The American Nightmare is Not Over
The 37-count indictment is not the end -there will be more.
Before Trump’s elevation from a reality-show host and lifetime grifter to President of the United States, many warned about the impact on the judicial system, the impact of his economic policies on the national debt, the regression of critical environmental protections, attacks on women’s rights and LGBTQ rights, and the alarming growth of wealth inequality in America.
I was one of those who not only warned; I was compelled to act. (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/resigning-from-oracle-george-a-polisner)
I’ve also written that you could draw a line from our failure to hold Nixon criminally responsible for his crimes against the United States to the criminally-corrupt Trump Administration.
The press conference by Special Counsel…
…Jack Smith, in which the 37-count indictment of Trump was unsealed, should have filled me with joy. When I think of America as my home for 61 years, it’s not just a place. It is a concept. A belief that, as a nation, we will seek equity, democracy, and justice for all.
Nevertheless, I awaken with an unexpected deep sense of loss. A loss of what might have been.
I understand that America has never been equitable -many of our founding documents were overtly racist, misogynist, and protective of the property-owning wealthy. I know of our horrific crimes against indigenous tribes and the embrace of slavery. The establishment of women as second-class citizens precluded them from voting.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights expressed an imperfect initial attempt at a republic (yes, it is a representative form of democracy). The subsequent Constitutional Amendments reflect aspirations toward a more equitable, just, and perfect union.
Although we begin in a horrific, violent manner, we continuously evolve toward something better. “The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dread, Unexpected
The 37-count indictment should have filled me with joy. Despite our flaws and differences, we are still a nation of laws. Justice is (theoretically) for all. And yet this indictment fills me with dread.
It will take educated, informed masses generations to undo the damage that has been inflicted, not only by the Trump administration, however prior administrations. The lawlessness of Nixon. The erosion of education and the middle class, and the reprehensible foreign policy enacted by Reagan. The invasion of Iraq that was predicated on lies by Bush.
And finally, the corrupt criminal Trump administration.
How do you Trust the U.S. Again?
The cabinet appointments of incompetent and/or corrupt people like Betsy DeVos, Mulvaney, Pompeo, Ross, and Perry. And numerous others were elevated to agency chiefs. (https://prospect.org/power/mapping-corruption-donald-trump-executive-branch/)
The abandonment of important allies like the Kurds.
(https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/why-trump-decision-abandon-kurds-syria-disaster-898493/)
The attempt to extort other allies, such as the delay of military aid to Ukraine:
(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-ordered-delay-military-aid-to-ukraine-shortly-before-call-with-its-president/)
Trump wanted to weaken and destroy NATO (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/01/trump-privately-discussed-destroying-nato-alliance)
Why would any nation trust an alliance with the United States when it could readily be subverted and undermined every four years? How do you trust a nation when its people elevate incompetent narcissistic sociopaths to critical leadership positions?
And then Trump Domestic policy
Trump’s GOP tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and the impact on the national debt. (https://www.propublica.org/article/national-debt-trump)
Trump’s environmental record (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2020/oct/20/trump-us-dirtier-planet-warmer-75-ways)
The generational damage through Trump/McConnell judicial appointments. They will continue to have a massive influence on law and policy related to climate change, public education, regulatory capability, public health and safety, gun violence prevention, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, worker rights, voting rights, gerrymandering, racial equity, and more (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/25/trump-judges-supreme-court-justices-judiciary)
This nightmare did not begin with Trump. And it will not end when he is convicted and sentenced.
All who conspired with Trump in his criminal acts or later acted as accessories after the fact must be held accountable, including:
The expulsion of current members of Congress and precluding them from ever holding public office.
The sanctioning and disbarment of lawyers who acted to undermine the election system.
The indictments of those who actively participated in the crimes, corruption, and obstruction of the Trump administration.
State and Local Government
Election deniers, those promoting policies restricting voter rights and access, and/or those who conspire to gerrymander districts should be barred from holding any local, State, or Federal public office. Period. They continue to undermine fragile trust in the American system of government.
GOP Voters
We cannot be the ‘United’ States while elevating the criminally corrupt, incompetents, election deniers, pathological liars, and those who seek office to diminish and weaken America through policies that concentrate wealth and power. While many are simply lost (extremists and cultists on either side of the political aisle), if the center-left, center, and center-right can’t work together to strengthen democracy, aspire toward a just and equitable society, and rise to the challenges of our generation, we are lost forever. Do we have the courage to act in the best interests of justice, democracy, and equity?
