Ethics and Etiquette in Public Schools

February 6, 2001.
Ethics and Etiquette in Public Schools
By T.S. Khanna

American heritage of rugged individualism has prevented realization of the impact of changing times. Now, technology has diminished our ability to maintain the distance from others demanded by the old fashioned rugged individualism. In the modern times, we get rewarded by the good relationship we have with others. We get returns from the services we provide for others. The greater the number of people served the greater are the returns.

While we are experiencing that inter-dependence may be even more fulfilling than independence, we also note that the deviant and the maladjusted can cause disproportionately high negative impact on too many of us to ignore.

In spite of the fact that the necessity for morality, ethics, and etiquette has been felt increasingly, the emphasis on this aspect of education has been ignored. Repeatedly, behavioral studies have confirmed that human behavior is learned and, hence, can be guided, we have continued to ignore education in the area of human behavior.

President Bush has initiated a commendable effort to improve the quality of our public schools. The School Districts should make use of the opportunity to include lessons in ethics and etiquette in the educational curriculum of the schools.

Lessons in societal ethics and social etiquette would not be in conflict with the principle of the separation of the Church and the State. Freedom of religion never meant freedom from morality. Ethics and etiquette, based on public morality, are not a monopoly of any one religion. If ethics and etiquette represent the essence of the common values of all religions designed for the good of the humanity, both the government and the religious institutions should be supportive of including education in ethics and etiquette in our public schools.

I urge the Federal and the State governments as well as the religious institutions to encourage inclusion of education in ethics and etiquette in our public schools.

First, we must have zero tolerance for the school gangs. Otherwise, they will “leave no child behind”.

Double Jeopardy for Asian Americans

October 11, 2001.

Double Jeopardy for Asian-Americans
By T.S. Khanna
.
As freedom and justice loving people, we all feel that the terrorists must be brought to justice. Yet, some people with criminal tendencies consider it a window of opportunity for abusing, injuring, or killing the American citizens of Asian origin. A case in point is Balbir Singh Sodhi who was shot dead on September 15, 2001. Since then, there have been several other cases of threats and harassment due to misplaced suspicion and displaced anger. Some criminals sanctify their crimes in the name of religion or patriotism.

Asian-Americans face double jeopardy: first, going through the same emotional trauma as the rest of the nation; second, being constantly in danger of the criminals ready to commit opportunity crime. The homespun terrorists with local roots must not be ignored while dealing with the terrorists with international roots.

There seem to be two alternatives; (a) most of the Asian Americans, shy of guns, should learn the use of guns for their own protection, (b) extra police protection may be provided for the vulnerable Asian Americans. The second alternative may be more expensive but the freedom to own and use more and more guns seems to be at war with our interest of maintaining a friendly and cohesive society.

The victims of “racial profiling” found innocent may be compensated and the enforcement officials using good judgement may be rewarded.

I urge congress members to establish task forces in their respective districts to deal with this problem.




Note: Louise, Please note that this letter has 256 words including date, title and my address. Hope you can accommodate it in you paper at the earliest.

Affordable Housing With Reduced Commute

July 2001.


Affordable Housing With Reduced Commute
By T.S. Khanna

In the past, General Plans adopted by most jurisdictions did not pay focused attention to minimize the commute needs. The past focus has been on providing more and more facilities for the ever-increasing commute needs due to the inadvertent neglect. In fact, most of the adopted General Plans is a major contributing factor in longer commute needs and greater dependency on private cars.

General Plans and land use plans often discuss jobs/housing balance, affordable housing and reasonable commute without defining and implementing their close relationship in planning. Here, I would like to define jobs/housing balance and affordable housing more precisely. If the definition offered below is legislated and the General Plans are required to follow the legislation, commute needs would be minimized. The solution to our problem would be more curative than symptomatic.

It seems that a house is affordable by a family if (a) the monthly payment of the house or apartment does not exceed 25% of the family’s gross monthly income, (b) cost of commuting to work does not exceed 3% of the gross income, (c) time for commuting does not exceed 30 minutes each way, and (d) distance for commuting does not exceed 15 miles.

To bring about jobs/housing balance, the planning effort must make sure that employment centers and housing subdivisions are approved as package development plans. Each employment center development must be required to include at least 90% of the affordable housing needs of the employment center. Transportation facilities should then be planned and provided to facilitate commute needs at a cost not exceeding 3% of the employees’ respective gross incomes.

The above mentioned approach would not only solve the traffic problems it will also result in reduced air pollution, reduced traffic noise, wasteful use of energy resources, reduced number of traffic accidents, and more available time to be spent with the family rather than wasted in commuting. In a way, long commute forced on our citizens is indirectly damaging the great value system of the society by weakening the family unit resulting in numerous destructive social changes.

Reforming Our Educational System

August 28,2000.
Reforming Our Educational System
By T.S.Khanna

The quality of education in our public schools has been a disappointment to many parents. Parents like to educate their children as well as possible and as much as possible but do not like to expose them to the growing evils of the educational institutions. A special effort is called for at this stage to remove the evil influences from our schools, and provide high quality education.

Removing or disbanding of teen age gangs and enforcement of discipline in the public schools should be the first priority. Now children seem to respect the gang members, not the teachers. With too many rules and rights coming into play, the school principles and teachers first lost their power and now their interest to discipline the children. In fact, the faculty staff is afraid of school gangs, although they would not admit it openly. Respect for the teachers should be restored and the growing power of gangs must be rooted out. At the same time, at the family level, parents’ authority to discipline children must be restored. Over the years, the parental authority has been nibbled away in the name of protection from “parental abuse”. Now our schools and parents have the responsibility to raise children properly but without commensurate authority.

It does not speak well of us as a civilized society if we cannot bust the school gangs and the parents and teachers do not have the authority to discipline the children. It takes four to five generations to build a culture for a civilized society and only one generation to destroy it.

The educational curriculum should be revised to reflect our ideals of human character and our expectations from children as they grow up. In the past, our focus has been on utility education, ignoring the value of character education and ornamental education, i.e., education in proper behavior for a decent, civilized society.

Familiarity and practice of proper etiquette, social graces, and good manners in everyday dealings can have a significant positive impact on one’s personality. These qualities should embody the finest human thoughts to serve as efficient social lubricants. Proper etiquette, social graces, and good manners are best learned at a very young age. Once learned at a young age, they are never forgotten; missed out at young age, they are never learned.

It seems imperative that our Kindergarten, Elementary, and Junior Schools include systematic courses on proper etiquette, social graces, and proper behavior in the adopted curriculum for education. The effect of such courses, eventually, should become noticeable at the High School level to the benefit of the students, teachers, parents, and the society at large.

One of the main functions of education should be to transform the human mind into humane mind. Leaving, at a very young age, an abiding imprint on the mental outlook of those seeking education can best perform this function. In the past, this function was the responsibility of the parents and the religious institutions. Modern times have eroded the influence of both these sources.

The modern economy and the changing attitudes have erased the financial and traditional boundaries that used to set apart the wealthy few as the elite social class of high taste. Now no class is set apart in distinction to be emulated in etiquette, social graces, good manners, or even in fashions. What was once considered the gracious living of the wealthy few, now must become the heritage of all citizens in the USA. This heritage can be passed on to the younger generations only through our educational system.

Secular Religion in Democratic Systems

November 28, 2006 T.S.Khanna on
Secular Religion for Democracy

In primitive societies, autocrats were accepted as a legitimate force by traditions, customs, or habits. In religious societies, political power is legitimized for religious leaders through myths and legends. In democratic societies, the political quest of government, for its legitimacy and stability, must focus on the relationship of power to the citizens’ perception of justice, reason, and morality.

It is relatively simple to identify such relationship in a society with a common culture but it becomes a most complex issue in a secular democracy with diverse religions and cultures.

There seem to be three major sources of influence on human culture; religion, education, and economics. The nations with a single predominant religion can accommodate with relative ease the cultural variations due to different levels of education and economic status of the citizens. However, the cultural variations generated or influenced by diverse religions are hard to compromise. In a secular democracy, it is not easy to visualize and establish a sustainable relationship of power to justice, reason, and morality that may be acceptable to the citizens with diverse religions.

It seems that secular democracies can thrive for a certain period. Beyond that period, suicidal forces develop to cause its breakdown. During the thriving period, the prevailing mindset of the leaders is unfortunately not tuned to identify the growing cells of social cancer. Yet, the best time to get rid of the cancer cells is when one is in the best of health, otherwise.

To continue to thrive, secular democracies need to develop and establish a supportive secular religion. The secular religion may be developed by a compromise of values of the mainstream religions of the nation, essentially ignoring their customs, ceremonies, signs, and symbols. The primary values of religions, namely, belief in God, love for God’s creation, kindness, helping the less fortunate, charity, honesty and integrity, maintenance of peace, pursuit of excellence, and performance of duty, that unite the religions may be emphasized in the proposed secular religion. The auxiliary values that divide religions may be ignored in developing the secular religion.

