Taking stock on the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, our greatest sources of strength have been diminished, destroyed or otherwise squandered. There’s a path out of this, but first we have to be honest about the damage.
In the international realm, our alliances were the most important factor for U.S. power and influence abroad over the past century. Our Armed Forces and our economic, industrial and technological capabilities were critically important also, but our alliances functioned as what we in the Defense Community call a “force multiplier.” They gave our Armed Forces capabilities that they would not otherwise have had. (Access to bases on foreign territory is one obvious example, but there are many others.)
Thanks to the Trump-led Republicans, our alliances are now in shambles.
Other critical sources of American power are also in deep jeopardy. Our industrial might and our technological superiority enabled the U.S. to prevail in World Wars I and II and the Cold War. This did not happen by accident. The U.S. educational system and the welcoming of immigrants to study and work here helped us not only develop our own extraordinary talent, but also attract the best and the brightest from abroad, which in turn boosted U.S. power and influence. People, especially talented people, wanted to come here – and those already here, whether for one generation or many, wanted to stay.
The Republican Party’s war on education and immigration will make America weaker for a generation, at least.
Domestically, we see the middle and working classes falling further behind, as the mega-rich capture a greater and greater share of U.S. income, wealth and media resources. To add insult to injury, Federal programs that benefit the middle and working classes (e.g., health care, labor relations, consumer protection) have been cut to help finance tax cuts for the rich.
National greatness is not achieved by making people poorer, sicker and less well informed..
There are no magic bullets. No one is coming to save us. We are resilient people, however. This is not the first time that our union and form of government have been shaken. Now, as then, our salvation as a nation depends on the biggest resource of all: We the People.
Concern about elections this year and in 2028 is justifiable. The risk is not so much that elections will not be held, but rather that attempts will be made to challenge the results or disregard or negate them. And the solution to that is vast numbers – specifically huge, landslide voter turnout that will deter those who try to thwart the will of the people.
As bad as tyrants are, as individuals they cannot accomplish much. They need the apparatus of the state and a broad base of followers to do real damage. A massive turnout of motivated voters will prompt second thoughts by the individuals who might be inclined to follow Trump’s illegal directives on voting access and integrity.
What specifically can you do now to ensure the best possible outcome for 2026 and beyond? The answer is simple: help us. Volunteer your time in campaigns. If you can, donate. And encourage everyone you know who values our 250-year-old representative democracy to do the same.
Happy Fourth of July. Welcome to the fight.