3 Comments

It’s strange that in the American media landscape, nobody even thinks to ask the most important question of all. Could be wrong but have yet to see any single person ask the most relevant question of all, especially in the mainstream media. The real question to all of this hand wringing and teeth gashing is Why? Why is it in the most prosperous, most powerful and most advanced democracy in the world. World leaders we are all told ad nauseam in almost anything and everything ever invented or curated - why. Why is it this country can only produce these two men as their leaders for President. With all the incredibly smart and able people this country can produce. Trump or Biden are the only choices this political system can produce. To outside observers this is not only strange it’s absurd. Second to the other absurdity, there is no national discussion around why this is even happening in the first place. Even this article didn’t think to ask the most obvious of questions. Maybe this is the real problem and not Trump or Biden.

Expand full comment

As a Brit I see the Democrats as the party of the wealthy warmongers who want to destroy your children.

I see the republicans as the party of some wealthy warmongers. They are trying to get rid of those people that are like that. They also DON’T want to destroy your children.

Expand full comment

Because high office here is a bloodsport of first, doing harm, stepping in the hands heads and hearts of your rivals. This essay makes reams of sense. We know from that effect of males first fighting, and then becoming chummy, that it happens. Let's grant both that 1 out of 12 folks may be sociopaths, and grant that that pathy' seems necessary....where does the person come from who talks themselves into visioning a unity among us out of tune tribes, and envisioning themselves making progress, businesslike progress toward some agenda? They could be what passes for a bsnssman in a wealthy country guided by finance industries. And then have everything to prove about passing for also a humane and jolly old soul. But in all events since Lincoln, they will be ready like Johnson like both Clintons like Sanders Kucinich like Nixon and like you say here and like Carter they have to have everything to prove in such a slow trash fire that the Office is a salve. Carter and Bill Clinton believed their highest self was a not-southern one but a member of this come from inside brutalizations into a democratic harmony polity. Some Californians feel that way, perhaps a person born into trouble there will seek to live an whole life of fighting for the Californication of all. The Carter malaise speech was asking for more trouble, more opponents to win over, I admired the bully pulpit there. Teddy Roosevelt good Lawd , the bull moose party, just spoiling for anarchists to join their meetings so that those planning sessions could wind up in friendly boxing matches.

Expand full comment