Once such a religion is established, secular governments may
1. Provide incentives for citizens to adopt the secular religion without having to abandon their respective religions;
2. Make it mandatory for all public officials to adopt the secular religion;
3. Forbid the public display of any sign, symbol, dress, or any activity that may identify one’s religion; and
4. Disallow tax deductibility for religious donations; true spirit of a religion does not thrive or survive on money and those who wish to donate must be willing to do so regardless of the tax benefit.

The proposed secular religion would serve as chemotherapy for the cells of social cancer in secular democracies. The case in point is that of the USA and India, the flagships of secular democracy with many similar problems.

Religious Conflicts

August 22, 2007.
Religious Conflicts
By T.S.Khanna

Ever since primal times, religion has been a powerful motivating force for the best and the worst of human behavior. It inspires some people to transcend self interest in pursuit of perceived higher truth and values. Yet, for some others, religion is the justification for the worst of human behavior.

The roots of religious conflicts seem to be interned in the theologies of various religions based on perceived or intuitive truths of their respective prophets. Varying interpretations of those perceived truths by successive religious leaders keep adding fuel to the fire. The main interest of religious leaders has been to enhance their political power by increasing their following and income, not in research to correct any errors or advance the truth. They reject the modern logic and prefer to stick to the traditions established when human logic was not well developed and the prevailing intellectual indolence perpetuated ignorance of the times.

The perceived or intuitive truths have been sanctified and protected from any questioning or challenge. Superstructures of ideologies, doctrines, and morality have been erected on the foundations of those untested or unchallenged truths. Commitment of the faithful to the religious fundamentals has always been the cause of endless religious conflicts.

Regardless of one’s personal views or interests, it is crucial to visualize the destructive potential of the present or future religious conflicts. Now we need to take a fresh judicious look at religions in light of their original intent and think through clearly and collectively ways to resolve religious conflicts for good. In this effort, our greatest opponents could be the religious leaders with vested interests and political leaders using religion as the power base.

For a closer look, I have visited various religious institutions in the past and attended their services. Regardless of the institutional denomination, I equally enjoyed my spiritual connection with God at each place of worship. Further, I discovered that there is a great bonding force in all religions through common theological virtues or spiritual graces like faith, hope, self confidence, self discipline, sense of duty, fairness for others, gratefulness, charity, helping the less fortunate, significance of non-violence and peace in human relations, courtesy, humility, love, compassion, contemplation, personal honesty and integrity, pursuit of a purpose bigger than life, and other similar values.

Yet, this great bonding force of common higher values is ignored mainly for two reasons: vested interest of those using religion as a political power base and lack of familiarity with high values of religions other than one’s own.

To overcome the obstacles in resolving religious conflicts and nuanced understanding of human religiosity, we need to
1. Include comparative study of all religions in the high school curriculum as a mandatory course;
2. Establish a secular religious institution for worship to propagate the bonding force of all religions by emphasizing the common high values; and,
3. Establish a secular research institute to
a) make a study of esoterica of all religions;
b) identify the conflict causing differences rooted in scriptures, perceived truths, theologies, or other practices;
c) run reliability and validity tests on conflict causing perceived or intuitive truths and theologies (every premise must be justified by some evidence besides mere sanctity);
d) classify the non-verifiable perceived truths and the dependent parts of theology as “felt truths” so that the followers would visualize the weaknesses in the roots of conflicts;
e) explore and identify the means to harmonize the religious differences.

Religious Paradigms in Conflict

August 15, 2007.


Religious Paradigms in conflict
By T.S.Khanna

In every society, at any point in time, there exists a body of beliefs, convictions, sentiments, accepted principles, and firmly rooted prejudices which taken together provide a framework of public thought process. Such framework is based on certain fundamental assumptions, true or false, tested or untested, that are held by the society to be true and factual with such confidence that they hardly appear to bear the character of assumptions. This dominant theoretical framework controlling and guiding the pattern of public thought, behavior, and perception of observation and experiences is the paradigm of the society.

The sanctified religious paradigm becomes a self-perpetuating dogma and the faithful accept only those phenomena that fit in with the model of “reality” defined by the paradigm. History indicates and the present times confirm that such paradigms concentrate power in religious leaders.

When religious paradigms get in conflict, the religious leaders, due to their vested interests, do not re-examine their respective paradigms for a peaceful resolution. Instead, they use the religious group as a political party and exploit the gullible followers as the power base. They abandon the true spirit of religion and do not posses the capability of serving political interests of the followers. The result is misery for the followers convinced of their own “religious realities”.

The solution to this problem may be initiated by bringing out and openly discussing esoterica of all religions that serve the basis of conflict. People should then be able to visualize weaknesses in the roots of conflict.

Dynamics of Religious Faith and Hostilities

September 3, 2007.

Dynamics of Religious Faith and Hostilities
By T.S. Khanna
Background

Since the primal times, conflicting concepts of God and faith have been perceived or designed by various religions generating hostilities among the faithful. Dynamics of religious faith and hostilities may be better understood by viewing history not as chronological occurrences of incidents or events but as movement of human mind. Up until the end of the nineteenth century, movement of the human mind had been extremely slow, almost at a standstill. Due to the strong religious hold, same old stock of ideas was available.

The humanity suffered repeatedly from the conflicts arising out of the conflicting perceived or intuitive “religious truths” over which the superstructures of piety and morality codes were erected but their foundations never questioned. Successive religious leaders and historians, with their biased interpretations of scriptures and events, kept adding fuel to the fire of religious conflicts. This is true even today.

Intellectual indolence kept strengthening religious faiths without questioning the reliability, validity, or sources of the “truths” over which the faiths were founded. Religion became an all powerful source to control and command the lives of the followers. Religions acted as governments for the followers.

Religious leaders projected their image as the agents of almighty God. As God’s agents, they became almighty themselves and heavily punished anyone who challenged their belief system as the source of power. For example, to name a few; Socrates, Galileo, Copernicus, and many others could not break through the then prevailing religious paradigms.

Human mind is slow in accepting change. Religious stronghold is still continuing but to a lesser extent. However, due to the inherited baggage and social pressure, most followers, without being true to the religion, support their respective religions as political parties.

Ever since the inception, no religion has done any research to authenticate the foundations of its belief system or made any effort to advance the knowledge in search of truth. On the contrary, intellectual development is still discouraged by emphasizing non-questioning blind faith. People of either low intellectual levels or low emotional threshold are more prone to blind faith.

To satisfy sadistic desire, the religious leaders (monopoly of the male gender) always treated women as second class human beings. By sanctified religious moral codes, the female mind was programmed into accepting the sex/slave position as the norm.

Religious leaders thrive today, not because of their intellectual appeal or superiority but because of politicization of the religious institutes. They are constantly threatening the wall of Church/State separation under democratic governments. They like to reestablish their control of the followers.

Hidden Agenda

The hidden agenda of most religious leaders has been and continues to enhance their political power using the name of God. They call for sacrifice of the blind followers and a guilt trip for those who do not give blind support. The innate need of people to be in touch and stay engaged with the Creator is exploited by the religious leaders. Under the blind faith mindset, oppression and killing of others is not only condoned but commended, encouraged, and rewarded.

Intellectualism or rationalism, the highest faculties of the human mind, are suppressed and spurned by religious leaders. Their varying sanctified concepts of God are insulated from any challenge, not allowing to develop a common concept of God that may be acceptable to all and refutable by none. That seems to be the basic reason that religious conflicts are not resolved. Religious leaders keep the conflicts alive to serve their vested interests, running counter to the interests of the followers.

Discussions and Meetings

Normally, most human conflicts can be resolved by rational discussions, interchange of ideas, and compromises for mutual benefit. In religious conflicts, however, the experience proves otherwise, mainly because rationalism is not applicable in religious discussions.

In inter-religious group meetings, participants mostly tend to emphasize their own beliefs, not reexamine them in light of others’ views, nor in light of the art-of-the-state in human knowledge, or the current conflicts.

At other opportunities, most religious leaders tend to present their respective religions, not judiciously, but polemically. They seek to promote their version of “truth” as the infallible truth without the burden of proof. They use the arts of advocacy pushing their “truth”, abandoning the search for the truth, acceptable to all and refutable by none. Under this mode of effort, the perceived “goodness” of their cause enhances the problem it seeks or pretends to resolve.

The partisan mindset seeks to use multiple artifices and maneuvers in proportion to the zeal their perceived “sacred cause” inspires. The juxtaposed adversaries feel purified by such arguments by a feeling of greatness of their mission. The zealous missionary spirit, thus sharpened, further stimulates the bitterness promoting a more sensitive defensive attitude on part of the adversaries.

This process does not diminish but promotes religious hostilities. Further, full freedom of speech and expression without accountability under democracy provides nurturing compost for religious hostilities to flourish, at the cost of the religious followers. Talks, speeches, and training provided at religious institutions is polarizing. Unless a deliberate effort is directed in harmonizing the religions, the religious institutes will act as time bombs in democratic governments. Mere Church/State separation in the Constitution may not serve the intended purpose. The past is not a guarantee of the future security.

Types of Followers

There seem to be three types of followers in every religion: a) Moderates, with higher level of intellect, or education, or emotional threshold, with good faith in God, open for a dispassionate and rational discussion on religious issues; b) Fundamentalists, with lower level of education, or intellect, or emotional threshold, unquestioning blind faith, fixed ideas of the final knowledge of truth, non-compromising views on anything related to religion, and self righteousness; and, c) Extremists, same characteristics as the fundamentalists, with toxic faith, full of zeal to destroy those who differ in views as a pious cause.

