Breakthrough Solutions

V.3, N.29

Today, the stock market is crashing because of “Liberation Day”—the unleashing of some of the dumbest tariffs in American history. Every day seems to bring more depressing and crazy economic news, but one amazing woman remains committed to staying optimistic and scouring the country, and the planet, for what she calls breakthrough solutions. She even wrote a book on the theme, Breakthrough Solutions: How to Improve Your Life and Change the World by Building on What Works, with a foreword from the Dalai Lama.

I’m pleased to interview this week Eleanor LeCain, who advises policymakers, candidates, donors, and activists on solutions to the climate crisis, gender inequality, and illiberal democracy. Eleanor just launched a new Substack newsletter that I highly recommend to readers of The Main Street Journal (she’s a gifted writer and thinker). You’ll see in our interview below that we talk a little bit about local investment (she regards it as an important breakthrough solution) and a lot about politics.

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MS: Eleanor, I’ve regarded you as one of the great American “solutionaries.” Unlike many of our peers, you don’t dwell on our problems—you explore promising answers. What experiences in your life led to this positive disposition?

EL: I once heard the principle that “What we focus on, grows.” Encourage people to focus on what they want, NOT what they don’t want. I applied the concept first to my own life by envisioning the life I wanted and then taking action towards creating that life. That worked pretty well! Then I began applying the concept while doing strategic planning for organizations.

It occurred to me that we could apply that principle to society. Focus on the kind of society we want—whether that be community, country, or world—then take steps toward making that vision a reality. If form follows thought, we can create a better world by focusing on our vision and working to bring it about.

Sadly, the media directs our attention mostly to breakdowns and scandals, not breakthroughs and solutions. I decided to focus on what we DO want, as a society. Then I searched for what I call Breakthrough Solutions, which can help us create the world we want. That’s been the focus of my work for four decades. I even wrote a book on it called Breakthrough Solutions.

MS: You and I have known each other a long time—40 years, give or take—and one thing we’ve had in common is that we are progressives trying to build bridges with conservatives. Honestly, though, while I continue to work closely and constructively with libertarians, business conservatives, and even never-Trump neocons, I’m finding it harder and harder to connect empathetically with MAGA enthusiasts. I would argue that their resistance to facts, embrace of conspiracy theories, and hostility toward democratic norms must be resisted and fought, plain and simple. Do you agree?

EL: I absolutely agree with you. It’s hard to find common ground with people disconnected from reality. For many years, I looked for ways to find common ground with fellow Americans who held conservative Republican views. I had many great conversations with people who held very different perspectives, and I could find common ground around values, like love of country and wanting our country to be free and secure. But with the rise of MAGA, that’s not possible. Most MAGA enthusiasts are lost in a fog of baseless conspiracy theories. Moreover, they are willing to undermine democracy to achieve their short-term goals. So they need to be resisted and fought, if we want to keep the United States of America alive and functioning. America is now under siege, and we must fight to save our country.

MS: I’m sad to say I agree. While we’re on the subject of left-right connections, I’d also like to get your take on the MAHA (Make Americans Healthy Again) movement. Our circles over the years have included some so-called New Agers, who embrace eastern philosophies, vegan diets, home schooling, you get the picture. More than a few, like Charles Eisenstein, loved RFK Jr. and, I believe, played a role in helping secure Trump’s electoral victory last November. Honestly, while I remain curious about alternative ways of thinking and living, I’m appalled at the MAHA’s hostility to science and public health and their tolerance for a dishonest, authoritarian president. How do you plan to build bridges to this faction?

EL: Originally, I was open to what RFK Jr. might do as Secretary of Health and Human Services. He is willing to take on Big Pharma. He is willing to ask questions about the advisability of so many vaccines (while vaccines are clearly lifesaving for millions of people, it is also true that they have harmed some people). RFK Jr. says he is dedicated to Make Americans Healthy Again. Who doesn’t want that?

But what he’s doing now is appalling. He is not honestly searching for evidence-based science to guide policy. He’s selecting people who agree with his preconceived notions of what’s right, even when not backed by science, and even when dangerous. Moreover, he’s indiscriminately axing huge numbers of federal workers who help oversee the regulation of drugs and public health generally. He’s become an instrument of Elon Musk and the DOGE dismantling of government, under the direction of Trump. It’s a disgrace to the Kennedy legacy, and a danger to Americans.

MS: There’s one other political issue I’d like to explore with you—third parties. Like you, I’ve always fancied myself as a Green Party sympathizer. But I’ve hated how third-party candidates in the United States have served no other real purpose than as election spoilers. I recently received an angry letter from Ralph Nader after I wrote that I thought he was responsible for the election of George W. Bush in the 2000 election. To me, this was just a disappointing indicator of how little reflective thinking Nader has done in the last two decades. He didn’t build a movement. He didn’t organize political power. He made a vanity run for President that swung the election from Gore to Bush. Am I wrong?

EL: Yes and no. Nader claims that Gore lost to Bush and that if Gore had more progressive policies (less favorable to big business), the race would not have been close enough for Gore to lose. That’s true. At the same time, if Nader had not been in the presidential race in 2000, Gore would have won. That’s also true.

