Happy Independence Day. To celebrate I’m going to highlight one of my favorite essays of the past several years. It comes in the unlikely form of a Super Bowl commercial from Bruce Springsteen in 2021. Yeah, he’s selling a Jeep, but what he says is profound, if for no other reason than it doesn’t get said much anymore. “It’s no secret. The middle has been a hard place to get to lately. Between red and blue, between our freedom and our fear. Now, fear has never been the best of who we are. And as for freedom it’s not the property of just the fortunate few.”
This July 4th we sit almost exactly four months away from electing an authoritarian to the White House, a man who threatens the very things that make America what it is. Just last week the Supreme Court all but invited him to do his worst without fear of being held accountable to the same laws you and I must follow. And his way back to power may be paved by a Democratic Party that can’t summon the strength to simply pick its strongest candidate against him.
But we got here not just because of Donald Trump or Joe Biden or John Roberts’ Court, but because both parties have stopped listening to the middle — where most Americans still live politically, if not literally. I still believe there’s a core decency at the center of America, but neither party tries to appeal to it. It’s become a populist game of victimhood oneupmanship and blaming the other side. It’s a process that brings out the worst in us.
There’s a bleakness and a sadness that permeates Springsteen’s video. It feels as if he’s lamenting something that’s been lost. Maybe that’s exactly right. This July 4th enjoy your country as it is, and such as it is, today. Because it may be a different place next year.
Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos 
First, a thank you for the years of effort and thought leadership around the many topics of discussion and the sacrifice in time that you have made to aid people in logical thinking and thought. I have followed you for years and never left a comment which is a disservice to you.
Consider me a ‘recovering Conservative’ who followed the mantra of my grandparents (hispanic, 6th grade education) and my parents who reinforced the simple principles of education, staying out of trouble, and not just working hard, but working harder than anyone around you. Retired at 49, I firmly believe those principles are politically agnostic. Or, I used to think that.
I am now in the minority, I feel, of logic, realism, and common sense. There is no political party or leadership that represents my view as a firm Independent. While raised Catholic (which I am also recovering from) I firmly believe in freedom of choice. In all things. I abhor the far right, just as much as I abhor the far left. I abhor DEI policies (show me meaningful metrics of ‘success’ and the definition of success!), the pandering to Unions, to students and debt, and to identify/race politics used to stir more discourse in our Nation. I abhor the far right religious conservatism that places personal choice second and values of religion first, the support of Trump and ‘MAGA’ reduces our significance and importance as a leader in the free world by the insane values it appears to hold. Neither party is interested in the financial stability of our Nation by ignoring debt and looming issues with Social Security, Medicare, debt payments close to $1T a year, a military in real or perceived decline, elimination of our industrial and production might, and I could go on but I would get even more depressed.
There are likely many like me, who are crying for stability, reason, common sense, and vision about domestic and foreign policy, industrial and military strength, getting our financial house in order (you see the CNN article about future debt?), and truly working to bring the nation together rather than attempting to divide us to the point where the smallest of margins can lead to a diminished future.
On the local level? Sigh, it’s just more of the same except the margin is huge. Debt, policies, the feeling I get that only the far left Progressive ideals are right and everyone else are idiots or racists (in this regard the ‘elitism’ of thought leadership rings true – even with my friends who reside solidly in both camps).
What I would enjoy, and buy tickets to, is the negotiation (and if that is not happening WHY NOT) between Madison and State Legislature over how Madison could possibly obtain greater state financial aid with respect or our budget. Technically feasible, but OOF, would be fun to watch. While both these entities deserve each other it is to the detriment of everyone. It is a microcosim of what is occurring at the Federal level. That is more than just alarming.
Did not intend this to be negative. I remain somewhat optimistic that we will eventually move above the fray, but the path will be painful. If that pain is for the far right and left, then sooner the better.
I sincerely appreciate the effort you make, day in and out. I am waiting for you to run for office again!
David
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Thanks so much for reading and for your VERY thoughtful comments. You had me until the very last sentence.
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Thanks. Powerful. Scary times when we all feel powerless.
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