The biggest threat to democracy that no one is talking about

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That threat is a constitutional convention called by the states. The last time such a thing happened was in 1787. So messy was that affair that it hasn’t been carried out since. But a renewed effort is underway.

Conservatives are pushing for an Article V convention to add a balanced-budget amendment and other ideas, to the Constitution. All they need is the approval of 34 state legislatures (no governor’s signature needed) to compel Congress to call such a gathering. Right now, 28 states have passed resolutions calling for an Article V convention. That number would be 32 had not pro- democracy groups not gotten Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico and Nevada to rescind their resolutions. Still, once the 34-state hurdle is cleared, despite pledges of a discrete, narrow focus, no one knows what could happen.

Once a convention were convened, it could take up any topic it wanted to. There is nothing in Article V of the Constitution, no jurisprudence or anything in statute that says the convention needs to be limited. So they could take up anything they want. There are no rules for such conventions nor does the Constitution discuss constitutionzl conventions, their membership, funding, etc

Groups pushing these conventions are seeking to undo woman’s right to choose and marriage equality. They want to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency, roll back the power of the Federal government, abolishing things most peoplw take fof granted, and overturning the idea of the the established role of the modern, enlightened government.

ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council, kicked the process off by advocating a balanced-budget amendment a few years ago, along with Mark Meckler, president of Convention of States Action, whose handbook specifically says, “We want to call a convention for the purpose of limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government,”reversing 115 years of progressivism?

We are talking about reining in corporations with antitrust measures. We’re talking about the women’s suffrage movements d the right to abortion. We’re talking about consumer protections. We’re talking about Brown v. Board of Education. We are talking about education, environmental rights, civil rights, voting rights, social security, Medicare, unemployment benefit – all of those kinds of things.”. (Adapted from a podcast by Jonathan on Twitter: @Capehart Cape Up, September 4 at 6:01 AM)

This is precisely the Agenda of the the right-wingers in the British Tory Party. They want to consolidate the rule of the rich (the “deserving”) and, privatize the National Health Service, extend the retirement age, the reduce money spent on education and help for the poor and working class (the “undeserving”. Dpicurus, who was a kind, ari g and cari g and inc.sive man, would have. been surprised at the extensive activities of Wester governments, but I be.ieve he wluld have suppotdd them

Weirder and weirder

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Students in the US who have a type of brain parasite carried by cats are more likely to be majoring in business studies. The pets are hosts for the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It can infect people through contact with cat faeces, poorly cooked meat from infected livestock, or contaminated water, and A many as one-third of the world’s population may have it.The parasite doesn’t usually make us feel sick, but it forms cysts in the brain where it can remain for the rest of a person’s life. Some studies have linked infection with slower reaction times, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, suicidal behaviour and explosive anger.

Now an analysis of almost 1300 US students has found that those who had been exposed to the parasite were 1.7 times more likely to be majoring in business. In particular, they were more likely to be focusing on management and entrepreneurship than other business-related areas. The study also found that professionals attending business events were almost twice as likely to have started their own business if they were T. gondii positive, and that countries with a higher prevalence of the infection show more entrepreneurial activity.

The team behind the study say their results suggests that the parasite may be involved in reducing a person’s fear of failure and high-risk, high-reward ventures. Rodents infected with T.gondii are known to become less fearful of encountering cats (Proceedings of the Royal Society B, doi.org/csh7) published in New Scientist, Aug 2018

If this article did not have the imprimature of the Royal Society I would be tempted to think it was a practical joke. Nowhere is getting rich, control over others, or greed (and a hos t of other motivations) mentioned or discussed.

Brief thoughts on the upcoming Swedish election

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Sweden is viewed very favourably in Britain. It’s seen as tolerant, liberal and friendly country, committed to modernity yet proud of its traditions. Sweden seems to get the balance right between supporting free markets and free trade on the one hand, and having a compassionate approach to the poor and refugees on the other.

Yet for those following the Swedish election, due to take place on the 9 September, it is increasingly clear the Swedish utopia popular in the British imagination bears little resemblance to reality. Crime, particularly violent crime, has increased notably. The economy, while not stagnant, isn’t roaring ahead either. While the number of refugees and asylum seekers entering Sweden has fallen since the height of 2015, the effect of integrating more newcomers per capita than any other European nation remains an immense challenge. The unemployment and poverty rates amongst migrants are considerably higher than for native Swedes- the disparity between foreigners and the general population is far greater in Sweden than in the US or the UK. The impact of high migration has increased the prominence of the right-wing Sweden Democrats, although the most recent opinion polls suggest they won’t be as successful as it was once feared.

