Screentimeorg's Blog

The Launch of a New Political Party

screentimeorg — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:28:53 +0000

Without intending to, President Barack Obama may be on to something important, the establishment of a new political party able to take on the Democrats and Republicans by taking what is best from both. The recent Kansas address called on the ghosts of Teddy Roosevelt (who in his speech in the same city called on the ghost of Abraham Lincoln) and FDR…three of our nations most outstanding presidents.

A new Progressive Party, based on the TR, FDR and Lincoln views of government and its role would be a counter balance to the insanity currently going on in Washington. It would bring together the best of the best at a time when leadership and the system itself has been called into question. Both Roosevelts understood that government had to do what business and individuals could not do. This meant the establishment of public parks, Social Security and strong foreign policy. It came with the understanding that people had to be part of the solution and that business was an engine allowing people to live their lives and fully participate in our society.

The Progressive Party would embrace the US Constitution and its amendments, but would remember the words of President George Washington, who served as president of the very convention that drafted the US Constitution, when he stated that the document was imperfect, but the best that could be attained at the time. His wisdom is what we need now as we move forward. The Progressive Party would embrace the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, but remember that those who drafted it and promoted it for passage did so to protect and defend the rights and prerogatives of those coming out of slavery, it was not their intention to make corporations into citizens with the same rights as people.

Our nation has gone a long time with two major parties, two parties that are more inclined to protect their interests than those of the nation and its people. Each certainly believes it is doing what is in the nation’s best interest, but they spend far too much time working in ways that have crippled us when we need to be strong. In less than eight years, starting in 2001, we went from a nation with a budget surplus and growing positive feelings around the world to a nation with a crippling deficit and the enmity of many, including some of our closest friends and allies.

The time has come for new leadership, new political dexterity and a better understanding of what the United States stands for at home and around the world. If we as a nation represent the best, if we are home to the free and the brave, then we must actually walk the walk and talk the talk. If we believe our system is one that allows for political and personal freedoms, then we must demonstrate that in our own cities and towns, university campuses and village greens. If business and government are meant to serve the people of a great nation, paving the way for education and healthcare, protection for the disabled and help for our brothers and sisters in need, then we have to demonstrate it with action and in policies that impact every woman, man and child.

In 1948, Eleanor Roosevelt presented to the world the work her United Nations committee had completed, it was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That declaration was supported and is supported by all the UN member states, nearly 200 of them. The United States, its leaders and its people should be proud of that legacy and should provide far more than lip service to the 30 articles Mrs. Roosevelt offered as the world celebrates the 63rd anniversary of the UDHR December 10th.

In our national music we sing “let freedom ring” and our national anthem states, “land of the free and the home of the brave.” Let us be brave enough to claim our freedom as found in our Declaration of Independence and in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Let us be brave enough to challenge the status quo and the entrenched power of the existing political parties and let us occupy a place in the world where all others will know that the United States means what it stands for and stands for the very the very things it claims to believe in. Join together, for together we as a people have always been strong.

Ban Tech Exports Support Deadly Gas Exports

screentimeorg — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:57:19 +0000

In Congress there is debate on legislation that would ban the export of technology to “repressive regimes.” It is hard to argue with that logic, as much of that technology is used to repress the people. We have seen this used in China, Egypt and many other parts of the world. It can be problematic as the US government proposes and does use some of this same technology on its own citizens, clearly in contrast to the ideals embedded in the US Constitution.

It is also somewhat ironic that while the US Congress debates the sale and transfer of technology, shipments of tear gas and other weapons of “crowd control” are being shipped to repressive regimes, like Egypt, that are currently using this technology on its own people. A recent shipment was rejected by diligent inspectors at the Suez Canal, but how much is still getting into the country and why is it still be shipped?

