Nation of Fear
As I finish this article, Congress is racing to pass legislation that will remove access to healthcare to millions of people, take food out of the mouths of hungry children and families, and add at least $3 trillion to the growing national debt (the reality is, it will be far more). All of this to extend major tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans. How did we get to this point?
Any meaningful democracy requires a well-educated, well-informed, and engaged society.
In the history of humanity, we were frightened by phenomena such as lightning, thunder, eclipses, and comets. We thought the Earth was flat (granted, some still do). Left-handed people must be witches or warlocks. Many were terrified when we learned that the Earth was not the center of an expanding universe; however, it orbited the sun, just like Uranus.
How many believe that the representative democracy in the United States is healthy, strong, and working well as we evolve toward a “more perfect Union”?
How many believe that the healthcare system in the United States provides high-quality and affordable care for all?
How many people believe that voting is now completely free of barriers—and therefore agree with Chief Justice Roberts and the conservative majority that their 2013 decision to gut a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was justified?
How many believe that the rule of law should be applied equally to all people, including a privileged few?
Are we all cool with the proliferation of guns, assault rifles, high-capacity magazines, and gun violence?
Are we fine with a handful of people controlling most of the wealth in the United States, enjoying gigantic tax loopholes, stockpiling trillions of wealth offshore, and acquiring and consolidating media companies to constrain the news and information we see (except, apparently news about Jeff Bezos’ wedding and/or the Kardashians) -and all this while 60% of us could not cover an unexpected $1,000 expense?
We’re all good with State-sponsored kidnappings and human trafficking of students, moms, dads, sons, daughters, and others who mistakenly believe we still care about all of the first ten Amendments encompassing the Bill of Rights.
We’re good with dictating what women can and can’t do with their bodies?
We are “a-ok” with politicizing textbooks and the education system so the next generation learns that coal is so clean and tasty you can sprinkle it on your breakfast cereal, the Civil War was fought over “States’ Rights”, and slaves were willing apprentices being taught important job and life skills?
Except for those who are still trying to recover from fires, floods, hurricanes, and other extreme (and worsening climate catastrophes), we’re okay on global warming?
Enough of us have such a tremendous reserve of drinking water, it’s fine to dump chemicals, waste, and pollution into streams, rivers, and lakes, because environmental protection kills jobs?
I’ve belabored the point here. These are just a handful of societal imperatives, the tip of a rapidly melting ice shelf.
These imperatives are not new. They are all, however, worsening. Since our system is a representative democracy, and that means we elect leaders who represent our societal values, goals, and objectives, why are these critical issues not being addressed? Why are they worsening?
While there are a multitude of reasons, one, in particular, addresses why the country is currently led by a corrupt, incompetent, criminal-elect who is surrounded by a Congressional majority all too happy to kill healthcare access for millions of people while driving even more wealth to the already wealthy.
It is a four-letter word that begins with “F”.
The word is FEAR.
Healthcare and Fear
The U.S. healthcare system is the most expensive in the world, yet it consistently ranks among the worst when comparing costs, patient outcomes, and access to care with other systems in Canada, Netherlands, Israel, Ireland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, and more. In fact, of the top twenty major systems (which all offer universal healthcare, the United States (which does not offer universal care) is in last place. For all of you exceptionalists out there who love to shout “USA! USA! USA!” at political rallies, the United States is number one in healthcare system costs, and number one in the approximately 650,000 personal bankruptcies the system causes on an annual basis.
Healthcare is a major personal expense in the United States. On average, a person spends close to 12% of their paycheck on healthcare (which, by the way, is 5 times greater than the average state income tax percentage), and costs are rising. Thank goodness it’s not a tax!!! Because anytime we call something a tax, we’re against it!
Politicians know the healthcare system has failed “We the People”. In early 2016, Donald Trump promised to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA, or “Obamacare”) with a terrific, phenomenal plan that would provide universal care. During his 2024 campaign, Trump said he had the “concepts of a plan” to repeal and replace the ACA. In the meantime, Trump, along with the GOP majority in Congress, are working around the clock to eliminate access to care for millions of families to pay for an extension of tax cuts for the wealthy.
