'Make America Great Again' is the political slogan of Donald Trump and his rabid followers. Some question whether America was ever great in the past 20-30 years. A close examination of the past two decades definitely shows a nation in decline.
Mass shooters are a common occurrence in small towns and large cities scattered across the country. From coast-to-coast, shopping malls, churches, synagogues, schools, daycare centers, hospitals, downtown streets, nightclubs, public building, and even private homes have all become the scene of bloody nightmares. Despite this, there is no common ground on gun control, regulatory improvements, or enhanced background checks. Instead, no action is taken at all--but the thoughts and prayers continue with each bloody aftermath.
Political discourse at the national, state, and local level has become equally violent as losing politicians question every element of our election process. Suddenly, mail-in ballots are suspect in states that have been conducting elections that way for decades. Losing candidates question the authenticity of election day, while victors of the same party praise its process.
This week witnessed the presumed Republican presidential front-runner, former president Donald Trump, actually call for the repeal of a host of laws, rules, and even the US Constitution itself. He also demanded that losing Arizona governor candidate Kari Lake be installed in office immediately. This is insanity.
Former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev said quite prophetically in 1956 “We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the U.S. We will destroy you from within....” Some wonder if this began with the election of the first pro-Russian American president--Trump.
The GOP is reluctant to condemn too loudly any Russian action, including its blatant invasion of sovereign Ukraine in February 2022. While Congress has provided bipartisan support for Ukraine, the more reactionary elements of the Republican Party have questioned whether Ukraine is at fault, whether Ukrainian President Zelensky is corrupt, or whether Russia deserves to occupy Ukraine. In years past, such action would have met universal condemnation from conservatives and liberals alike.
On the domestic front, both political parties attempted without success for nearly 20 years to pass a comprehensive infrastructure bill. Over this time, both parties demanded federal action on roads, bridges, airports, ports, and more. When such a bill finally passed last year, Republicans opposed it with near unanimity only to praise it in their home districts. Where has compromise gone? Have you arrived at a point where only one party or the other has any workable ideas?
Worldwide economies were turned upside down by a global pandemic. Supply chains suffered; basic resources became scarce. Much progress has been made in the past two years, but it is not enough for the 15-second political soundbite.
Inflation remains at record highs throughout the world, compounded by rising oil prices that are the result of a dual threat: OPEC price-fixing and sanctions imposed on Russia following its unwarranted invasion of Ukraine. Inflation is United Kingdom is over 11 percent (compared to US at 8.5 percent). In Argentina, inflation is a whooping 86 percent--and yet political opponents in the US blame President Joe Biden for inflation. Americans have lost the ability to logically conclude truth from political rhetoric. Social media has allowed profound inaccuracies to become sworn truth with elements of the electorate.
Our American experiment will continue its decline until citizens become adults again and find a way to re-learn compromise, and remove the vitirol and anger from the political process. Disagreements need not make enemies; losses need not mean there is political corruption. We are not electing a perfect person--it is time to stop expecting this.
In short, we all need to do better...and soon.
About the Creator
Dan McGinnis
Freelance writer, screenwriter, author
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Comments (1)
It's difficult to take seriously an article that mentions Russia's invasion of Ukraine, without mentioning the colossal costs of the USA's invasion (on false ground) of Iraq, Afghanistan, the sponsoring of terror in Syria, in Yemen, the supporting of dictatorial regimes, the assassinations of democratically elected leaders... the poverty of a people whose leadership is composed of kleptomaniacs in teh pay of the military war machine. I'd give you a D - Delusional if you think these realities are not worth mentioning in your description of what is wrong with America. Established by white immigrants, though genocidal actions and enslavement, it continues its terrorising of the planet as a whole. Not one day has passed since the formation of the USA, when it has not been engaging in warfare outside of its borders, while killing and incarcerating large swathes of its black populations. You miss out such a lot - that this essay whole due called. first draft, exposing your blinkers. Surely you can do better!