Ch 1.1 | Let’s have a conversation
What started as an email to a friend explaining why I was unwilling to discuss politics turned into a vision quest for me.
Since October of 2022, I’ve invested thousands of hours compiling this research. While I'm ready to start sharing my thoughts, this publication (like the American experiment) is a work in progress. Thank you for joining me in this journey. I welcome your participation!
I'm grateful to welcome a new friend and partner in this endeavor. David Meyers is the founding editor of The Fulcrum and shares my passion for finding policy and systemic solutions to the problems plaguing our country. Together, we hope to challenge you to think about how you can engage in fixing what ails the United States.
If you find any merit to our work, please reach out so we can discuss how we can align to make an impact and bring fairness back to politics in America.
So why now? What’s changed? Why have I decided that now is the time to jump into the fray? Why did I feel that now is the best time to attempt to engage in a discussion of the source of the discord in American politics? In simplest terms, the prospect of a Trump-Biden rematch has provided me with the clarity to see that our political system is broken! Poll after poll after poll has confirmed that most of us do not want this rematch. News organizations can’t stop writing about it. And yet, here we are. So how did we get here? That’s the question that drove me on this quest.
At its heart, Fairness Matters is a compilation of information that has resonated with me not only recently, but over the past decade-plus. Initially, I thought I would simply publish a bibliography of sorts. But the more I studied what’s driving the dysfunction, the more I thought that a mere recommended reading list would fall flat. As such, I've attempted to weave together a compelling narrative. We’ve done our level best to reference the source of most of the content contained herein. We’ve embedded quotes and links and videos throughout to enable you to dig as deep as you’d like into any particular subject.
From the bottom of my heart, I truly appreciate any willingness on your part to invest the time that it will take to fully digest my thinking. And act on it!
My intent is to analyze partisan issues through the context of the state of the “system,” in order to highlight the challenges affected by the political duopoly controlling our country. I will also attempt to shed light on the dogmas that are driving policy today on both sides of the aisle. I will admit that I have a perspective. As such, this is not an “unbiased” take on the state of America, but I've done my level best to assess all issues from both sides of the aisle.
We live in an amazing country that has contributed so much to mankind. America has demonstrated throughout its history that when its people come together and align with a common vision and purpose, it is a force for good in the world.
That said, I refuse to accept the current reality of politics in our great nation.
When I talk to people about the state of our discourse in America, I'm often struck by how fatalistic some people are about it. I, on the other hand, firmly believe that the general macro trend line is “up and to the right.” That said, for a variety of reasons, I believe we are at a pivotal time in our history, and we must take action now to find a way through this crisis! To do so, we must open our minds and start communicating with each other and stop buying into the simplistic narratives we are fed on a daily basis.
Shimon Peres in his book “No Room for Small Dreams: Courage, Imagination, and the Making of Modern Israel” said something that resonated with me about leadership and the need for listening to other perspectives. In discussing David Ben Gurion’s leadership, he stated:
When [David Ben-Gurion] had been most frustrated, most intent on walking away, he had remained open to the arguments made by two young men with a mere fraction of his experience and wisdom. He had nearly given up on the larger debate, but he had not given up on his belief in debate.
During my career, I would encounter numerous situations in which parties found themselves full of mistrust and anger, where it seemed that all doors had been closed. Ben Gurion had shown me that listening is not just a key element of good leadership. It is the key, the means to unlock doors that have been slammed shut by bitter dispute and resignation.
This is a big part of what's missing in our discourse in America these days. People have stopped listening, and therefore they've stopped leading!
As such, I intend to lead with an open mind and an open heart! These are my musings, but I remain open to other perspectives.
-Andrew Sturner