Two centuries, three decades, and two years ago, our forebears made a promise. They declared “America” to be “Free and Independent States.” Born of the spiritual inspiration of privileged minds like Adams, Washington and Jefferson, and anointed by the perspiration of nameless peasant backs, America affirmed that all of her people are created equal: among their inalienable rights are “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” She insured the promise with a Constitution, making “We the People” constitutionally-mandated policy-makers. She saw her family divided in a bloody Civil War and heard Lincoln reaffirm the promise: “That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.”

With these words, Dr. Robert R. Carkhuff (Bob) addressed 10,000 people in New Orleans in 1974. His now-classic address has been modified for July 4, 2008 for freedomblog.com. Print, download and read a copy of this speech (PDF). Below is the bold conclusion of The Promise of America that lives today.

“And when it comes to be, as ever, that we, too, cease to exist, let us pass on the promise inscribed that those who passed it to us knew why they died. And that we, the promised, knew why we lived!”

Thanks for signing on. I’d love to hear your comments. Look out for our special series on Modern Patriots starting next week.

Happy 4th.

-Bob-

The two Democratic candidates for president are committed to the socialist policies of the Great Depression Years: Distributing or re-distributing wealth without even the slightest reference to wealth generation. They have no understanding of The American Experience.

The Republican candidate has committed his candidacy to American success in Iraq and “The Oil Wars.” How about this, Senator: Reconstituting the best of America’s mighty legacy? We might label this, “The Thinking Wars.”

We began our exploration with a graphic of “The Generativity Platform” (see Figure 7). Generativity is the only stimulus package for the development of American Civilization for the following reasons:

1. Europe and the rest of our competitors have already labeled us “The Failed Experiment” for our retrogression from world leadership.
2. Instead of recognizing the Binary Code as a developmental stage of processing (e.g., S–O–R Discriminative Learning), American leaders and scientists have stupidly bet our future on the “binary code of processing” rather than generative thinking.
3. The Asians are incredulous at our playing a “pat hand” with which we knowingly empower them with the schematic branching systems of the languages to which they were born.

Figure 7. The Generativity Platform π Global Capital Development

Secondly, the Generativity Mission and its derivative goals are “architecturally defined” which makes them “actionable.” Relatedly, their objectives are “operationally defined” which makes them “achievable.”

Moreover, there are many New Capital Development Processes to transform the raw resources into finished capital:

New Capital Development Processes

Another way of summarizing The Generativity Mission is in terms of the individual performance on the primary conditions of The American Experience:

In this equation, the effects of Cultural Relating, Participative Governance, and Entrepreneurial Economics multiply each other to generate The Pillars of Freedom: Peace, Participation, Prosperity.

On the other hand, there are the “Nay-Sayers” who constitute “depressor variables” in all growth equations:

• Through the profound stupidity of this political administration in endorsing totalitarian Multinational Corporations rather than “Entrepreneurial-driven Capitalistic Businesses”…
• Through the myopic vision of the business leaders who have cut down and out the research part of The R & D model that gave us generative positioning and leadership in the world…
• Through the dependent reactivity of the community leaders and their minions who have ceased to view the community as the fundamental unit in wealth generation…
• Through the bureaucratic lies of the educational leaders who have “spun” retarding experiences as facilitative ones…
• Through our retarded abandonment of “The Promise of an Evolving America” as articulated in the vision of our “Founding Fathers”…

For these and all other “depressor variables” in “God’s Equation for Continuous Change and Gain,” do we humbly repent our sins against our Human Potential.

We commit ourselves to the Actualization of our Potential in the great multitude of Human Endeavors: Individual, Organizational, Marketplace, Community-, Freedom-, Nation-, and Global Village-Building.

We rededicate ourselves to a new and elevated vision of “The Cities on the Hill.”

Let us solemnly resolve—on the lives of our children and grandchildren—that “The Promisors” who came before us will now know why they died and that we, “The Promised,” will now know why we live.

Otherwise, “The Promisors” would have died in vain.

And the Freedoms of those who follow will die of “Empty Promises!”

The fifth most important plank in the presidential platform is the Continuous Nation-Building Function of governance:

5. Nation-Building must be dedicated internally and externally to advancing civilization to meet the changing conditions of our human and ecological environment.

For America, this means building upon the Standards of The Prosperous Community to empower a Freedom Culture and elevate the exchanges of our Free Enterprise Marketplace (see Figure 6). It means Freedom-Building to generate Nation-Building.

