraphs.  Then he hit a vein of misjudgment asserting that “the antidote” to America’s problems can be “found in the Bible”.   No doubt Jesus gave humanity the antidote in the context of the golden rule and forgiveness.  But many Bible followers believe it is a science book and the earth is only 6000 years old.  Or a Jewish real-estate manual regarding Middle East borders.  A belief that could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of Armageddon.

Like beauty, evil is in the eye of the beholder.  The surviving relatives of innocent Muslims killed by US drone strikes see evil behind it.  In reality ignorance and arrogance is the evil.  Believing that the lives of other people are of less value than our own is not what Christ intended.  Collateral damage is US-sanctioned murder.  And it is this lack of global justice and our current global governance system that puts the protection of national sovereignty above the protection of God-given human rights that is the true “catalyst for confusion, disarray, anger, hatred, and discord.”

Different interpretations of the Bible, Torah, and Quran each have led to lethal divisions within these most popular pillars of faith.  God intended us to come together. If there is a devil it is in the religious beliefs that divide us from one another.

I haven’t yet seen the movie “Nefarious” but I’m guessing it will be a “glimpse of our world from a theological perspective.”  But not a logical perspective based on the true message Jesus intended for us to ‘love one another’. 

Intelligence leaks are not the problem.

 

 Dear Editor,  (submitted to Wash Post -April 17, 23)

The Discord Leads story (April 17, 2023) “Arrest won’t end military’s dilemma on secrets and technology” is irrefutable evidence that we all face a trilemma, not a dilemma.  We all want freedom, security, and independence.  But we can only have two.  James D. Ivory’s comment “We’re seeing massive security breaches and potential global instability just because someone was insecure about their popularity and wanted people to know they knew cool stuff about the military” proves this fundamental reality.  

Almost a year into President Biden’s presidency CISA director Jen Easterly [the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency is our nation’s newest federal agency established by the Trump Administration in 2018] said “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be a more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....”

The secrecy required by so-called ‘independent’ governments and their ‘independent’ agencies intending to ensure their own nation’s security is literally (virtually) impossible in reality.  Independence is an illusion. A delusional mental construct also defined as “national sovereignty” that is at the root of every national security threat we face, including asteroids.  Freedom is all we really have.  Our nation’s founding fathers knew that virtue was vital to sustaining our freedoms.  And we as individuals and nations are free to do what we want.  But no one will be free of the consequences. 

TIMES100 are not the influencers we need.

 Dear Time editors Edward Felsenthal and Sam Jacobs,

Time’s 100 Global honorees are certainly wonderful, creative, intelligent, inspiring, and deeply committed people globally.  But they were not “the world’s most influential people.”  Even collectively they did little to stem the accelerating chaos in our increasingly insecure world.   Those who were most influential were either ignoring, unintentionally allowing, or intentionally fueling the root causes.  Many of our seemingly irresolvable insecurities were, in reality, easily affordable and preventable.  Humanity has always had the resources and the solutions.  We just lacked the political will to do what was needed and evidenced by a 1980 bipartisan Presidential Commission on ending world hunger. 

It clearly warned* of the threats Americans and humanity would face if we failed to end the worst aspects of widespread hunger and poverty by the year 2000.  We didn’t.  And the world we see today has more “diseases” (infectious, chronic, and mental), “international terrorism” (and domestic), “war” (edging toward another world war), “environmental problems” (long list), and “other human rights problems” (refugees, genocide, homeless, human trafficking, torture, rape, beheadings…). 

The most influential people have been those of us who’ve been ignoring the inevitable and catastrophic costs in blood, treasure, and sustainability of believing that the protection of national sovereignty and corporate wealth is more important than the global protection of inalienable human rights and nature - the fundamental infrastructure (systems and structures) of all living things.

In your introductory “Behind the list” you wrote  “this year's first gathering of TIME100s, in Davos, Switzerland the overarching theme was the conferences of interconnected challenges...”   But everything is connected!!!   “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be a more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....” Jen Easterly. CISA director.  Oct. 29, 2021. [the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency is our nation’s newest federal agency established by the Trump Administration in 2018].

And the rise of Trump and other populist/authoritarian leaders globally is the direct consequence of every ‘independent’ nation’s persistent failure to adequately address the irreversibly interconnected and interdependent global problems that are impervious to border controls or independent domestic agencies.  The rise of middle-class suffering in most nations has only stimulated growth in nationalistic  anti-globalist views.  Within this ‘us vs them’ paradigm more democracy is not the answer.  More global justice is. What the vast majority of humans want on this planet is to sustainably maximize their own freedom and security.   In Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense, that is the only legitimate purpose of government.

