Thank you for this column. I have been wondering what needs to happen to revive this country since before the second Trump term. You posed questions that I want to respond to. And I will. Tribalism is an issue. Again, thanks for addressing the issue of the American brand without flinching.
Yes, Ken, I agree that tribalism is an issue, but perhaps one that can work in a positive way. I'm seeing some connections that look favorable. More on that soon!
Great observations. The “refresh” you propose looks appealing to those of us who like the California model, of course. That said, the problem you mention with the old one, that it’s not credible anymore, will, I suspect, be the same problem with the new one unless significant, real policy changes happen in DC along the lines of a modernized New Deal.
Perhaps more important, though, is that many states, particularly in the South and Plains, don’t seem to want a US brand standing for equality, or much of the other attributes of either the old or new brand positioning. And the progressives pushing for “equity of result,” rather than “equality of opportunity,” may not be enthusiastic about your update, either.
As you know better than most, repositioning a legacy, mass market brand for 350 million people with radically diverse perspectives about what constitutes desirability doesn’t generally work well. Market segmentation, i.e., breaking up the country, may be a more realistic approach if we’re using branding as a metaphor for generating a description of who we want to be together. Not the most popular idea, I know, but the discipline of branding, at least, points that way.
Hey Christopher, this is some awesome homework. I will enjoy spending time on it this week and I can not wait to hear from everyone what possibilities they can imagine....of course it is a steep climb people. Perfect ground for new ideas. I am hearing from friends and family all over the country how hungry they are for a "refresh." This is a perfect framework to explore everyone's visions.
I’m hearing the same Barbara, which is encouraging in itself. The media only knows what it polls so it will miss a grassroots uprising until it’s sizeable. I think Steve’s comment about state segmentation is an intriguing possibility—look at how key governors are starting to assert their state’s rights. that could be a way to kick start this whole process.
Christopher's Homework: "We can reinvent the country for the next century. It just takes a willingness to replace our Left vs Right struggle with a clear vision of the future and the courage to experiment.
1. What would your refreshed America look like? What do we keep, what do we leave behind, and what must we invent?"
Keep: Core Values and Pride in being an American
• For, By, and Of the People
• The Constitution and the 3 equally accountable branches of government
• Equal Rights
• Entrepreneurial Spirit and Love for My Neighbor
• We are all Immigrants (since the Native Americans)
Leave Behind: Power of Tenure ( in Congress)
• Current Campaign Financing of unaccounted for SuperPACs
• Overly bureaucratic processes of the manufacturing age
• Inability to advance aged technology platforms processes
• Two party system
Invent: Try Stuff and Execute in manageable phases.
• Citizen Engagement Channels and a Shadow Cabinet
• Independent Media Resources – e.g. Substack
• Respect in Every Space – e.g. Stephen Curry
• Innovation and Abundance – Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein
• Trainings on the Civic Responsibilities of a Democracy – Sharon McMahon
• Trainings on the US Legal System – Joyce Vance
• A process for exploring invention investment and quantification of revenue benefits of ……
o Innovation Topic 1: A Fair Taxation System
o Innovation Topic 2: Housing and Community Design Pilots etc
o Innovation Topic 3: Healthcare Access Design Pilots etc
o Innovation Topic 4: Women’s Healthcare Prioritization etc
What an amazing list! If our representatives could pull together and make these goal their real priorities, it would improve almost everyone’s lives. Thanks Barbara!
It feels like a very naive list but we definitely need to get started with our lists and ways to promote them. Thanks for the opportunity to think about it and your framework.
Thank you for this column. I have been wondering what needs to happen to revive this country since before the second Trump term. You posed questions that I want to respond to. And I will. Tribalism is an issue. Again, thanks for addressing the issue of the American brand without flinching.
Yes, Ken, I agree that tribalism is an issue, but perhaps one that can work in a positive way. I'm seeing some connections that look favorable. More on that soon!
Great observations. The “refresh” you propose looks appealing to those of us who like the California model, of course. That said, the problem you mention with the old one, that it’s not credible anymore, will, I suspect, be the same problem with the new one unless significant, real policy changes happen in DC along the lines of a modernized New Deal.
Perhaps more important, though, is that many states, particularly in the South and Plains, don’t seem to want a US brand standing for equality, or much of the other attributes of either the old or new brand positioning. And the progressives pushing for “equity of result,” rather than “equality of opportunity,” may not be enthusiastic about your update, either.
As you know better than most, repositioning a legacy, mass market brand for 350 million people with radically diverse perspectives about what constitutes desirability doesn’t generally work well. Market segmentation, i.e., breaking up the country, may be a more realistic approach if we’re using branding as a metaphor for generating a description of who we want to be together. Not the most popular idea, I know, but the discipline of branding, at least, points that way.
Yep Steve, agree with you 100%. Not a vision I desire as a first choice but more likely given the circumstances.
Hey Christopher, this is some awesome homework. I will enjoy spending time on it this week and I can not wait to hear from everyone what possibilities they can imagine....of course it is a steep climb people. Perfect ground for new ideas. I am hearing from friends and family all over the country how hungry they are for a "refresh." This is a perfect framework to explore everyone's visions.
I’m hearing the same Barbara, which is encouraging in itself. The media only knows what it polls so it will miss a grassroots uprising until it’s sizeable. I think Steve’s comment about state segmentation is an intriguing possibility—look at how key governors are starting to assert their state’s rights. that could be a way to kick start this whole process.
Christopher's Homework: "We can reinvent the country for the next century. It just takes a willingness to replace our Left vs Right struggle with a clear vision of the future and the courage to experiment.
1. What would your refreshed America look like? What do we keep, what do we leave behind, and what must we invent?"
Keep: Core Values and Pride in being an American
• For, By, and Of the People
• The Constitution and the 3 equally accountable branches of government
• Equal Rights
• Entrepreneurial Spirit and Love for My Neighbor
• We are all Immigrants (since the Native Americans)
Leave Behind: Power of Tenure ( in Congress)
• Current Campaign Financing of unaccounted for SuperPACs
• Overly bureaucratic processes of the manufacturing age
• Inability to advance aged technology platforms processes
• Two party system
Invent: Try Stuff and Execute in manageable phases.
• Citizen Engagement Channels and a Shadow Cabinet
• Independent Media Resources – e.g. Substack
• Respect in Every Space – e.g. Stephen Curry
• Innovation and Abundance – Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein
• Trainings on the Civic Responsibilities of a Democracy – Sharon McMahon
• Trainings on the US Legal System – Joyce Vance
• A process for exploring invention investment and quantification of revenue benefits of ……
o Innovation Topic 1: A Fair Taxation System
o Innovation Topic 2: Housing and Community Design Pilots etc
o Innovation Topic 3: Healthcare Access Design Pilots etc
o Innovation Topic 4: Women’s Healthcare Prioritization etc
What an amazing list! If our representatives could pull together and make these goal their real priorities, it would improve almost everyone’s lives. Thanks Barbara!
It feels like a very naive list but we definitely need to get started with our lists and ways to promote them. Thanks for the opportunity to think about it and your framework.
well i guess it’s up to those of us who are naive because the informed aren’t saying much.