I’ve been thinking about how America has reached the point where our beloved democracy itself is threatened, and to where a past president is charged with thirty-seven felony counts, with more surely to come. What caused us to fail so badly?
Maybe foremost is a decades-long slide in teaching children to love the Constitution and the good that flows from it. Without the love, we cannot flourish, and no democracy can survive with an undereducated populace in charge.
Non-voters elected Mr. Trump. That’s a big problem…likewise for citizens not communicating with their congressional representatives.
Electoral College clumsiness aside, the Electors badly failed us. They could have and should have recognized the danger of a malignant psychopath and protected us.
Media over-coverage continually stoked emotions, which dampened critical thinking. Calm, thoughtful coverage must become the rule to give people time to think.
Senators, twice no less, failed to convict someone who had earned conviction.
Natural, biological prejudice contributed to dividing the country. The Golden Rule should be taught in the schools to stop this from flowing into the next generation.
Finally, Mr. Trump’s goals required keeping America off-balance, and it worked…until now.
Rick Soskis – Havana