Our government claims to support those seeking democracy, freedom and human rights at the same time other parts of the very same government pay for and ship weapons leading to delay and halt this same movement. The US provides Egypt with $1.3 billion in military aid, even as the military is the dictatorship beating down on those who seek meaningful and positive change in the country. There are photos of the canisters that were used in Tahrir Square, with the USA very visible and even the date of manufacture. These are not ancient relics of times past, these are recently made, shipped and delivered to a government our Secretary of State has asked to transfer power.

How can the US be taken seriously around the world if one arm of the government sabotages another arm of the same government? How can the US be credible in the struggle for freedom, when its products are used to prevent democracy from taking root?

It only makes matters worse when US based police forces use these same means to control peaceful crowds in the US, it makes it impossible when a government speaks out of both sides of its mouth both internationally and domestically.

Congress needs to consider more than a ban on tech exports at this time, it has to reconsider the US role at home and abroad. Credibility is essential to being a force for good, it is vital if the US believes that democracy and freedom, build on a foundation of human rights, is the best path forward. In these troubled and confused times the United States must learn to speak with a firm and singular voice on these issues.

NBC isn’t Green

screentimeorg — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:08:31 +0000

NBC claims that their 150 hours of programming during TURNOFF WEEK (April 20-26) is green, encouraging environmental work and effort. Yet, they lead off with the Miss USA contest? Not everyone is going to TURNOFF during TURNOFF WEEK, we all know that, but we can also agree that promoting screen-time is not and green and doesn’t reduce our carbon footprint. NBC shouldn’t pretend. This is an effort to add green to the bottom line, it isn’t about saving polar bears.

Drugs and Cartoons Don’t Mix

screentimeorg — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:05:44 +0000

The week of March 8, 2009 was a bad one for children and families. Nickelodeon, the children’s top rated television network, started selling its advertising time to some major marketers. This time included its television offerings as well as spots on the many websites they own. One network is called “Addictinggames.com.” On this site they have games that feature the likes of SpongeBob, a character that is heavily promoted with a special marketing deal with Walmart.

The notion of promoting, even for entertainment sake, the notion that addiction is fun, entertaining and a good thing, by the number one children’s network, is alarming under the best of circumstances. The idea that it is also supported, even if indirectly, by the world’s largest retailer is outrageous.

It is bad enough that our children spend far more hours attached to screens than they do reading, playing, studying or engaging with other people, but to think that they are being made immune to the dangers of addiction is morally wrong.

Walmart should pull its advertising and marketing campaign from Nick and so should other advertisers. Nick should immediately change the name and branding of the website and rethink their policy of driving children to these sites.

Oh and by the way, before advertisers make a mad dash for the Cartoon Network, they own a site, also directed at children, called “addictivegames.com.” Their feet should be held to the fire as well. This is not funny, nor is it good business.

IT’s Coming

screentimeorg — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:34:04 +0000

According to the Nielsen family of ratings, the Average American is now watching upwards of 5 plus hours of television per day. When you add in recreational use of other screens (computer, video, games, iPod) we are over 9 hours per day of recreational screen-time. If we add in work time, there is not much time for anything else in our lives.

We hope to give you a new lease on life. There is more than the screen, there are people, and the out doors, there are friends and books and games and sports and romantic walks and bicycles and golf and tennis and skates and well so much more.

On April 20-26 we invite everyone to join us in the 15th annual TURNOFF WEEK. A time when you and all the people you know can simply turnoff the screens and live in the real world, in real time, for just one week.

If history is any clue, you will find yourself less stressed by the end of the week, better able to concentrate, more aware of your surroundings and sleeping much better. You will have talked to your friends and family while looking at them, you will have eaten better food and enjoyed it more and you will realize just how much time there is in a day.

For more information or to order your Organizer’s Kit, visit www.screentime.org or call 202-333-9220

FCC is Not Kid Friendly

screentimeorg — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:12:01 +0000

Political candidates across the nation, including those running for president, are
calling for American parents to turnoff the screens and spend time with their
children. Over one year has passed since the Federal Communications Commission Task
Force looking at the impact of electronic media on childhood obesity was supposed to
issue its final report. In the past year there has not been one task force meeting,
nor has the FCC communicated with task force members. It was only this past Friday
that task force members were told, via email, that the task force no longer exists.
Needless to say, there is no report and the epidemic of childhood obesity continues
to grow and candidates and parents continue to clamor for answers.