Regimented religious training at young age without any other education tends to produce more fundamentalists and extremists. Although small in number, the fundamentalists and extremists seem to incite the moderates and control the religion as a political party. The moderates shift their position of opposition to support of the religious leaders with varying pressure from the fundamentalists/extremists. Religious leaders make the best of them to promote their own hidden agendas.

Silver Lining

In spite of the hopelessness projected from the past experience in the efforts of religious conflict resolution, there is a silver lining to the cloud. From the twentieth century, human intelligence seems to be on the rise, and more sharply so from the middle of the last century. The rate of rise seems to be considerably higher in the USA as compared to other parts of the world. Perhaps, it is related to the changing electromagnetic charge of the planet that feeds the IQ of the living beings.

Higher intelligence levels may not be mistaken as higher morality levels. On the contrary, the level of conventional morality is inversely proportional to the higher levels of intellect and emotional threshold. The intellectuals are, in fact, in search of new morality.

Increasing intelligence seems to be inducing more moderates in every religion who consider political aspects of the religion as inherited baggage. They do not, however, vent their views openly due to threats from the fundamentalists or social pressure. They get along well with the moderates of every religion; dispassionately discuss the belief systems, interchange ideas supported only by ethical and secular rationalism. Believing that God has gifted them with intelligence, they use rational logic to resolve their problems. They constitute a dominant but silent majority in every religion. They believe that the religions are high-jacked by the religious leaders with the help of the fundamentalists/extremists.

The moderates offer a great hope in resolving religious conflicts.

The bonding force among the moderates is the theological values and spiritual graces common to all religions:
Good faith in God; hope and optimism for sustained effort; self-confidence; self-discipline; sense of duty; sense of justice and fairness; gratefulness; helping the less fortunate; caring and sharing; charity; non-violence and peace; compassion; contemplation; personal honesty and integrity; humility; courtesy; pursuit of purpose bigger than life; pursuit of excellence; and, other similar values. The dividing burden of religious customs, symbols, appearance, or methods of prayer may be maintained as a private matter.

Recommendation

In democratic societies, to bring about coherence among religions and eventually resolve religious conflicts for good, we need some active and sustained mechanism in place to encourage and protect the moderates from the fundamentalists/extremists. The moderates may then emphatically speak up about the common values that unite the religions and re-examine the significance of customs and symbols that divide the religions. The weaknesses in the roots of conflicts may then become visible to the disadvantage of those who exploit religion for political purposes.
The functions of the institute may include but not limited to
• A study of the esoteric of the main stream religions of the nation;
• Identify the roots of conflicts among religions;
• Develop means for harmonizing the conflicts; and,
• Develop means to identify flash-points of conflicts and preventive measures to avert conflicts.

Recalling The Governor

August 20, 2003


Recall of The Governor

Democracy degenerates when the democratic practices ignore the intent of its ideals. It is a moral duty of the body politic to rise above the interests of the party bosses and protect the common interest of the state. At present, the case in point is the on-going effort to recall the Governor of the state.

I believe that the current recall effort may be legally admissible but positively degenerating in as much as it moves away from the intent of our democratic ideals. If we believe that the Governor is responsible for the state budget deficit, he should be kept in place to fix the problem. He is in a stronger position to fix the problem as he is not eligible to run for the office at the end of his term. This puts him in a position to take bold steps, which may not be possible for a new Governor.

The recall effort is an unnecessary expense on the state’s already strained budget. It offers no solution to the real issues. Soon after the recall results are declared, there is a probability of several legal challenges among the contesting parties. Eventually, this process may install an inexperienced buffoon in the Governor’s office who may continue to escape the responsibility by blaming the predecessor. This recall effort will be setting a detrimental precedent. It is likely to kick off a chain reaction never allowing enough stability for the future governors to do their job. Collecting enough signatures to qualify for a recall petition is not a problem for the self-serving bosses of any political party. They would set up a table in front of a busy store like Wal-Mart or Costco and pay $ 2.00 per signature to passing customers. It may be legal. Is it moral? Does it serve the intent of democratic ideals? Think it over in the larger interest of the state.

I respectfully urge all Californians, regardless of their party affiliation, to oppose this recall effort to protect the overall interest of the state.

A Call For Quality in Democracy

September 25, 2003.


A Call for Quality in Democracy

Under the current political practices, we elect the best politicians money can buy and ignore the true leaders that money cannot buy. Technologically, we have been advancing rapidly: politically, we have been decaying steadily. Consequently, from a technological perspective, we have a solution to almost every problem but from a political perspective, we have a problem to almost every solution. The Soviet Union has proved that communism does not work. The current affairs in California tend to prove that democracy is also not able to deliver the results. Direct democracy gives an illusion of wide choice of candidates but not the right candidate for governor.

This is because non-partisan rationality to protect the common good is missing in our democratic operations. Each political party engages in a blame game. The parties keep escalating polarization to the point fanaticism. Full effort is devoted to gain power: No effort is made to evolve substantive solution to the problems. Then, in frustration, we take steps that do not even address the very issues that trigger those steps. For instance, recall of the Governor to eliminate the budget deficit. In frustration, we hope that any change will be a change for the better. We do not evaluate merits and demerits of the change.

Let’s take a quick look. First, the Governor is not entirely responsible the budget deficit: many assembly members and senators are equally responsible. Second, power base of the new governor will impose the same constraints, e.g., voters’ wishes and restrictive legislative assembly. Third, State budget is generated by a compromise of many conflicting forces: recall effort does nothing to eliminate them or even minimize them. Fourth, no contesting candidate is presenting a clear-cut plan to abolish the deficit. Any such plan would be detrimental to the candidate’s chances in election.

Last night, the gubernatorial debate was of extremely low quality. The debate was very poorly conducted. It was more of a shouting competition without substance. How can voters be expected to judge the job fitness of the candidates from such a debate?

Usually, the solution is sought when the problem is felt most. I take this opportunity to suggest interjection of some quality in our democratic operations in order to evolve abiding solution for the common good.

As a first step, I would like to suggest that certain prerequisites be adopted and enforced for each elected position in the state. Such a measure should assure the necessary background and the minimum knowledge and the quality of candidates for the job performance. Much as immigrants are welcome, I believe the candidates competing for the state elections must be born in the state.

State Budget Crisis

April 7, 2005.
The Budget Crisis.

Year after year, we hear the failure of our public officials in balancing the budget. The culture of overspending persists. It is a failure in our political leadership.

The Democrats policy is “spend and tax”, and the Republicans policy is “spend and borrow.” Both need to be controlled. All the public officials responsible for the California budget fiasco must be held responsible and duly punished to eradicate irresponsibility in high offices. However, there is no mechanism in place to keep a check on the policies of the political parties or accountability of public officials. The Judiciary, independent of political influences, may be authorized to conduct inquiries and final approval of the budget annually.

The State may be required to build a reserve fund, ten percent of the revenue annually. After ten years or so, the expenditure may be restricted only to the funds on hand in the treasury.

It is estimated that there are over 20 million illegal immigrants in the USA and nearly 50% of them are in California. Their number is growing. Illegal immigrants are causing a tremendous strain on the budget as well as on morals and culture in the state. Employers of the illegal immigrants may be held responsible. Both Democrats and Republicans are shy of tackling this issue out of the fear of losing votes. This is yet another responsibility that may be handed over to the Judiciary.

Prevention of Firestorms

September 5, 2009.

Prevention of Firestorms
By T.S.Khanna

Since the 1991 Oakland Hills fire, which destroyed more than 3,000 homes, we have experienced many big fires in California. But we have not applied any preventive lessons from experience. Even the 2003 Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations were ignored. Again, we are experiencing firestorms in southern California.

The redeveloped Oak Land Hills homes are just as vulnerable as they were before the 1991 fire. The well-developed areas of Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, and San Ramon are also vulnerable.

I urge that State and Federal Laws be adopted that

1. All buildings (including homes) exterior may be constructed with fireproof material by using bricks, stones, stucco, steel, and fireproof roof-tiles.
2. Heat/smoke sensitive automatic sprinkler systems may be installed on the ceilings and the roof tops with an on/off switch outside the house/building.
3. Homes may be surrounded only with ever green shrubbery, not tall trees. The height of the trees may be limited to the distance from the nearest building.
4. Only very low-density developments may be allowed in the wind tunnel and other vulnerable areas, like hilly areas where, under emergency, easy movement is denied to the fire fighting equipment and the escaping residents.
5. During the dry or windy season or days, no fire burning may be allowed in the picnic areas or open areas.
6. State-of-the-art techniques may be implemented to prevent fire from the shot circuited or downed power lines.

To stay in business, insurance companies and Fire Districts must insist on preventive measures.

Performance Level of Congress-Senate

February 28, 2007.

Performance Level of the Senate/Congress
By T.S. Khanna

During the last few decades, technologically we have made a tremendous progress but politically we have degenerated just as sharply. Today, from technical perspective, we have a solution to every problem and from political prospective, we have a problem to every solution. Is it too much democracy or too much diversity or just rugged individualism without sufficient training in “give and take”?

