The Fix Is In, But We Can Fix This
"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." -Alexis de Tocqueville
Writing a newsletter is not quick or easy. I publish Hungry for Gumbo—this newsletter—once per month, so there’s time to let things simmer.
A good gumbo is cooked slow and low. But sometimes a fool gets loose in the kitchen and things boil over, as they appear to be doing this first week of March, a week that includes both Super Tuesday and the State of the Union address.
Tuesday’s Results Not Super
Trump won big on Tuesday. He will be the GOP’s nominee for the third time in a row.
I try to remember that Trump is one man and the problem is much larger than him.
In my view, the Republican Party is a disgrace and a near and present danger to the citizens of this nation. What was a meddlesome, greedy, and self-important organization (that I always hoped would vanish) is now a cesspool of corruption and lies. This is more than distasteful, it weakens our nation and makes us susceptible to attacks from within as well as from Russia, China, and Iran.
We’ve been living with this problem for years, but the slide from disgrace to disaster has been swift, and our range of responses, so far ineffective. Sadly, I don’t know that giving it extra attention or energy is going to help. At the same time, this isn’t a future threat. The loss of our civil rights, law and order, and democratic standards are all happening now, right in front of our faces.
Benjamin Wallace-Wells writes in The New Yorker:
What has been billed as a decisive fight for democracy is taking place within a hazy zone of disinterest.
Amid this indifference, and perhaps partly because of it, Donald Trump is winning.
I get that we’re overwhelmed by the bad news. Feelings of powerlessness and rage are real. Some days I want to battle. Some days I choose to look the other way because to look our political corruption in the eye is both stupefying and blinding. Whichever day it is, to find my center, it helps to play with words and paint.
What gets you through the daily rise of willful ignorance, disinformation, and hate? I want to hear from you. And I want you to know that you have allies.
Where Do the Stories Go?
When publishing to the web, where do you go with your latest? Substack, Medium, LinkedIn, or your website? I’ve been making good use of Medium recently. It’s such an elegant publishing tool. Here are three free articles you might enjoy.
In Central Texas, Small Towns Are Home to Big-Time Ambitions and Growth
Making and Appreciating Art Is Central to the Human Experience
A Clear Point of Difference Makes All the Difference
Successful businesses have a strong point of difference. They can easily explain how they’re different from the competition. For example, Devoción is “the only company in the world that roasts true farm-fresh coffee only 10 days after leaving origin.”
The Devoción team does everything short of picking the cherry, and does it faster than anyone else — we hand-select our 1,000+ farm partners, dry-mill at our Bogotá facility, control the export process, and roast in Brooklyn.
I recently ordered two bags of whole-bean coffee from this company and the coffee is delicious. I also appreciate the focus—all small-batch Columbian coffee all the time. This Brooklyn-based outfit has more than one point of difference.
It’s not easy to identify how you’re company is truly different, and it’s even harder to commit to a single path that keeps you different. Nevertheless, there are plenty of good business reasons to do so, including the quest to be known as not just the best at what you do, but the only provider of your kind.
Lagniappe
Communication Arts (@commarts) pointed to my story about AARP’s work to fight ageist hiring practices in the advertising industry.
Residents in more than half of U.S. counties have no, or very limited, access to a reliable local news source — either print, digital, or broadcast.
Have you heard the new album Polaroid Lovers from Sarah Jarosz? She’s a Central Texas singer-songwriter in the tradition of Nanci Griffith.
Will “Never Trumpers” save the day? Logic says you can't have one in four members of your party adamantly against you, and win a general election.
According to Audubon, nearly two billion migrating birds pass through Texas each spring and fall in “one of the planet’s great wildlife spectacles.”
Garbled messaging hurts the brand, just like flimsy design, or poor customer service. Don't let it halt your progress or negatively impact what you're building.
Thanks for being here now,
When you or a friend is ready to run for office, grow a business, or spark a social change movement, please let me know. I’d like to help.
I’m grateful to Matty Z of Blue Green Water & Land for “letting me know” about his next new venture. And I’m excited to help bring his new packaged goods dream to life.