ARTICLE
National Flag Day is when Americans celebrate the meaning of their nation's flag, honor the traditions associated with its care, and educate those around them to its significance. The Flag of the United States is to be honored and carries with it both history and tradition. On June 14, 1777, the Flag Resolution was signed, making the current stars and stripes the National Flag of the United States of America. On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson called for the nation-wide observance of Flag Day. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed congress' decree, making June 14th of each year National Flag Day. Flag Day is not the big deal it once was years ago as America’s diversity and the international views about our nation make the Flag — either despised, hated or immortalized — depending on where your ideals drive you. What has been lost on America’s ideal is how our leaders address our significant differences with fairness and civility. The leader of the free world — especially in California — the relationship between the White House and California’s freedoms are being tarnished for lack of human civility. After the Philadelphia Eagles’ amazing Super Bowl win last February, America embraced the glow for an underdog. In usual fashion the Super Bowl winner receives a formal invite to the White House. The Eagles declined the invitation for lack of player interest, and last Monday, President Donald Trump uninvited the Philadelphia Eagles. “The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” he wrote in a statement. “They disagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the national anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.” Why tarnish the Eagles’ hard fought victory because they disagree with the President on whether they stand or kneel during the National Anthem? Americans of all faiths celebrate the flag and our national anthem in many ways — we pledge allegiance to the flag to start a public meeting, at sporting events and at ceremonies like graduations. This observance takes on new meaning when immigrants from all over the world are sworn in as US citizens. Have you ever attended a citizenship ceremony? The proud immigrants beam with joy as they take this oath. It is a humbling moment for them, too. The effort by the owners of the National Football League early this spring stating ‘all players’ must stand during the national anthem only increases the dysfunctional state of mind related to the Flag. But why is your Chamber CEO taking time to write about what appears to be a non-business issue? Because American history and American business thrive when we align our principles with our policies. Not quite a decade ago, in October 2010, Common Good - a nonpartisan reform coalition with one basic goal, to restore the freedom of officials and citizens to use common sense - hosted a public discussion at which David Webb, co-founder of TeaParty365, and Will Marshall, head of the Progressive Policy Institute, agreed on at least two key points: First, that the outcome of the 2010 election is unlikely to have any significant effect on American policy, and second, that American government needs a major structural overhaul. As Marshall put it: "It's not true that bipartisanship is dead in Washington. There's a perfect bipartisan conspiracy to bankrupt the country.” Boy, they were 100% wrong. Just look where we’ve traveled (policy and politically since 2016). Take a look at the dynamic shift in policy and politics today — we have an Administration in disarray: A leader of the free world whose daily job starts each morning with a nasty Tweet about his opponents and a Congress locked in a stand-off battle based on partisan politics and not common sense policy. Regardless of your political affiliation, this is not a way to run a government. In California — the results of the June 5th election show the divisions among us by geographic region. In Southern California the voters in Orange County threw out a freshman state Senator who voted with the majority of the legislature and the Governor to support a much needed transportation funding strategy. Now, that transportation funding is facing a ballot recall in November. If the repeal of the gas tax wins in November no one really knows what will happen to the taxes collected and spent to repair roads, bridges and build transit systems and pedestrian bike lanes. Closer to home in Santa Cruz County — local agencies are discussing ways to supplement their revenue streams with fee increase, sales taxes for general fund obligations and property tax for housing. The voters in the City of Santa Cruz approved a 1/2 cent sales tax and politely told the University —we don’t want any more students in our town. The voters may have spoken but the turnout was a pathetically low 24%. See the Santa Cruz County tally below. Registration & Turnout 152,387 Voters Vote Count Percent Precinct Reporting Turnout 22,221 14.58% Vote By Mail / Absentee Reporting Turnout 15,074 9.89% Total 37,295 24.47% Now that the June election is behind us, we turn toward a summer where we have a neighborhood dog-fight about what is the best option(s) for the next generation of transportation improvements to move people and goods around our county. The daily social media attacks about a rail line or trail only, protest rallies, news blogs, formal and informal debates — all while the final EIS document is months away from being finalized. We scramble seeking answers to our growing homeless problems where the county staff is drafting minor language changes to our county affordability ordinances — hoping it may help. Turn the Santa Cruz Sentinel page and BANG — we see a news update of another jump in the price of a medium house in Santa Cruz County now at $905,000. Of course the local answer to the housing shortage is to produce a rent control measure for the November ballot. But how will that create more affordable rental units? The likely result is less rental units being constructed and less rental properties on the market with rent control. This is not just a Santa Cruz problem. A boost in spending for homelessness is included in a state budget deal reached by governor, legislative leaders -- The agreement’s details have yet to be formally released. It includes $500 million for efforts to prevent homelessness, according to a source involved in the negotiations who was not authorized to speak publicly. Governor and Legislature agree on homeliess $ plan. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Sacramento opposes the rent control measure and wants to keep it off the ballot. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said Thursday he opposes a rent control ballot measure being pushed by the powerful Service Employees International Union labor union and is instead drafting an ordinance with protections for renters he plans to bring to the City Council this summer. http://www.sacbee.com Mayor opposes rent control All of these state and local policies are ripe to be cherry picked by one side vs. the other to carefully distract the voter - who can and will certainly be misled without knowing the real facts. Oh how the art of the 15 second political advertisements will come at us in a flurry in September through Election Day. Yes, today is Flag Day 2018, so while you might want to ponder over the next few months about the direction of how our state and local region will go, my suggestion is to celebrate Flag Day by finding your favorite ice cream shop in town and thank those around you for being tolerant and open minded about our community’s future. Order a double scoop for your neighbor.
