WHAT IS REAL, OR BS? -courtesy photo
By CHARLES ANDREWS
IN AMERICA
An opportunity, a privilege. At the beginning of the Second American Revolution.
Or the end of the first one, setting the clocks back to 1954, or 1984.
We can see now that we the people are the ones who ultimately can choose. The Founding Fathers were genius in so many ways, but they had to get a large, diverse group from New Hampshire to Georgia, already mostly self-governing for a century and a half, to agree, and that always takes compromise. They made a few big boo boos and the Electoral College was one of them. (And presidential pardon and a few others.)
But you can see in their elegant language and construction that they were well aware of the shortcomings – slavery, voting rights – and intended, with their amendable Constitution, for the US of A to be a work in progress, always striving for that more perfect union.
I know some now denigrate those Founding Fathers and their invention, but I say they had the right idea, the best idea, and now that we are in desperate need of a new beginning, the best place we can look for a uniquely American solution is their revolutionary notion, now taking into account what we have learned since then.
EMPIRES GENERALLY LAST NO MORE THAN 250 YEARS
Most historians agree. And we are right there. But wait – America is not an empire, like Rome and Great Britain… Yes it is. C’mon, we have to put blind prejudices and deeply ingrained beliefs aside if we are going to get out of this. Time to face some cold hard truths. I’m talking about real, lasting solutions, so we don’t get in this mess again. Not just, take back the House in the mid-terms.
OK, solutions. Anyone? Anyone? Buehler?
Let’s try a process of elimination. A new political party? No, too late, works well in Europe and other places but the two party system is ingrained in American political thought. Our current problem is one out of touch, ineffective party with abysmal disapproval, and a cult on the other side. Make no mistake: we would not be in this situation if the Republican Party hadn’t been completely taken over by Trump and MAGA. It was GOP leadership that went to Nixon and said, resign or be impeached. Today’s GOP “leadership” wouldn’t say boo to Herr Trump even if he forgot his pants one morning. Starting a new party just won’t work, nor will trying to build up a current small numbers one such as the Green Party or Libertarian.
So, if you believe the current system, and voting, can get us to safe ground, reforming the Democratic Party is the only hope. But it has to be serious, radical reform, because too many voters see both parties as equally corrupt (they aren’t). That is why Trump won, twice. Sadly, turned off by politicians in general, too many voted for the con man who made promises he had no intention of keeping. It seems “authenticity” has become king, even if you are authentically a monster.
NEW DEMOCRATS
We need candidates who want only to defend the Constitution and improve life for all Americans, not ones whose primary value is being re-elected. You can see where that leads.We have very few of those, and we must replace the career politicians. Do you know who David Hogg is? He’s an activist with exactly the right idea. A survivor of the horrible Parkland mass murder in FL, he has worked non-stop since then for a better system. He somehow got himself elected Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, but as soon as he proposed restoring integrity to the party through replacing dead weight reps in safe blue districts with mostly younger, more progressive candidates, he immediately drew the wrath of the Dem establishment. Newly elected Chair Ken Martin, a terrible business-as-usual place keeper, announced recently that he “could not work” with Hogg – “it’s either him or me.” This thinking and these "leaders" must be replaced, and the Dem Party has plenty of new blood to do it. Hogg’s group is called “Leaders We Deserve” - I suggest you research what they’re doing, and support them.
HERE’S PART II
– the philosophical reset, that I think is harder than showing up at a park for a protest (as important as that is).
Rethink all the issues, national and local, because I think we have wasted our time arguing the irrelevant, and so nothing moves forward.
Is it acceptable to have a President who is a convicted felon? Convicted sex predator? Compulsive liar? One who has a genius for political fighting and manipulation but is very low IQ, breathtakingly ignorant, and seemingly curious about nothing that doesn’t advance his personal standing. He is a narcissist, and should be nowhere near the Oval Office. Is that partisan thinking? Trump Derangement Syndrome? No, it is common sense. You know the list of his failings is pretty much infinite, any one of which should disqualify him. Impeach him, now.
Elon Musk? All those TV cabinet appointments? Is this a joke? No, it’s what Trump knows and excels at, reality TV, and that is not what is needed in the White House.
SO STOP ARGUING
Over tariffs. Medicaid, Social Security. Immigrants. Good medical practices. You know what makes sense in a world without the Mad Hater. In Santa Monica, stop arguing land use policy, or what Sacramento has imposed. You know our beach city does not need high-rises and tens of thousands more apartments and condos, especially if so few are affordable, or family friendly. Why have we allowed our City Councils to sell us down the river for developers profits? You voted for a Great Park at the airport, but staff just recommended massive housing there, and the Council nodded, of course. The four new SMRR-endorsed members didn’t focus their campaigns on safety and crime, though that has shown to be the top concern of residents.
Admit that SMRR, Santa Monicans for Renters Rights, morphed from a good idea in the ‘70s into a political party who depends on more and more renters to maintain power. They have determined nearly every Council seat for 40 years, so if you don’t like what you see now, stop arguing issues and policy and understand what is behind it all. Blame them, and stop voting for them.
We need to rethink everything, and cut the BS. We need leaders and systems we deserve. Otherwise little will change, and another Trump will come along. Only this one will be smarter, more competent and ruthless. Our own Stephen Miller?
We can do this. By continuing to show up by the millions. We must do this. We’ve already begun. I’m in, all in.
Charles Andrews has lived in Santa Monica for 38 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com