The fact that some Democrats have been too cozy with big corporations has contributed to working people voting for Republicans and Trump. President Clinton’s pushing NAFTA led to a rapid de-industrialization in the US and huge job losses, from which many communities have never recovered. That led many working people to vote for a Republican who promised to restore industrial jobs (even though his actual policies of extreme tariffs will likely wreck the US and global economy).

MS: I agree with you on that. Corporate globalization has led directly to our political predicament. But what do you think about the Green Party?

EL: While I support many of the Green Party’s views, like the vital importance of respecting (and not polluting) nature, I have never supported Green Party candidates in US elections. The Green Party began in Europe. Those countries have parliamentary systems with proportional representation, and in that context, running third-party candidates makes sense. They can actually win and take seats in parliament. However, in the US system with winner-take-all elections, third-party candidates are almost always spoilers. They can’t win, but they can make it possible for the worst candidate to win.

I believe we need Green politics and policies, not a Green Party that runs candidates who are spoilers.

MS: I completely agree. And if I’m forced to identify my politics, I call myself a green libertarian. So let’s move to your newest project: You recently launched a Substack newsletter with the subtitle “A Home for Big Ideas and Actions.” What’s the unique perspective you hope to bring with this Substack?

EL: Now is a time for both resistance and renewal. We must resist rule by an authoritarian and his ultra-wealthy allies. We must reassert the power of We the People. And we need to recognize that the way things were going was not working for many people. We need fresh thinking about new directions that enable more people to have economic security and ensure we respect nature, which sustains our lives. My Substack will be a hub of resistance and renewal. I’ll write about what’s going on and actions we can take to stop the authoritarian demolition of our government. And I’ll offer another vision for our country with practical actions that will help create it. My lifelong focus on SOLUTIONS is, I believe, very much needed right now!

MS: Fair enough. But let’s face it: Lots of people are deeply fearful right now, yet you retain optimism. Why?

EL: Fear blocks creativity. Fear leads to passivity. Hope unleashes creativity. Hope leads to action, and action leads to hope.

We can choose fear, or we can choose hope. I choose hope.

Plus, my lifelong focus on solutions shows me we can solve every problem. We just need enough people to know about the solutions and take action on them.

MS: I appreciate that in your conferences, radio shows, and writings, you highlight the importance of local investment. Personally, I see two connections with your breakthrough solutions. One is that most of the solutions you write about can only occur, or can occur faster, if we all move our pension funds into them. Do you agree? And which of your solutions do you think are most ready for local investment?

EL: Many of the solutions I propose can occur faster with conscious investing. For example, moving to a Green economy will certainly go faster when pension funds are directed to companies focused on renewable energy, like solar and wind power. These are the solutions most ready for local investment.

However, many of the solutions don’t require financial investment. They require a shift in perspective, like education and helping children with autism. We can get better results by changing our approach to the situation.

Take health care, as another example. The US spends a huge amount of money on healthcare. But we still don’t have coverage for everyone, and our people are very sick. In fact, the majority of Americans have a serious illness like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease. Why? It’s a combination of factors, including high stress, poor nutrition, and an over-reliance on drugs and surgery. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is unhealthy—too much meat, sugar, and processed foods, which lead to excess weight, inflammation, and heart disease. While in some cases drugs and surgery are helpful, even lifesaving, a focus on healthier food (like plant-based, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and exercise would help people be healthier, and cost a lot less. That doesn’t require more money. It requires a shift in how we think about health, and a shift to health promotion and disease prevention.

MS: The second connection with breakthrough solutions is democracy. Local investment means that even with a repressive national government, we can still pour our democratic ideals into the local businesses we support. I recently wrote about how inspired I was to learn that Mondragon, the world’s largest worker co-op, started about halfway through the dictatorship of Generalissimo Franco in Spain. How do you see it?

EL: You are absolutely right. We can advance our democratic ideals by buying from and investing in local businesses. We need that now more than ever!

MS: What community capital initiatives inspire you the most and why?

EL: I like the idea of employee ownership. I like workers having a stake in the organization or company they build. I like working people having greater economic security. There are many different forms of employee ownership; some work better than others, but the basic concept of workers owning a stake in the company they work for is great. My hairdresser is approaching retirement and wondering what to do with his beauty salon when he retires. I told him about employee ownership (which he’d never heard about), and he’s now seriously considering leaving the salon to the workers there. This approach could be a great way to go for the many business owners who are approaching retirement but don’t have a family member interested in taking over the company.

MS: Finally, how do you and your husband invest locally yourselves?

EL: We are very conscious about buying locally. We go to the local farmers’ market and community food co-op (Takoma Silver Spring Food Co-op). We buy from our local bookstores, like Politics and Prose, and independent businesses instead of Amazon whenever possible. We invest in local credit unions. Our home mortgage is with a local credit union. Our bank account is with NIH Credit Union (they’re open to members even if you don’t work at NIH). Given the extremely volatile situation we face nationally, about two years ago, I shifted most of my investment funds into credit union vehicles like certificates of deposits.

MS: Great steps you’ve taken. I’m taking notes!

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