Figure 6. Nation-Building

As may be noted, Nation-Building “nests” Freedom-Building that, in turn, “houses” Community-Building as follows:

• Homes generate Mechanical Capital Development or mCD.
• Schools generate Information Capital Development or ICD.
• Colleges generate Human Capital Development or HCD.
• Governance generates Organization Capital Development or OCD.
• Business generates Marketplace Capital Development or MCD.

Community-Building provides Community Capital Development or CCD as the foundation for Freedom-Building.

Where CCD is a product of networks of Community Components, Freedom-Building is a product of Networks of CCD. Together, these networks of CCD generate increasingly elevated levels of Freedom Capital Development or FCD:

• Cultural Relating at the highest levels of collaboration and interdependency.
• Participative Governance at the highest levels of representation and enlightenment.
• Free Enterprise at the highest levels of capitalism and entrepreneurism.

Freedom-Building provides the foundation for Nation-Building: Nation Capital Development or NCD.

Where FCD is a product of networks of CCD, Nation-Building is a product of Networks of FCD. Together, these networks of FCD generate increasingly elevated levels of Nation Capital Development or NCD:

• Peace as a function of Interdependency-driven Cultural Relating;
• Participation as a function of Enlightenment-driven Participative Governance;
• Prosperity as a function of Entrepreneurial-driven Free Enterprise.

Nation-Building provides the foundation for Global Capital Development or GCD.

In summary, Nation-Building is dedicated to continuous Community-, Freedom-, and Nation-Building in the global village and its marketplace. The ongoing function of American governance is global leadership by accomplishing The Generativity Mission.

The fourth most important plank in the presidential platform is producing generations of generative thinkers:

4. Generative Thinkers must be dedicated to thinking outside the box and creating new ideas.

For America, this means building upon the authoritarian Standards of Learning (SOL) systems and elevating up to the freeing Generative Thinking Systems (see Figure 5). It means building upon Probabilities Schools to implement Possibilities Schools which culminate in Freedom Schools.

Figure 5. Generative Thinking Model

As may be noted, The Generative Thinker is a product of both Human Capital Development or HCD and Information Capital Development or ICD. The HCD Functions emphasize developmental and cumulative processing systems:

• S–R Conditioned Responding
• S–O–R Discriminative Learning
• S–P–R Generative Thinking
• S–OP–R Generative Organizational Processing
• S–MP–R Generative Marketplace Processing

Clearly, the higher levels of Generative Thinking build upon the lower levels of conditioning and learning.

In turn, The ICD Functions emphasize developmental and cumulative levels of Information Representing:

• S1 – Sentences or Concepts
• S2 – Systems or Operations
• S3 – Schematics or Dimensionality
• S4 – Social Schematics or Vectorial Images
• S5 – Spatial or Phenomenal and Changeable Images

Once again, the higher order representations of information build upon the lower levels of sentences or conceptual information.

It is only in interrelating () the differentiated levels of HCD and ICD that we generate new and more productive ideas. In other words, it is when HCD and ICD relate interdependently and synergistically that they think generatively.

The institutions that convert the raw materials of human and information resources into HCD and ICD may be identified as follows:

• Probabilities Schools emphasizing S–R Conditioned Responding;
• Possibilities Schools emphasizing S–O–R Discriminative Learning;
• Freedom Schools emphasizing S–P–R Generative Thinking.

Clearly, the overwhelming numbers of our schools are Probabilities Schools. A rare few operate as Possibilities Schools. So far, none exist as true Freedom Schools.

In summary, The Generative Thinkers are dedicated to thinking “outside the box” to create new and more productive ideas. In this manner, they implement the Productive Organizations and the Prosperous Communities to accomplish The Generativity Mission.

The third most important plank in the presidential platform is organizing to process interdependently:

3. The Productive Organization must be dedicated to interdependent processing within, between, and among all units and people.

For America, this means abandonment of the totalitarian Multinational Model and the return to The Entrepreneurially-Driven Free Enterprise Model that generates and integrates New Capital Development or NCD Systems at all levels of The Productive Organization (see Figure 4).

Figure 4. The Productive Organization

As may be noted, The Productive Organization follows the principles of Possibilities Science:

• Lower-order NCD Systems are nested in higher-order systems.
• Lower-order NCD Systems are encoded by higher-order systems.
• Lower-order NCD Systems may be rotated to higher-order functions.