 

 

 

*Its commissioners specifically warned ...“The most potentially explosive force in the world today is the frustrated desire of poor people to attain a decent standard of living. The anger, despair, and often hatred that result represent real and persistent threats to international order… Neither the cost to national security of allowing malnutrition to spread nor the gain to be derived by a genuine effort to resolve the problem can be predicted or measured in any precise, mathematical way. Nor can monetary value be placed on avoiding the chaos that will ensue unless the United States and the rest of the world begin to develop a common institutional framework for meeting such other critical global threats… Calculable or not, however, this combination of problems now threatens the national security of all countries just as surely as advancing armies or nuclear arsenals.”  They also stated “that promoting economic development in general, and overcoming hunger in particular, are tasks far more critical to the U.S. national security than most policymakers acknowledge or even believe. Since the advent of nuclear weapons, most Americans have been conditioned to equate national security with the strength of strategic military forces. The Commission considers this prevailing belief to be a simplistic illusion. Armed might represents merely the physical aspect of national security. Military force is ultimately useless in the absence of the global security that only coordinated international progress toward social justice can bring.”  

Today’s world is experiencing the consequences of ignoring this commission’s warnings. And combined, these global pressures have fueled the anti-democratic populist movements thriving today.  Independent governments' “self-interests” can no longer be more important than humanity's potential to thrive.

Our failure to make the protection of human rights and our environment superior to the protection of national sovereignty and corporate power is the primary problem.   And national elections won’t stop the current systems of government that are failing us.  Without prioritizing “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” there isn’t enough money in the world to address all the suffering that’s coming and is directly linked to so many unsustainable local and global trends that are reactionary in nature.  Prevention is key. And preventing these accelerating trends will require a comprehensive global action plan.  An affordable and achievable plan exists today:  the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  No organization has yet taken a leadership role in building a Movement of Movements needed to bring all progress-focused organizations and movements together.   Time is not on our side. The evolution of pathogens, weapons, war, corruption, environmental distresses, and growing economic disparities and debt are outpacing our will to voluntarily change our governing systems. This is literally…globally unsustainable.  Leadership on this is urgently needed.   Which organization will rise to the occasion?  Will TIME100 ever promote these fundamental influencers?

 

Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are vastly different.

 Dear Editor,  (Washington Post) 

Rina Bliss is a credible source regarding ‘Rethinking Intelligence’ (her book title).   But in her Op-ed, “AI Can’t teach children to learn. What’s missing” (4-13-23) she misses the ultimate value of human learning and intelligence.  Human intelligence is failing to ensure humanity's sustainability, thriving, and maybe even our future survival. 

She is correct in saying human intelligence is massively different than computational intelligence.  But the human mind is also profoundly flawed.  It is limited by a variety of factors most people ignore or refuse to change.  First, we can believe anything!  And then easily forget what we know or what we need to do.  We grossly misinterpret reality by relying solely on our limited sensory input and human experience. Our five senses are further limited by our mind’s adoption of personal, religious, political, or cultural perspectives inconsistent with self-evident truths like 'all people are created equal'.   Meanwhile, AI gains information exponentially, storing it in mass beyond our comprehension, and possesses almost immediate retrieval and organizing capacity.  Its advantages (or threats) are barely comprehensible via human intelligence. 

Before AI humanity had all the information and intelligence we needed to prevent or solve most of our global problems and threats.  But not asteroids.  We simply lack the wisdom or the will to apply “the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” to our own laws.  Laws that are needed to best ensure our species' most fruitful and sustainable future. AI confirms this!  Ask ChatGPT for a comprehensive plan that humanity already has to sustainably maximize human freedom and security.   It offers the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Multiple bi-partisan Presidential, House, and Senate commissions backed by the National Academy of Science studies, and even DOD and US intelligence agency reports for the past 4 decades have warned us about and offered affordable solutions.  Collectively these are referred to by those who read them as “Dust Collectors”.  The only thing missing has been “the political will”...to do what needed to be done.  Human and Artificial intelligence combined is insufficient motivation to apply the wisdom of the ages from indigenous cultures and rational Western concepts.   Our mind evolved to solve problems. Yet its flawed concepts like independence, unbridled freedoms, and majority rule only perpetuate wars, genocides, pandemics, environmental deterioration, and dysfunctional governments.    

