An Introduction….

So, why Rebels and Rulers, and why now? There are a few drivers behind this initiative.

1. I am a casualty of the current economic weirdness. Weird in that many of the traditional economic indicators that reflect economic health aren’t lining up. Which I think is a reflection that we’re in as much a period of economic transformation as an economic downturn.
2. In a classic “turn lemons into lemonade” moment, I am leaning into a passion project, the advocacy of civic culture, that I never had the time or the courage to pursue. This optimistic outlook carries over into a firm belief that the best of American Democracy is yet to come. American Democracy, in all its glory and promise, still hasn’t realized its full potential; a level of optimization obtained through the symmetry of the individual and the state, of liberal and conservative forces of ideas and interests. While incredibly hard to achieve, I believe that balance is the optimal state of American Democracy. Achieving homeostasis allows its people to prosper and its processes to flourish.
3. Regardless of how you conceptualize American Democracy (Representative, Procedural, Proportional, Republic, etc.), there is an inherent complexity in its composition and execution. The burdens of our history, the influence of our traditions, the ambitions of our people and politicians, how can American Democracy be anything other than fascinating, frustrating (at times), and complex? This is especially true of a political system oriented towards elites and the spoils that come from the asymmetrical pursuit of interest. An orientation that can quickly devolve into a zero-sum proposition in which opinions are weaponized, and interests far outpace the impact of ideas. To acknowledge complexity is to revel in the cavalcade of ideas and interests that populate the current and historical political ecosystem. There is a dimensionality to our historical problems and contemporary solutions that does not always fit nicely into the binary of a two-party political system. And while leaning into our complexity isn’t some magical elixir that will cure what ails us, it certainly allows for an honest and authentic evaluation of the current state of affairs.
4. By occupying a conceptual space within the vital center, the complexity of democracy, its awkwardness, its inconsistencies, and its contradictions can be embraced and addressed, unencumbered by the burdens of interest or the obligations of agenda items. One can lean into the first principles, root causes, and ground truths that support competing visions of American Democracy. Whether you see the mandate of American Democracy as one of stability and consistency or that of innovation and progress (Or perhaps a bit of both), Democratic organizing principles are accessible to one and all…However, they’re not always easy to uncover and understand.

Approaching contemporary issues through the lens of balance is akin to assuming a sort of neutrality viz a viz interests. Yes, being a champion of balance opens oneself to assault and criticism from all sides. Yet, as an intellectual jumping-off point, the trade-off is a natural disposition to inclusion (Cognitive Diversity) and a genuine concern for the general health of the institution of American Democracy. This centrist viewpoint places less emphasis on party affiliation, a default interpretive setting that, in many ways, services a binary oversimplification of problems and solutions and looks to history, trends, raw data, and information to synthesize conclusions. As such, I embrace and encourage a non-partisan/bi-partisan problem-solving approach, safe from “cancel culture” and the tyranny of opinion that currently carries the day. The umbrella of inclusion is large, and its tent pole is civic virtue, a concept that occupies a place in both the liberal and conservative traditions of American Democracy. Perhaps we have more in common than current pundits and columnists have led us to believe.

5. Politics, unlike other facets of our consumer culture, is not about convenience. Its complexities — found, for example, in the dichotomies between liberalism and conservatism, the state and the individual — cannot be done justice through a casual, cliff-noted, abridged version of events. To embrace and understand the ambitions, the grievances, and the alienations that drive current movements is to understand the historical contests within American Democracy. The deep dive into our first principles and the longer historical narratives and trends helps place contemporary action into context, furthering an understanding of how and why contemporaries lean into our historical schisms, exploit them, and capitalize on them. The nuance or savagery in which people and politicians expand or close the divide is rarely as simple as many may want it to appear. Understanding the events surrounding us requires a commitment to self, ownership through education, and an understanding that the optimal democratic balance is predicated on individual accountability and responsibility. Instead of deferring to the state to tell us what to do, we should embrace and redefine the terms of civic virtue.

6. I identify as American above all else, not through party affiliation. I prefer to learn, not be told what to do, especially when unpacking the complexity of American Democracy and confronting the inconvenient truths that litter our history and shape our future. Hence, I present myself as an advocate for civic education, civic virtue, and civic engagement. I definitely have my biases and opinions…I’ll do my best to frame ’em and present them accordingly. By promoting a civil and adaptive atmosphere of critical engagement, you can free your mind so your ass can follow.

So, regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum, join us on a journey of self-discovery. An adventure to acquire the knowledge, perspective, and context critical to crafting an informed opinion and sustaining the American experiment. Acquiring a political education takes a lot of effort to sift through opinions, propaganda, agendas, and bias, so why not pursue it amongst like-minded folks, pursuing their own truths while contributing to a collective effort of self-awareness? Americans have always been stronger when standing together; perhaps civic virtue is that conduit for contemporary collective action. It is time to make civil virtue cool again.

Our journey begins by unpacking the Social Contract…In many ways, the social contract is the glue that holds American Democracy together. It defines and captures the terms of the relationship between the state and the individual. Now, more than 250 years into the democratic experiment, how well does it hold up? In the transformation from theory to practice, are the terms still relevant? Onward and Upward….