Evidently, our democracy places in power the best politicians money can buy and ignores the true leaders money cannot buy.

The senate and the congress fiddle while the national interest burns abroad. The two parties, Republican and Democratic, fight each other with religious fanaticism and continue to destroy the emotional unity of the citizens essential to pursue national interests.

“The Broken Branch”, recently published by the American Enterprise Institute, shows some of the weaknesses in our system. Removing those weaknesses may not be easy. The law makers themselves have vested interest in maintaining those weaknesses. The election process needs an overhaul before we can hope to elect the right public officials. To meet the challenges of the changing world, a number of constitutional amendments may be necessary to incorporate the lessons from our past experiences with democracy,

The Senate and the Congress need a watchdog for their performance and accountability. I urge your readers to give ideas.

Top Priorities For The Congress and The Senate

Top Priorities for the New Congress and the Senate
By T.S.Khanna, January 9, 2007.

Waldo Emerson once remarked that nothing is more powerful than the idea whose time has come. Many great ideas appear whose time comes and stays but they are not even noticed, leave aside testing their power. This is because democracy dilutes the power to a degree that no one in power fully feels the responsibility or faces accountability.

The top priorities of the new Congress and the Senate should be

1. To go through the recently published book, “The Broken Branch”, and make immediate repairs,
2. Take an immediate and substantive, lasting action to resolve the deficit problem,
3. Resolve the foreign policy problems in the Middle East from rational and national point of view, not from the partisan viewpoint of controlling power,
4. Have a rational, non-partisan, thorough evaluation of the Constitution made by an appointed Commission (of nine knowledgeable non-partisan political science professors, journalists and Supreme Court judges) to identify its weaknesses in meeting the present day challenges. Then amend the Constitution as may be necessary,
5. Time and again, Congress and Senate have shown that each is not capable of self-monitoring its ethics, efficiency, and quality of performance. Ask for a monitoring Commission, to be appointed by the Supreme Court Chief Justice, to route out the “corruption culture” of Washington, D.C., and gain back the public trust and respect.

New Low in American Politics

April 7, 2007.

The New Low in American Politics
By T.S.Khanna

Lately, it seems that American politics is touching its lowest ebb. At the time of war, there is a war between the President and the Congress. It agitates the passion of the nation to note that the foreign policy of the Congress (House and Senate) members is at variance with the President’s foreign policy.

When there are so many faces and even greater number of mouths (including the media) claiming to represent the USA. Neither our enemies nor our friends know whom to trust. Our democracy is atomizing the nation. This is the time of test of our Constitution and democracy; it is showing that they both need refinement. To squarely face the challenge of our times, we will have to think outside the box of our Constitution.

. Your space and the readers’ time limit my words. Without a detailed discussion, I would suggest a few measures, as a starter, for consideration of the well wishers of this great nation:
1. The offices of the President and the Vice President may made non-partisan with only one 6-year term.
2. Both, the President and the Vice-President may be elected by the Congress, not as a team but as independent individuals. During the 6-year term, either of them may be removed from office by 2/3rd majority of the Congress.
3. The Senate may also be made a non-partisan institution to moderate the partisanship of the House.
4. A third political party may be established to draw in moderates from both Republican and Democratic parties for better integration of the nation.
5. To improve performance of the Congress, Supreme Court Justices, by rotation, may serve as Chairmen of the House and the Senate.

Illegal Immigrants

November 5, 2007.

Illegal Immigrants
By T.S.Khanna

Moral dilemma arises when a church or a good citizen start condoning, supporting, abetting, or promoting illegal activities in the name of higher morality. The case in point is the story on Illegal Immigrants by David Crary in November 5, 2007 issue of Contra Costa Times.

The subject story evokes sympathy for illegal immigrants, branding the local employers as exploiters. The illegal status of the immigrants is ignored and condoned and they are guided into demanding their rights through unionism.

For too long unionism in the USA has ignored the free market economy---the very basis of democratic economic system. Now we are unable to escape the adverse effects. As the unions demand higher wages, they attract more illegal unskilled labor into the country and drive more jobs out of the country. Now we are losing competitive edge in the international market. It would be in the national interest to establish counter unions for the employers/consumers and insist on free market economy to bring the jobs back and get the illegal immigrants out.

Illegal immigrants are well disguised invaders gradually nibbling at the American System that made this country from dust to the greatest. As their number increases so does the power of the illegal immigrants. They do not wish to learn English language or the American culture; they are imposing their own with growing success.

While toleration is a great human quality, it is even a greater failing when accompanied with irresponsibility. To counter the growing problem that has anesthetized us, I would urge that

1. Employers/consumers establish counter unions to adjust wages for a competitive edge;
2. the state and local governments give active support and cooperation to Federal Government to enforce immigration laws;
3. Adopt laws for exemplary punishment to those providing shelter or employment to illegal immigrants;
4. Deport all illegal immigrants regardless of any immediate negative consequences;
5. Close down all language option facilities provided at the public expense and encourage all immigrants to learn English;
6. Provide free English teaching facilities and require fluency in speaking, reading, and writing for all immigrants below 65 within five years.

G.B. Shaw once remarked, “Unless we take care to have the things we like, we will be forced to like the things we have.”

Equality and Liberty For Women

Equality and Liberty for Women
By T.S.Khanna
May 15, 2007.

Women in every religion have been treated as second class human beings. In the USA, struggling on the platform of equality under the Constitution, they have made commendable inroads, setting an example for the world. However, those gains are always at risk against the forces of religion. Religions can justify both fascism and democracy.

Our democracy guarantees individual equality, liberty and the right to be the sole arbiter of one’s own development, destiny, and prosperity. As a society, no matter how much we may depend on others, each individual, regardless of the gender, must make the voyage of life alone.

There are times when ambitions, plans, hopes, and disappointments are best known only to the individual and every passion cannot be shared with others. To make the best of the life’s voyage, one must develop and use the skills of self-reliance. Some privacy, situational analysis, judgment, and action are necessary to acquire those skills.

When the woman’s right for judgment and action regarding her own self is restricted, she is denied the very self-reliance expected of her in a free society. I do not see how the Supreme Court can restrict the abortion rights under the very Constitution that guarantees individual liberty.

Abortion issue is really outside the courts jurisdiction. Women and women only, should vote on it in each state.

Women of the world must unite to struggle for equality and full liberty. They have nothing but exploitive males to lose.

American Wages and Foreign Competetion

American Wages and the Foreign Competition.
By T.S. Khanna

It has been a tradition in the US economy for the unions to increase their wages free of competition and regardless of the effect on the overall economy. Since the early twentieth century, the US had been foremost in industrial development free of foreign competition and could sustain such increases.

Now the foreign competition is getting to be stiff and real. The traditional approach to wage increase spiral has been inflationary, more like chasing a mirage to quench thirst.

United Auto Worker’s recent strike against General Motors, Chrysler Corporation, or Nurses strike against hospitals must not be viewed merely as a dispute between the “poor workers” and the greedy corporations. The US wages are already way too high to compete in the world market. Each time the wages or benefits are increased through strike, the US economy falls behind that much more in competition.

Now it seems imperative that the wages in the US economy be adjusted and enforced to be consistent with the public interest in economic growth, monetary stability, and foreign competition.

Outsourcing of jobs cannot be blamed on the President, or NAFTA; the unions must take the blame. By ignoring the wage adjustment, the US economy will become like third world economies with poorly paying service jobs only. The very unions now forcing wage increases will be seeking those jobs with a greatly depreciated dollar value.

The President and the Congress must examine the matter on high priority.

Election Follies

February 22, 2008.


Election Follies
By T.S.Khanna

Our current system of elections is creating splits within the communities, political parties, and the nation. During each presidential election year these splits are increased and hardened. The long election process causes voters’ fatigue and counter-productive expenditure.

Further, it is observed that most enthusiastic voters do not even know what the responsibilities, and constraints the president’s office carries. Ignoring the issues and the qualifications, merit record, and experience of the candidates, they go after the looks and eloquence. Both, an asset in movies, can be misleading for public service. Edmund Burke, cautioned, “Eloquence may exist without a proportional degree of wisdom”.

I recommend
• The nomination process may be carried out only by the delegates in full confidentiality on a single day at the party’s expense, not at the public expense. Walter Lippmann advised that the many should elect after a few have nominated.
• Requisite qualifications, experience, and qualities may be defined and required for candidates for each elected position.
• Requisite knowledge about an elected office may be required of voters for their eligibility to vote for that office.
• Equal opportunity campaign for the nominated candidates may be arranged by the Election Commission at the public expense. Campaign contributions by corporation, and individuals may be disallowed. This is a form of bribery against the public interest.
• Election Commission may keep a close watch on candidates for any misleading statements, out of bound promises, or any ethics violations, which may disqualify a candidate during the election process.

Political Crisis in the US.

April 29, 2008.
Political Crisis in the US.
By T.S. Khanna.