Chuck Woolery

Rockville, MD

Big Tech faces another so-called Dilemma 'case'.

 Dear Editor,

The Washington Times front-page story today “’Terrorist’ definition snags Big Tech case” (April 12, 2023) exposes a root cause of our government’s persistent and accelerating dysfunction.  In politics, we repeatedly use words without steadfast definitions and expect a predictable result.   Science, engineering, and math yield consistently reliable results because they use words that are precise globally.    Our mind’s creativity, however, enables us to make up multiple definitions of words and then use them however our political system allows.  And then we apply different definitions according to our own personal, religious, or political truths.   But not the reality of self-evident objective truths that require hard evidence.  Evidence that this has been consistently tested and applicable in every application.  

On Oct. 12, 1999, the Washington Times printed confirmation of this fundamental truth in an op-ed.  In summary, we all face a trilemma, not a freedom-security dilemma.  A dilemma that every Big Tech, COVID, debt, immigration, or war news story represents.  All we really have is freedom.  What we all desperately want and need is security.  Yet, we codify Independence into our laws and then worship it.  In reality, we can only have two of these things we want sustainably. 

Regarding the word “Terrorism’.  The root word of terrorism is ‘terror’. Terror is a feeling.  An effective war cannot be waged against a feel!  Americans were certainly terrorized by the events of 9-11 but those who planned and orchestrated that mass murder attack was just that.  Mass murderers who should have been held accountable for their atrocious crimes.   But they were acting on the terror their religious loved ones have repeatedly experienced at the deadly end of US weaponry and our middle east foreign policy largely dictated by our addiction to their oil and US religious affiliation with Israel.   Israelis rightfully experience terror when Isreal is threatened with “extermination” by Iran’s leaders.  Fear of genocide is REAL for them.  But the justifiable anger of enraged Palestinians whose government has religiously justified driving them from their homes, occupying what they believe is their legal land, and then killing their loved ones at a far greater rate than Israelis are dying should be understandable by any unbiased human.

We are all free to do and say whatever we like.  Freedom is real!  But it's folly to expect there will not be consequences to whatever we do or say.  Methodically and rationally read the words of our founding fathers.  In their own writings, the word ‘virtue’ appeared more than the word ‘freedom’.  They knew but didn’t always act on the fundamental principle that we are all free to say and do as we please.  But our freedom will always have consequences.   

And in this context the word “Independence” has created more wars, terrorism, and genocide in the world, and thus more terror, than any other word in the English language.   Independence is a political word that has established a flawed concept.  Things are separate but they are NEVER independent.   And Independence is best defined as an illusion or a delusional concept.   This reality was confirmed in the words of the Director of our nation’s newest federal agency CISA.  A vital national security body that President Trump created in the middle of his administration.  Jen Easterly who heads our Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency said in Oct. 2021 “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be a more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....”. 

Sixty years ago Fidel Castro called the US the greatest terrorist in the world because we held the world hostage to nuclear annihilation.  Today, Russia is doing that with its unlawful war against Ukraine.  Ukrainians are rightfully terrorized!  But that’s not terrorism!  It’s a war crime and genocide (illegal mass murder).  And until humanity establishes a global court system and a capacity to administer justice to mass murders wherever they live globally.... the rest of humanity will have to live in terror of another war, world war, genocide, and repeated attacks by ‘freedom fighters’ who have been, or even think they have been treated unjustly.   As a Pope once said...”No justice, no peace!”    

 

"One death is a tragedy, but a million deaths are a statistic." Chat GPT explains.

 Why is it true that The quote "One death is a tragedy, but a million deaths are a statistic" is often attributed to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin?

Answer: The quote suggests that while people are moved by individual stories of suffering and loss, they may become desensitized to large numbers of deaths or tragedies, perceiving them as abstract data points rather than as human beings with families and unique stories.

This phenomenon is known as "compassion fatigue" or "psychic numbing," and it is a common response to overwhelming or continuous exposure to tragic events or statistics. When we hear about a single death, we may feel shock, sadness, and a sense of personal connection with the victim or their loved ones. However, when the numbers of deaths increase, we may feel overwhelmed, helpless, or numb. This can make it difficult for us to fully comprehend the scale of suffering and to take action to address it.

It is important to recognize and guard against this phenomenon, as it can lead to apathy, indifference, and inaction in the face of large-scale tragedies. One way to do this is to focus on the individual stories behind the statistics, to humanize the victims and their families, and to take concrete steps to address the root causes of the problem.