The reality is that the healthcare system in the United States works beautifully if you are wealthy and a major donor to political candidates. First of all, if you are wealthy, you are less inclined to care about the costs of healthcare. You certainly don’t care about rising costs for the average American. You don’t care about the 650,000 people and families per year who are financially devastated. And if you are part of the system, such as an executive in “Big Pharma”, or are a partner in a private equity company, you are stockpiling even more wealth based on the rising costs and poor patient outcomes. So there is not much “political will” to represent voters.
There is, however, plenty of money to instill FEAR into the hearts and minds of voters about radical changes to the system. It will lead to higher taxes! The government will ration care! Wait times for an appointment will be measured in years! I won’t get to choose my doctor!!! (This was a big one around the ACA.) OMG!!! This is socialism!!!
These (and more) all factor into our fears of electing and supporting leadership who understand the current system is failing 90% of the country and must be reimagined to expand access, shift to a preventative system, and drive cost-effective innovation in the delivery of care. Until we have the courage to dare to do so, some people will be carrying their protest signs, “Government out of Our Healthcare”, satisfied with Wall Street Analysts and private equity investors, insurance executives, and Big Pharma making healthcare decisions for your family (instead of public health experts and physicians).
Taxes, AI, Higher Education, and Fear
Recent studies have shown that 60% of Americans lack the savings to afford an unexpected $1,000 expense. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour and has not changed in 16 years. Adjusted for inflation, $7.25 per hour in 2009 has a value of $4.91 per hour in 2025. So stop complaining and pull yourselves up by your bootstraps!
Notably, Jeff Bezos makes approximately $10-15 million/hour, despite Tesla’s that spontaneously combust, have parts flying off, and express a dangerous sense of humor in full self-driving mode, the “rapid unexpected disassembly” of exploding SpaceX rockets, and his passion for corrupt, incompetent leaders and other right wing extremists, Elon Musk is reported to gain $21 million/hour, and Mark Zuckerberg’s latest earnings are pegged at between $5-10 million/hour.
Any political talk of increasing the minimum wage is met with cries of socialism and Marxism. And a living wage? Forget it, communist.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-money-emergency-expenses-2025
Aside from the depressing news above (unless you’re Jeff, Elon, or Mark), there’s the rise of the machines to consider. Private equity, institutional investors, and executives recognize that ATMs don’t need healthcare and don’t ask for a raise. Self-service checkout lanes don’t require parental leave. Self-driving vehicles don’t need weekends off to be with family. Factory automation has eliminated the need for many skilled union workers in the manufacturing sector (aside from all of the work shipped outside of the U.S. by CEO’s choosing record profits over U.S.-based employees.)
The emerging general availability of AI has opened up a vast array of applications that are reducing the demand for human labor and will continue to do so. This is bad news if you were hoping for that raise or a promotion. It’s worse if you have graduated with a degree, are now saddled with student loans, and are trying to enter the workforce and begin your career (and loan repayments). There is and will be reduced demand for radiologists, medical diagnosticians, financial analysts, paralegals and legal research, insurance and loan underwriters, software developers, accountants and bookkeepers, market research analysts, writers, human resource analysts, technical support, call center staff, graphic artists, and more.
The result of this will be flattened pay, diminishing benefits, and fewer people entering the workforce. If we do not reimagine the economic system, workers will be displaced, families will become unhoused, poverty will dramatically worsen, and the next generation will enter a rapidly tightening job market with no mechanisms to repay their student loans. In a society that truly values democracy, education—one of its fundamental pillars—should be accessible to all. Student loans should not exist. Higher education must be affordable and readily available to everyone.
The rising costs of higher education continues to burden students with massive loan debt because, over generations, corporations and the wealthy have installed leaders like Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump—figures who slashed taxes for the rich while shifting the cost of public education onto students and their families.
In 1975, the top corporate tax rate was 48%. Today it is 21%.
In 1975, the top individual income tax rate was 70%. Today it is 37%
In 1975, the capital gains tax rate was 35%. Today it is 20%.
In 1975, there was a $60,000 estate tax exemption with a 77% tax rate. Today, there is a $13.99 million exemption on a 40% rate.
While societal costs for public education were rising, the tax contributions of the wealthiest 1% of taxpayers were being slashed.
Even in a state characterized as “progressive”, California, legislative proposals have been made to assess a tax on excess personal wealth. The proposals failed.
