Where Does America Go From Here?

Not my usual subject matter but it's a subject that matters.

Events in the United States of America carry a common theme. Leaders need to possess special traits, not be divisive, and much of what is unfolding before our eyes is down to the president.

It’s past the stage of claiming that he’s not fit to be president. He is making a mockery of the globe. He’s alienating the USA from most other countries and internally, the mantra of ‘make America great again’, can’t be recognised, even by the most ardent of followers.

Protests and violence are rife throughout the country. I struggled with the figure of shootings in Chicago last weekend. According to some reports at least 106 people were shot, 14 fatally. The Republicans would distance themselves by claiming that this is a Democratic state, but the reality is that in the worst ten states for shootings per 100,000 people, the majority of them are in Republican governed states. Statistics, hey?

All these problems are being exacerbated by a president who ignores the number one trait of truthfulness in a list of 20 compiled by integrityandvalues.com. Without this, the American system ultimately fails.

Non-truths leave a trail of destruction. In this instance it serves a purpose that most right minded human beings wouldn’t even consider. A 75-year-old man knocked to the ground in Buffalo suffered a fractured skull, yet the president’s response was to suggest, without facts, that this was part of some set-up. Consequently, people are then wasting time dismissing this theory. It’s all about obfuscation. I thought hypocrite would become the word of the world, but obfuscation has come to join it. Get people talking about some ridiculous theory, like bleach maybe, as you continue to inflict more damage on your country.

If I were spouting such diatribe on Twitter I’d be amazed if my account weren’t closed. They should shut his account, the point being that it doesn’t matter who you are. If you are constantly distorting facts then there should be no place for you on a social media platform, let alone in government.

The constant to and froing of public statements is designed to confuse. Trade deals with China are off, then they are back on. The stock market drops, then rallies. Imagine the potential for manipulation in these circumstances. Of course, I’m not saying anything like that happens, just saying there is potential. Easy when you know how. Leave a story hanging out, plant a seed in peoples’ minds.

I’m still most concerned about the state of the nation as it ultimately impacts on the rest of the world. Unease and unrest in America translate to difficulties elsewhere. The economy has been hampered by Covid-19, yet they are nowhere near getting the virus under control.

States such as Texas and Florida are seeing massive spikes in the number of cases and appear to be caught by surprise about this. Just blaming somebody else for this disease is not a solution. It’s the cavalier attitude of people who give the impression of knowing best when they are the most underprepared. Not that the UK is immune – just witness the beaches when the sun is shining.

If I mix with lots of others in an enclosed space, there is an increased likelihood of contracting the virus. If, that was where it ended, then fine. I get the disease, spend a few days in my sickbed and then motor on again. Trouble is, it’s not as easy as that.

If you are asymptomatic then it’s possible to spread it without even knowing that’s what you’re doing. The more it spreads, the more it impacts on older or more vulnerable people.

Factor in that working in the healthcare system must be so challenging right now but with no end in sight. You weather an early storm, only to see people ignoring advice and placing more strain on hospitals.

Freedom of choice does not abdicate you of responsibility and what America needs is a leader who can get that message across, so they can truly call themselves the United States of America again.

The challenge now is how to get there. One person doesn’t get to be president without enablers. The political process is bogged down. Witness the impeachment proceedings brought by the Democrats. Nearly all Democrats supported, all Republicans bar Mitt Romney opposed. That’s about politics and self-interest, not law.

What is required is for the Republican party to see the damage that is being done to their country. Remove truth from the system and you remove trust. There is a difference between having diverging opinions and a blatant distortion of facts. It is a hideous tactic designed to divide people and Republicans must remove it from their party.