_________________

So I'm guessing that in order to address the root causes of so much human death and suffering along with the destruction of our environment we must "humanize the victims and" humanity as a family...?

I just watched the documentary "For All Humankind". We all need to experience what astronauts call the "overview effect." I'm assuming God gave us this capacity without using space travel to experience it.

ChatCPT answers questions regarding the US Constuction's Preamble.

 Before reading this, consider giving a school grade to each of the seven preamble intentions.  A,B,C,D, or F.

1. To form a more perfect Union

2. To establish Justice

3. To insure domestic Tranquility

4. To provide for the common defense

5. To promote the general Welfare

6. To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves

7. To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ... our Posterity

My first question:  How well have the three branches of the US government done in achieving the seven intentions stated in the US Constitution’s preamble? 

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23:  The seven intentions stated in the Preamble to the United States Constitution are as follows:

To form a more perfect Union

To establish Justice

To insure domestic Tranquility

To provide for the common defense

To promote the general Welfare

To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity

To ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

The three branches of the US government - the legislative, executive, and judicial - are responsible for working together to achieve these intentions. Here is a brief assessment of how well each branch has done in achieving these intentions:

To form a more perfect Union: The legislative and executive branches have worked together to create a framework for a strong and unified country, but political polarization and division have made it difficult to achieve this intention in practice.

To establish Justice: The judicial branch has played a significant role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice is served, but there are ongoing debates and criticisms about issues such as racial and economic inequality within the justice system.

To insure domestic Tranquility: The legislative and executive branches have worked together to maintain order and stability within the country, but events such as political violence and mass shootings highlight ongoing challenges.

To provide for the common defense: The legislative and executive branches have worked together to maintain a strong national defense, but debates and criticisms exist regarding the role of the military in foreign conflicts and the use of military force.

To promote the general Welfare: The legislative and executive branches have implemented policies and programs to promote the general welfare of the country, such as social security and healthcare programs, but ongoing debates and criticisms exist regarding the effectiveness and funding of these programs.

To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity: The judicial branch has played a significant role in protecting individual rights and liberties, but debates and criticisms exist regarding issues such as privacy and free speech.

To ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America: All three branches of government have worked together to uphold and interpret the Constitution, but ongoing debates and controversies exist regarding its interpretation and application.

Overall, while the three branches of the US government have made progress towards achieving the intentions stated in the Preamble, ongoing debates, controversies, and challenges highlight the ongoing need for work towards these goals.

My response and second question:  The 7th intention in the Preamble is to "Secure the blessings of liberty to...our Posterity. How are the three branches going to solve globally connected and interdependent problems with its independent agencies in an irreversibly connected and interdependent world?

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23:  The seventh intention of the Preamble to the US Constitution, to secure the blessings of liberty to our posterity, is a broad goal that encompasses many aspects of governance, including the need to address globally connected and interdependent problems.

To solve such problems, the three branches of the US government must work together with independent agencies and other stakeholders to develop and implement effective policies that address these challenges. This requires a coordinated and collaborative approach that recognizes the interconnected nature of the world and the need for cooperation among nations and institutions.

The legislative branch can play a crucial role in this process by passing laws and funding initiatives that address global issues such as climate change, economic inequality, and public health crises. The executive branch can use its diplomatic and regulatory powers to work with other countries and international organizations to address these issues.

The judicial branch can also play a role in shaping policy by interpreting and enforcing laws that address global issues, as well as by providing a check on the actions of the other branches of government.

To effectively address globally connected and interdependent problems, the three branches of the US government must also work with independent agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, to develop and implement policies that promote sustainability, public health, and economic prosperity.

Ultimately, addressing globally connected and interdependent problems requires a collaborative and sustained effort from all levels of government, as well as from civil society, businesses, and individuals. By working together to develop effective policies and solutions, the US government can help secure the blessings of liberty for current and future generations in an irreversibly connected and interdependent world.

My 3rd question: What Amendments to the US Constitution would best enable the three branches of the Government to achieve all of the 7 intentions in its Preamble? 

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23: The seven intentions outlined in the Preamble of the US Constitution are:

To form a more perfect Union

To establish justice

To insure domestic tranquility

To provide for the common defense

To promote the general welfare

To secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

To establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

There are several Amendments to the US Constitution that could help enable the three branches of government to achieve these intentions:

The 14th Amendment: This amendment provides for equal protection under the law and due process of law, which can help to establish justice and promote the general welfare by ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly and given the same opportunities.