To make matters worse, the country is divided as to what the future of Sweden’s famously generous welfare state should be. The incumbent government, a coalition of the Social Democrats and the Greens, believes maintaining high welfare spending is the key to ensuring the working class receive a fair share of the benefits of globalisation. Without welfare, Sweden could experience the sort of populist uprisings that have affected  more free-market countries like the UK, the US or even New Zealand. They argue a key cause of popular dissatisfaction is the increasing gap between rich and poor, and the continued prosperity of the finance sector, even when decisions made by reckless bankers caused the financial crisis.

I’m very sceptical of those arguments, which is why if I were Swedish, I would vote for the centre-right Moderate Party. Sweden is more economically equal than almost any other country on earth. It has a relatively small financial sector compared with EU competitors like the UK or Ireland. It also has one of the world’s most generous welfare states, including a vast array of universal benefits for families, students and pensioners. So insufficient state spending cannot explain the popularity of the Sweden Democrats, nor can it address issues like a lack of economic growth, dissatisfaction with migration, or Euroscepticism.

Sweden needs to ensure its existing public provisions, such as the police or the pension system, have the trust of the Swedish people, before embarking on any more expensive long-term commitments. The country must demonstrate an ability to enforce the law, and not shy away from convicting migrant criminals for fear of political correctness. While Sweden should be proud of a culture that treats refugees kindly, it cannot be the world’s safe haven. This means pushing for EU-wide policies to distribute refugees equitably, rather than allowing excessive migration into Sweden under the pretence of upholding liberalism. Equally, the Swedes’ willingness to pay high taxes must not be mistaken for enthusiasm for a redistributive EU; a Moderate-led government should stand against proposed increases to international wealth transfers.

None of this is to argue the past four years of Social Democratic rule have been a disaster. The Nordic combination of flexible labour markets with generous social insurance schemes was maintained to the country’s benefit. Taking in too many refugees may have been a mistake. But taking in too few, as Britain has done, shows a basic lack of humanity. Sweden’s environmental record is stellar, as is its progress on gender equality and gay rights. The country’s childcare policies, while expensive, are the envy of the world.

However, Sweden needs a change of course. The Social Democrats have been committed to liberal ideals, but have drifted too far into left-wing utopianism and wishful thinking. A Moderate-led government would maintain a belief in the essential principles of the Swedish welfare system, while reforming it and other public institutions to restore the public’s trust. It would work within the EU, but be more aggressive in advancing Sweden’s interests in the European sphere. And by joining NATO and increasing defence spending, it would show leadership on the world stage against an increasingly isolationist America which cannot be relied upon to defend Sweden, and an increasingly aggressive Russia. Sweden has been a beacon to the rest of the world in good governance and intelligent policymaking. With a new government, it can be so again.

A nation based on fear cannot be “great”.

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It has not been a good year for gun makers. Remington filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after its sales fell 27.5% in the first nine months of Donald Trump’s presidency. (Its officials had expected a 2016 Hillary Clinton victory and a burst of gun purchases). Sales have been ragged across the industry. Gun company stocks have slipped, profits have fallen, price wars are breaking out, and corporate debt is on the rise. January 2018 was the worst January for gun purchases since 2012. (A mere 2,030,530(!)firearm background checks were logged that month, down by 500,000 from the same month in 2016). It was the “Trump slump” in action.

“Fear-based” gun buying is no longer buoying the industry. After each shooting atrocity there have been spikes in gun sales. But after last October’s Las Vegas slaughter in which 58 died and hundreds were wounded, they sank by 13% compared to October 2016. Recent atrocities, such as at Parkland school, Florida, haven’t helped sales.

Fear and and guns. Gun sales have been driven by white men who are “anxious about their ability to protect their families, insecure about their place in the job market, and beset by racial fears”. A gun feels to them like “a force for order in a chaotic world,” though such owners are significantly more likely to use a gun in their home to kill or wound themselves or a family member than a burglar, intruder, or anyone else. They are also more likely than non-gun-owners to take an active part in politics. (heavily edited version of an article in Tom Dispatch 4/15/2018)

America is filled with guns that have the power to rend flesh in ways that fit war, not the home. Fear is the driver. To be “great” requires a nation that is confident, secure, well- informed and reasonably united. The United States has had its century as a Great lPower, and has wasted its resources on the military and endless wars, instead of education and socisl cohesion. There are parallels with ancient Greece and Rome. Epicurus would recognise it – the decline of social cohesion and democracy and futile, destructive war that partly drove his desire for moderation.

