By Philip Drucker
Not surprisingly, there is already a great deal of contradictory evidence surrounding the president’s current condition. His physicians have already admitted they wish to remain on the positive side and not unduly alarm the public. Meanwhile, the number of Trump insiders infected with the Virus continues to rise. What should be a moment of unity is quickly turning into anything but. This is wrong.
I have always been and will continue to believe you make peace with your enemies, not your friends. But here is the catch. What if I told you Trump supporters are no longer the problem? Take a moment and think about it. Is Trump going to “win” the election? No. Is he going to seize and maintain, if not expand his power when he loses? No. Is it not true that what happens next is up to us? It is. So, what are we going to do?
This is not to say we still don’t all have to do our job and vote. The only vote that doesn’t matter is the one not cast. And even then, it matters, doesn’t it? We know that now. This is not to say there isn’t going to be plenty of work ahead of us. There will be no quick fix and yes, there will be those who will never see the light.
What we need right now is a big dose of American exceptionalism. What might that look like? Well, not to name names, but it’s not a Rick Wilson or a Steve Schmidt continuing to beat the payback is a bitch drum. Admittedly, they are clever and have added a great deal to the discussion I did not anticipate coming out of the traditional Republican camp. But let me be clear. We are not returning to the days where Reagan had the right idea. He didn’t. I for one refuse to let Romney back in as the fit for president in 2024 Republican (if they are still around) moderate candidate of choice.
Romney is not a moderate anything. He is a dyed in the wool nasty capitalist at a time when unbridled capitalism is a disease compromising our ability to recover and to begin again in earnest not only competing with the world, but truly winning, big time, American style. Simply put, things must change. No more trickle down anything. No more America is healthy when the stock market is high, artificially or otherwise.
No more America is moral when anti-abortionists, I can’t even call them pro-lifers anymore for their actions have clearly shown them to be at best cruel and uncaring, incapable of allowing women to make decisions about when to have children. They honor no one and disgrace us all.
America does not need a religious zealot on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. If fact, it’s time for the next Democratic President and Congress to codify the abortion rights guaranteed under our Constitution into law and stop the charade that the Courts have the power to legislate from the bench. The only reason we are having this discussion is because the legislature refuses to do its Constitutional duty. Didn’t know they can do that, did you? That’s because they don’t want you to know.
It is time for fundamental changes in the separation and balance of power. We must reign in the presidency and allow for the Congress and Congress to make the laws of our land. It is time to roll back the power of the Federal Courts, back to the mostly administrative in nature vision of the Founding Fathers.
It is time to stop the dark money flowing virtually unchecked into our election process. Corporations do not have a right to free speech. This is nonsense. How do I know this? They don’t even have a mouth. And the silver tongue devils hiding behind the corporate veil? They need to take personal responsibility for their words and actions, just like every other American.
Whoever got it into their heads, much less stuck in ours, that owning an imaginary business entity designed to make profit and avoid taxes gives carte blanche to those pulling the strings is at best a terrible and undemocratic idea as they come and surely if nothing else an absolute absurdity. In short, we must all work together to overturn Citizens’ United otherwise nothing will change.
But the big question I have for you today is who will go first? Who will take the first step and extend the hand of freedom through friendship to our fellow Americans, our brothers and sisters regardless of who they may or may not vote for? Make no mistake, these are frightening times we are living in and if you feel the hair on the back of your neck stand up and are a bit hesitant, know this. I am too. The stakes are high and we must not fail. But even more importantly than not failing is succeeding. We must seize the initiative and move forward. Progress, progressive and liberal can no longer be “dirty” words. These are words of hope, promise and a return to the American way where we can do anything we put our minds and our efforts to. Anything.
To do this, we must put aside our differences, some admittedly greater than others, and rededicate ourselves to the proposition that America is truly great when We, the People are allowed the full benefit of our God given natural rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When everybody is entitled to the fruits of their ambition and labor, with social and economic justice and equality for all and yes, where nobody and I mean nobody, is above the rule of law.
In closing, I posit it is no longer acceptable to merely state we have lost our way. We have. That much is quite clear and unambiguous. The time for debate is over. If we register, GOTV and bring a friend (or two) to the ballot box, we win. After the election is over and the winner certified, spike the football if you must, maybe take a victory lap or two. Have that martini with three olives. Then, let’s all agree to shoot for the stars and stripes, together, as one. E pluribus unum, y’all. The way it was always supposed to be.
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