The 16th Amendment: This amendment allows for the federal government to collect income taxes, which can help to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare by providing funding for government programs and services.

The 19th Amendment: This amendment guarantees the right to vote to all citizens, regardless of gender, which can help to establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The 26th Amendment: This amendment lowered the voting age to 18, which can also help to establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people by ensuring that younger citizens have a voice in the democratic process.

The 10th Amendment: This amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or to the people, which can help to ensure that the federal government does not overstep its bounds and allows for more local control over government functions, potentially helping to achieve all seven intentions outlined in the Preamble.

Overall, these Amendments to the US Constitution can help to establish and promote the ideals laid out in the Preamble and help to enable the three branches of government to achieve these intentions. However, it is important to note that achieving these intentions is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort from all branches of government and all citizens.

My 4th Question:  Is the Preamble to the Constitution American Ideals or the intentions of following it?

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23:  The Preamble to the US Constitution outlines the intentions of the Constitution, rather than American ideals. The Preamble lays out the goals and objectives of the Constitution and serves as an introduction to the document as a whole. It outlines the principles that the Constitution is meant to uphold and the reasons why it was created.

The intentions outlined in the Preamble include forming a more perfect Union, establishing justice, insuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, and establishing and maintaining a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

These intentions reflect the aspirations of the framers of the Constitution, who sought to create a system of government that would protect individual rights, provide for the common good, and ensure that the government remained accountable to the people it served. While these intentions are grounded in American ideals such as liberty, democracy, and justice, the Preamble itself is not a statement of these ideals, but rather a statement of the specific goals that the Constitution was intended to achieve.

My first question:  How well have the three branches of the US government done in achieving the seven intentions stated in the US Constitution’s preamble? 

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23:  The seven intentions stated in the Preamble to the United States Constitution are as follows:

To form a more perfect Union

To establish Justice

To insure domestic Tranquility

To provide for the common defense

To promote the general Welfare

To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity

To ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America

The three branches of the US government - the legislative, executive, and judicial - are responsible for working together to achieve these intentions. Here is a brief assessment of how well each branch has done in achieving these intentions:

To form a more perfect Union: The legislative and executive branches have worked together to create a framework for a strong and unified country, but political polarization and division have made it difficult to achieve this intention in practice.

To establish Justice: The judicial branch has played a significant role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice is served, but there are ongoing debates and criticisms about issues such as racial and economic inequality within the justice system.

To insure domestic Tranquility: The legislative and executive branches have worked together to maintain order and stability within the country, but events such as political violence and mass shootings highlight ongoing challenges.

To provide for the common defense: The legislative and executive branches have worked together to maintain a strong national defense, but debates and criticisms exist regarding the role of the military in foreign conflicts and the use of military force.

To promote the general Welfare: The legislative and executive branches have implemented policies and programs to promote the general welfare of the country, such as social security and healthcare programs, but ongoing debates and criticisms exist regarding the effectiveness and funding of these programs.

To secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity: The judicial branch has played a significant role in protecting individual rights and liberties, but debates and criticisms exist regarding issues such as privacy and free speech.

To ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America: All three branches of government have worked together to uphold and interpret the Constitution, but ongoing debates and controversies exist regarding its interpretation and application.

Overall, while the three branches of the US government have made progress towards achieving the intentions stated in the Preamble, ongoing debates, controversies, and challenges highlight the ongoing need for work towards these goals.

My response and second questions:  The 7th intention in the Preamble is to "Secure the blessings of liberty to...our Posterity. How are the three branches going to solve globally connected and interdependent problems with its independent agencies in an irreversibly connected and interdependent world?

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23:  The seventh intention of the Preamble to the US Constitution, to secure the blessings of liberty to our posterity, is a broad goal that encompasses many aspects of governance, including the need to address globally connected and interdependent problems.

To solve such problems, the three branches of the US government must work together with independent agencies and other stakeholders to develop and implement effective policies that address these challenges. This requires a coordinated and collaborative approach that recognizes the interconnected nature of the world and the need for cooperation among nations and institutions.

The legislative branch can play a crucial role in this process by passing laws and funding initiatives that address global issues such as climate change, economic inequality, and public health crises. The executive branch can use its diplomatic and regulatory powers to work with other countries and international organizations to address these issues.