The sorry state of British education, part 3, universities

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The conclusion of a three-part series on British education. You can read the first part on GCSEs here, and the second part on A-levels here.

British universities are amongst the best in the world, beaten only by the United States, a country with five times the population. They attract high numbers of students from virtually every country. Even with America, the British system compares favourably. Fees are much lower- for UK and EU students they are capped at £9250 ($11905) per year, and for non-EU students they are around £18000 ($23169) per year. Most undergraduate courses only last for three years, lowering costs further. The relatively small size of British universities mean that students enjoy regular contact hours with a lecturer or tutor they know personally. And the recent surge of investment means things like sports facilities and on-campus shopping no longer compare as unfavourably to their American counterparts as they once did.

However, British universities are currently the subject of severe criticism, from students, staff and wider society. To an outsider, this may seem odd. The recent surge in student numbers and investment surely points to a successful model. International student numbers haven’t dipped by anywhere near the amount it was predicted following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. Record numbers of working class students are attending, despite recent increases in fees.

But it is this financialisation of higher education- seeing it as a business rather than an aspect of public provision- that is at the root of student discontent. The government recently lifted the cap on student numbers, allowing universities to admit as many people as they wanted, provided the students could afford the fees. This had the effect of universities aggressively expanding to fit as many students as possible. The result was increasing overcrowding of campus facilities, a shortage of accommodation and therefore higher rents, a decline in academic standards as students with lower grades were admitted in higher numbers, overwhelmed staff, and a general feeling that students were being treated simply as customers, rather than valued members of the academic community. To make matters worse, senior university figures have awarded themselves six-figure salaries, when the value of a higher education is increasingly questioned.

The financialisation of higher education has not just affected universities, it has had an impact on the wider economy. Since more people are getting degrees, each degree is worth less. Employers are raising their requirements. It is no longer good enough simply to have a degree. In many cases, only students from the elite universities will be considered. In some cases, you can only be an employee if you have a very high degree classification. Students are paying more in fees and accumulating more debt, only to face a more competitive graduate job market.

For the Left, the answer to all this is a government takeover of higher education. Fees should be abolished, reducing the amount of debt students have to go into. The cap on student numbers should be reintroduced, to prioritise the quality over the quantity of the student intake. Universities should be subject to regular audits, and penalised if they are found to be wasting money. For most students, this is a very appealing policy programme. It’s no surprise that in last year’s general election, Labour won the overwhelming majority of the student vote, despite the Labour leader Corbyn’s radicalism and past Euroscepticism. Labour also find favour with a significant proportion of university staff, who are seeing their pensions reduced and are often underpaid.

But the Left needs to be honest in its higher education proposals. Maintaining the current level of higher education participation, while abolishing fees and increasing staff salaries and pensions would be immensely expensive. In most countries with free or heavily subsidised higher education such as Germany, the proportion of people attending university is much lower. Taxes would have to rise. And since Labour has ruled out higher taxes on 95% of the population, the consequence would be a clobbering of business owners and investors, at a time when Britain desperately needs the confidence of both.

Britain needs to accept some of the Left’s critiques of the higher education system, while maintaining the parts that work well. The financialisation of universities post-2010 has been a disaster. The government needs to properly regulate and oversee universities, to prevent waste and unsustainable expansion, and to maintain standards. More money ought to be given to low-income students who struggle to fund their education- the now-scrapped Education Maintenance Allowance should be restored. Pay ratios should be introduced to ensure the vice-chancellors do not earn excessive salaries relative to the cleaners and junior academics.

Having said that, the country cannot afford to provide a free education to everyone that wants one. Students from middle to high income families should pay at least as much as they currently do. To pay for assistance to lower income students, overall student numbers should fall. The cap on student numbers should be reintroduced, and the cap on fees should be extended to non-EU students to prevent them from being used as a cash cow. The overall aim should be a sustainable, properly regulated system which a decent proportion of the population can enjoy, regardless of circumstances.