And to the 12 million of you who believe violence is the correct response to those who are ‘woke’ (defined as caring, compassionate people who are committed to truth, evidence, science, equity, democracy, and justice) -I have an idea. Why don’t you go start your new country elsewhere? Take your guns and assault rifles. You won’t need books or teachers. You can deny climate change and give all your money to the wealthiest (knowing that it will just ‘trickle down to you, resulting in a strong economy)!
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/09/january-6-trump-political-violence-survey
Rebuild Toward the American Dream?
I occasionally see a poll reflecting whether Americans believe we are “on the right track” as a nation.
However, what is the “right track?” If we are traveling from Los Angeles to X, shouldn’t I provide some information about where X is? And if I don’t, how do you know we are on the right track?
And what if we don’t agree as to where X is? It makes the response to the question far more complicated.
I know where my ‘X’ is. It embodies what I perceive to be the American Dream. The lowest common denominator is a nation aspiring toward democracy, justice, and equity for all. A society where:
All people have access to world-class public education and affordable institutions of higher learning.
Where truth, evidence, and science are precious.
Hard work is fairly rewarded.
People are free to make decisions about their bodies.
Love is love.
Healthcare, housing, and living in dignity are human rights.
We act as stewards of the environment and climate for future generations.
We recognize the value of Dreamers, immigrants, refugees, and those who want to work hard to realize the American Dream.
The flow of factual reporting is a pillar of an advanced, democratic, and civilized society, and therefore, journalists are vital members -not “enemies of the people.”
It is recognized that extreme wealth inequality is antithetical to an equitable and democratic society.
We maintain a consistent foreign policy that our allies can rely upon in trade, climate, economics, and defense.
We maintain a strong military capability to protect our nation and our allies.
We understand the corrupting influence of money in politics and implement anti-corruption laws and policies to address campaign finance and appropriations throughout all levels of government.
That taxes represent our investment in this and future generations of our nation. The taxes should be fair, progressive, and accounted for in an accessible and transparent manner.
The objective of community policing should be to de-escalate violence and mitigate crime. It should not be a militarized authoritarian force.
Every citizen should have unfettered access to voting and to be represented by fair, mathematically-drawn districts.
States must agree to a national vote compact elevating a President of the majority.
The implementation of ranked-choice voting to eliminate the two-party hold on the U.S. political system.
The proliferation of guns and gun violence in the United States must be addressed. The rest of the world looks at active shooter drills in K-12 schools, bullet-proof backpacks for children, and the daily news of multiple mass shootings in America and wonders what the hell is wrong with us.
I know this is not a complete list.
Patience, Political Will, Generational Movement
Collectively defining the American Dream and implementing a path forward will take time. We will not arrive in an election cycle or two. We will never achieve this if we continue to elevate sociopathic and/or corrupt incompetents to public office. To be clear I have no problem with competent leadership who may respectfully disagree on our best path forward to confront the many challenges we face together. However, electing people who are concerned about ‘Jewish lasers from space’, who worry that wind energy is siphoning climate critical tradewinds, or that solar power generation is weakening the sun, or still others who are racists, those who call for violence against Americans who disagree with them, those who are simply liars, or those who seek to ban books or education predicated upon facts, evidence, and/or science must be rejected by all voters across party ideology and party lines.
Thank you to Heroes and Sheroes
Special Counsel Jack Smith and his prosecutorial team.
AG Letitia James, DA Alvin Bragg, DA Fani Willis
State Department officials who like Fiona Hill who warned us.
E. Jean Carroll and all the others who warned us before he was elected.
Elected members of all parties who courageously prioritize what is best for America over what is best for the party, their donors, and re-election. (Looking at you here Liz Cheney).
All those who testified truthfully at the January 6th House Committee.
Hillary Clinton. The response to every crime the GOP commits should be accountability, not “What about her emails?” or “What about Hunter’s laptop?”.
The Biden/Harris administration -for working tirelessly to address the damage the prior administration inflicted in America and in our global reputation.
You all fill me with continuing hope and inspire me to do everything I can to support a more equitable and democratic America and world.