The judicial branch can also play a role in shaping policy by interpreting and enforcing laws that address global issues, as well as by providing a check on the actions of the other branches of government.

To effectively address globally connected and interdependent problems, the three branches of the US government must also work with independent agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, to develop and implement policies that promote sustainability, public health, and economic prosperity.

Ultimately, addressing globally connected and interdependent problems requires a collaborative and sustained effort from all levels of government, as well as from civil society, businesses, and individuals. By working together to develop effective policies and solutions, the US government can help secure the blessings of liberty for current and future generations in an irreversibly connected and interdependent world.

My 3rd question: What Amendments to the US Constitution would best enable the three branches of the Government to achieve all of the 7 intentions in its Preamble? 

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23: The seven intentions outlined in the Preamble of the US Constitution are:

To form a more perfect Union

To establish justice

To insure domestic tranquility

To provide for the common defense

To promote the general welfare

To secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity

To establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

There are several Amendments to the US Constitution that could help enable the three branches of government to achieve these intentions:

The 14th Amendment: This amendment provides for equal protection under the law and due process of law, which can help to establish justice and promote the general welfare by ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly and given the same opportunities.

The 16th Amendment: This amendment allows for the federal government to collect income taxes, which can help to provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare by providing funding for government programs and services.

The 19th Amendment: This amendment guarantees the right to vote to all citizens, regardless of gender, which can help to establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The 26th Amendment: This amendment lowered the voting age to 18, which can also help to establish and maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people by ensuring that younger citizens have a voice in the democratic process.

The 10th Amendment: This amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or to the people, which can help to ensure that the federal government does not overstep its bounds and allows for more local control over government functions, potentially helping to achieve all seven intentions outlined in the Preamble.

Overall, these Amendments to the US Constitution can help to establish and promote the ideals laid out in the Preamble and help to enable the three branches of government to achieve these intentions. However, it is important to note that achieving these intentions is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort from all branches of government and all citizens.

My 4th Question:  Is the Preamble to the Constitution American Ideals or the intentions of following it?

ChatGPT answer 4-6-23:  The Preamble to the US Constitution outlines the intentions of the Constitution, rather than American ideals. The Preamble lays out the goals and objectives of the Constitution, and serves as an introduction to the document as a whole. It outlines the principles that the Constitution is meant to uphold and the reasons why it was created.

The intentions outlined in the Preamble include forming a more perfect Union, establishing justice, insuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, and establishing and maintaining a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

These intentions reflect the aspirations of the framers of the Constitution, who sought to create a system of government that would protect individual rights, provide for the common good, and ensure that the government remained accountable to the people it served. While these intentions are grounded in American ideals such as liberty, democracy, and justice, the Preamble itself is not a statement of these ideals, but rather a statement of the specific goals that the Constitution was intended to achieve.

Everything everywhere all at once. Our future given the current UN system.

 And I would now add...the failure of "We the People" to amend the hell out of our currently dysfunctional Consitution.  

Dear Editor, (not printed in WPost.)

I didn’t need to read “Where did the GOP’s road to Trump begin” (March 26, 2023) to know that the most fundamental reason won’t be mentioned.  It’s like the air we breathe and has been taken so much for granted that we can’t see it.  Yet the reason was expressed succinctly by Jen Easterly, Director of CISA (Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency) our nation’s newest federal agency Trump created.  She said “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be a more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....” [Oct. 29, 2021]  And until we the people grasp this fundamental principle chaos will continue to spread to “Everything everywhere all at once” documentary on our failure to listen and learn.

Trump and other populist and autocratic leaders have popular support and are gaining ground simply because they promise to protect what remains for their people in this era of accelerating global chaos.   Growing interdependent chaos that cannot be stopped by border walls, treaties, sanctions, powerful militaries, or elections within independent nations using independent agencies.

Our current global governance system was engineered to protect national sovereignty. Not inalienable human rights or the environment.   The UN system cannot stop this global chaos of connected and interdependent problems most people are experiencing now and rightfully fear.  The “four “C”s that pundits refer to:  Covid, Conflict, Costs, and extreme weather disasters from Climate change.  World leaders continue to put the protection of their nation's interests, national sovereignty, and corporations above the protection of fundamental human rights and the environment.   Until we are ‘woke’ enough to demand the reversal of his flawed system prepare for more chaos “Everything everywhere all at once”. 

Chuck Woolery

Former Chair of United Nations Association Council of Organizations

Rockville MD.