Sunday, December 27, 2020
Doug,
It is, as you
expressed so well, perplexing to figure why this country has ended up where it
is. From the beginning we had the major advantages of settling a huge
land mass with no real European competition (we brushed aside the Brits and the
Spanish). This land also was rich in natural resources allowing the
country to prosper as it expanded and it continues to provide prosperity.
These fortuitous circumstances would have been a boon to anyone who arrived and
is more the basis of our growth and prosperity than is the myth of our own
specialness. The clue to where we were heading may be in the way we
slaughtered the Indians and took their lands. Manifest destiny and
white supremacy from the very start. Slavery, Jim Crow, and continued
racial discrimination seemed a natural fit. Wars and more wars befitting
a super power with a bent towards violence. Guns, guns, and more guns
used to murder each other and accidentally kill ourselves (or purposely) and
others. Our capitalism evolved into what I call "hyper-capitalism"
that gives to the rich and takes from the poor and middle class and
ravages the environment in the process. Now that I think of it, it is no
surprise we ended up with the shit storm we now live in. The question now
is can we do anything about it? Is it too late? Is Biden the savior
of the nation or will he fall on the sword of
attempted bipartisanship. We absolutely have to win the seats from
Georgia and the midterm elections. Most of all, Democrats must retain the
White House in 2024 to avoid more GOP chaos, likely perpetrated by someone
far more skillful than Trump.
Marty
Email sent 12-27-20