California voters resoundingly rejected a higher state income tax on earnings over
$2 million per year. Why? As soon as the taxes were a concept, billionaire-controlled media flooded the airwaves with: “Socialists!, Marxists!, Job-killing taxes!, We’ll close our HQ and move to Texas! California hates successful businesses (yet, if California were its own country, it would be the 4th largest economy in the world).
At this point, any candidate for Congress or the Presidency who spoke of reforming the tax system so that once again, all people paid their fair share would face major media headwinds, although our economic system is broken (for ordinary Americans) and has been for over 50 years. Because FEAR.
Climate and Fear
For those of you who reject the peer-reviewed science of “Climate Change” (despite the existence of internal documents from scientists and executives at Exxon who understood the relationship between carbon emissions and climate change nearly 50 years ago), you may want to skip this section.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/12/exxon-climate-change-global-warming-research
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64241994
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/01/harvard-led-analysis-finds-exxonmobil-internal-research-accurately-predicted-climate-change/
When Congressional progressives proposed comprehensive legislation to enact the “Green New Deal”, the coal-powered right-wing propaganda machine went to work. Fox “News” and the GOP went to work. “It’s radical and socialist. It’s government control of every aspect of life. It will eliminate jobs and bankrupt the country. It will ban cows, hamburgers, and airplanes (and perhaps flying cows?) It’s insane. It’s Stalinist (I had no idea Stalin was an environmentalist, but okay). It’s an anti-American attack on traditional jobs like coal mining and cattle ranching.”
The Green New Deal, an insane attack on America, apple pie, Chevrolet, baseball, and mom included things like upgrading power grids, investing in clean, renewable energy, public transportation infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, a federal job program including training, prioritize marginalized communities that historically have been harmed by pollution (ie.- Richmond, California and Flint, Michigan for example). What’s next socialists? Women’s Rights? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion???
The Green New Deal also included provisions to ensure access to clean air and water, healthy food (addressing the food deserts common in underserved communities), affordable housing, and public education.
So yes, utterly communist and insane.
As the next generation emerges from university and begin their adult lives with massive student debt, toxic air, poisoned water, extreme hurricanes, wildfires, coastal flooding, and prolonged droughts they can grab and wave the American flag and share their stories of sacrifice, allowing past generations to enjoy executive bonus pay, and Big Oil dividend checks. You’re welcome!
When will we have the courage to pass sweeping and comprehensive legislation and policy to address the climate crisis? When will we have the courage to stop plundering and polluting the planet, increasing the odds of a horrific dystopian future for our children, grandchildren, and generations yet to come?
As of today, FEAR, bribery, and the flow of money trumps the future.
More FEAR
As of today, the Social Security system will be depleted by 2033 and will only be able to cover a portion of its obligations to its beneficiaries. As of today, Social Security taxes are no longer assessed after you have earned $176,100 for the year. It is capped at $176,100, and that figure is generally adjusted for inflation annually. This means that teachers, first responders, grocery clerks, and others pay into the social security system the entire year, every year. In 2025, someone earning $350,000 per year is only taxed for the first half of the year. If the cap on Social Security taxes were removed, an estimated $3.2 trillion would flow into the system over ten years.
If the cap were removed, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected the system would be fully funded and solvent beyond the year 2095. Nevertheless, the wealthy and the politicians they have purchased refuse to address the cap. Their answer is to tell you to put your walker down, get out of your wheelchair, and compete in the job market for jobs that don’t and won’t exist, work until you are 67, no 70, no 72, no 75: and if the jobs did exist, they aren’t hiring you grandpa.
So why don’t we vote for leadership that will remove the cap for the 5-6% of the population whose earnings exceed the cap? FEAR.
Whether the question relates to economics, taxation, public education, public safety, the (former) justice system, equality, immigration reform, gun violence prevention, universal healthcare, universal pre-K, national defense, and a coherent foreign policy American society lacks the courage for the bold reforms necessary to evolve toward a “more perfect Union” and provide a pathway for our children, grandchildren, and generations yet to come to have a chance at a better and more peaceful future.
We elect candidates who tell us taxes kill jobs, environmental protections kill jobs, climate action kills jobs, refugees steal our jobs, an education based in facts, evidence, and science is an indoctrination into hating America, that books and libraries will harm future generations, that the only thing that stops a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun (except, apparently, in Uvalde, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Orlando, Virginia Tech, Sutherland Springs, El Paso, Killeen, San Ysidro, and Lewiston to name a few places), and we must increase our military spending because “Let them hate us as long as they fear us” -remains our Foreign Policy. Even when we have a real Attorney General and Department of Justice, we didn’t pursue elected officials who participated in a violent insurrection, because of the FEAR of appearing political (note that the corrupted DOJ of today has no issue with pursuing political opponents regardless of whether any crime was committed).
