Our troubled republic at age 249
My sober, worried take on the cusp of America's 249th birthday
The Fourth of July is upon us. It is an occasion for neighborhood gatherings, flying the flag, burgers on the grill and kids taking delight in their sparklers.
Might it also be an opportunity to reflect on the troubled state of our republic, 249 years after the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence?
I like America’s chances of reaching a celebratory 250th blowout a year from now. As for the odds of reaching 300, that is a riskier bet given our current trajectory.
True, America has endured other difficult and divisive periods and emerged stronger. Examples include the Indian Removal Act and the nullification crisis of Andrew Jackson’s presidency; the ultimate breach of the Civil War; the wealth disparity of the Gilded Age; the Spanish flu epidemic amidst WWI; the Great Depression and WWII; and the 1960s tumult of Vietnam, assassinations, urban unrest and liberation movements coming of age.
Moments seem bigger and often more hopeless when you are in the middle of them. The past is exactly that and the future is unknown. We live largely in the present.
Still, this current era of ever-growing, toxic tribalism appears to have no apparent end. If anyone has a plausible scenario for how this fever breaks without an irretrievable rupture, consider me all ears.
Of late, many have described America as a late-stage republic. On its current arc, it is hard to argue the point. Political corruption, instability, and violence, along with a growing concentration of wealth, all led to the demise of the Roman Republic. Julius Caesar’s rise and assumption of dictatorial powers did not improve the situation.
Simplistic thinking tends to seize on a single cause for what ails America’s political system. “It’s Citizens United and all the money.” It’s gerrymandering.” “It’s Trump.” “It’s Sleepy Joe.” “It was the pandemic.” “Don’t forget 9/11.” “It’s right-wing media.” “It’s the mainstream news.”
The reality is that there is no one explanation for what got us here. Rather, it is an overlay of factors.
Republicans harken back to 1987 and regard Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork as patient-zero in this escalating cycle of polarization. Democrats cite no end of their grievances from the impeachment of Bill Clinton to the rejection of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland without a hearing.
Tit for tat for tit for tat.
Our current state of affairs is the result of multiple factors. Both parties have drifted toward their extremes and there is precious little overlap. Moderation on either side of the aisle has become an invitation for a primary challenger and a ticket to political oblivion.
The plethora of non-competitive districts, both in Congress and state legislatures, makes the primary election all-important and the general election an afterthought. That serves to push Republicans hard to the right and Democrats further to the left.
Political money has increased in volume but decreased in transparency and accountability. Debate over even routine political issues takes on an apocalyptic, all-or-nothing tone. Every election becomes “the most important of our lifetime.”
Our media has become as polarized as our politics. Which is chicken and which is egg? Americans now curate their media sources as they would a playlist.
Congress has largely ceased to function, which overly accentuates the importance of both the president and the courts. Too many institutions have grown long in the tooth while under-delivering. A vast swath of small-town, industrial, middle America has been hollowed out. Obesity and opioid abuse have grown endemic. Far too many are leading lives short on purpose and hope.
The misadventure in Iraq was soon followed by the financial meltdown, eroding trust and further exposing fault lines. As the wealth divide has grown, so has the disconnect between the thriving professional class and those who have been left behind. The shallow assignment of all things American into a dichotomy of oppressor versus victim drove the country further apart.
All the while, far too many have turned politics into a form of religion, abandoning genuine human connections in favor of online allegiances and exaggerated battles.
As we approach this Independence Day, America has largely sorted itself into red and blue sub-countries. We have done so by where we live, what schools our children attend, what we do for a living, where we worship, where we get our news, and with whom we connect, whether in person or through social media. That is hardly a sign of civic health.
Societies are fragile organisms. Ours requires far less incendiary fuel and far more lubricating balm. While enjoying the festivities of the Fourth, perhaps pause briefly to ask yourself whether you are part of the problem or part of the solution.
Reprinted with permission from the Denver Gazette, Colorado Springs Gazette and Colorado Politics.