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Bob Anschuetz is a retired college English teacher and industrial writer who remains actively committed to the progressive political values of economic fairness, social justice, and global community. In retirement, Bob has continued his work as a manuscript copy editor, and also furthered a lifelong love of learning as a student of political science and philosophy, as a volunteer discussion-group leader on a variety of topics, and as a literacy tutor. A major intellectual influence has been Henry Thoreau, whose many writings promoting non-violent social change and conscience-based independent thought and action have provided the philosophical framework for Bob's own commitment to social justice and non-violent conflict resolution. Bob is also a member of the Network of Spiritual Progressives, associated with Tikkun Magazine, which has published online two of his articles that probe the possibilities for progressive social and political policies within the American corporate/political power system. Bob's extended Letter to the Editor on the widespread triumphalism in America's response to the killing of Osama bin Laden has been included in the Summer 2011 issue of Tikkun.
Monday, March 19, 2012 Living Out the Creative Self: (1 comments)
As de Toqueville noted, Americans are "joiners," deriving a large part of their self-identity from the values of the groups to which they are attached. The insularity of many value-based groups makes outreach to groups with other views and values difficult or impossible. This article argues that meaningful communication is only possible when it reflects the powers of creativity and insight innate in individual group members.
Friday, January 6, 2012 Let's Stop Waging War To Advance America's "Interests." (4 comments)
This article argues that, though it is rarely acknowledged by opinion makers, it is a moral outrage that the American government has felt free throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first to undertake wars of choice on weak nations -- effectively wrecking their societies and killing countless civilians -- whenever it believes they pose a problem for perceived "national interests."
Sunday, September 25, 2011 Why Obama Is Necessarily Disappointing Us, and What We Can Do about It. (8 comments)
Yes, President Obama has disappointed the hopes of progressives that he would lead the country to transformative change. Political theorist Sheldon Wolin shows us why the blame really rests with America's political culture, in his 2008 book, Democracy, Incorporated.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 THE CHALLENGE OF THE CONSERVATIVE MINDSET (4 comments)
Conservatives may view the world in terms of competing interests that must be allowed to sort out winners and losers, while progressives tend to look past individual interests to a common humanity that underlies them and demands a politics dedicated to ensuring the general welfare. For many reasons, the progressive view must prevail, but conservatives can help to ensure that it is effectively implemented in the real world.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 We Need a Progressive Primary Challenge to Obama in 2012! (22 comments)
Following the President's failure to argue progressive values persuasively in the debt ceiling negotiations, and in view of the minimal attention to those values that can be found in the mainstream media, it's time to encourage a progressive primary challenge to Obama in 2012 that can help educate the public about what it is progressives stand for. It's time to lay a foundation for progressive governance in the future!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 BUILDING A GENUINE SOCIAL IDENTITY:
This extended personal essay of somewhat over 9,000 words posits that it is the tendency of individuals in all human cultures to seek their sense of self, or social identity, through uncritical attachments to "value-based" groups, and argues that this is the basis of "us-against-them"" thinking and consequent group conflicts.
Monday, July 11, 2011 Progressive Leadership To Serve the Common Good (4 comments)
This article argues for "progressive" solutions to the nation's critical debt and employment problems, but makes the larger point that the approach proposed can help heal widespread popular alienation by overtly addressing the common good, rather than the narrow needs of a ruling elite.
