by John Paluszek on Jul-06-2021
How tragically ironic: As Americans bask in the afterglow of our Independence Day holiday, and some doughty patriots even begin to organize for the country’s 250th anniversary in 2026, democracy is in great duress in the U.S. and in many parts of the world. The fragility of U.S. democracy is both immediate and long […]
by John Paluszek on Jun-28-2021
The U.S. Senate’s vote defeating the proposal to debate the For The People Act adds urgency to the need to protect voting in this country. And so, I write as an active voter in New York State to express my great concern about the future of U.S. elections and, therefore, the security of American […]
by John Paluszek on Jun-20-2021
In nation-to-nation public relations there is public diplomacy, within it “soft power” – then there is also “really soft power“, humanitarian aid to vulnerable countries and their people. It is too often disparaged with sarcasm (“boiling the ocean”, etc.) but over decades it has been the salvation for many millions of vulnerable people around the […]
by John Paluszek on Jun-10-2021
Voting matters. It matters for legislators, shareholders and, of course, for the citizens of a democracy. So, this recent Reuters headline, and its implications, should now resonate in American society: “JP Morgan freezes donations to Republicans who contested 2020 election” https://reut.rs/3pw1hjW The Chase statement freezing support of anti-election-lawmakers is both transparent and consistent with its […]
by John Paluszek on May-24-2021
Remember January 6th, 2021? This will help: January 7th, 2021 headlines: https://bit.ly/3wm5kBz Some people want you to forget this. And there is new urgency to their efforts and the need to counteract them. Now, American public opinion in favor of a robust January 6th commission must vigorously support the formation of that commission. Nota bene: The Republican […]
by John Paluszek on May-15-2021
Remember “Stakeholder Capitalism”? In August 2019 the U.S. Business Roundtable issued the “Purpose of a Corporation” in which it overturned its 22-year-old policy statement that defined a corporation ‘s principal purpose as maximizing shareholder return. In the 2019 “Purpose” statement, and an update a year later, the Roundtable declared that companies should not only […]
by John Paluszek on May-14-2021
Seems as if almost everyone has a point of view on whether companies should “go public” with opinions on socio-political issues. But when The Wall Street Journal and The Economist offer conflicting positions on such a core issue of business in society (thankfully, not opinions on Business in Society) – that demands special attention. The issue at the […]
by John Paluszek on May-13-2021
Tectonic global socio-political forces are now in tension on the Covid-19 pandemic. The Rockefeller Foundation has just released, “a new roadmap for financing the end of the Covid-19 pandemic by the end of 2022”. (And, not incidentally, the plan “kick- starting a just and sustainable global recovery.”] However … This week, leading vaccine scientists were […]
by John Paluszek on Apr-05-2021
“The floodgates are open … a slew of corporations have come out against voter suppression” Axios has reported. Axios was referring to responses to Georgia’s just-enacted voter restrictions, but by inference also to the wave of such restrictions in development in some 43 states across the country. Stacey Abrams, iconic Georgia voting rights advocate, offered […]
by John Paluszek on Mar-21-2021
American professional societies have a responsibility to facilitate and support their members in serving the public interest. The latest excellent example: The Public Relations Society of America’s just-launched “Voices4Everyone” advocacy initiative. Its rationale: ” As strategy-focused communication experts committed to building mutual understanding, credibility and relationships among a wide array of institutions and audiences, while also advancing the […]
by John Paluszek on Mar-16-2021
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, establishing the United State Information Agency, 1953: ” … to understand, inform and influence foreign publics in promotion of the national interest, and to broaden the dialogue between Americans and U.S. institutions , and their counterparts abroad”. The USIA is no longer with us (absorbed into the U.S. State Department in […]
by John Paluszek on Mar-05-2021
(This commentary was first published on February 26, 2021 as,”Ethics Matter – Business Ethics: What Do We Owe Our Future Generations in Planetary Citizenship?”, on the website of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.) “Ethics” is growing. That is, “ethics” as a key aspect of conducting business in the evolving global society. […]
by John Paluszek on Feb-18-2021
Whither Trumpism now? An avalanche of analyses is already forming. So here – before the second impeachment trial fades from the front pages – is a proposed tracking for the months (and years?) ahead: I. Definition (Wikipedia): Trumpism is a term for the political ideology, style of governance,[9] political movement and set of mechanisms for acquiring and keeping power that are […]
by John Paluszek on Feb-09-2021
As the United States Senate opens the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump – one of the most far-reaching actions in American political history – the nation is engulfed in a miasma of conflicting public tensions. Consider a new report on the January 6th U.S. Capitol riot: The Chicago Project on Security and Threats at […]
by John Paluszek on Jan-27-2021
April 8, 1974 Atlanta Stadium, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves – “A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South.” – Vin Scully, iconic Dodger television broadcaster. The occasion, of course, was legendary baseball star Hank Aaron hitting his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s record. Turns out that […]