In every profession, the US has made great advances; in politics, great a deterioration. Presidency has now become virtually the unintended fourth branch of government. During the last few decades, each presidential election has caused more and deeper splits in the nation. The present form of our democracy is atomizing the nation. People are lacking the spirit for national emotional unity.

To save politics from further deterioration, and set a course for improvement, I recommend that we:
• Switch from presidential democracy to parliamentary democracy, the President would become a uniting force, not a divisive force in the nation;
• Institute prerequisites for candidacy of each elected office to ensure electability of only quality candidates;
• Settle prerequisites of knowledge for voters for each elected office;
• Fix 25 years as the minimum age for voters, political decisions must not be high-jacked by immature children;
• Shorten the election period, not exceeding four months;
• Move national elections from one day in November to two weather friendly days in May, second Saturday/Sunday;
• Establish a powerful election commission to propose strict laws and enforcement for fair elections;
• Impose reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech by requiring accountability;
• Deemphasize equality, reemphasize equality of opportunity;
• Amend the Constitution to eliminate any misinterpretation of its spirit, incorporate certain human values commonly supported by the mainstream religions;
• Initiate a grassroots movement to counter the resistance of vested interests against the needed reforms.

Is anyone listening?

Averting Economic Crisis

July 21, 2008

Averting Economic Crisis
By T.S. Khanna


The taxation policies proposed by the Democrats and Republicans to improve economy are oriented to serve the party interest, not the public interest. To avert further economic crisis, some quick steps are recommended:

1. Revive the automobile industry by tapping the oil reserves and exploring all potential sources of oil. Bring down the gas price to $ 2.00/gallon by neutralizing the speculators. The demand for oil has increased only 2% but the price increase is 400%;
2. Raise the interest rate to control inflation, strengthen the dollar, invite foreign investments, take whatever steps necessary to bring back the lost jobs to shore up the capacity of people to keep up with their mortgage commitments;
3. Suspend property tax of homes for two years;
4. Suspend federal and state taxes on the first ten thousand dollars income/year;
5. Suspend voting rights of those who do not pay income tax to encourage people to activate the positive economic process before participating in the negative political process, (Amend Constitution);
6. Establish a Fair Wages Commission with powers of binding decisions both on the management and the workers unions, to protect the workers’ exploitation by the management and to protect the economy from being high-jacked by the unions, (Amend Constitution);
7. Give special recognition to those who pay $ 100,000 or more/year as federal tax;
8. Avert lay offs by reducing top heavy expenses of organizations by setting a precedent of 20% cut in salaries and perks of all elected officials and public employees;
9. Eliminate all tax loopholes and adopt a fixed rate federal income tax of 20%.
10. The Congress and the President must cooperate and act NOW.

Refining Democracy: An Overview

September 29, 2008
2. REFINING DEMOCRACY: An Overview
By T.S. Khanna.
Democracy, in its present form, is not making good in its promises and hopes for the people. There seem to be several reasons to revisit and refine democratic theory and its practices:
• Corruption in public affairs,
• Razor thin fragile public trust in elected officials,
• Damaging political influence on the national economy,
• Irresponsible actions of elected officials and lack of accountability resulting in uncontrolled expenditure and huge budget deficits,
• Misinterpreted concept of symbiotic relationship between democracy and free market economy,
• Free market of guns, poisonous chemicals, uranium and other lethal substances endangering both democracy and humanity,
• Erroneous belief that the religion and the state are separated in practice,
• Gorilla type of terrorism and frequent killings in educational institutions,
• Constitutional freedom to frustrated individuals, under incandescent rage, providing opportunities for mass destruction,
• Pornography and homosexuality trumping the classic human values,
• Uncontrolled felony crime rate.

What we are observing or experiencing now is portentous of what may be much worse ahead. In a culture of optimism and hope, thinking about the reality of worst possibility may be regarded as defeatist mentality but preparing for the worst is the quality of victorious mindset. We need to step outside the cozy box belief that democracy is the panacea for all social ills.

The present form of democracy is not fully equipped to deal with the present day issues. To meet the new challenge, now we need a paradigm shift.

In every society, at any point in time, there exists a body of beliefs based on certain assumptions. These assumptions may be even false and untested but they are believed with such confidence that they do not bear the character of assumptions. There was a time when individual freedom, equality, natural rights were as alien to the then prevailing societies as their absence would be today in a democratic society.

The dominant framework, based on strong beliefs, controls and guides the pattern of public thought. It constitutes the paradigm of the society. Paradigm shift seems to go through five stages:
1. Denial Stage; when anomalous happenings, incidents, or new facts do not fit in with the prevailing paradigm but they are ignored as odd facts occurring by chance.
2. Doubt Stage: under increased number of anomalies raising doubt about the prevailing paradigm.
3. Planning Stage; amending of paradigm in light of new knowledge and experience.
4. Implementation Stage; opposition from the vested interests. This stage involves extensive public re-education and some coercion.
5. Completion Stage; Gradual public acceptance of the amended paradigm as it accommodates more and more of new knowledge, experiences, or incidents. This stage involves sustained effort in public education with increasing level of coercion.

Democratic societies facing the challenge of paradigm shift are still in the denial stage. Time is not on their side. For a smooth shift at an accelerated pace, a sustained institutional effort is essential. In the absence of such effort, pressures for paradigm shift can cause civil unrest. Recall the civil war in 1860s.

As a first step, democratic nations may establish non-partisan organizations under the constitution, with appropriate powers and responsibilities to identify the issues and propose solutions.

Refining Democracy: The Need

September 9, 2008
REFINING DEMOCRACY;The Need
By T.S. Khanna.

The concepts of life, its purpose, government, natural rights, and societal obligations are the product of (a) religious knowledge, (b) scientific knowledge, and, (c) experiential knowledge of human behavior under varying conditions.

Religions provide intuitive, imaginative, or conceptual knowledge explained by inductive (Plato) logic, not testable but justifiable only by feelings. In the process, they generate dogmas, doctrines, and theology. This knowledge varies with religions.

On the other hand, knowledge gained through science or study of human behavior is definite, explained by deductive logic (Aristotle), testable and verifiable; yet, not easily adoptable.

In every society, human values, at any point in time, vary between the original religious values and adoption of new values based on new knowledge. The values and the progressive changes have reciprocal effect on each other---constructive or destructive.

There seem to be several reasons for the society’s inability to update its values for progress; (a) sanctity attached to religious values, (b) no means, in place, to identify and evaluate digressive or progressive values in light of the new knowledge, (c) no mechanism, in place, to adopt or discard the identified values, (d) vested interests resist change, and, (e) slow acceptance of change, in human mind.

Progressive societies need to make a sustained effort to adopt or discard certain values in light of the new knowledge. The gain in human knowledge is like travelling through haze. As we focus on certain objective or ideal, at first, only a focal point is discernible without marked boundaries and obstacles. As we travel along, both the positive and negative aspects become more clearly visible.

In 1776, the US Constitution was adopted on certain assumptions of democratic human behavior while declaring independence from non-democratic conditions. Since then, there has been considerable gain in new (definite) knowledge of human behavior in democracy that challenges the assumptions and the ideals of the democracy established under the constitution.

Yet, there is no mechanism, in place, to adopt or discard the values that promote or defy the assumptions or ideals of democracy. Over a period, vested interests get well established to effectively haze the public interest to serve their own, in the name of public interest.

In light of the new knowledge gained and in progress, I would suggest that the USA (and all other democratic nations) may consider constitutionally establishing a mechanism to
1. Continuously evaluate the positive and negative values, and,
2. Make recommendations to amend the constitution and governmental operations adopting or discarding certain values.

Ignoring the need of the time can reverse democracy into much harder alternatives.

Saving the American Auto Industry

December 8, 2008.

Saving the American Auto Industry
By T.S. Khanna

The American Auto Industry that built, not long ago, many dream cars, with a moving living room comfort, is being decried today. Not saving it would be a disaster. Saving it without the application of sound economic principles would be even a greater disaster, later.

Some suggestions for saving the industry are presented:
• Fix the auto workers wages for the products to compete in the world market,
• The highest compensation paid to the company’s executives may not exceed some reasonable ratio to the lowest compensation paid to the workers,
• Revamp the industry with a focus on building reliable small cars with a five-star safety rating, giving 30+ mpg, while developing hybrid and electric cars within ten years,
• To minimize inventory expenses, build only to order, by showing sample models at the dealers,
• Reduce the retired workers pensions by 30% across the board,
• At this opportune period of low demand, develop a mutually beneficial agreement with oil producing nations fixing the price at $ 45-50.00 a barrel for the next ten years, not allowing the gas price to exceed $ 2.00/gallon in the USA.

In the Senate and Congress hearings, auto industry CEOs were shamed for using private jets and drawing high compensations while the Cos are going broke. Our nation is also going broke. Our elected officials are responsible for this mess. Should they also not be required to accept an annual compensation of one dollar, without benefits, until the economy is fixed?

Capitalism v/s Socialism

January 2, 2009

Capitalism v/s Socialism in the USA.
By T.S. Khanna

God has equally distributed resources around the world but it is only in the USA that we have
• Electricity and water available around the clock;
• Centrally heated and air conditioned homes, offices, and cars;
• Less than 7% unemployment;
• Availability of food and goods in plenty;
• Minimized poverty;
• Diverse people/cultures working/living together, peacefully.

