New York delivered a ‘first’  with the history making election primary in its 14th District today.

          28 year old Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez  defeated the 10 term giant Joe Crowley, 56, in New York’s 14th District Democratic Primary.  Oscasio-Cortez secured 57% votes, a good margin.

          Joe Crowley :  56 year old Joseph Crowley has been in Congress since 1999.  He is the No. 4 Democrat.  A stalwart progressive on most issues.   Has close ties to Wall Street.  Widely expected to be the party’s next House Leader.

          Alexandria  Oscasio-Cortez :  28  year old Oscasio-Cortez born to working class parents in Bronx.  Mother is Puerto-Rican.  Father from Bronx.  Oscasio-Cortez has been former staffer  to the late Sen Ted Kennedy. She has also been a former Bernie Sanders volunteer.  

          Oscasio-Cortez ran on  Medicare for all;   a  federal job guarantee;   getting tough on Wall Street;   gun control;   ending private prisons;  abolishing ICE;   and investment in post hurricane  Puerto Rico. These were the premises and promises on which she fought stubbornly.

          Many will be positively surprised though the magnitude of victory cannot be termed as a complete sweep.    

          But  it certainly sends a scathing message to the Democratic Party that there could be changes in November 2018.

          First, It shows newcomers, political neophytes, can win.

          Second, it is a sign of a new Democratic Party unfolding, with fresh and more aggressive definition of a democrat;  and

          Third,  it is a reflection upon the performance of the party and it’s strategy as an opposition.

          Does it signify ‘loss of confidence’ in the present leadership of the party ?

          It should be noted that these elections are fought without much support from party organisation, hence the viability of candidates is the single factor that plays a significant role. These primary elections are also not fought on the premise that candidates in contest should possess charisma or popularity, even if they contribute to an extent. That the candidates need not have to transmit his/her popularity puts the contest itself to be one without any insurmountable obstacles.

          The election, nevertheless, points to some corrections :

          –  whether the party is on the right track now with its strategies of the last 18 months as opposition;

          –  whether the party does not need career politicians;   and

          –  whether the party needs to be more concerned about the next generation instead of just the next election.

          This election may well be an indication of a new electoral movement on the part of the Democratic Party should similar results show up in other places too.

          Have the voters got it right will be known on November 6,  2018.   But this election will certainly have a public debate in New York that will last till after November 6.

     ” Dieu avec nous “

     Wednesday,  June  27,  2018  –  10.09 a.m. (IST)

     Tidbit :. ” Changing Strategy management is key to overcome obstacles “.

“Aiming to secure the nation from aggressors who intrude;

Aiming to preserve and strengthen the safety and security of citizens;

Aiming to extract fair share of contributions from associates;

Aiming to promote rapid modernisation of military and economy.”

” Bridging the differences between North and South Korea;

Bridging the differences between North Korea and Western world;

Bridging the differences between the secluded and the open, transparent;

Bridging the differences between the warmonger and peacelover.”

“Credit for the good times to live beyond conflict and confrontation;

Credit for all things to bring peace and prosperity;

Credit for pursuing a stay awake plan and not a stay away plan;

Credit for making the economy registering a song;”

“Defending your brothers, sons, daughters, grandchildren – American citizens;

Defending nation from without, with clear security from within;

Defending with your guns without destroying self from tax;

Defending to shake the citizens’  souls for glory to emerge;”

“Economy and not extravaganza, his mantra;

Economy stable with spending prudent;

Economy with thinking of future and where citizens could be;

Economy strong even at the middle of one’s wallet.”

” Dieu  avec  nous “

Thursday,  June  14,  2018  –  12.29 a.m. (IST)

Tidbit :  ” Successful man with seven senses – touch, taste, sight, smell, hearing, horse, and common”.

            What must have been felt belonging to dreams only by anyone, big or small, has happened and become ‘real’.

            President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un met with smiles, handshakes, and pleasant sense of touch and feel, at 9 a.m. (Singapore local time) this morning.

            North Korea, known to report events usually days after they happen, has been relaying at home the minute to minute events of its leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore; his landing, his stay in hotel, his side show – a night stroll in Singapore  …  …  … in almost realtime that expresses the CONFIDENCE that this leader and his people have on this meet.  Has Kim Jong Un won even before the first ball has been bowled?

            Adoption of new technologies in Society takes time;  but we also see and experience the time getting reduced/constricted with every new new technology.

Electricity took a little more than 50 years;

Cellphones took little more than 10 years;

Smartphones took little more than 5years;

Electric vehicles took more than 2 years;

            Diplomacy tech (U.S.A. and North Korea) took just 4 months to get adopted – if the summit is a success – if any statement, communique, or declaration gets released formally soon will be any indication of a successful meeting between two leaders known for their ‘unpredictable stance’  on issues.

            It is learnt just now  (before the working lunch and after their one-on-one meet for 48 minutes) that President Donald Trump said : “We will be successful;  We will co-operate;  Summit going very very good”.  Kim Jong Un said  :  “A prelude to Peace”.

