Quite an interesting assessment of where we find ourselves, how we got here, and what we need to do about it, Vanessa. I was struck particularly by what you wrote about how we "fought back" after 9/11 and our relatively weak response after January 6. I can't help but think this is at least in part attributable to the personas of the two presidents who led us (well, Biden after January 21). I don't intend this as a criticism of Biden--but his personality is very different from Bush's. Biden is the conciliator--and after the trauma of trump, lord knows we needed that. But unfortunately, the time for conciliation is now past. Bush was also "quick on the draw" to consolidate POWER...and Biden does not share that need; he wants us all to "get along." I also don't mean for this to be an apology for Biden. I share you concern that we haven't done anywhere near enough to combat the evil that trump set in motion while he was president and continues to foist upon us. There is so much, so much riding on the outcome of the election! But even if the Democrats manage somehow to hang onto power, we will be faced with the reality of a weakened state that is crying out for significant efforts to right itself--and I fear we will not get it. So whatever happens, we need to be prepared to stand up, be courageous and call out what we need to begin to repair our democracy.
Evelyn as always, thank you. Definitely an interesting take on the president's personalities. I think you're right about that. But obviously there are some huge cultural reasons why this is different as well since the threat is inside. It would be a tricky line for any president to navigate when it's your own citizens who are part of the problem. Including elected officials. Thank you for this. I don't to see where the threat has changed much since the election. Except that we did not have violence on the election itself which that part is very good.
Oh, my yes--the cultural differences! And while we survived the election without violence--thankfully--the undercurrent for potential violence has not gone away. As long as the Republican Party doesn't denounce trump, loudly, clearly, it will remain. The few statements from people like Pence and Mel Brooks are self-serving at best. They are not the "official stance" of the Republican Party by any means. And those who think the right-wing press has turned on trump (the New York Post and WSJ) are deluding themselves. If trump emerges--yet again--they will fall in right behind him. Because they want to sell newspapers and trump sells! We are a long way from setting the country on the right path. But at least with the outcome of this election, we have a chance to do so; if the outcome had been different, that may not have been true.
Evelyn - right on. We are clearly thinking similarly, as I just put out a post on how the fever did not break even though a bunch of people seem hopeful that it magically has... https://shiftthecountry.substack.com/p/no-the-fever-didnt-break. Trump DOES sell. Good point to not forget. Thanks for that. And you're right - we definitely have a chance to chart a different path. We're digging in to do that, obviously. But it's great to have a chance to get to. -Vanessa
Quite an interesting assessment of where we find ourselves, how we got here, and what we need to do about it, Vanessa. I was struck particularly by what you wrote about how we "fought back" after 9/11 and our relatively weak response after January 6. I can't help but think this is at least in part attributable to the personas of the two presidents who led us (well, Biden after January 21). I don't intend this as a criticism of Biden--but his personality is very different from Bush's. Biden is the conciliator--and after the trauma of trump, lord knows we needed that. But unfortunately, the time for conciliation is now past. Bush was also "quick on the draw" to consolidate POWER...and Biden does not share that need; he wants us all to "get along." I also don't mean for this to be an apology for Biden. I share you concern that we haven't done anywhere near enough to combat the evil that trump set in motion while he was president and continues to foist upon us. There is so much, so much riding on the outcome of the election! But even if the Democrats manage somehow to hang onto power, we will be faced with the reality of a weakened state that is crying out for significant efforts to right itself--and I fear we will not get it. So whatever happens, we need to be prepared to stand up, be courageous and call out what we need to begin to repair our democracy.
Evelyn as always, thank you. Definitely an interesting take on the president's personalities. I think you're right about that. But obviously there are some huge cultural reasons why this is different as well since the threat is inside. It would be a tricky line for any president to navigate when it's your own citizens who are part of the problem. Including elected officials. Thank you for this. I don't to see where the threat has changed much since the election. Except that we did not have violence on the election itself which that part is very good.
-Vanessa
Oh, my yes--the cultural differences! And while we survived the election without violence--thankfully--the undercurrent for potential violence has not gone away. As long as the Republican Party doesn't denounce trump, loudly, clearly, it will remain. The few statements from people like Pence and Mel Brooks are self-serving at best. They are not the "official stance" of the Republican Party by any means. And those who think the right-wing press has turned on trump (the New York Post and WSJ) are deluding themselves. If trump emerges--yet again--they will fall in right behind him. Because they want to sell newspapers and trump sells! We are a long way from setting the country on the right path. But at least with the outcome of this election, we have a chance to do so; if the outcome had been different, that may not have been true.
Evelyn - right on. We are clearly thinking similarly, as I just put out a post on how the fever did not break even though a bunch of people seem hopeful that it magically has... https://shiftthecountry.substack.com/p/no-the-fever-didnt-break. Trump DOES sell. Good point to not forget. Thanks for that. And you're right - we definitely have a chance to chart a different path. We're digging in to do that, obviously. But it's great to have a chance to get to. -Vanessa
Just read and commented on No-the-fever-didnt-break! Let's keep it going...