Although Donald Trump is a significant source of political pollution, the rule of the 1%, economic elite, is the real cause.

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Few would argue that Donald Trump continues to pollute the political dialogue of this nation. It is not that such dialogue has been pure before him, but the level of toxic materials has increased exponentially since he became the focus of the political dialogue.

Part of the problem is that we, as a nation, appear to be addicted to sensationalism--well programmed over the years of following soap operas, celebrity death and scandal, sexual dalliances and anything to do with perceived threats or terrorism. Sometimes it appears that we are a nation that will uncritically follow wherever the media wants to lead us.

We are also a nation of doers. Not only do we talk and rage, shake our heads and wring our hands about the political toxicity and pollution, but we are also willing to act to limit it, and/or try to correct it. The problem is often that, working within the established system, we spend enormous amounts of energy and resources, trying to get past the establishment barriers and roadblocks and getting little for our efforts.

I would like to provide a perspective, another way of thinking about what is happening.

Think about the situation as a society built on a river that, for years, was the source of sustenance for the society and its hope for a sustainable future.

Some time ago, the wealthy and influential gained control of the land upriver from the community. Slowly, over the years, they began to divert more and more of the river water into their private reservoirs. Not only that, but they began to dump their pollution, including their toxic waste into what was left of the river.

As the community began to realize what had happened they were simply told that this was the "new reality" that the modern world required and they should simply accept it and find ways to work within the new limitations. They would all need to tighten their belts and decide among themselves how to ration what was left of the water. They also needed to deal with the pollution and toxic waste that was now flowing into their community.

They were told that it was simply a natural phenomenon and not a problem those up-river folks had any responsibility for.

The result was that the flow to the community continued to decrease and continued to be more and more polluted and toxic. They had to use more and more of their dwindling resources to deal with the pollution. It was clearly no longer sustainable.

The up-river people said they would solve the problem if the community turned over its governance to the up-river people and agreed to foot the bill for the clean-up. The community agreed, not seeing any other alternative.

However, the pollution seemed to grow bigger and more toxic and finally, after an earthquake-like event, a huge slab of toxic waste came down the river with a new leader riding on it. He landed and immediately took charge, ordering things to change and institutionalizing his control.

They were now told what needed to happen, why it was important for them to comply and why it was good for them.

They watched as the governance no longer dealt, in any meaningful way, with the problems the people were dealing with, but showed them how well the "economy" was doing and who was at fault for anything that was not working so well for the folks.

The point of the story is that we can spend all our time and energy working within a rigged system trying to simply control and survive the onslaught of pollution and toxicity or we can deal with the source of the pollution, the up-river people, and the economic elite who now control this nation.

Until we dislodge them and the established the system that keeps them in power, we will face an endless and ultimately hopeless future of dealing with their pollution with fewer and fewer resources or simply learn how to live with it as a part of our normal lives.

There is nothing natural or right or foreordained about their position of power and control. They usurped it.

The society must find ways to unite and reclaim control of their river and their lives if there is any hope of a clear river and sustainable life once again.

Authors Website: http://substack.com/@bobpassi

Authors Bio:

American democracy is not a static system; it is a living experiment that must be renewed by each generation. Having lived through the arc from the hopeful decades following World War II to the turbulent politics of today, I write with a deep concern for the future of that experiment. I am a retired educator, consultant, and social commentator who has spent a lifetime observing American political and cultural change and advocating for civic engagement and social responsibility. My recent book, Saving Democracy: From the Warnings of 2016 to the Urgency of 2025, updates and expands my original 2016 book. It examines how the United States arrived at its current political crossroads-- and how renewed citizen awareness and engagement may help reclaim the democratic promise. I write regularly at www.perspectives-bobpassi.org and on Substack at bobpassi.substack.com, where I explore democracy, personal empowerment, and the deeper cultural narratives shaping our time. My work focuses on the long arc of American democracy and the cultural forces that shape its future.