National Flag Day is when Americans celebrate the meaning of their nation's flag, honor the traditions associated with its care, and educate those around them to its significance. The Flag of the United States is to be honored and carries with it both history and tradition. On June 14, 1777, the Flag Resolution was signed, making the current stars and stripes the National Flag of the United States of America. On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson called for the nation-wide observance of Flag Day. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed congress' decree, making June 14th of each year National Flag Day.
Flag Day is not the big deal it once was years ago as America’s diversity and the international views about our nation make the Flag — either despised, hated or immortalized — depending on where your ideals drive you.
What has been lost on America’s ideal is how our leaders address our significant differences with fairness and civility. The leader of the free world — especially in California — the relationship between the White House and California’s freedoms are being tarnished for lack of human civility.
After the Philadelphia Eagles’ amazing Super Bowl win last February, America embraced the glow for an underdog. In usual fashion the Super Bowl winner receives a formal invite to the White House. The Eagles declined the invitation for lack of player interest, and last Monday, President Donald Trump uninvited the Philadelphia Eagles. “The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow,” he wrote in a statement. “They disagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the national anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.”
Why tarnish the Eagles’ hard fought victory because they disagree with the President on whether they stand or kneel during the National Anthem?
Americans of all faiths celebrate the flag and our national anthem in many ways — we pledge allegiance to the flag to start a public meeting, at sporting events and at ceremonies like graduations. This observance takes on new meaning when immigrants from all over the world are sworn in as US citizens. Have you ever attended a citizenship ceremony? The proud immigrants beam with joy as they take this oath. It is a humbling moment for them, too.
The effort by the owners of the National Football League early this spring stating ‘all players’ must stand during the national anthem only increases the dysfunctional state of mind related to the Flag.
But why is your Chamber CEO taking time to write about what appears to be a non-business issue? Because American history and American business thrive when we align our principles with our policies.
Not quite a decade ago, in October 2010, Common Good - a nonpartisan reform coalition with one basic goal, to restore the freedom of officials and citizens to use common sense - hosted a public discussion at which David Webb, co-founder of TeaParty365, and Will Marshall, head of the Progressive Policy Institute, agreed on at least two key points: First, that the outcome of the 2010 election is unlikely to have any significant effect on American policy, and second, that American government needs a major structural overhaul. As Marshall put it: "It's not true that bipartisanship is dead in Washington. There's a perfect bipartisan conspiracy to bankrupt the country.”
Boy, they were 100% wrong. Just look where we’ve traveled (policy and politically since 2016). Take a look at the dynamic shift in policy and politics today — we have an Administration in disarray: A leader of the free world whose daily job starts each morning with a nasty Tweet about his opponents and a Congress locked in a stand-off battle based on partisan politics and not common sense policy. Regardless of your political affiliation, this is not a way to run a government.
In California — the results of the June 5th election show the divisions among us by geographic region. In Southern California the voters in Orange County threw out a freshman state Senator who voted with the majority of the legislature and the Governor to support a much needed transportation funding strategy. Now, that transportation funding is facing a ballot recall in November. If the repeal of the gas tax wins in November no one really knows what will happen to the taxes collected and spent to repair roads, bridges and build transit systems and pedestrian bike lanes.
Closer to home in Santa Cruz County — local agencies are discussing ways to supplement their revenue streams with fee increase, sales taxes for general fund obligations and property tax for housing. The voters in the City of Santa Cruz approved a 1/2 cent sales tax and politely told the University —we don’t want any more students in our town.
The voters may have spoken but the turnout was a pathetically low 24%. See the Santa Cruz County tally below.
Registration & Turnout
152,387 Voters
Vote Count
Percent
Precinct Reporting Turnout
22,221
14.58%
Vote By Mail / Absentee Reporting Turnout
15,074
9.89%
Total
37,295
24.47%
Now that the June election is behind us, we turn toward a summer where we have a neighborhood dog-fight about what is the best option(s) for the next generation of transportation improvements to move people and goods around our county. The daily social media attacks about a rail line or trail only, protest rallies, news blogs, formal and informal debates — all while the final EIS document is months away from being finalized.
We scramble seeking answers to our growing homeless problems where the county staff is drafting minor language changes to our county affordability ordinances — hoping it may help.
Turn the Santa Cruz Sentinel page and BANG — we see a news update of another jump in the price of a medium house in Santa Cruz County now at $905,000. Of course the local answer to the housing shortage is to produce a rent control measure for the November ballot. But how will that create more affordable rental units? The likely result is less rental units being constructed and less rental properties on the market with rent control.
This is not just a Santa Cruz problem. A boost in spending for homelessness is included in a state budget deal reached by governor, legislative leaders -- The agreement’s details have yet to be formally released. It includes $500 million for efforts to prevent homelessness, according to a source involved in the negotiations who was not authorized to speak publicly. Governor and Legislature agree on homeliess $ plan.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Sacramento opposes the rent control measure and wants to keep it off the ballot. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said Thursday he opposes a rent control ballot measure being pushed by the powerful Service Employees International Union labor union and is instead drafting an ordinance with protections for renters he plans to bring to the City Council this summer. http://www.sacbee.com Mayor opposes rent control
All of these state and local policies are ripe to be cherry picked by one side vs. the other to carefully distract the voter - who can and will certainly be misled without knowing the real facts. Oh how the art of the 15 second political advertisements will come at us in a flurry in September through Election Day.
Yes, today is Flag Day 2018, so while you might want to ponder over the next few months about the direction of how our state and local region will go, my suggestion is to celebrate Flag Day by finding your favorite ice cream shop in town and thank those around you for being tolerant and open minded about our community’s future. Order a double scoop for your neighbor.