Save our country!
“The stakes couldn’t be higher!” How many times have you heard that during a political campaign? It seems to me like I have heard it for years and years. Each election, the candidate says, “This is the most important election of our lifetime!” And let’s be honest: it is important, possibly the most important, for that candidate, because that candidate is the one who is running. LOL!
For the rest of us, though?
But I’ve noticed recently that “the stakes couldn’t be higher” has fast forwarded to “save our country!” It is almost an apocalyptic expression. Save our country! When did it become this dire?
It is like a good versus evil, almost biblical clash. “We will lose our country forever!”
Is this what gets voters fired up and motivated these days? What’s behind this? Is it the ultra extreme partisan language that has become more mainstream? Are campaign consultants pushing this? Is it cable TV talk shows? Social media?
So little of the campaigning in this cycle seems to be about specific fixes. Wouldn’t solutions be what make our country better for its citizens? Do voters want to hear about ideas for solutions?
There are a lot of cultural issues. A LOT of cultural issues. Important discussion. But aren’t other issues important, too?
Who is offering specifics on when and how the country could have a balanced budget? How can we make our education system the best in the world? What will make child care more affordable and more accessible? Why don’t veterans get the support they need after risking their lives for their country? What about our seniors? Where is the care that they need in their later years? Why are so many Americans going bankrupt because of health care bills? What should happen to millions of people living in the U.S. who aren’t here legally? How do we make sure that so many people are no longer hungry? Or cold? Or not getting the mental health assistance they deserve?
Whatever the reason, I don’t know where we are headed. Do we reach a tipping point where there is a pushback toward more civility, less hateful rhetoric and less of this “we are on the edge of complete and permanent collapse? Some actual solutions? Are we not yet to that low point where that pendulum will swing back? Does it have to get worse than it is right now?
Maybe it takes more voters demanding more. Would that make things better? After all, the stakes can not be higher…we have a country to save!
(UPDATE: I have been reflecting on some of the comments that some have sent since I published this column late Saturday night. Sometimes I think that I try too hard to single out Republicans or Democrats. I think that I did that this week. The “save our country” battle cry is primarily Republican politicians during this Caucus cycle, if not always from Republicans. And, yes, I understand the importance of a “save our country (or democracy)” message since there are those (supporters of Donald Trump) who don’t think that the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol Building was a threat to the country’s democracy. Some of the attackers threatened to kill top leaders and wanted to stop the certification process so that Joe Biden couldn’t officially replace Trump as president. That was a direct threat to the United States. Without question. Thank you to those of you who sent thoughtful feedback this week. That is one reason why I love this Substack format and those who use it.)
Thanks for reading.
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Nancy, thank you for your comment. I updated the column largely because of you.
Are you really saying that the next presidential election should be based on policy, not "saving democracy?" I think you've forgotten the attempted insurrection of January 6th. Name one other time this has happened in America. It hasn't. The main thing we need to discuss is how to stop the next insurrection, which might succeed. Listen to Trump, he's basically outlining a more thorough insurrection if he gains power again. Voting is basic to Democracy. If people think the election system is corrupt (as they have been incorrectly claiming with no evidence) then, America does end. Trump has already tried to keep power despite losing. You may be tired of hearing about it, but now is not the time to ignore the truth; kicking election deniers out of office really does make this the most important election of our times in 2024.