In the Northern Hemisphere, where I live, New Year's arrives shortly after the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. Two holidays around that time of year, Hanukkah and Christmas, attempt to mitigate the darkness outside with light, the menorah having a prominent place in Jewish homes, and Christmas decorations in Christian and secular ones. Darkness within the human heart is, of course, the more significant problem; the long nights of winter are much more benign than dark nights of the soul.
As a nation, we are, as it were, somewhere between Thanksgiving, which occurs on the fourth Thursday of November, and the winter solstice; our nation's light, here and around the world, is decreasing, no doubt about that. In any nation's future, the renewal of a more democratic and just spring is not inevitable; it will take a lot of hard work during days of severe weather.
It is becoming increasingly evident that the current bout of climate change is caused by our president and his enablers.
Neither Millard Fillmore nor Franklin Pierce, whom Walt Whitman excoriated for policies that helped bring on our country's greatest crisis, the Civil War, can still be considered the worst American presidents in history; that dubious distinction already belongs to Donald Trump.
He is weakening the country on all fronts. Our allies have painfully come to the conclusion that the United States is a country in retreat. By withdrawing support for the Trans Pacific Partnership that fostered economic ties between eleven nations, for instance, Trump has given China the opportunity to step in and take the lead.
On the domestic front, everything he has been doing serves to increase inequality, both in the economic and social senses of that word--the recently passed tax legislation is a good example of the former, while his demonizing of black athletes who protest against injustice is a good example of the latter. His attacks on journalists who report things he doesn't like, designating their reporting as "fake news" is another example of national damage. The list goes on.
The most important institutions which enable democracy to thrive, namely, a free press and a system of independent checks and balances, are under attack, let there be no doubt about that.
Recently, a conservative commentator mocked the response of some Democrats to the very regressive tax reform that has recently become law. Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, for instance, referred to it as "Armageddon." The commentator found reactions such as hers to be wild exaggerations; he is right for the wrong reason. Damage will hardly be noticeable at first. Inequality will continue to increase, but that tendency has already been the norm for decades. When a country as great and as powerful as the United States begins to decline, there are many buffers to make that decline bearable for many--at first. A middle-class family, for instance,will still be able to take the occasional vacation; modern versions of the Brady Family will still be able to watch favorite shows on cable, etc., while the price of higher education for their children gradually becomes more and more unaffordable. Bridges in need of repair will continue to function--until they don't. Members of poorer families are already used to the fact that public transportation is dismal, and will hardly notice when the bus that takes them to work becomes somewhat less dependable. Decline tends to proceed by whimpers and not by bangs.
An insidious decline is all the more dangerous, however, since by the time it elicits effective opposition, it may be too late. Once you start descending a mountain, the easiest thing to do is to continue your descent; it takes a lot of determination to stop, turn around, and begin heading up again. Democracy cannot be taken for granted; it is fragile, like an aging father who needs ongoing medical care. In democracy's case, however, every one of us is the doctor. Too many, far too many of us are practicing quack medicine.
We need to turn off our TVs and join the resistance. Democracy in the United States has no future. If that statement proves to be fake news, and I am cautiously optimistic that our descent will be limited, perhaps even reversed; if the future indeed proves to be brighter, however, it will be the result of a significant segment of the population standing up for and fighting for truth.
As a nation, we are, as it were, somewhere between Thanksgiving, which occurs on the fourth Thursday of November, and the winter solstice; our nation's light, here and around the world, is decreasing, no doubt about that. In any nation's future, the renewal of a more democratic and just spring is not inevitable; it will take a lot of hard work during days of severe weather.
It is becoming increasingly evident that the current bout of climate change is caused by our president and his enablers.
Neither Millard Fillmore nor Franklin Pierce, whom Walt Whitman excoriated for policies that helped bring on our country's greatest crisis, the Civil War, can still be considered the worst American presidents in history; that dubious distinction already belongs to Donald Trump.
He is weakening the country on all fronts. Our allies have painfully come to the conclusion that the United States is a country in retreat. By withdrawing support for the Trans Pacific Partnership that fostered economic ties between eleven nations, for instance, Trump has given China the opportunity to step in and take the lead.
On the domestic front, everything he has been doing serves to increase inequality, both in the economic and social senses of that word--the recently passed tax legislation is a good example of the former, while his demonizing of black athletes who protest against injustice is a good example of the latter. His attacks on journalists who report things he doesn't like, designating their reporting as "fake news" is another example of national damage. The list goes on.
The most important institutions which enable democracy to thrive, namely, a free press and a system of independent checks and balances, are under attack, let there be no doubt about that.
Recently, a conservative commentator mocked the response of some Democrats to the very regressive tax reform that has recently become law. Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, for instance, referred to it as "Armageddon." The commentator found reactions such as hers to be wild exaggerations; he is right for the wrong reason. Damage will hardly be noticeable at first. Inequality will continue to increase, but that tendency has already been the norm for decades. When a country as great and as powerful as the United States begins to decline, there are many buffers to make that decline bearable for many--at first. A middle-class family, for instance,will still be able to take the occasional vacation; modern versions of the Brady Family will still be able to watch favorite shows on cable, etc., while the price of higher education for their children gradually becomes more and more unaffordable. Bridges in need of repair will continue to function--until they don't. Members of poorer families are already used to the fact that public transportation is dismal, and will hardly notice when the bus that takes them to work becomes somewhat less dependable. Decline tends to proceed by whimpers and not by bangs.
An insidious decline is all the more dangerous, however, since by the time it elicits effective opposition, it may be too late. Once you start descending a mountain, the easiest thing to do is to continue your descent; it takes a lot of determination to stop, turn around, and begin heading up again. Democracy cannot be taken for granted; it is fragile, like an aging father who needs ongoing medical care. In democracy's case, however, every one of us is the doctor. Too many, far too many of us are practicing quack medicine.
We need to turn off our TVs and join the resistance. Democracy in the United States has no future. If that statement proves to be fake news, and I am cautiously optimistic that our descent will be limited, perhaps even reversed; if the future indeed proves to be brighter, however, it will be the result of a significant segment of the population standing up for and fighting for truth.
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