As may also be noted, all NCD Systems emphasize developmental and cumulative levels of processing:

• mCD or Mechanical Tooling Systems emphasize S–R Conditioned Responding Systems.
• ICD or Information Modeling Systems emphasize S–O–R Discriminative Learning Systems.
• HCD or Human Processing Systems emphasize S–P–R Generative Thinking Systems.
• OCD or Organizational Alignment Systems emphasize S–OP–R Generative Organizational Processing Systems.
• MCD or Marketplace Positioning Systems emphasize S–MP–R Generative Marketplace Processing Systems.

Again, all lower-order NCD Systems are nested in higher-order systems.

In summary, The Interdependent Organization is dedicated to the Prosperity Mission of The Possibilities Community; e.g., Cultural Relating empowering the Peace that enables Participative Governance to accomplish The Free Enterprise Functions.

The second most important plank in the presidential platform emphasizes a return to Community Development as the basic mechanism for implementing Generative Economic Positioning:

2. The Prosperous Community must be dedicated to the entrepreneurial generation of self-sustaining prosperity, participation, and peace.

Community Enterprise is the basic mechanism for solving community problems and achieving community goals through generating Prosperity. As may be noted, The Prosperous Community processes interdependently (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. The Prosperous Community

In turn, each component of The Prosperous Community contributes synergistically to the others’ growth:

• The homes and neighborhoods prepare the human potential.
• The schools and training empower the learners to discriminate information resources.
• The colleges and technologies empower the human and information capital as generative processors.
• The government and services generate the organizational processes in which the human and information capital are applied.
• The business and industry generate the marketplace processes that “capitalize” upon the organizational, human, and information capital.

In this context, each component of The Prosperous Community emphasizes processing systems which are developmental and cumulative:

• Homes — S–R Conditioned Responding;
• Schools — S–O–R Discriminative Learning;
• Colleges — S–P–R Generative Thinking;
• Governance — S–OP–R Generative Organizational Processing;
• Business — S–MP–R Generative Marketplace Processing.

In summary, The Prosperous Communities are dedicated to the Generative Economic Mission of The American Enterprise Model. Cultural Relating empowers the Peace that enables the Participative Government to accomplish the Free Enterprise Economic Mission.

The first and most important plank in the presidential platform is positioning in the marketplace:

1. The American Enterprise Model must be dedicated to positioning as Generator in the Global Marketplace.

For America, this means abandonment of the pre-potency of the Multinational Corporations (currently endorsed by this administration) and the return to the basic model of The Entrepreneurial-Driven Free Enterprise Model (see Figure 2). As may be noted, this model adopts the “Generative-Innovator” positioning in the marketplace.

Figure 2. The American Free Enterprise Model

As may also be noted, this Free Enterprise Model requires “Participative Governance” as instrumental to the success of generativity and innovation. This means the enlightened citizenry is empowered and dedicated to “Generative Innovation” in the global marketplace.

Finally, Interdependent Cultural Relating is dedicated to enabling Participative Governance to accomplishing The Free Enterprise Functions. In other words, Cultural Relating empowers Participative Governance to direct and support Free Enterprise.

Perhaps most important are the developmental and cumulative processing systems undergirding the phases of marketplace positioning:

• Attenuator bolstered only by S–R Conditioned Responding Systems;
• Commoditizer undergirded by S–O–R Discriminative Learning Systems;
• Commercializer empowered by S–P–R Generative Thinking Systems;
• Innovator empowered by S–OP–R Generative Organizational Processing Systems;
• Generator empowered by S–MP–R Generative Marketplace Processing Systems.

In summary, Generative Economic Positioning yields the Prosperity that the other components and processes support. In turn, Participative Governance engages the Participation and Cultural Relating insures the Peace required for Generative Free Enterprise Economics.

The real reason why the tax rebate has been agreed upon as an economic stimulus package is that it is good for politicians in an election year. Such a stimulus package has never worked before and will never work in the future. As economic conditions worsen, we must cease playing in “the baby pool” and return again to swim in “the adult’s ocean.” Welcome to my world of Generativity, something that I have proven to be vital to productivity and growth.

Generativity is a processing system that enables us to “think outside the box,” to “see beyond the high beams.” It emphasizes expanding and then narrowing representations that evolve from linear and two-dimensional information to multidimensional, curvilinear and changeable information. Generativity transforms raw data into preferred modes of representing information which are most closely aligned with the nature of the phenomena themselves. In short, generativity creates images of “something more” where there was only data in the form of “nothing but.”

