It's Independence Day today, the 246th year of America being, well, America, at least in some form.
It hasn't been a smooth 246 years, and right now we are a long way from a "more perfect union," as Lincoln said. Our national angst has hobbled the presidency, paralyzed Congress, and politicized the Supreme Court.
I was reminded today that Prohibition, a Constitutional Amendment driven mistake in trying to regulate basic human instincts, ended after 13 years, with yet another Amendment. The nation managed to "right the ship," so to speak, replacing one national referendum with another.
Unfortunately, there is no specific law to respond to, since many of the "rights" of the past 50 years basically grow out of court interpretations of statutes and the spirit of the Constitution. Right now, it appears the six radical right wingers on the Supreme Court are feeling full of themselves and eager to repay the investment radical Republicans made in them.
The deluge of 6-3 decisions, many in open opposition to popular opinion and preferences, has just begun.
The Court is supremely independent and I hope the Sick Six are enjoying their BBQ today, protected by power and location and police from the majority of their fellow citizens.
My hope is that Democrats can shed their doomed devotion to bipartisan solutions and embrace the struggle between being a democratic republic and being an autocracy/theocracy. Yes, it will be nice to see inflation drop a bit before midterms and yes, it would be great to see the former president indicted for clear crimes.
But the majority needs to step up and battle complacency and power imbalances.
Perhaps California governor Gavin Newsom is the guy to galvanize the majority. He is already taking on wacky Florida politicians with campaign ads that stress real freedom. Check this video.
Time to stop crossing our fingers and chanting, "This is not who we are. This is not who we are."
Time to recognize that "we" -- a solid 40 percent of the nation -- really are exactly as we seem to be.
That needs to change, and July 4 seems like a good day to commit to that.
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