The Radical Centrist

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Indivisible - Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism: a conversation with Author Joel Richard Paul

Listen here: https://feeds.podetize.com/Akb26GWQcx.mp3

Professor Joel Richard Paul

Purchase Indivisible

Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism

Daniel Webster was at the center of the great issues that defined his times. He was opposed to slavery, vehemently opposed the Indian Removal Act - that ended in the notorious and, illegal, Trail of Tears - with fellow congressman Davy Crockett; argued consistently for freedom of religion and the protection of religious minorities. Yet even today an ambivalence exists about him that reflects a judgment of him based on current standards.

In his book Indivisible: Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism, historian Joel Richard Paul seeks to draw our attention to the two most abiding principles of Webster: Freedom - that drove his belief that slavery was wrong, and Union, without which securing freedom for slaves in the southern states would not be possible and without which America could not fulfill its most promising ideals.

Paul makes a convincing case that Webster was the force that gave birth to the to the belief that we were Americans, not merely Virginians, or Pennsylvanians or New Hampshireites; That the Constitution of the United States was the thread that wove us together and gave us common cause.

Joel Richard Paul is a Professor of Constitutional and International Law, University of California Hastings College of the Law; Author, Indivisible: Daniel Webster and the Birth of American Nationalism

Four Chairs

Lower Cascade Impressions - Original

River Bath

Camp Mowglis Wildboy Poster

Rose Rugosa Hips

Painted Fungus

A Fusion of Magic Mushrooms

Shelf Fungus in Blue

Birdhouse in a Lupine Field

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Rediscovering Our American Song

The Radical Centrist Podcast introduces "Rediscovering Our Song"

Watch 5 Minute Video

https://youtu.be/Mq_tsqCZ0Ns

Three months of innovative ideas for renewing our Democracy

Introducing an in-depth examination of ideas for Rediscovering the American Song. For the next three months, we will be talking with some of the most innovative thinkers in the country, particularly those who have ideas for rebuilding a sense of community, both locally and nationally.

Most of our lives and the culture(s) of America are built around the stories we tell ourselves and one another. We'll take a look at some of those stories and ask ourselves if there is another, better story to tell. One that unites us, one that opens up new avenues for our future; one that builds a sense of hope and purpose for every American, beyond the dividing lines of race, religion, income, and geography.

It's no secret that I believe there is an American song inside nearly all of us, the folks we will be interviewing will reveal some of their most interesting and innovative ideas for drawing that song out.

This is our moment . . . other "generations" of Americans have had theirs: before and after the Revolution; After the Civil War; during and after the Gilded Age; During the New Deal; and during the Civil Rights era.

Americans are ready to feel good about themselves and to feel hopeful about their future. We can make it happen but we have to shed some of the baggage of the past. We have to listen to one another; to meet our neighbors, near and far, "where they are" and seek out ways to move forward together. We will not always agree. That's what Democracy is all about - sometimes raucous, sometimes gracious - but as long as we can listen to one another there is always a path forward. To borrow an age-old quote: "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."

I hope you'll join us by subscribing to InDepthNH.org's newsletter. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of one or more episodes of "Rediscovering Our Song" you can contact me, (waynedking9278@gmail.com) and we will find the best way to acknowledge your sponsorship during the Podcast.

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Who Owns the Wind - A Conversation with David McDermott Hughes

Who Owns the Wind?: Climate Crisis and the Hope of Renewable Energy

A Conversation with David McDermott Hughes

Listen here:

https://feeds.podetize.com/31hIIszXk.mp3

David McDermott Hughes is a Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University in New Jersey. His book "Who Owns the Wind?: Climate Crisis and the Hope of Renewable Energy," is one of the most important books of the past five years addressing the existential crisis of climate change; One of the reasons that we feature our interview with David Hughes for the "Rediscovering Our Song" series - the focus of The Radical Centrist podcast for the next three months.

Purchase Who Owns the Wind?

In 2015 Hughes found himself frustrated with the slow pace of building out a renewable infrastructure that would permit us to decarbonize our economies. His interest in wind energy led him to decide to study the problem by identifying an area where it seemed that they were making better progress than the rest of us. He choose a village in the Andalusia region of Spain and a town pseudonymously named "Serano" for the purpose of the book.

Hughes expected to find that life was all rainbows and unicorns in Serano as they retooled for a greener future. What he discovered was quite different. The local folks were not in favor of the towers; at least not at first blush. Further research led him to conclude that there was more to the story pointing to a sense that they were being victimized by the process, Being asked to sacrifice for a future that saw few or no benefits for them. It led to the conclusion that economic justice was an important part of the equation for creating a carbon-free future.

Today, Hughes remains cautiously optimistic about the hopes for wind energy but he insists that we will fail in our efforts to decarbonize our energy production if we fail to take into account the need for all the people to share in the gains of the transition. The answer to the question posed by the book: "Who Owns the Wind?" is that we should all own the wind but that ownership must be paired with an eye toward justice. Only then will we be able to achieve the sustainable energy build-out that is necessary to succeed in the race to sustain a liveable world. Renewable wind and solar power, energy, compromise and justice, ALL are necessary components of success.

By bringing his expertise in anthropology to the tableau, Hughes helps us understand the people who are caught in the middle of the fight for a livable world - to truly see them, to truly hear them. His nuanced, sensitive and innovative approach offers us a way forward. It's no wonder that Naomi Klein said this about "Who Owns the Wind: “David Hughes is doing some of the most innovative thinking and writing about energy democracy in the world. The movements for climate justice are in his debt.”