The childhood obesity prevention task force was started by Senators Brownback and
Harkin with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and was comprised of representatives from
advertising, food manufacturing, media and entertainment as well as advocacy groups
and the medical community. The outcomes were to result in voluntary commitments
that advertisers, food manufacturers and the media companies would comply with;
starting a process that would lead to healthier children and families.

During the time the task force met, back in 2007, there was a great deal of
information released on the impact of electronic media (television, computers,
electronic games and the like) from researchers here in the USA and around the
world. This body of science led the government of the United Kingdom to ban
advertising on programming designed for children under 16 years of age. Most other
nations in the industrial world already have such restrictions on advertising to
children.

Industry members of the FCC task force insisted that no such restrictions could be
enforced in the United States because of First Amendment issues.
Advocacy and medical task force members asked industry what it would do and the
discussions went back and forth for a number of months, until it became clear that
the two sides would be unable to agree.

The failure of this task force was easily foreseen. The ground rules favored
industry over children and the industry representatives (for the most part) were
lobbyists, protecting their clients at all costs. Had the manufacturers, media
companies and advertisers sent decision makers there might have been a discussion
leading to a positive result, but that was not to be.

Another reason for the failure was the lack of context. It was never made clear, at
the start of this process, that children were the number one issue. Because of
that, children’s health often got lost as the discussions revolved around business
decisions and economic impact. It was clear that business was interested in
protecting business and any talk of protecting children was the sidebar. This made
it impossible for the advocacy and medical organizations to agree with the industry
proposals and it made the industry representatives unwilling to accept those
proposed by advocacy and medical task force members.

In the time the task force met, to the present, more information has come out
calling for needed changes in our system. The Centers for Disease Control announced
that if we continue the way we are going, one out of every third child born since
the year 2000 is destined to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Overweight and
obesity is now the second biggest preventative killer-disease in the nation and the
French government has banned the production of television programming for children
under the age of 3.

There have been some reforms since the task force first met with companies changing
formulas of some of their foods reducing levels of sugar and salt. Other companies
are starting to limit the licensing of characters for products deemed unhealthy and
others are cutting back on advertising of unhealthy foods to young people.

This is a start, but when you are in a crisis you need more than just a good start
you need dramatic action. If we are to impact childhood obesity, we must impact
parents; we must ensure that information on good health, healthy eating and
screen-time-reduction get in the hands of those who need it most and it has to be
promoted with the same intensity that industry promotes the products that are not
good for us.

There are so many battles going on at this time in our nation’s history that often
we forget the ones that will impact us most in the future. We pay little attention
to the national debt and we are paying far too little attention to the obesity
crisis that will bankrupt our healthcare system in the foreseeable future.

Kevin Martin, Tom Harkin and Sam Brownback could have done more to make the task
force a success by creating an environment where concerned groups could have an open
dialogue leading to real change for our nation. What is more disappointing is that
those on the task force could not find common ground and would not put children,
families and community before business and profits.

It is hard to believe that we are willing to jeopardize the health of our children
to ensure huge profits for big business in this country. There should be a way for
businesses to succeed by doing the right thing. It is even more frustrating that
our government is not putting children first, but aiding the businesses they too
often defend at the expense of those who can least defend themselves.

The FCC task force may never come up with a final report, but that does not mean
that parents, educators, healthcare professionals and concerned citizens cannot take
action into their own hands and make information available and fight back. In this
election year it is important to remember the immortal words of writer Paddy
Chayefsky from his screenplay for “Network,” we all need to be “mad as Hell and not
going to take it anymore.” We need to do this for our children, our communities and
our national institutions.