When Thomas Paine wrote in 1776 in The American Crisis, “These are the times that try men’s souls,” little did he know that the crisis to which he was referring, the American Revolution, would pale in comparison to the multiple crises, we face today. After watching two debates, one presidential, one vice-presidential, it is clearer than ever, that we, as a nation, are more divided, and significantly more challenged and unprepared for the future than ever before in our 250 years of history. Three humongous crises are interwoven, and all three are working synergistically to destroy the fabric of our nation and our democracy. All three will annihilate us totally and irrevocably if left unattended. All three have repercussions and ramifications that will go on forever. All three affect the rest of the world. All three have several sub-crises. All three are facts, not opinions.
The sub-crises, such as health care, the economic and education crises, are nurtured and exacerbated by a) runaway epidemic, b) runaway climate change and environmental degradation, and c) decomposing democracy. If we don’t re-attach our brains on or before November 3, and vote as intelligent, compassionate, altruistic, and thinking Homo sapiens, we will be no better than our primate ancestors, proving that we really haven’t evolved cerebrally at all. In fact, we may have de-evolved, because, unlike our primate ancestors, we can’t seem to work together as a cohesive since the onset of the war in Vietnam, maybe WWII. Since then, too many of us have revealed our basic ingredients to be greed, selfishness, narcissism and immorality. We have become driven by self, not community interests. We have reached THE turning point, the granddaddy of all previous turning points. We are at the top of a spiral slide that descends, more rapidly with each turn, into a black hole from which there is absolute darkness and no return.
This picture is dark and negative but 2020 has been a dark and negative year. America has achieved an historic low. Quite likely, future historians will consider it the worst year in our history. I say that because the recovery from the disastrous 2020, if even possible, will be incredibly difficult because it presents us with several equally daunting challenges. In the past, horrible years were usually because a war, an assassination, economic depression, etc.; the challenge was typically not multi-faceted, as with 2020.
This is not a happy story, but truth is not always happy. We might have minimized forthcoming tragedy had we not had a president who has distracted us daily with infantile diversions. That may be his biggest crime in a litany of big crimes. The Orange Orangutan sitting in the Oval Office exhibits the worst traits of primates. In fact, the wild orange orangutan may be the much superior creature. Having a completely dysfunctional Congress has iced the cake of distractions.
The solutions are tightly interwoven and involve actions implemented over the next several years. A rejuvenated President, Congress, and Supreme Court and the People must:
- See the light of reality. We have become a nation led by non-thinking, prejudiced and selfish human beings. We need to wake up and join the real world.
- Wound the elephant. The GOP is clearly no longer devoted to the people. Wounding the elephant involves flipping the party of the President and the Senate, maintaining the House and balancing the Supreme Court.
- Plan for the future. Implement a Comprehensive National Plan (CNP), whether it be the Biden Plan or the Green New Deal or a mixture of both. A CNP must immediately address the big crises. One CNP is an oversimplification of what will have many component plans, such as a epidemic plan, a climate change plan, and reconstruction plans for the economy, education, health care, etc. Even if Biden is elected but the dominant party doesn’t flip in the Senate, the CNP is unlikely to happen, certainly in a timely fashion (like NOW!). Mitch McConnell will continue to lead his flock of sycophantic, weak and cowardly obstructionists and Washington will continue to remain dysfunctional.
- Implement bipartisanship. Both parties of Congress must cooperate, compromise and turn their attention immediately to the dominant crises and not to the president. The Democratic party cannot stand alone.
- Implement nonpartisanship. The highest court of the land can’t properly serve the country fairly if it isn’t balanced.
- Implement nonviolence. Law and order must succeed without violence to allow a healthy democracy and society to exist. This involves two components:
- Anarchist activities must have serious consequences. Radical extremist movements must be squelched or reduced to having a benign impact. Otherwise, terror will severely cripple any chance for a healthy and safe country.
- Serious gun laws must be enacted and enforced. America needs to grow up and join the 21st century and the rest of the civilized world.
- Act like a real democracy. Vote and talk to each other about real and controversial issues. Prepare for serious sacrifice.
Sound impossible? In the modern America we have seen in recent times? Totally. But I believe in miracles. 2020 has been the year of the disaster, 2021 must be the year of the miracle.