This is because the USA is the most innovative, wealth producing nation created by the Democratic Capitalist System. The system allows everyone opportunity to maximize his/her wealth within the legal framework. Those unable or the unwilling ignore the opportunities and blame the system for mal-distribution of wealth, in spite of the benefits received.

Unfortunately, their number has been increasing and their voting strength has become the present system’s weakness. Now they constitute a dominant force to change capitalism into socialism, in the hope of getting free money and services.

Experience has shown that socialism starts out distributing wealth and ends up distributing poverty. While capitalism makes people unequally rich, socialism makes them equally poor.

In the US, the wealth producing wherewithal is in place but it can operate only under a wealth producing culture. It takes several generations to build a culture but only one generation to destroy it. Socialist forces can cause quick destruction.

The nation is at the crossroads. The wealth producing culture must be protected by reestablishing the public confidence in the present system. This may well be achieved by enforcing integrity, transparency, and exemplary penalties.

Plundering The Public

February 17, 2009

Plundering the Public
By T.S. Khanna

The old adage, “When wealth is lost, little is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, everything is lost”, is proving its validity in the modern times. When integrity in public affairs is lost, everything is lost.

Democracy is based on the assumption of integrity in public affairs, imposed by moral and legal restraints. Nevertheless, our corporations and politicians seem to have freed themselves of such restraints.

Under the existing democratic laws, proving the cases of corruption is both expensive and cumbersome. Besides, the threshold of ethics in public affairs has been gradually degraded in the name of soft skills in public relations. Freedom from moral restraints is well reflected by Merrill Lynch Chief, John Thain. Some other chiefs, supposedly the trustees of the companies, make more than 360 times the wages of the average workers while shareholders are at their mercy.

During an unprecedented bailout of corporations by taxpayers’ funds, the corporations executives had the audacity to take eighteen billion dollars in bonuses. Bonuses are meant to serve as incentives for the executives to be paid in accordance with the performance level. Through TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) funds, at the taxpayers’ expense, the executives have been fully rewarded for their failures. No restrictions or regulations were included in the bailout funds packages. Now the public is informed that there is no law under which drawn out bonuses can be recovered.

Further, the value of many of the corporations is less today than it was soon after the bailout. For instance, since October 2008, the government has deposited $ 165 billion into the accounts of the nation’s eight largest financial institutions, including Bank of America, CITI, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo Bank. Yet, today their worth is $ 418 billion less than it was in early November 2008.

No effort is in the works to identify or stop this financial hemorrhage. Each political party blames the other political party. In this political fog, no justice can be served or any blame pinpointed to any person or organization. The taxpayers watch powerlessly. They can only use the power of prayers to overcome their outrage and live in the dream of hope and optimism. Thus, the public oversight is nullified and the operatives of public affairs get more elbowroom.

Now the new government would like to meet the old challenge with a new effort of $ 787 billion, again at the taxpayers’ expense, with a proviso that there are no guarantees. Are we getting out of the frying pan or getting into the fire?

There is a lot more to be highlighted but your space limits my words. I solicit readers’ ideas to reign in the out of control politicians and corporations.

Rebuilding Our Economy

March 6, 2009

Rebuilding Our Economy
By T.S. Khanna

Once, after a short truce, an army General reversed the direction of his cannons. The new General, acting under a sudden emergency, ordered firing. At the breaking of the sound barrier, people realized that it is a friendly fire coming on to them with the same destructive potential as that of the enemy; nevertheless, too late to escape.

The new President has presented and the Congress has passed an unprecedented huge deficit bill of $787 billion expenditure with empty coffers. We, the people, assume, trust and expect every congress member to make a thorough study of the bill before voting on it. But, in this case, most Congress members, acting as foot soldiers of the President, supported the bill without a reading, comprehension, analysis, or deliberation. Our Congress is suffering from a high degree of entropy----a measure of disorder proportional to the distance between assumptions and realities.

Sound barriers of the provisions in the bill have not broken and most people are not aware of the contents of the bill. In the political fog of confusion, the new administration has tried to prove itself equal to the emergency. No test guns have been in the plan to check their direction and the aftermath.

However, there is no escaping that a deficit financing of this magnitude is bound to set off uncontrollable inflation after a short-term control of deflation. Remember the news pictures of long lines for a loaf of bread at any price in the former Soviet Union. This is what happens when money is printed without commensurate production of marketable goods to back up. We are not immune to such economic inflictions.

Unfortunately, we are petrified into partisan thought process only. Partisan compromises are not always true solutions; quite often, quite the opposite. The call of emergency is to make a non-partisan economic analysis of the proposed expenditure, before we embark upon a spending spree.

In the meantime, we must adopt measures that do not involve deficit financing and bring immediate savings. Some suggestions as a starter:
1. To reestablish public confidence in their government, reduce salaries of all public officials, elected officials and public employees, by 50% and eliminate perks altogether. In fact, the public officials should volunteer to prove empathetic leadership;
2. Reduce pensions of all public officials by 30%;
3. Deport all illegal immigrants ( estimated twenty million and growing) without exception and impose exemplary penalties on those harboring illegal migrants. It will go long ways in reforming health care and stabilizing housing market. Transfer sympathies to the struggling citizens for a change;
4. Establish a Fair Wages Commission with powers of binding decisions to fix wages bearable by the markets. This is the key to rebuilding our economy. Corporations may not exploit the labor and the labor unions may not high-jack the economy;
5. Revise the Tax Code for a simplified option for personal tax; (a) eliminate all tax loopholes and tax shelters, (b) Allow $ 10,000 income deduction ( $ 15,000 for above 65) with a 20% fixed tax on additional income.

Refining Democracy: Independence of Judiciary

July 21, 2009

Refining Democracy:
Independence of Judiciary.
By T.S. Khanna

Our Democracy requires independence of judiciary but our Supreme Court is gradually becoming a powerful political institution.

Since the early 1970s, with the rising demand of civil liberties, the nature of cases arriving at the US Supreme Court have been involving alternatives with severe disagreements in the diverse US society. Such issues are abortion, same sex marriage, equal protection, and others.

The setting of such issues is political, with each party supporting the opposite outcomes.

Further, the wordings of the Constitution is general and not clear enough to guide or constraint the judgment of sitting justices resulting in precedents of opposing judgments on the same issues.

The Constitution incorporated the selection process for judges to maintain a high standard of integrity and impartiality under the law. However, the process has been politicized. The Senate hearings indicate that each time each party forces the installation of its own person.

By the time a candidate is approved by the Senate, he/she becomes bitter against the opposing party. Outwardly nonpartisan, the sitting judges get psychologically wedded to one party or the other. That is how our Supreme Judicial Institution is turning into a powerful political institution.

I suggest that:
• Our Constitution may be amended to eliminate the political influences in the selection process, like in Great Britain, or India.
• The political issues may stay out of court jurisdiction to be decided by political process. For example, abortion issue may be decided in each state only by women’s votes.

The Housing Crisis

March 19, 2009
The Housing Crisis
By T.S. Khanna

During the past three years, January 2006- December 2008, there have been 4.7 million foreclosures. During the next four years, January 2009- December 2012, 6.4 million additional foreclosures are projected, if the job market remains steady.

$ 275 billion stimulus plan to stop the foreclosures seems flawed:
1. It requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to renegotiate loans for lower mortgages or lower monthly payments. The process will be cumbersome, judgmental, and frictional;
2. The newly laid off may not be able to pay even the lowered payments and may set off a new wave of foreclosures;
3. It would not permit easy relocation for new jobs;
4. It runs counter to the democratic philosophy of personal responsibility for one’s decisions and actions;
5. It is morally wrong to reward the irresponsible, who did not earn those homes in the first place, at the expense of the responsible who pay their taxes and manage their means.

In spite of the hard times, 90% of the homeowners stretch to honor their mortgages. Shifted burden of saving the 10% will cause many of the 90% to set off a new wave of foreclosures.

I suggest:
1. Eliminate tax on all residential properties to make them more affordable;
2. Federal Government may buy or invite investors to buy the foreclosing homes and rent to the occupants at 31% of their gross income;
3. Immediately stop bailing out the financial institutions; and,
4. Restructure the economy on economic principles, not on political idiosyncrasies.

Refining Democracy: The Budget Crisis

June 3, 2009

Refining Democracy:
The Budget Crisis
By T.S. Khanna

It is most troubling for the taxpayers to see the growing budget deficit in the State and the Federal Government.

In California, Governor Davis was replaced by the current Governor to eliminate the budget deficit. And now the deficit of $ 24.3 billion is greater than ever before. At the national level the deficit is now running in trillions. The situation is not self-correcting: it is self-degenerating.

Some causes and corrective measures are:
• The elected officials lack knowledge in math, accounting and sound principles of economics. We need to adopt prerequisites for eligibility for election to maintain the required standard of knowledge in the elected body;
• In the absence of any restriction on expenditure, elected officials consider taxpayers money as free money for appeasing their voters. Each year, 10% of the revenue may be set aside as reserve fund and after ten years expenditure may be limited to 90% of the reserve fund on hand.
• In the absence of sufficient accountability, the officials act irresponsibly. For those responsible for causing the deficit, there may be a reduction in their salary and perks by the same percentage as of the deficit. Further, they may be black listed disallowing contest in any future election.
• Individually, the elected officials possess average intelligence, but their collective IQ is usually subzero in Congress or State Assemblies. Establish strict procedural guidelines that they add to one another, not subtract from each other.

