A Summer postcard from around the country

Taking the pulse of America

TAT readers,

As I mentioned in my last essay, I’m in that part of the summer where opportunities to share time with family and friends are more frequent, and a welcome distraction from my normal routines. In other words, thank you for your patience with my less-frequent essays. One of my favorite parts to this time of the year is that those I spend time with, are spread all across this fine nation and in many cases, the world. Spending time with loved ones in their part of the country, also means an opportunity to “take the pulse” of Americans of all types and interests. By the end of the summer, I will have seen the country from top to bottom and east to west. To date, that pulse has been fairly uniform regardless of whether I’m in a so-called “red state” or “blue.” I will give you the next paragraph as an over-simplified overview of what I’m finding.

America is exhausted, humiliated globally and domestically, buckling under the weight of job uncertainty, inflation, diminishing benefits, healthcare costs and even wonders whether or not the American Dream still exists. In many places I’ve traveled so far, there is a sense that America is on some sort of melancholic “autopilot” and therefore directionless. If true it is the type of apathy that can destroy democratic institutions, even those with 250 years of success. There is also that nagging, budding trend of rejecting politics and political parties altogether. This brings new urgency to the now accepted fact, that the American political system is by all measurable standards, on life-support as a functioning constitutional republic.

Right now, we need a citizenry that is courageously willing to see the faults in our political system clearly enough, to implement the common-sense safeguards required to protect all of our rapidly diminishing, constitutionally guaranteed rights. All across America, I hear from people from all political disciplines that clearly see the faults in our system and the answers to fixing those faults. In many ways, we as a nation overthink some of the simplest concepts. For example and as it pertains to this essay, most Americans dislike the idea of big money in politics, that the news is no longer trustworthy, that politicians regularly lie to them, etc., etc., etc. For the record, these issues and those like them are points of interest for both sides of the so-called aisle. Anywhere our nation can find commonality these days, is a good thing.

The most prominent trends I’m finding in my travels, revolve around the issue of affordability. Wherever I travel, Americans are working more hours, extra jobs and shopping more carefully. The sad part of this trend is revealed when chatting with these folks, as that none of them see better days ahead. This may just be my anecdotal reporting but it’s also part of my profession to watch, hear and understand people, or as many would say, “to read them.” America is beginning to be seriously concerned about being able to afford their lives in the future. Another unifying issue between left and right, is that both sides are beginning to see that the real issue for November’s midterms, is that the elite wealth class, is keeping them in servitude and that politicians are merely the facilitators of those shackles. If those in the resistance can keep the right focused on how the billionaire-classes propping up the administration are the ones negatively impacting their lives, allies could be acquired from the right, rather than further entrenching the MAGA crowd against us.

The great irony of our current, hyper-partisan political landscape is that the things that really matter to both sides should unify us, not separate. Jobs, a place to live, security, equality, healthcare, a fair legal system etc., are things we all want and yet, we allow politicians to pit us against each other for their benefit, not ours. Culture wars are merely diversions from other truths that we can all agree on. So long as we allow them to do this, they will continue making deals in congress that they benefit from, not us, the people they work for. The price of this type of accountability, is the education of citizens in how government works, their duty to participate in accurately and well-informed elections, how to hold elected officials accountable etc. All democracy is a team-sport and requires participation. A government, “Of the people, by the people, for the people”, is only as good as those which we advance from the ranks to lead.

From the overview above, there are a couple of issues that I recommend following closely as we careen downhill towards the midterms. First and foremost, inflation cannot improve so long as the Iran War continues. It is really is that simple. So long as the Strait of Hormuz is closed, fuel prices will remain high or grow even higher. All products must be shipped to market. Higher fuel costs equals higher costs for your household. This isn’t rocket science. Even if the Strait opened tomorrow, most fossil fuel experts believe that it would take another year for things to return to pre-war levels. There will be no real relief and especially not before election day. There are no narratives more dangerous to GOP candidates in November, than this economy that is utterly failing working Americans.

