A Professor of Economics at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Ravi Batra, has long been renowned for his insights into the forces that shape our economic destiny. His views are based on meticulous research in cultures around the world. In his 2007 book, The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution Against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos, he envisions an approaching time when we will be able to move from a materialistic/acquisitioning cycle of living into a new golden age or renaissance of creative learning and building, if enough of us work together and give it sufficient support. He offers evidence that the impetus for big change now on the horizon might be accomplished by the ballot box rather than by the military violence and terrible losses that previously have ushered in cycles of cultural change. You can find his book in hardcover, Kindle, and audio formats at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1403975795/ref=rdr_ext_tmb

Batra’s research gives us a window on how cultural cycles have undergone major changes in the past and some positive guidelines to study and learn about how to avoid the inherent pitfalls.

Here are some things that lead me to believe we will soon elect new leaders to win out over the current political corruption and economic chaos:

• The Internet and satellite TV have brought words and images into our homes that cause us to compare what we see with our own viewpoints and values. It has enabled groups like INDIVISIBLE to share ideas and join hands across many miles to mount active efforts for protection of our democracy.
• The current Democratic Party has chosen a highly qualified mixed-race woman for their Vice-Presidential candidate.
• The platform of the current Democratic Party is focused on clear plans for repairing and rebuilding.
• There is a growing number of suburban women helping to register people to vote by mail.
• Some Republicans are joining with Democrats to resist Trump and work on plans to deal with him if he loses and refuses to vacate the office.
• There is a growing number of highly educated young women running for office and winning.
• There is a powerful emergence of young women of color and indigenous origins to be leaders in making our democracy work as intended.
• World leaders are criticizing the Trump-led movement toward Fascism.
• Multitudes of young people are volunteering for grass roots efforts to get out the vote.
• Organizations like ACLU and Common Cause are taking legal actions to protect the voting process.
• Celebrities are risking danger and loss of economic livelihood to support peaceful protest.
• Writers and filmmakers are exposing innate dangers of the Trump Administration.
• Union members are volunteering to serve as poll workers and facilitate the voting processes.
• Members of the military are openly asking for a new Commander-in-Chief.
• People are volunteering to bring food and water to others in disaster areas.
• Restaurant owners are feeding hungry people in depressed communities.
• Peaceful protesting groups are being helped and protected by good cops.
• The COVID-19 Pandemic has given essential working people unprecedented free time to think and talk about the assault on their democracy.
• The excessive use of media to tell lies that have been fact-checked and corrected is backfiring on the perpetrators.
• In-group members growing weary of lies and subterfuge are leaking truths to expose wrongdoing of the Administration.
• Responsible eyes are keeping watch on Trump’s military solutions advisor, Eric Prince, and the battle-ready mercenaries he commands.
• Researchers of the truth have shown that dictatorships violate a fundamental law of group dynamics and are not sustainable.
• The words of Mahatma Gandhi, respected leader of India’s non-violent movement for independence from Britain, remind us that “all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it --always.”

No doubt there are many other events and actions that you, and other people you know, can come up with that offer reasons to hope. If we are able to view such thoughts as units of positive energy, add them to the hopeful ones that are listed in this article, and concentrate on them together at/for a designated time/event, a powerful force for positive and healing influence on voting in the upcoming Presidential election can be created, especially if we can get the idea for a concentrated and simultaneous action to go viral.

Imagine the profound effect if, at a given time, multitudes of us stop whatever we are doing and focus our thoughts together for the next few minutes on votes being cast for the best candidates to bring peace and prosperity to our democracy. It is my firm belief that such concentrated and hopeful attention can have a powerful influence on decisions made in the process of voting.