If progressive leadership were to produce a New, New Deal -it would probably call for universal healthcare, clean air, fresh water, sensible climate action, a transition to safe, clean, and renewable energy, tax fairness, prioritizing public education, public media, voting rights, sensible gun ownership, justice reforms, strengthening social security, creating incentives for sustainable agriculture, affordable housing, and more.
I can only imagine the screams of horror coming from the likes of Bezos, Musk, Thiel, Adelson, Ellison, and others who undermine democracy in exchange for greater wealth accumulation. The money that would flow into the right-wing propaganda machine, claiming Stalinist/Marxist/Socialist/Communist insanity. A hippie takeover of the United States. Children are being dropped off at Fidel Castro Elementary School, and when being picked up, they are transitioned into a different gender and without the need for a bulletproof backpack to carry their banned textbooks.
It would create such a wave of public fear and hysteria that the American public might just elect a criminally corrupt felon.
FEAR: It’s what for breakfast (and lunch, and dinner, and a late night snack).
A Call for Courage and Action
Now: Defend the vulnerable: Immigrants, refugees, dreamers, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community.
Visibility/Exposure -Provide photographs and videos and share on social networks so people can see that mothers, fathers, and children are being targeted by ICE (not violent criminals or drug kingpins -they are being pardoned by the Administration).
Tell the stories of those kidnapped by ICE on social networks.
MAGA voters thought detaining and deporting violent criminals and drug kingpins was a good idea. We all do. However, when 75% or more of those being kidnapped, detained, arrested, disappeared, and deported by ICE are mothers, fathers, students, workers contributing to society, members of the community, (remember Fox “News” is dedicated to promoting the idea that every person kidnapped and trafficked is a dangerous, violent criminal). We must tell the stories of the majority of immigrants whose lives are being devastated because Stephen Miller is a white supremacist, and the President is a racist and always has been.(https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/us/politics/donald-trump-housing-race.html)
Support public and independent media that will continue to provide facts and evidence-based reporting and visibility of the unconstitutional and illegal actions of the current lawless Administration, such as NPR, ProPublica, the Guardian, Free Speech TV, Heather Cox Richardson, and others.
Direct defense -there is emerging technology helping to rapidly identify ICE activity in a particular area. ICEBlock and SignalSafe are new platforms of note (I’ve not personally used or evaluated them).
Rallies, protests, boycotts -Continue to attend and support “No Kings” rallies and boycotts protesting this Administration and the continuing unconstitutional attacks on due process and fundamental rights.
Special elections -register and vote for candidates who prioritize the rule of law and their Oath of Office over fealty to the criminal elect, a political party, and billionaire donors.
Now: Delay implementation
Support State AG’s
Support Whistleblowers.
Now, more than ever, those inside this current lawless Administration need a safe haven to provide insights, documentation, and evidence of egregious wrongdoing. Whistleblower Aid is one such organization providing support for those who have the courage to come forward.
Support organizations taking legal action such as:
Immigrant Defense Project (IDP)
https://civ.works/defend has a small list of civil organizations helping people vulnerable to the denial of due process and rights. Please consider supporting them.
Now: Build
Identify, elect, and re-elect leaders who commit to the rule of law and the Oath of Office in every special election and the 2026 midterm elections.
However, don’t count on future elections to drive change.
Now: Plans
If 2026 elections occur, we must have a Congress that is committed to the rule of law, their Oath of Office, and representing the will of the people.
If 2026 elections do not occur, we must have a plan to cause a near-immediate transfer of governmental authority, such as a prolonged general strike until an illegitimate government falls.
We can no longer assume that those whom we elevate into leadership roles will represent the will of the people. We cannot simply “pull the lever” for someone in hopes that they will prioritize society over their own political ambition. Over the next few months while we are supporting Defending, Delaying, and Building -the “Build” process needs a clear directive of our demands of the 120th Congress. The following is what seems clear in my mind to begin to bend the “long arc of the universe” toward justice (equality, and democracy). The first three points (from my perspective) are mandatory.