The platform for Generativity Positioning may be viewed in Figure 1. As may be noted, it characterizes all elements of human endeavor with the “generativity” adjective: economy, community, organization, education, governance. In other words, the driving force is generative human processing.

The Generativity Platform begins with The Generative Economy. This is an Entrepreneurial-driven Free Enterprise Economy. It generates the Prosperity upon which the other Pillars of Civilization are based: Participation in Governance, Peace in Cultural Relating.

In this context, the Generative Economy is supplemented by the Prosperous Community. Within that community, interdependently processing productive organizations are implemented by creative thinking school graduates. Finally, our generative, growth-oriented governance is empowered by enlightened leadership (think “We the People”) who engage in Nation-Building.

What makes this Generativity Platform different from all other political proposals is that it is derived from “actionable architecture” and “operational technologies.” It is not simply conceptual: for example, candidates talking about taking finances from one pot (the war) and putting them in another pot (the domestic agenda). In other words, this platform is based on projects that have been validated and are, therefore, predictable in their effects.

Figure 1. The Generativity Platform

Generativity is the only stimulus package that will work for America! Generativity or creativity in all areas of human endeavor alone can bring America back to its leadership role. Generativity must be the backbone of the presidential platform which defines all leadership priorities for America now at the beginning of the 21st century.

This may not be the most strange presidential campaign in America’s history, even though it has the following:

• The first serious woman candidate;
• The first serious black candidate;
• The first serious ex-POW candidate.

Perhaps the strangest presidential campaign was the first; that of 1800, following George Washington’s retirement in 1797. Adams, the sitting president, and Hamilton, the self-appointed capitalistic heir to Washington, distrusted the “unchecked” masses and their populist leaders, Jefferson, Madison, and Burr who sought an agrarian democratic society and endorsed Paine’s “Rights of Man.” Sounds like our Democratic “Socialists” versus our Republican “Capitalists” in the current election, doesn’t it?!

There is one thing missing that was present until 1797. There was a “Thinking President,” one who modeled all of the conditions that have gone on to make America great. His name was Washington.

Before and during his terms in office (1789–1797), George Washington modeled all of the conditions of a “Thinking President:”

These were the principles that dictate our “Freedom Scores:” Cultural Relating, Participative Governance, Free Enterprise.

Regarding our Freedom Scores, we offer the following substantive dimensions of “The Free Enterprise Model” modeled by a “Thinking President” (see Figure 1):

• Entrepreneurial Enterprise,
• Enlightened Citizenry,
• Interdependent Relating.

Deductively-modeled, the Policy-Making Cell that is dedicated to positioning in the Global Marketplace is “The 5-5-5- Cell.” This is where enlightened Policy Markers generate the conditions that ensure “The Pillars of Prosperity.” Of course, there are requirements for Generative Processing Systems as well as Continuous Organizational Realignment Systems dedicated to accomplishing the Entrepreneurial Enterprise, Participative Governance, and Cultural Relating goals.

Figure 1. The Free Enterprise Model

In summary, the Free Enterprise Model ensures achieving, once again, global leadership in “The Pillars of Civilization:” Peace, Participation, Prosperity.

This, then, is “The Thinking President’s Positioning:”

Entrepreneurial enterprise functions are achieved by enlightened governance participation components enabled by interdependent cultural relating processes.

This is “The Freedom Mission:” it may be rotated for the different civilization functions of Peace and Participation.

For a “Thinking President,” this means that the current American Enterprise Model (see Figure 2) must once again implement Generative-Innovator Positioning. As may be viewed, American Enterprise leads in the GICCA Marketplace. In other terms, Generativity drives Free Enterprise Economics, requires Free Participative Governance, and is enabled by Interdependent Cultural Relating.

Figure 2. The American Enterprise Model in the Global Marketplace

Freedom Scores

The Freedom Scores for a Thinking President may be viewed in Table 5. He or she strives for the highest levels of Freedom (Levels 4.0 and 5.0):

• Interdependency-driven Collaboration in Cultural Relating;
• Enlightened Citizen-driven Representative Governance;
• Entrepreneurial-driven Capitalistic Enterprise.

As may be noted, while the highest levels are not always possible, they are always the drivers.

TABLE 5: Freedom Scores for the Thinking President

In summary, if you are unhappy with the ratings that we have published, then learn the scales in the earlier edition of “The Thinking President” (freedomblog.com, January, 2008, pp. 15–40) and analyze the candidates’ positions and platforms and formulate your own “Freedom Scores for Candidates.”