Secondly, The Iran War which was lost from the very first hour, is sucking the life out of our economy. All the administration is doing now is enhancing China’s influence in the region. Continuing to act as if we were going to invade Iran or that we can win the war via the air, just makes us more of a laughing stock. An invasion would be in clinical terms, “nuts.” We continue to deplete valuable stockpiles of weapons required to defend Taiwan or take other decisive military action anywhere else in the world. After the lack of planning and execution against Iran and the Houthis, the US military is beginning to be seen as far less intimidating than believed. That perception makes the US and our remaining allies less safe, not more.

So here’s where things stand from my informal polling around the nation. America despises being at war and being lied to about it. Americans are dog-tired of the constant chaos and weary from trying to keep their heads above water. Most Americans are finally getting it through their heads that the so-called real enemy is the one percent, and the political parties that do their bidding. If I may be so bold, I’d also say that the current form of the GOP as a serious party, has peaked. They may exist for a while yet, but their relevance will steadily decline into eventual oblivion. The DNC will be little different if they do not make significant changes going forward. And this brings me to my final point. The pre-Trump, American era we all knew, is gone forever.

As we continue to hurtle towards the midterms, please remember that what came before will never return. If you do keep this thought foremost in your mind, it should trigger the urge within you to restore an America that is safe from the perils we are currently experiencing at the hands of the administration and the GOP. In order to move our nation forward and along the path our founders sought for us, we must rebuild the constitutional guardrails currently being dissembled by the White House. We must install an enforceable set of ethical guidelines for SCOTUS up to and including impeachment. We must restore a mechanism of oversight by congress that agencies cannot refuse to comply with. Sub-human immigration centers are a good example of why oversight by congress is required constitutionally.

We must make congress accountable to the people again. If we don’t, we certainly can’t say that we live in a republic. To make congress accountable, there must be absolute transparency in campaign finance and lobbying industries. There must be enforceable penalties for violating laws regulating these and related industries. Most of all, we must have well and accurately informed citizens that remain civically invested in their own communities. Democracy is not only a team sport, but a sport dependent upon contributions from everyone, just to survive. To thrive, we must all give a little more than we take, whether it’s with our vote, volunteer work, our voice at city council and county public forums, etc. In some small way, everyone of us is a cog in the machinery of American democracy. If that machinery is failing, by default, “we-the-people” are part of the problem. Ironically, this is the best news I’m gleaning from my travels.

Yes, it is good news that both “sides” recognize that our government is broken. It’s the one thing that nearly all Americans can agree on. From this foundation can bloom a new era of American-styled democracy. We can unify over strengthening our weaknesses as a republic. We can unify over transparency, truth, honor and what it truly means to be an American. We may not agree on all of these issues, but the public debate over them is what America was designed for in the first place, a style of government where everyone that wishes to have a say in that government, can.

As much as my travels have been sobering from a geo-political point of view, I believe that I’ve seen with my own eyes, an America that has nearly hit rock bottom. I’ve seen the beginning of the understanding that we have a lot of work to do as we rebuild our republic. We have an entire national security community hollowed out by ignorance, hate and greed. We have an economy dramatically out-of-balance, that supports only the elite wealth classes in a dignified manner. We have an entire citizenry that now believes that the justice system only works for those who can afford it. All of this must be addressed urgently and solutions must be based on our constitution and on facts, not political ideology. Yes my friends, we have our work cutout for us.

Where I find a great deal of optimism is that most of America sees a broken nation that requires their attention. Most understand that all of us are part of the solution if we would just have the courage to try and to expend the energy. This is what gives me hope. Historically, America has never been afraid of hard work, especially when faced by a national crisis. We can and will do this, has been our unspoken mantra for 250 years. What’s important now, is that when the current house of cards falls, that the right voices will be there to lead us back towards a stronger version of our founding ideals.

There is hope on the horizon America. The signs may be faint, but the insanity we’ve lived with throughout the Trump era, is beginning to recede. Reality seems to have once again gained a foothold, even in the reddest of states and counties. I see an America reforming around the better angels of her nature, ready to lick our wounds and to get right back to work putting our nation of ideals, back onto a just and honorable course. Bravo to those who’ve fought the current threat from the very beginning, and to those who’ve just now climbed aboard the resistance train. You’re not just resisting… you are restoring our nation’s true values.

My very warmest regards to all,

Paul