We need propositions for voters to cover the above points at the next election for voters to vote on.

Public Spending v/s Private Spending

December 17, 2009.

Public Spending v/s Private Spending
By T.S. Khanna

Over the years, each party in power (Democrats and Republicans) has been increasing the nation’s deficit. Democrats’ policy is “spend and tax” and the Republicans’ policy has been “spend and borrow”.

In the absence of any Constitutional restriction and accountability, elected officials are out of control. They are bankrupting the wealthiest nation, still with a potential of greatest productivity.

Without funds in the coffers, approval of entitlement programs, stimulus programs, deficit spending without limits, and taxation policies creates a class of persons who do not work and takes earnings away from those who do. For a faster and lasting economic recovery, private spending must be encouraged to replace public spending.

To redeem the nation, we need to
• Adopt a Constitutional amendment against deficit spending,
• Require strict accountability of the elected officials responsible for deficit spending, and,
• Limit the rate of taxation and apply the same flat rate, without loopholes, to every taxpayer regardless of the income.

“The meek shall inherit the earth”, but with the present and the impending increases in income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, property tax, gas tax, and bridge tolls, nothing will be left for the meek.

Refining Democracy: Candidates for Election

June 25, 2010.
Refining Democracy: Candidates for Election.
By T.S. Khanna

The democratic systems do not have any mechanism in place to make sure that the elected officials are equal to the responsibilities of the office they get elected to. As a result, a large number of elected officials are incompetent to do the job.

In the modern times, various levels of education and training are essential for different elected positions. Educational and training requirements may be evolved through seminars and discussions of knowledgeable people.

Law may then require the appropriate education and training for a candidate’s eligibility for the position he/she seeks.

In addition to the education and training required to fit the job, some general requisites are suggested:
1. minimum age, 30 years; 2. Must have paid state and federal taxes and participated in elections for the preceding five years; 3. Must be a born citizen of the country; 4. Must be free of any conviction of felony, fraud, or violence; 5. Must have a clean credit report; 6. Must have sound mental health; 7. Must have performed at least two years of approved voluntary service; 8. Only one term for any position may be allowed;

Refining Democracy: The Voters

March 25, 2010.
Refining Democracy: The Voters
By T.S. Khanna

Ballot box is the key institution of democracy. Yet, most political problems are rooted in there. At the ballot box, voters are expected to
• Be fully knowledgeable about the political issues, candidates, governmental system and operations;
• Identify, promote, and protect the public interest, i.e., common good;
• Act independently and rationally; and,
• Be analytical, responsible, with mature judgment.

However, in the modern times, the voters are unable to meet the expectations for several reasons:
• Lack of knowledge of political and governmental set up and affairs;
• Growing complexity of political issues;
• Psychological manipulation through social engineering by Special Interests;
• Truth twisting demagoguery by candidates; and
• Limited time, interest and grasp of the voters.

To improve the quality of performance at the ballot box, I suggest some equal opportunity requisites for the citizens to become eligible voters:
• Certification of a course work completion on politics, designed to impart the necessary knowledge, attitude, and a sense of responsibility;
• Minimum age 30 years;
• Must have paid Federal and State income taxes for at least five years;
• Must be the citizen for at least fifteen years;
• Must be free of any conviction of felony, fraud or violence;
• Must have a clean credit report; and
• Must have sound mental health

Re-examining The Doctrine of Equality

March 3, 2010.

Re-examining the Doctrine of Equality.
By T.S.Khanna

Scientific and physical knowledge of our planet and the Universe is definite knowledge. All else, that surpasses such knowledge, is dogmatic (dictatorial, not subject to examination) knowledge expressed by theological philosophy of religious leaders. At times, political leaders have also invoked the authority of God or Creator to sell certain improvable but opportune concepts that defy human logic and observations.

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence captured the zeitgeist of the time and its impact is still alive. The doctrine of equality is rooted in a few words of the Declaration: “….that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, ….”.

The original intent of the Declaration was to provide equal opportunity for all, free of prejudice or oppression. The doctrine of equality, however, stretched the intent and laid everyone on Procrustean bed, regardless of one’s intelligence, education, interests, or maturity. It is showing significant negative effects on democratic systems:

1. “One man, one vote,” a corollary of the doctrine of equality, neutralizes the effectiveness of the society’s intelligentsia on the political system. The number of ignorant voters is always far greater than those who understand the government structure, its operations, political issues and their resolution. Many nescient voters do not have the ability or the interest to identify their own good. Special interest groups often manipulate them by social engineering. Imagine Aristotle’s vote being offset by an ignorant voter with equal voting right. “One man, one vote,” does not permit the best candidates to get elected, it drives good people away from political participation.
2. The doctrine of equality has its unintended effect; with the feeling of equality, some people sense injustice seeing some others wealthier than themselves. Those in higher income groups sense injustice in being equated with the lower income group. They resent their earnings transferred through taxation and entitlement programs to those who resent the very people whose earnings are transferred to them. In all socio-economic groups, a sense of injustice is triggered by this doctrine.
3. A society is best served by a political system supportive of its social values. Most societies are hierarchical with well defined deference structure as a source of status gradation, social integration, and stability. In the absence of a deference structure, money and popularity assume greater role as sources of status. Monetary symbols status keeps people in a constant overdrive to associate with the wealthier and dissociate with the less wealthy. Status through popularity involves older people to pretend younger and avow the popular youth culture-----the lowest common multiple (LCM) of diverse cultures. This culture continues to degenerate as more status seekers support it.
4. The doctrine of equality pits women against men and children against parents without redefining the traditional roles based on obligations, not on equality. This also obstructs the process of transferring of good classic values of human culture from parents to children.
5. The doctrine of equality also implies equalization of wealth. The psychology of equality among the lower socio-economic groups, with larger number of voters, has a sure force to push democracy to socialism, with minimal wealth producing incentives.

In light of the above-mentioned observations, I recommend that in all democratic systems:
1. The doctrine of equality may be replaced by the originally intended doctrine of equality of opportunity;
2. To make voter better judges of the competing political candidates and issues, necessary requisites may be imposed for voters’ eligibility, under equality of opportunity; and,
3. The practice of equal voting right for all citizens may be replaced by differential voting credits for voters, in accordance with their contribution to the society, under equality of opportunity.

Protecting Democracy

Protecting Democracy
By T.S. Khanna.January 20,2010

A sound political system must provide a political order maximizing the legitimacy of government power through public confidence based on security, sound economy, and social justice. Our system seems to lack the self-adjusting ability to face the changing needs.

We need to re-examine the system, not from metaphysical viewpoint, but from practical viewpoint, to check if the facts match the assumptions. For example, the democratic assumption that good side of human nature operates in public affairs.

To refine or fine tune the system, we need to emphasize experiential learning for incorporating the warranted changes. We must not stick to some sanctified ideals regardless of the outcome; for instance, trial of the proven foreign enemies in a democratic civil court system, including the airplane (explosive underwear) terrorist of December 25, 2009.

The history of political philosophy is not a progressive history of the same issues, but constantly changing issues. Accordingly, democratic goals may be pursued in relative terms with necessary adjustment for the dominant prevailing needs of the nation. Protection of proven foreign enemies with Miranda rights would not be a sign of fairness but weakness of the Federal Administration.

Certain values are the signs of greatness in peace time, but a source of weakness during war. Strength of a chain depends on its weakest link. If we ignore our weaknesses, we can lose our strong points as well.

Establishing Democracy

August 20, 2009
Establishing Democracy
By T.S. Khanna

Whatever we see best in our self we tend to seek in others. We like to establish democracy in other countries. However, we ignore the process that matured us into democracy.

A unique concatenation of historical events produced secular democracy in the USA: Open land, abundant resources, great opportunities; immigrants’ strong reaction to the dictator-King, spirit of risk taking, hard work and personal responsibility; small government and no taxation; all conspired to create a large middle class---an essential feature for a stable democracy. In a world apart, free of war or terrorists threats or demagoguery, values emerged nurturing secular democracy, as we have it today.

To establish a new democracy, there are certain prerequisite:
• Public acceptance (Legitimacy), requiring majority population with common values in pursuit of common goals through political process acceptable to minorities;
• Education, focusing on modernism, secularism, and training for marketable jobs;
• Stability, requiring a large middle class participating in the political process; and,
• Judiciary, requiring perception of people as impartial, independent of politics.

Democracy established without these prerequisites would be fragile.

In traditional societies, none of these prerequisites exist. For them, adoption of democracy is the same as adoption of dictatorship for us.

Besides, gradualism is the dominant feature of democracy.

Persistent, patient, no rush approach to establish the prerequisites would eventually bring about stable and progressive democracies in Iraq and in Afghanistan, where every thing is stacked up against democracy at present.

The Bombay Terror; November26-29, 2008.