(From the below: What would you add, remove, or revise?)
The 120th Congress (as determined by the 2026 midterm elections) must commit to plans for sweeping legislation, policy, and reforms, including:
The appointment of independent special prosecutors and a special U.S.-based court not subject to the current corrupted system, or use of the International Criminal Court at the Hague to indict every individual who planned, funded, conspired, aided, and/or acted as accessories after the fact in the January 6, 2021 insurrection in violation of Federal law and the U.S. Constitution. Remove them and, if convicted, bar them from participating in government. They are continuing to attack and subvert the United States from inside.
Remove and indict every Federal official who has led and/or participated in State-sponsored kidnappings in violation of due process rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.
Remove and disbar any member of the Supreme Court and/or Federal courts who have received substantial donations, favors, or gifts. Pass sweeping ethics reforms in the Judicial Branch to prevent a betrayal of the justice system.
The 120th Congress must sponsor, co-sponsor, and pass legislation/policies including but not limited to:
The War Powers Act;
John Lewis Voting Rights Act;
Sweeping campaign finance reform, reversing the “Citizens United” decision, and enacting public campaign financing at federal, state, and local elections;
The National Popular Vote Compact to render the racist Electoral College obsolete;
A modern Fairness Doctrine;
A ban on Congressional insider trading and lifetime bans on lobbying;
Tax legislation and policy that closes loopholes, balances economic growth and investment incentives while addressing the extreme wealth inequality in the United States, which has led to a gravely corrupted version of a representative democracy;
Immigration reform providing a clear path to residency, work, and citizenship in the United States;
Immediately restore funding for agencies and programs adversely impacted by a criminally corrupt Executive and Judicial Branches of government;
Restore programs and financial incentives for a rapid transition to clean, safe, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate action. Rejoin international treaties on climate, defense, and trade;
Provide equitable, sustainable funding for all public schools, increase investment in Title I, stop the politicization of public education, mandate K-12 civics education, including media literacy and encourage critical thinking over testing. Include core mathematics, science, and language, the humanities, and specific life skills like household budgeting, personal credit management, and why trigonometry is so much better than geometry. Restore and increase Pell grants, and make higher education accessible and affordable to everyone without burdening students and their families with a lifetime of massive debt;
Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to reform local law enforcement, drive accountability, and address patterns of misconduct and abuse;
The creation and funding of a public interest standard for major media outlets. Hold networks that call themselves “news” accountable to fundamental truth-in-reporting standards.
Action
Over the next six months, add, subtract, and refine the key directives “We the People” demand from any Member of Congress seeking election or re-election to participate in the 120th Congress.
Attend protests, rallies, and participate in meaningful, verified boycotts.
Hold every Member of Congress to their Oath of Office and commitment to “We the People”.
Prepare for a prolonged general strike if the 2026 elections are delayed and/or cancelled. I recognize the extreme personal sacrifice that is necessary for a general strike to be effective. Remember, in the 1930s, confronted by a mass murdering fascist dictator, people paid the ultimate sacrifice for the principles of justice, equality, and human rights.
Look, I do not minimize the disruption and suffering a general strike of non-essential workers would cause. Nevertheless, the alternative, our almost 250-year-old experiment in representative democracy ended by a group of insatiable billionaires who believe we are all mindless objects in their “video game” view of the world, is not the legacy I intend to leave for my children, grandchildren, and generations yet to come.
When anchoring CBS News, Dan Rather’s nightly sign off was “Courage”.
Now, more than ever, we must recognize the system has been subverted and broken. We must overcome our collective fear of radical reform and change. We must support a new generation of leadership who possesses the vision, courage, and integrity to work for all of us, not exclusively for Bezos, Musk, and Zuckerberg, and anyone waving a big check. We must embrace the reforms and radical changes necessary for a strong and vibrant future.Courage.
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Excellent, if not depressing, analysis of the state of affairs. I despair for our future, brother. I am persuaded that the synergistic effect of a dysfunctional government , AI which will displace millions of jobs, global warming, burgeoning debt, and an utterly ignorant population, there are scant solutions to the dark storm clouds on the horizon. Your prescription for action is noble and of course correct; it is just that I doubt our capacity for action. Alas, as a 75 yr old agnostic, I turned inward to prayer and the Bible, exercise, and love of spouse as a personal solution. Keep up the great work brother..
Great post. Comprehensive plan.