Tom Steyer is a MLK-Kennedyesque presidential candidate for truth, justice, freedom and equity.

updated 2/5/2020

Without truth, there is no justice. Without justice, there is no freedom. Without freedom, there is no equity.

Tom demonstrated MLK-Kennedyesque qualities in compelling ways at the Charlotte town forum on 1/17/2020. His messages were similar to a prior event in Charlotte, but he delivered them in a flowing style with much better responses to people's questions. When I shared my reactions with Tom, his mouth dropped as if in disbelief. His surprise surprised me.

I only had about 90 seconds with Tom before being ushered away by a support staff person for the next person's photo op.

A Bro Picture before departing

Afterwards, I spoke with his wife, Kat Taylor and shared what I told Tom. I shared my story with her about my grandmother giving me a wallet when I was a child that had the JFK silver dollar displayed on the inside, along with his infamous quote.

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

I suggested to her that Tom needs a memorable political slogan and quote that epitomize how he would lead as a president. Kat took out her phone and read a MLK quote as a source for inspiration.

Here is a prophetic MLK quote to inspire a political slogan for justice.

We need leaders not in love with money (power) but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in humanity.

Megalomania is a sociopathic disease of authoritarian strong men. It is time to classify megalomania as a political disease based on the observations of public behaviors. This disease has done the greatest crimes against humanity and justice. 

Our psychological naivety about authoritarian strong men and our inactions against their abuse of power are our greatest injustice to ourselves. How can we liberate ourselves from the megalomania of strong men? How will we develop systems of true patriotism that do not allow such fake patriotism to thrive and flourish?

Which slogan will win the 2020 election?

What does Tom's catchy slogan, "People over Profits" mean, and what is its purpose? Will it connect with everyday voter's hopes, aspirations and concerns, like, "Yes, we can" and "Make America Great Again."

I have reservations about his slogan. Was his slogan field-tested to ask for people's emotional reactions in middle America? What emotions did it evoke? His intellectual slogan lacks an emotional hook, and it seems more candidate-centric than voter-centric. His slogan has to tap into the group identity of centrists to unite the Divided States of America.

Tom's policy proposals are all calls-to-action against injustices and unfairness. How can he use his virtues to develop a slogan that addresses the hottest political questions for the 2020 election?

The Senate impeachment proceedings denied the American people of witnesses needed to conduct a a fair and impartial trial, accountable to the truth, justice and the constitution. Will the voters rise up for truth and justice?

Mike Bloomberg is Tom's closest competitor for addressing the climate emergency. Learn from his campaign slogans (Fight for America. Re-build America, Make Big Things Happen), but with Tom's own unique perspective.

What about a call-to-action slogan for truth and justice

What about a slogan to address fake news and the injustices of our corrupt crony democracy? How is America fair to social, healthcare, educational, environmental, racial, economic, legal, criminal and electoral justice?

The unfairness of injustices is destroying the American dream.

Without truth and justice, we will never unrig the system to solve complex problems, such as social, healthcare, educational, environmental, racial, economic, legal, criminal and electoral injustices. What about developing slogans to address these injustices and then ask people which slogans get them most excited?

What about Unite the Divide with Truth and Justice, Unite for Truth and Justice, Fight or Rise up for Truth and Justice, Make the Economy Fair to All Americans, or Create a Sustainable Economy for People and the Planet? What will captivate the group identity of centrists? Which slogan will best galvanize their hopes and fears to turn out and vote?

Tom's slogans must be counterpoints to the group identity evoked by Make America Great Again and Drain the Swamp. These slogans have served to amplify unfairness, inequality and injustice.

Watch the TED talk by Professor Lawrence Lessig to understand why our democracy does not represent the people.

Reasons to support Tom2020

Based on Tom's performance at the town forum, I have decided to support Tom's candidacy for these reasons related to freedom, equity and justice.

• Tom wants to unrig the system and give power back to the people, and not the plutocrats and economic elites.
• He is for good government serving the people, not corporations.
• He and his wife have taken the Giving Pledge to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes during their lifetimes and/or in their wills.
• He and his wife have demonstrated their virtues and values-in-action for truth, justice, freedom and equity.
• He is the lead candidate for addressing the climate emergency.
• He will re-shape the growth of the economy to promote sustainability and improve personal, population and planetary health for all
• He is pro-market but understands the limitations of the free market in serving all of people, especially for affordable housing and healthcare
• He is for good public education for all

And lastly and most importantly, he demonstrated that he is a true patriot. He has the MLK-Kennedyesque call for altruistic service. He is the real deal. He is for all of the people.

To win, Tom needs a meteoric rise in the primaries like Obama did. Will Tom reconsider re-branding his slogan to address how to restore the lost American Dream? How can Tom re-vitalize hope in the vanishing American Dream for the middle-class and working people?

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At the forum, I was not able to ask Tom these questions. I hope that he will host some #UnrigTheSystem town forums. No president can address any of these complex problems without draining the swamp and unrigging the system.

• What's your political credo for true patriotism?
• How will you defeat fake patriotism?
• Will you support the Anti-corruption?

If you go to his town forums, I hope that somebody will considering asking any of the questions above. I hope that he will publish his credo of true patriotism before future town forums, so that people can ask him questions about how his credo will unrig the system of fake patriotism.

Click here to learn more about the Anti-corruption Act

#DemocracyFirst to #UnrigtheSystem

Learn about how to improve personal, population and planetary health for all