Speaker – Thomas Oppel, President and Founder of O2 Strategies
Steve Whitman introduced Oppel.
Thomas Oppel has more than three decades in management, communications, policy and politics. As Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy in the Obama Administration, he helped oversee efforts to move Navy and Marine Corps off fossil fuels.
As Executive Vice President at the American Sustainable Business Network, he led policy and advocacy on democracy, climate and a more inclusive economy.
Prior to the Pentagon, Oppel was a successful media consultant for progressive campaigns and candidates.
He began his career as a political journalist and English teacher in Hudson, NH. He lives in Canaan, N.H.
He is currently working with Open Democracy New Hampshire, among other projects.
The focus of his speech will be the inextricable link between our economy and our democracy and the need for businesses to speak up in defense of the rule of law.
In his role in Open Democracy, he represents one of 5 streams that cover the state. He is a part of the Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee area. He focused his talk on the importance of businesses to promote democracy.
In his role as Chief Staff to the Secretary of the navy, he reflected on the challenge of political communications and the impact of perception vs. reality. He then reflected on Rotary’s 4-way test, and the statement “Is it the truth”.
He reminded us of the importance of the pledge that those who serve in the military and in political office take.
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
He reminded us that our form of government is still in its infancy and reflected on the preamble of our constitution that states that accurately reflects that the goal should be “to create a more perfect union”. Lynn Cheney reminds us that the United States of America is the oldest democracy in the world, yet it is only 200 years old. It has been a grand experiment and one that we need to continue to modify and strengthen.
The depth and breathe of our democracy continues to evolve. When the constitution was written only 1 in 5 could vote. Over time, the arc of history has bended to justice, and
He reflected on the importance of the 13th, 14th (mentioning section #3), 15th and 19th amendments. I case you don’t remember them here is a brief review:
AMENDMENT XIII
Passed by Congress on 31 January 1865; Ratified 6 December 1865
Section 1
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
AMENDMENT XIV
Passed by Congress 13 June 1866; Ratified 9 July 1868
Section 1
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws…
Section 3
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
AMENDMENT XV
Passed by Congress 26 February 1869; Ratified 3 February 1870
Section 1
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude…
SOURCE | U.S. Constitution, National Archives; full text available from the National Archives, http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27.html.
CREATOR | U.S. Congress
ITEM TYPE | Laws/Court Cases
CITE THIS DOCUMENT | U.S. Congress, “The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments,” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed November 6, 2022, https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1524.
CREATOR | U.S. Congress
ITEM TYPE | Laws/Court Cases
CITE THIS DOCUMENT | U.S. Congress, “The 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments,” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed November 6, 2022, https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1524.
From Wikipedia
Amendment XIX - The Nineteenth Amendment provides:
The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.[1]
Oppell also talked about voter suppression and the voting rights act passed in 1965; and moving the voting age to 18 in 1972.
The goal for all of us to help shape the arc of history toward justice. His current concern is that we may be being persuaded to move away from justice. This is influenced by money being invested in elections by a small portion of our citizens. He shared that 465 billionaires have contributed 182 million to political campaigns. He shared that they are in a position to unfairly shape the tone of elections. He then talked about the supreme court decision from Citizens United, that permitted the use of dark money in campaigns.
From Wikapedia: It was argued in 2009 and decided in 2010. The court held 5-4 that the free speech clause of the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations, including nonprofit corporations, labor unions, and other associations.
Regarding truth, he shared many examples of ways “truth” has been eroded. For example in the past 40 years, the Heritage Foundation recorded that there have only been 1357 cases of voter fraud, compared to the number of legitimate votes that have been cast. If 1.1 billion votes have been cast then the number of problem votes is 0.000001357%. He stated, you have a 4 times better chance of winning the lottery, than finding voter fraud.
Compare this to the issue of voter participation. Half of our registered voter do not vote. Even though NH is in the top 10 of voter participation (3rd best in the USA), we have only hit 70% voting once.
He compared this to a business analogy. If a business consultant tells you that shoplifting has a 1% effect on sales, and that 50% of your business is being lost because people aren’t coming to your store, which problem should you be focused on? He surmised that most would focus on getting more customers to come into your store. Thus, maybe we should be working on getting more people to vote.
He ended his talk asking us all to go home and re-read and reflect on the Gettysburg Address. He asked, “Are you moved by it?”
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- 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 the earth.
Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863
November 19, 1863
More about Open Democracy:
Open Democracy (https://www.opendemocracyaction.org/about) mission is to bring about and safeguard political equality for the people of New Hampshire. This will only happen through an open, accountable, and trusted democratic government, “of, by, and for the people,” that is free from the corrupting influence of big-money politics. Where elected officials are accountable to the voters, not wealthy special interest groups.
We work to do this by:
- educating and informing the public, civic, and political leaders about legislation and other actions needed to replace the big-money political system, which perpetuates political inequality, with a system of people politics that encourages equality;
- advocating with elected officials and the public to enact specific reforms that will create political equality; and
- supporting and mobilizing groups, candidates, and elected officials who support the reform agenda.
Open Democracy Action is led by a volunteer board of directors and energized by committed advocates from throughout New Hampshire. Please join us!