Watching the 2016 Presidential primaries there’s no doubt this is a primary season like no other in recent memory. As Trump takes over the GOP and shocks the traditionalists, Sanders is as much a shock to the Democratic side of the equation as the young flock to him to listen to his message of Democratic Socialism.
Underlying both sides of these extremes appears to be a huge anger at the status quo system. The general populace is no longer interested in maintaining the status quo. Trump supporters appear ready to blow up the system with a leader that promises greatness with no real plan. Sanders supporters appear ready to turn old style capitalism on its ear and transform it towards a market economy mixed with social awareness of the value of all citizens not just the wealthy.
As I’ve watched this process, it occurred to me that the Wholeness Choosing Continuum is a perfect reflection of these two different extremes. Trump/GOP group is the 0-5 side—reactive, unconscious and playing the victim to a world that they no longer feel they have a chance to achieve the 5 of status quo/middle class wealth. As they watch the old story of ‘grow up, get a job, spouse, house, cars, kids and you’ll find happily ever after’ slip from their grasp, they are blaming it on immigrants, or those they think are living off huge entitlements like welfare (?) and food stamps (?). They are ready to take out their angst on everyone else, sure that once all those ‘others’ are gone then ‘they’ll be great again’. And in this reactive process, they’ve latched on to Trump who promises to blow it all up and start again.
But interestingly, Sanders is more the 6-10 side of the Continuum. He’s a proactive progressive wanting to transform our current systems to be more inclusive of everyone. He’s conscious of how our current systems are breaking down around us and leaving millions on the sidelines and looking for new solutions. Well—new solutions for the US as many of them are already actively working in other countries—free college, universal health care, etc. He is willing to see the huge challenges before us in so many of our systems—economic, banking, health care, infrastructure etc. Only he doesn’t see those challenges as limitations, he knows these challenges offer us what we need to grow into our best United States ever! His message is inclusive—that working together, we can choose the solutions we need for a great future.
The core difference between these two primary races is centered on Human dignity. Trump’s message is ‘only some people deserve to be treated with human dignity’—and thus, we’ll build a country just with the ones we like. Sander’s message is ‘everyone deserves to be treated with human dignity’—and thus, we’ll build a country including everyone to be part of the solutions as we change the systems necessary for these times.
Right now as media pundits flap their lips and crowds gather around both of these sides, it’s anyone’s guess how this will all come out. And that’s the CHOICE before us now: Not whether it is Trump or Sanders, Rubio or Clinton…. but whether we are a 0-5 reactive, unconscious, victim-oriented country or a 6-10 proactive, conscious, human-dignity building country.
I hope the American populace is ready to choose 6-10 because we’ve already seen the result of a 0-5 system when a demagogue leader takes over and insists on getting rid of those who don’t do what he says….we fought a world war over it.