America In The Age Of Nero
The Current State of American Politics
American citizens are often compared to a bickering family, so engrossed in their petty disputes that they fail to notice the smoke billowing from the oven. As the nation smolders and the world is ablaze, neither of the major party presidential candidates are addressing the imminent dangers surrounding us.
Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are not just overlooking the alarming national debt, but they also promise to increase it. Neither candidate has a substantial plan to counter the threats posed by China, Russia, or Iran.
Ignored Issues
The escalating costs of healthcare, the significant decline in mental health, the crumbling of our public schools, which is closely linked to the breakdown of the family unit, are all neglected in a race characterized by vague references to policy and harsh personal attacks.
However, it's not just Harris and Trump. Our leaders in Washington have long avoided confronting the growing threats to our republic. Their hollow promise is that everything is the fault of the other side. They claim that if we help them defeat the other party, everything will be perfect.
Political Divisions
No third-grader would believe this nonsense. Neither side can defeat the other completely. A victory for Harris will not signal the end of Trump's populist message, and a win for Trump will not neutralize the leftward shift of progressivism. Regardless of the outcome, we will remain a divided and angry nation. Yet, many seemingly thoughtful Americans have swallowed this narrative whole.
More importantly, even if one side did gain absolute power, they lack a legitimate plan to steer the ship of state in the right direction. Six decades of Great Society programs have shown us that we can't spend our way out of problems. The 44 years since the Reagan Revolution demonstrate that tax cuts can only pave the way for reforms that have never arrived.
America's Current Age
America is experiencing a second Age of Nero, with our leaders fiddling while the country burns. In previous crises, the strength, resilience, and ingenuity of the American people have rescued us from the depths of poverty and war. However, it is unclear if we still possess that tenacity.
Rather than demanding leadership, we seem satisfied with the bread and circuses of mindless politics, more reminiscent of Rome's gladiatorial battles than the enlightening debates of ancient Greece. The widespread acceptance of victimhood and grievance has replaced any notion of sacrifice for the common good with the desire to demonize our perceived tormentors.
The Choice of Leaders
Despite our serious problems, we no longer seem to be a serious people. Hence our choice between Donald J. Trump and Kamala Harris. However, they are not the disease but a symptom. The first step towards a treatment, if not a cure, is clear: we must reject our empty politics of diversion to identify and address our urgent crisis.
The Challenge Ahead
Identifying one's problems is the relatively easy part of change. Finding the will and discipline to do something about it is far more difficult. We are failing to meet this challenge because it still seems possible to ignore the growing fire.
Ironically, the fact that much of the rest of the world is crumbling gives us a false sense of security. Instead of seeing those problems as warning signs, we think we're still doing okay. History often disproves the pessimists. The world does improve in the long run. But that is little consolation to those whose one short life is spent during the ebbing flow.
Bottom Line
History also teaches us that judgment for past failures often comes swiftly and unexpectedly. As we contemplate the immense problems we are allowing to smolder, let's remember Ernest Hemingway’s succinct warning from “The Sun Also Rises,” "How did you go bankrupt? Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly."
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