NSP - Current Thinking

After March 4: Students and Faculty for Free Education in California

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:48:31 -0800

The March 4 mobilization of tens of thousands of students and faculty in California was an important and valuable step. Here we present a strategy for how the movement can win in California.

Talkling Points to Friends, Neighbors, Media & Elected Officials

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:58:05 -0800

Our proposed Constitutional Amendments, our campaign for a New Bottom Line, our Global Marshall Plan, our Spiritual Covenant with America, all of which you can find on this website, require a jump in consciousness for many people to "get" why we would be so "idealistic" or "unrealistic" or "out of step with the inside-the-Beltway and inside the media common sense." We are outside that discourse for good reasons--and part of what you need to represent our ideas is to defend being outside the corporate/media/politics-as-usual framework. Please read the Talking Points below as a jumping off point for that discussion.

Proposed Letters to Congress and Media

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:45:05 -0800

Emails don't work so well--you need to write directly to the person in charge in a typed snail-mailed letter signed in blue or red so they know it isn't a form letter (which so many emails are). For the same reason, we urge you to make your own personal changes to the letters below, though you can use most of it. Most important: let the elected official know that you are in their election district, or the media person know that you listen to their programs. Make any changes you wish that more accurately express your own perspective and desires. But be clear and challenging--when it comes to attention from the media or politicians, nice guys always finish last and the squeaky wheel gets all the attention.

A Test for Spiritual Progressives

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:27:54 -0800

Below you will find the Platform of the California Democratic Party. It has many wonderful elements that I'm sure you'll agree with. Yet it is very very far from having won over the support of the majority of Californians. So here's the TEST for Spiritual Progressives: What's NOT here that should be here to win people's excitement and support? We want to hear your answers.

Hint: you can read our Spiritual Covenant with America on our home page at www.spiritualprogressives.org and then compare with this document.

Is it just that they miss some particular program that we advocate? Or is there a spiritual vision--and if so, what would you specifically tell the Democrats about what they should have added (lets say you were creating a Spiritual Caucus within their political party--what would you want that caucus to say to the rest of the party about what they had left out and what language they should be using?)

For purposes of this test, lets rule out the following responses: 1. Americans are too stupid or evil (racist,sexist, homophobic,etc) to appreciate the wisdom of this platform (this is the elitist sentiment that gets so many Americans to feel angry and distant from the liberals and progressives even when they agree with our programs) and it runs directly counter to the central strategic insight of the NSP: that we need to find the rational core (inside the irrational shell) that leads smart and decent people to not respond to liberal and progressive politics because a set of legitimate needs they have are not addressed in what they hear from "the Left" 2. that if only we proposed a full socialist program they'd respond to us (since some sections of the Left have done that for the past 150 years without much success in the US) 3. that the Democrats are so dominated by the corporate interests that they will never respond to what is really needed (because when movements challenged the racism, sexism, and homophobia among Democrats they were able to elect people who opposed those diseases, and as a result the Democrats changed--at least at the level of state parties).

So, rule out those answers, and then take the test by reading the platform, reading our Spiritual Covenant with America, and then applying your own wisdom.

Is this pointless? No. We urge people to go to the political party of their choice (we don't align with any political party--we are a 501c-3 and not allowed to be partisan in that way) and go to your local state convention and create a "spiritual caucus" that will articulate the critiques of this that you write, and propose a way of approaching the issues that do embody a new consciousness capable of winning the hearts of many who have not yet been moved by any political party or force.

Send your analysis, critique, and your new formulations to RabbiLerner@tikkun.org ==and send a written version of them to John Burton, chair of the California Democratic Party at the address below.He is a very decent and smart guy, and might even be moved by what you say; or send to the chair of any other political party to which you are affiliated a comparable critique of their platform from the perspective of a spiritual progressive!

Challenging Corporate Power Training (April 5, 2010) 6:30 Noe Valley Ministry, 2021 Sanchez, San Francisco

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:33:00 -0800

If you miss that meeting and want to be involved, send Rabbi Lerner a note telling him what ways you'd be willing to be active. RabbiLerner@Tikkun.org

A Rational Health Care Plan

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:04:23 -0800

Although the plan below is the most rational plan suggested for American politics, it desparately needs to move beyond its technocratic discourse and include a moral frame and to highlight the actual desire of most people to care for each other and feel recognized and recognizing others, the frustration of this desire being at the root of much of the alienation and hopelessness that is experienced by many Americans.

Petition to Obama, US Senators and Congressional Reps

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:42:09 -0800

Please print this out, circulate it to all your friends and contacts, use it as the basis for educating them to the NSP perspective on why NOT to be "realistic," and then ask them to sign it get their friends to sing it before returning it to us at our mail box address: Tikkun/NSP, 2342 Shattuck Ave #1200, Berkeley, Ca. 94708

Constitutional Amendments to preserve democracy & require corporate environmental responsibility--& conf. follow-up info

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:17:16 -0800

So here is the strategy: we will be working on 2 amendments to the constitution, one narrowly constructed to address overturning the recent Supreme court decision and the other a broader amendment that is aimed at educating the public about the need for corporate Environmental and Ethical Responsibility (hence the EERA) and this second one will not pass but will be a way of articulating some parts of our vision for a society that could actually survive the 21st century. The 4 under consideration below are not final versions--that will happen after we get your feedback at our June conference. Meanwhile, you are invited to add your own specific language and versions of either the narrow or broad amendment, which we will happily consider.

Protecting Immigrants through Civil Disobedience

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:37:07 -0800

Rev. Donna Schaper, the senior minister of Judson Memorial Church in Manhattan, tells of one way in which spiritual progressives can take action to defend immigrants under assault in the Obama years. She should know--she is doing it with her congregants right now!!!

Avatar, Kabbalah, and Saving the Environment

Rabbi Michael Lerner — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:50:19 -0800

Jay Michaelson, whose articles have appeared recently in Tikkun magazine, wrote a very important article for the Jewish Forward that we reprint here.