Better still, demand that the candidates deal realistically with the validated conditions of The American Experience: Cultural Relating, Participative Governance, Free Enterprise!

The “Darkest Hour” is upon us. This is an expression employed by both President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchhill at the beginning of The Second World War. It also applies to this campaign, for the “American Ship-of-State” has veered badly off-course.

The person who takes the helm will determine the future of America and the world:

• Whether we will actualize the brilliant “Promise of America?”
• Or be discarded on the “trash-heap” of history along with a multitude of other failed experiments in totalitarian control!

The final irony is this: McCain was trained by the military academies to protect and build up the American system that the Alinsky-trained Democratic candidates were trained to attack and tear down. It should be a confrontational campaign between Socialism and Capitalism!

John McCain is not considered to be a “true conservative.” Indeed, he is considered to be a “true anti-conservative.” And this comes as criticism from the “Right,” not praise from the “Left!”

For conservatives, McCain’s flirtations with the liberals are “sinful:”

• “Comprehensive Immigration” with Ted Kennedy, providing a path to citizenship for “illegal immigrants;”
• “Campaign Finance Law” with Russ Feingold, offering “incumbent protection” since it declared it a “criminal act” for citizens to use their free speech or advertising within 90 days before a federal election;
• “Global Warming” and “Energy-Rationing” sponsorship along with many liberals, including his campaign opponents.

Hugh Hewitz, a radio talk-show host, summarized conservative criticism succinctly:

“McCain is a great American, a lousy Senator, and a terrible Republican.”

With friends like this, who needs enemies? It is a wonder that he is still in the race!

Nevertheless, McCain marches forward with an agenda that might be characterized as “Fortress America!” “Security is Job One!”

“The first responsibility of the next president will be to keep this country safe from (the) enemy.”

There is, indeed, good reason to expect that our enemies will attempt to strike once again on our homeland.

Aside from our terroristic enemies, McCain has sought relational solutions with other cultures. Witness the “Comprehensive Immigration” proposal that provides “amnesty” for Mexicans seeking American citizenship.

Regarding government-centered economic development, McCain stands in direct opposition with his campaign opponents:

“The sad failures of government-centered economic development have proven that private markets are the only hope for sustained prosperity.”

Regarding taxes, McCain has proposed that the “tax code” should be more “pro-growth” in order to enhance our international competitiveness. Relatedly, he expresses a profound commitment to true fiscal conservatism:

“Congress just passed another omnibus appropriations bill stuffed with nearly 10,000 earmarks costing about $10 billion. Washington needs to get the message. No Earmarks.”

McCain has delivered the message.

In this context, McCain looks to market-driven solutions to social benefits ideals:

“This means reducing spending on healthcare programs, and reducing the threat that higher healthcare costs present to our businesses and families—while maintaining the quality of our medical science.”

Relatedly, McCain’s platform speaks in sharp relief about entrepreneurial leadership:

“Hard work, ingenuity, and entrepreneurialism are a proven route to meeting one’s goals and providing for children and family. (We are) committed to preserving their freedom, ensuring that they are not shackled by excessive regulation, starved of risk capital or taxed into submission.”

Freedom Scores

In summary, we may view the Freedom Scores for McCain in Table 4. He is rated as follows:

• Independent in relating which appears to be McCain’s lifestyle—competing or cooperating depending on his discriminations of performance (3.0).
• Independent in governance because McCain believes that the government should do its job in supporting the private sector and should use less of America’s money in doing it (3.0).
• Entrepreneurial in enterprise because McCain believes “entrepreneurs lie at the heart of innovation, growth, and advancing prosperity (5.0).

TABLE 4: Freedom Scores for McCain

Overall, McCain’s Mean Freedom Score is 3.7, rounded off to “4.” Driven by Entrepreneurial Enterprise, he seeks to Align Government Resources with private sector initiatives and Cultural Relating according to their ability to contribute to the American Prosperity Mission.

In the final analysis, McCain appears to be positioned at the “extreme middle” rather than the “far right.” McCain is dedicated to what a patriot believes America needs—not necessarily what Americans want. He continues to emphasize American security and supports extensions to wars as his highest priorities. These priorities may be summarized in the terms of another, earlier Arizona Senator:

…extremism in defense of liberty is no vice!
…(And) moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!
– Barry Goldwater