Human history shows that democracy IS an “idealistic fantasy”, Mr. Hartmann, one rarely attempted and seldom of long duration. Because it rests, in the end, on the delusionary notion that humans are basically good. We are not. We are selfish, greedy, venal, cruel, bigoted overtly or covertly, tribal. Democracy requires that we rise above…
Human history shows that democracy IS an “idealistic fantasy”, Mr. Hartmann, one rarely attempted and seldom of long duration. Because it rests, in the end, on the delusionary notion that humans are basically good. We are not. We are selfish, greedy, venal, cruel, bigoted overtly or covertly, tribal. Democracy requires that we rise above all of that, and act for the common good. The morbidly rich have destroyed that in this country and are doing it around the world. The question is not whether we will maintain some semblance of our republic here, but whether the world can prevent the catastrophe that the morbidly rich are engineering. That seems doubtful to me, even if there is a blue tsunami in November, which there will not be.
On this last relatively free Fourth of July, I am thankful for our founders, and for you in your constant truth-telling. But sad that our future is probably bleak. Even if the tools of the morbidly rich discover that the rest of us are probably better armed and more committed than they are, our country will be horrifically weakened by the turmoil I now think is almost inevitable. My greatest regret as I type this is that our beloved little grandson, whom it has been our privilege to co-parent, and who is the center of our universe, was ever born. He will inherit a dystopian, hideous, overheated world, and despite the resources he will have as the sole heir of five fairly successful adults, it won’t matter.
I will end by wishing a final happy fourth to those of you who deserve it because you are real Americans who still believe in our ideals and our government as it existed before Reagan began its destruction and the current SCOTUS effectively completed that project. I will stay the course, and keep the faith, and run the race. Despite my hopelessness, because those who fought in our Revolution, on the Union side in the Civil War, and in two world wars, deserve that. It all starts with making November as blue as possible, and using that victory to target and defeat the morbidly rich and their corrupt and ignorant minions.
Human history shows that democracy IS an “idealistic fantasy”, Mr. Hartmann, one rarely attempted and seldom of long duration. Because it rests, in the end, on the delusionary notion that humans are basically good. We are not. We are selfish, greedy, venal, cruel, bigoted overtly or covertly, tribal. Democracy requires that we rise above all of that, and act for the common good. The morbidly rich have destroyed that in this country and are doing it around the world. The question is not whether we will maintain some semblance of our republic here, but whether the world can prevent the catastrophe that the morbidly rich are engineering. That seems doubtful to me, even if there is a blue tsunami in November, which there will not be.
On this last relatively free Fourth of July, I am thankful for our founders, and for you in your constant truth-telling. But sad that our future is probably bleak. Even if the tools of the morbidly rich discover that the rest of us are probably better armed and more committed than they are, our country will be horrifically weakened by the turmoil I now think is almost inevitable. My greatest regret as I type this is that our beloved little grandson, whom it has been our privilege to co-parent, and who is the center of our universe, was ever born. He will inherit a dystopian, hideous, overheated world, and despite the resources he will have as the sole heir of five fairly successful adults, it won’t matter.
I will end by wishing a final happy fourth to those of you who deserve it because you are real Americans who still believe in our ideals and our government as it existed before Reagan began its destruction and the current SCOTUS effectively completed that project. I will stay the course, and keep the faith, and run the race. Despite my hopelessness, because those who fought in our Revolution, on the Union side in the Civil War, and in two world wars, deserve that. It all starts with making November as blue as possible, and using that victory to target and defeat the morbidly rich and their corrupt and ignorant minions.