          Here I present a ‘management framework’ for Summit Commitment when released. Figure below represents the framework :

1.   Mission  :  World Peace Overall.

2.    Goal       :   Peace,  Security, Nuclear Disarmament,  Economic growth,  Modernisation.

3.     Objectives  :   For Donald Trump these lie in Complete abandonment of North Korea’s nuclear program;  (CVID);   For Kim Jong Un these lie in Parity with big nations;  North Korea’s economic growth;  Modernisation of North Korea.

4.     Policies   :     For Donald Trump it is “Safe America,  Safe North Korea, and Safe World”.   For Kim Jong Un it is “Safe North Korea, Safety of self/his rule, Safety of his people”.

5.     Program.  :  One-on-one meet;  followed by meeting between delegations of U.S.A.  and   North Korea.

6.     Direction   :   Understanding one another well;  build strong relationships;  continue peace discussions; formulate action plans with specific timelines;  exchange information and make them transparent.

7.     Control.   :    A team to oversee progress on actions from the two nations;  Recognise South Korea’s lead role in fructification of the Historic  Summit;   Identify a significant role for South Korea in all future participation following the Summit;  Garner enough support from countries of the World for the action plans conceived after the summit meeting.

            ” A commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security of Kim Jong Un’s  regime” – is finally the signed document.  President Donald Trump declares a new era of relationship between the two nations.

            For common observers like us it appears that this meeting is probably the beginning of a new beginning;  no specific details either in terms of what denuclearisation really means;  but perhaps just a step in the direction of a humongous task likely to last for years or even decades with degrees of uncertainty looming large over how long either of the two can sustain the written commitment in letter and spirit.

         In conclusion,  Is this something that has not been accomplished ever by any President as opined in some circles?   Whether this meeting will mould the future?   Only time can tell. 

          For now this is an authentic event of more than just common interest, nevertheless, I feel.

     ” Dieu  avec  nous “

      Tuesday,  June 12, 2018  –  9.59 a.m. (IST)

      Tidbit   :   “The hard work will come after the Summit Meeting”.  Donald  Trump.

          Amidst the public knowledge affording strong and conclusive evidence of the fact that North Korea has a history of not abiding by the promises made anytime before,  the much anticipated Summit Meeting that was cancelled on May 24, 2018, but revived  8  days later,  will now be held in Singapore on June 12, 2018  at  9 a.m. (local time).

          The Summit Meeting will be held in Sentosa’s  Capella Hotel.

          Reactions and speculations from planners, administrators, media, and analysts still remain wavering.

          President Donald Trump’s inner voice seems to be warning him of ‘no major breakthroughs’ out of the Summit.

          The sticking point, no doubt, is the CVID  condition ( Complete, Verifiable, Irreversible, Disarmament of North Korea’s nuclear program/Arsenals).

          U.S.A.,  South Korea,  Japan,  Canada,  Britain,  Australia,  and  France hold a coordinated submission  i.e.  (CVID).

          North Korea is not expected to call a halt to its nuclear ambitions.  Also,  having already caught his hare in terms of legitimacy from President Donald Trump’s acceptance to share the discussion table in Singapore,  Kim Jong Un holds his head firmly on his shoulders to seek more concessions from the U.S.A.,  even as Donald Trump is harping on the one string,  i.e.  CVD.

          South Korea is optimistic.  South Koreans in Singapore hope that the meet will be a “security breakthrough”  on Korean Peninsula.  Japan is concerned about the abductions;  breach of airspace and associated threats.

          The outcome of the Summit, in a sense,  may well depend upon whether U.S.A.,  South Korea, and Japan stand together or not.

          Figure  1.  below depicts the elements of success and failure of the Summit Meeting in the form of a flowchart.

          Figures 2 –  4  below suggest a simplistic representation of an Artificial Intelligence application to the diplomatic Summit Meeting. Figure 2 deals with the  ‘Severity’  of the tests;  Figure 3 deals with the ‘Impact’ ;  and. Figure 4  deals with the ‘ Social Perception’.

          President Donald Trump has set his heart on a positive outcome from the Summit Meeting.  A legacy achievement;  enhanced national image;  and the likely better performance in the mid term elections (November 6, 2018),  notwithstanding,  should the meet fail, it can spell serious trouble with even unpleasant consequences of staining his  reputation furthermore.

          Path to normalisation,  and future (even if prolonged) discussions on relationships may well be the crux of a “joint statement” at the end of the Summit Meeting. This may well be in order given the frequent internal and external uncertainties that shrouded the meet since February 2018.

          Will two unpredictable leaders signalling a change in the attitude at the end of the Summit Meeting (this may be the real outcome finally) constitute a great feat is what observers cogitate now.

     ” Dieu  avec  nous “

     Friday,  June  8,  2018   –    6. 39 p.m. (IST).

     Tidbit  :   ” Make a Spoon or Spoil a Horn ?”