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I normally don’t like to write in the first person, but I feel compelled to speak out as an American who is tired and worn out from all of the craziness that passes for politics in this country.
I want my country back.
I want an end to the chaos.
I want an end to the division and hatred.
I want an end to the victimhood and grievance. I want an end to the crying and complaining. I want an end to the nostalgia for a past that in reality, never existed, except on television shows like “Leave it to Beaver”, “Father Knows Best”, and “Happy Days.”
I want an end to the chaos that passes for political, cultural, and economic life in the United States.
More specifically, I want and end to this:
the politics of extremism on both sides, a toxic politics of polarization characterized by a lack of concern about where the vast majority of the country stands politically;
the self centered narcissism that drives many politicians on both sides to lust for political power just for the sake of having it;
the presence of Donald Trump and his politics of cynicism and authoritarianism that has permeated and perverted our democracy (this also
goes for all of the “mini me” Trump wannabes, in their white shirt, red tie, and blue suit uniforms, at the national, state, and local level) ;
the ultra progressive Democratic Party influencers (staffers, pundits, not for profit leaders, “The Squad” and the Elizabeth Warren’s, Bernie Saunders’, Cory Bush’s, and AOC’s of the party) who want to impose their version of big government democratic socialism on a country that doesn’t want it;
to political parties that have surrendered to the minority “base” of their respective parties and the authoritarianism that, in their own way, they embrace (MAGA revels in it; progressive Democrats don’t want to admit that extreme left progressives are just as authoritarian), just to own the other side for the sake of owning the other side;
the politics of cowardice on both sides, where satisfying the base in order to hold on to power trumps political courage and supporting democracy and the constitution;
the private sector “fat cats” who drive the “dark money” of politics, the Peter Thiel’s, Rex Sinquefield’s, George Soros’, and others, and the PACs they support, who benefited from the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and think they can “buy” a president, senator, house member, governor, or other national, state and local politicians to do their bidding, the needs of the citizenry be damned;
a national media (print, broadcast, cable), living in myopic bubbles of the D.C Beltway and New York, that is more concerned with “entertaining”, selling books, driving clickbait and podcast listenership, and being an “insider” with access (the same contracted “talking heads” on each of the networks) than they are about holding leaders accountable and protecting democracy (actions speak louder than words);
the stupid “culture wars” that are used by both sides as cover to excuse inaction in addressing the real economic, social, and political challenges facing the country;
the deification and politicization of the military and the subsequent creation of an American “spartan” military and veteran caste that creates the impression that members and veterans stand above others (as a veteran, I find it disgusting and a perversion of the traditional concept of the “citizen soldier” who serves, gets out, and gets on with their life rather than expecting private sector entitlements and privilege because they served).
I could add more to the list, but what’s the point.
This country, the country that we all claim to love, is being torn apart. It’s not even recognizable anymore.
What’s scary is that the rot being created by the so called adults in the room is permeating down to the children. I work in middle school and high school, and to see a “F*** Joe Biden” or “Let’s Go Brandon” screen saver on an 11 year old’s school Cromebook is shocking, but not surprising.
It’s now become a generational problem, one that isn’t receptive to quick and painless solutions.
This has to stop.
We have a number of serious challenges facing the country right now, problems that are begging for solutions.
Before we can attack these problems, however, we first have to win the battle between democracy and authoritarianism, majority versus minority rule.
The very survival of our way of life is at stake. Right now, with the way things are going, I would venture to guess that it’s less than even odds that democracy, as we know, understand, and have experienced it, will survive the next five years.
For our us, our children, and our grandchildren, democracy must win. The alternative is too horrible to ponder.