After four years of Donald Trump’s fitful tenure, America is awakening from a long, troubled sleep to discover, like the fictional character Rip Van Winkle, that the world it once knew has changed beyond all recognition.
They are political polar opposites, but through Braver Angels, they’re forging a path toward productive conversations, and even friendship.
The crisis has revealed structural dysfunctions as well as human courage and resilience, providing many lessons that cannot be ignored.
The job of Congress now is to listen to the American people, move our country boldly forward on a path to economic success and show voters that Democrats are prepared to do everything possible to improve their lives.
Many have claimed that those rioters (and the president’s infamous “base” more generally) were all, in essence, poor, working-class white people. In reality, however, among those who have led such racist attacks are business leaders, executives, and multimillionaires.
Published in 1978, The Stand, a narrative that centers on a pandemic virus that decimates 99% of the world’s population, has perhaps hit a bit too close to home.
What does it mean to live in the plague – every day, across generations and without an exit strategy?
Everything would be fine. Maurice had made up his mind. Pick a date, announce his retirement, sell the car, see old friends, and empty the garage. Then, die with dignity.
The violent storming of the Capitol by pro-Trump extremists underlines the face of crises to come.
De-mining America After The Donald
We each taught college courses on the 2020 campaigns while they were underway, and as a result had a sort of three-month-long focus-grouplike conversation with the newest American voters.
Nothing stirs but the wind that rattles rain gutters and pulls on the hinges of blistered shutters. A pair of boots has been left out on a patio of gray flagstones, the mud still clinging to their heels like forgotten promises.
Even nations with long histories of inequality and violence carry lessons for how to move toward what might be called a more perfect union.
This year, species were brought back from the edge of extinction; interest in renewable energy surged; environmental monitoring technology improved; new protected areas were created; and a few Indigenous women leaders got some long-overdue credit and recognition.