Links for more information:

Who Owns the Wind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frxyHxXstyo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MorMQBHOayM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RunkMqvzJ9g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWlOFQNIvFA

https://www.eenews.net/articles/who-owns-the-wind-an-anthropologist-has-ideas/

Who owns the wind? An anthropologist has ideas

By David Ferris|

https://grist.org/energy/who-owns-the-wind-the-case-for-socializing-wind-power-david-hughes/

https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/david-mcdermott-hughes-catching-air/

The Whisper of Wind

Open Edition

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

EP 49: John Gage: A Grassroots Movement for a Carbon Cashback System

John Gage

The Carbon Cashback Initiative - Putting Climate Power in the Hands of Citizens

Building on earlier Successes, CCL Ramps up the Effort to Put Carbon Cashback on Town Warrants

Listen here:

https://feeds.podetize.com/OpZjBxCG1.mp3

John Gage, NH State Coordinator for the National Citizen's Climate Lobby, this episode's guest, makes the case that - while our individual efforts to reduce our carbon footprints are important - national and International change is only achieved through the power of all our efforts taken together.

50 years ago Bobby Kennedy - a radical centrist in his own right - put it this way.

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

~ Robert F. Kennedy

Drawing on this notion of the power of our collective efforts, Climate activists from across the country - led by the non-partisan Citizen's Climate Lobby and the conservative Climate Leadership Council - have embraced the idea of a Carbon fee and direct dividend payments to citizens - circumventing the bureaucracy of traditional taxation methods and putting the revenues from the carbon fee directly into the pockets of every citizen.

Striking right at the heart of the problem - the need to dramatically reduce the amount of carbon that we are putting into the atmosphere - they propose a creative market-based idea called - among other things - the Carbon Cashback Initiative: Marshaling the forces of grassroots activists, citizens through their local governments and both State and Federal initiatives.

Simply put, Carbon Cashback recognizes that we all pay the price of putting more and more carbon into our atmosphere, But it is only the emitters of that carbon who currently profit.

To use an old bridge builder's term, Carbon Cashback "trues up" the shortcomings of the market and rewards those who make substantial progress in reducing their carbon footprint, making them more competitive in the international marketplace and at the same time making the planet safer for all of us.

Links and Resources

Show Notes:

https://centristchange.blogspot.com/2022/12/ep-49-john-gage-grassroots-movement-for.html

Kudos to Representative Ann McLane Kuster who has joined as a sponsor of the federal bill. Contact your Rep and Senators to ask them to get on board!

Humorous video by CCL about the "far middle": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmCVs8gXyO0.

CCL's 2-minute Introductory video: https://youtu.be/9oyguP4nLv0.

Website CCL: citizensclimatelobby.org and carboncashback.org

carboncashback.org/celebration for previous NH Carbon Cash-Back town warrant article resolution results. And we currently have about 10 town champions currently working on this effort for their towns' 2023 annual town meetings, and we would love to add more.

CCL uses a different climate resolution process for cities - the town champion works directly with the City Council (with our help as much as they like) to produce the resolution. "We've done that in Portsmouth, Durham, and Keene. Links to those city resolutions and many of the towns' resolutions are available in the "Towns Passed" list on carboncashback.org."

The NH Network also produced a "Local Action, Global Impact" event that featured how to do a citizens' petitioned warrant article in general, and the Carbon Cash-Back warrant article in particular, among other local actions. That starts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGAmRm2g39M&t=2087s.

Monday, November 28, 2022

Top Podcast Episodes

Episode 1

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Ep 48: New England School of the Arts TO OPEN IN FALL 2023

New England School of the Arts TO OPEN IN FALL 2023

https://www.nesarts.org/

Listen here link:

https://feeds.podetize.com/ep/j5ErFf_gp/media

As part of our launch for NESA, we are sponsoring a benefit concert and silent auction to support the scholarship needs for this new and innovative arts school. The concert and silent auction will take place at Lebanon Opera House on Saturday, February 4th at 7pm. The event will feature video testimonials from celebrities such as Emily Saliers from the Indigo Girls, acclaimed conductor Bruce Adolphe and local musicians Noah Kahan and Hans Williams as well as other live musicians and performers such as the Dance Collective, Lebanon Ballet School, WR Ballet Academy, Sylvie Rudolf, Tommy Crawford, Julie Ness, Tristan Bellerive, Norman McMullen and many others. Guest speakers will include Dr. Mike Casey from Dartmouth College and comedian Cindy Pierce.

Purchase your tickets here:

https://lebanonoperahouse.org/events/new-england-school-of-the-arts-benefit-concert/

We hope to see you there! Please feel free to share with friends and family via social media and email.

Warmest regards,

Jenny and Carl Chambers

Carl Chambers
HEAD OF SCHOOL

Carl Chambers has served in administration for the better part of his career as well as an adjunct professor, grant manager, curriculum director and English teacher. Carl is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has done professional session work as a bass guitarist. He is excited to realize his family's vision of founding a school for the arts that supports all students who strive for an arts-focused, progressive, education.
Co-Founder of the School
Jennifer Chambers
ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Jennifer completed her undergraduate degree in Music Education from DePaul School of Music, DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, and her Master’s in Vocal Performance from Hunter College in New York. Jennifer has taught in London, New York City, and most recently has been the Music Coordinator at Hanover High School for 10 years. She currently serves on the NH All-State choral committee and is the President-elect for the New England Music Festival Association. She holds her CAGS from New England College and is one of the founding members of NESA.