The Bombay Terror (November 26-29, 2008).
By T.S. Khanna, December 14,2008.

The significance of progressively more harmful attacks is noteworthy. Attacks, similar to the one in Bombay in November 2008, have been carried out in India, Great Britain, and USA. In spite of all the speeches by public officials and measures adopted by the enforcement officials following each attack, the chances of recurrence are not minimized. It seems people have to live under a constant threat and paranoia. Contrary to what we learn the best from religions, the new environment created by some religious deviates is changing the human culture.

The Bombay attack clearly pointed out that a) the attack was army style with military training and equipment, b) was more severe as compared to previous Bombay bombs, and, c) focused on killing Hindus, Jews, and Christians from Great Britain and the USA.

These attacks are carried out with some pious justification in the name of religion. Even if vast majorities of Muslims are not supportive of such attacks, they tarnish the reputation of Islam.

Now let us look at the newly developing scenario:

It is natural that such attacks will be pushing Hindus, Jews, and Christians to develop a united front to counter such attacks. Since such attacks are not controllable through conventional methods at governments’ level, the united front of non-Islamic religions is also likely to adopt similar disastrous means, which may end up killing a much larger number of good, innocent Muslims around the world.

It is in the larger interest of Islam itself to eliminate such attacks before the new, more disastrous, force is unleashed.

By no means, it may be misconstrued as a warning. It is only an analytical projection of reactionary forces.

Democracy and Religious Harmony

By T.S. Khanna, March 13,2008.



Globalizing of the planet with diverse belief systems now requires a new paradigm to resolve the conflicts of religious identity and particularism in the pluralism of belief systems. Traditional ways of self-presenting or perceiving others is inadequate and becoming outright dangerous in view of the enhanced potential of the modern technology..

To attain religious harmony in a democracy, a well organized, publicly funded, and sustained effort is now called for. Adoption of a progressive solution to control and gradually root out religious conflicts is an imperative in democratic societies. Pursuit of religious harmony would require modification in some traditional religious beliefs as well as in some democratic values.

Based on my observations and experience, some suggestions to trigger critical thinking in pursuit of religious harmony in democratic societies are offered:

• Sermons;

It is a common practice in every religious institution to weave in smoothly the exclusivity and superiority of its religion’s theology. Quite often, obliquely, and, at times, expressly, it is sermonized that other religions are inferior, ignorant, or even satanic forces. For the faithful in attendance, the sermon induces an intoxicating feeling to experience an illusion of real connection with God through the only truth available and to them only. The experience also fortifies the conviction of the false or satanic path of others. Such sermons, repeatedly delivered, sow the seed of hostility in the young minds and in the adults strengthen the feelings of superiority and exclusivity over other religions. Subconsciously, their sense of righteousness urges them eventually to correct others as a sacred cause.
Sermons may be modified and monitored to remove the sting against other religions.

• Proselytization;

The missionary impulse of proselytization (conversion of others into one’s own religion) is encouraged by most religious institutions. Conversion techniques include (a) personal contact by missionaries, (b) economic incentives, and, (c) force.
The success of conversion missions generates hostilities among the followers whose number is reduced.
To improve inter-religious relations, advocacy techniques may be replaced by the technique of “charm envoy” or “soft power”, i.e., lead by setting a precedent of exemplary lifestyle for others to follow voluntarily by admiration.

• Religious Myths and Miracles;

Some religious leaders and their in-groups fabricate fictitious events to support surreal myths as evidence of their prophets’ or their own power of miracle. The false images projected as reality to the gullible faithful holds them in awe and locks their minds into a blind faith. The faithful are then exploited emotionally, financially, and, at times, physically. They are programmed into giving up everything and even die for the cause defined by the religious leaders in the name of God. Fabricated myths and miracles are used to prove the leaders’ direct connection with the anthropocentric image of God..
All religious leaders may be instructed to encourage self-thinking among the followers. “False truths” or “surreal truths” in currency may be identified and excluded from religious teachings. False assurances and hopes generated by pretentious teachings to exploit the faithful may also be forbidden.




• Tax Deductible Religious Donations;

Tax deductible donations are quite often misused, not conforming to the intent of the law. Government ends up subsidizing some religious activities that divide people and promote religious groups politically.
The use of tax-deductible donations may be strictly restricted and monitored to (a) search for rational verification of the traditionally held truths, and, (b) promote harmony with other religions.


• Religious Majority v/s Minority;

People of religious majority make disparaging remarks and degrading jokes about minority religions. They pick on minorities to feed the human weakness to feel superior to others without having to prove so. At the cost of damaging the inter-religious goodwill, they gratify their sadistic desire under the umbrella of majority power without any fear of reprisal.
The blasting foul tongues eventually become the architect of the template for type casting a degrading image of religious minorities. Over a period, such practice alienates the minorities, especially their children with long lasting effects. In mindset of the majority, typecasting or stereotyping of the minorities starts becoming a justification to consider minorities as a negative force in the society. Political leaders exploit the ready made opportunity with disastrous results. Note the treatment of Jews in Germany during the WWII.
Disparaging remarks, degrading jokes, or typecasting of religious minorities may be forbidden and enforced by law.

• Inter-religious and intra-religious Ignorance;

Majority of people of different faiths are not fully familiar with the esoterica of their own faith and quite ignorant of other faiths. This is one of the significant factors in causing alienation and religious conflicts.
To open up the young minds, high school education curriculum may include mandatory courses introducing all mainstream religions of the society, including their origin, philosophy, theology, customs, sanctities, and traditions. Internship at the institutions of the mainstream religions may also be required to gain first hand knowledge.

• Religious Identity;

In a society with stereotyped religious communities, when a person’s religion is identified by his/her name, appearance, signs, symbols, dress, or lingo, ready made hostilities kick in and influence his/her merit as an individual. At times, with a backlog of cumulative hostilities, the meetings take place at near flashpoint. People do not communicate, understand, or appreciate each other’s merit or potential because of the visible religious differences.
To minimize the inter-play of ready made hostilities, measures may be adopted to discourage the disclosure of religious identity by appearance or lingo. Encourage downplaying of religion in public and making it more of a private and personal matter.

• Religious Morality;

Varying standards of morality are a bone of contention for the faithful. On top of that, democratic constitution imposes a spiritual-value-neutral morality based on equality and freedom. The law courts establish the morality norms. The conflict is not only between the religions but also between the constitution and the religions on this issue.
Traditional religious morality norms are male-gender-favored, unacceptable to the liberated female gender.
Identify, define, and incorporate appropriate morality norms in the Constitution of democratic government.

• Secular Institute of Religions (SIR);

Religions have inspired the best of human behavior as well as the worst. Some inspired people do a tremendous good to the humanity while the inspirations for some others are a cause of immeasurable harm to the humanity.
For a scholarly, rational, and nuanced understanding of human religiosity and the changing needs of humanity due to globalization, a systematic study of religions to identify and resolve the roots of religious conflicts is essential.
Establish publicly funded Secular Institute of Religions. Functions of the Institute may include but may not be limited to
1. Bring out, analyze, and openly discuss esoterica of the mainstream religions of the society,
2. Identify the roots of religious conflicts and explore alternative resolutions,
3. Evaluate periodically the political flashpoints of the various religious groups in the society to recommend means of averting the potential conflicts,
4. Test rationally (with accepted standards of reliability and validity) the perceived truths of religions and identify the non-testable truths (felt truths, not final truths) causing religious conflicts,
5. To serve the common goal of religions and science in finding the irrefutable, verifiable facts or truths, establish a link between religion and science.
6. Identify the common values of the mainstream religions and educate the citizens with emphasis on common values,
7. Develop principles of a secular religion, supported by the mainstream religious values, and,
8. Establish places of worship for the secular religion to encourage its adoption by the citizens without having to abandon the religion of their choice.

Mushrooming Terrorists and Flight Risk

By T.S. Khanna, December 27,2009.

Terrorists are mushrooming around the world. We cannot possibly eliminate the flight risk of terrorism only by enhanced restrictions like closing of bathrooms during the last hour of the flight, not providing blankets or pillows, or by behavior observation by "trained eyes" who frequently make unreliable predictions.

Besides, such actions will continue to deepen the wedge between Muslims and non-Muslims and obstruct the process of moderate, secular minded Muslims wishing to integrate with the society.

Hundred percent security can be attainable only by thorough checking of all passengers. Such a procedure would be costly, time consuming, and an annoying deterrence for decent average potential customers. Such a procedure may also bankrupt the airlines.

To overcome this problem, I would suggest that Airlines around the world

1. Set aside the "politically Incorrect" ideology and take appropriate action for flight security,
2. Firm up and keep updating the "No Fly List",
3. Prepare a " Fly Easy List" of potential customers, regardless of the religion, whose backgrounds are thoroughly checked with their consent. They may then no longer be subjected to thorough checking procedures at the airport. Separate flights may be earmarked for such fliers. This process would reduce the cost of having to thoroughly check all the passengers, enhance security at a lesser cost, provide better services and customer relations for those on the Easy Fly List.

I like to see come back the days when flying was be a pleasure and not a hard undertaking to reach the destination, as it is becoming now.