We are already into 2020 electioneering. It is hard to imagine that the Republican Party can recover from the monstrous misstep in placing Trump in the White House. However, with the influence of hundreds of millions of dollars of political BS, coupled with the religious fervor of American political naivete, you never know.
Although the deteriorating trends in American political and economic policies have been building for decades after WWII - partly attributable to Cold War strategies - the Trump phenomenon was a shameful disgrace, ending all pretense of the American government being a worthy leader of nations and a model of democracy. It is now a leader only in American interest.
The reputation and achievements of a nation rest heavily upon the quality of its leaders. Choosing the right candidates could change the atmosphere of our country from discord to cooperation, from despair to hope, and put us on track to building a more constructive and equitable society. Franklin Roosevelt and his administration accomplished this admirably in the critical times of the Great Depression.
In these equally crucial times, even more pivotal with the storms of global warming brewing, we cannot play party games with candidates unfit for the challenges. Both the Republican Party and the "old" Democratic Party have discredited themselves with neoliberal and neoconservative polices heavily favoring corporate and financial interests to guide government, leading to irrational burdens of war and military costs, diminishing taxes from corporations and the wealthy, soaring national debt, and limiting public services, all of which create a nation of gross inequality and injustice typical of runaway deregulated capitalism.
We need new faces, people truly dedicated to the welfare of every one, particularly the neglected, people open to new ideas necessitated by changing times, people not committed to old slogans or to their self-image. We need people who can rise above the political morass to view the nation as a community of valuable human beings, each with the opportunity for a decent life that a thriving democracy can provide.
We do have a rising generation of legislators associated with the liberal wing of the Democratic Party who show promise of meeting these qualifications. In general, they subscribe to the progressive goals set forth by the "Our Revolution" project of Bernie Sanders and other similar programs. We do not need recycled politicians representing the regressive status quo. Hillary Clinton, for example, conceived her campaign for president while her husband was in office. Despite some good works (or good words) on her part, she is not entitled to the presidency based on a tradition of family legacy or stale policies. We need 20/20 vision for 2020.
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