A little while back, a golf course discussion about the orange idiot devolved into a more general discussion of “what’s wrong with America?” Let’s think about that.

I’ll tell you one thing – it’s not Donald Trump. Seventy-seven million Americans voted for that disgusting excuse for a human being. Trump is a symptom. The disease is whatever made people vote for him, and still makes them accept the bullshit he’s offering.

My golf course companion last week hypothesized that people are capable of doing anything as long as they’ve been given permission. There’s a kernel of truth in that observation. It was permission from the Inquisition era Pope and Bishops that allowed devout Christians to torture and murder people in the name of God. It was permission from Adolf Hitler and his sycophantic supporters that allowed German soldiers to send millions of Jews to the gas chambers in the name of a revitalized German Reich that might last for a thousand years. And it’s permission from Trump and his sycophantic supporters that allows main-stream Americans to turn their heads and ignore the incarceration of immigrants, the unwarranted firing of long-serving civil servants, the dismantling of social security and Medicaid and Obamacare and foreign aid, all without any form of appropriate process. Trump’s daily reality show serves up shock and awe, and gives what used to be unacceptable behaviour a cloak of normality. And the American public accepts it because they’ve been given permission to hate the other party. 

 So, my friend is right about the power of permission, as far as it goes. But it doesn’t go far enough. Because it doesn’t answer the question of how that buffoon ended up in the White House. Why do Republicans hate Democrats and vice versa? America was the great shining example of democracy at its best, and now it’s rated as a failing democracy. What is  tearing it apart so badly?

1. The Marlboro Man vs Big Brother

One possible explanation starts with the Marlboro Man. “The image of Marlboro is very rugged, individualistic, heroic” explained the marketing VP for Philip Morris. And they used him to sell their cigarettes because the American image is built around that gun-toting cowboy bringing rough justice to the wild west. Hop-along Cassidy, Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey, Wyatt Earp, The Lone Ranger, Pa, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe – they all solved their problems with a six-shooter. Even criminals like William Bonney (Billy the Kid), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are heroic figures in the American psyche. One of the great struggles within America today is the tension between “rugged individualism” and “the common good.” 

If you think about left-wing and right-wing parties in the US today, the principal policy differences are all about the choices between individualism versus the common good. The Marlboro Man (Republican) rejects the notion of free medicare and housing assistance because a real man would stand up for himself. They hate taxes. They don’t like government interference in any area of their lives. Businesses should do what they want and the government should mind their own business. 

The Democrats hold the opposite views. They want business regulation to stop rampant profiteering. They want social programs that support the weakest elements of society. They want governments to redistribute national income so that families live within a safety cocoon where government support makes life easy. 

This dichotomy is not a new thing. An unconstrained wide-open stock market led to the great crash of 1929. FDR put America back on its feet with a sweeping range of supportive government programs. Pushback against FDR’s New Deal led to Joe McCarthy and the paranoid “there’s a Red under the bed” anti-communist agony of the early 1950’s. Cold War politics carried on that anti-communist theme until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Meanwhile, the capitalist thrust towards globalization under Margaret Thatcher in Britain and Ronald Reagan in the US led to an ongoing attack on the “big brother” government model that had been in place since FDR. 

It is the American obsession with the great cowboy past that drives their deranged love for personal weapons. And that fuels a bitter debate over gun control laws (greater good for the greatest number of people) and the infringement of people’s right to bear arms.

It is the claim to individual freedom that the lunatic fringe anti-vax community cites as their rationale for ignoring the science that keeps their children safe from so many diseases.

       It goes on and on – the conflict between personal freedoms vs community welfare arises in so many aspects of American policy debate. It’s the Marlboro Man vs Big Brother. The cold War ended in 1991. Except inside the United States of America. In America, the cold war continues.

• Wealth and Income inequality 

Both income and wealth distribution have tilted sharply towards the upper class in the last fifty years. The top 1% of earners now absorb 20% of the US national income compared to 10% in 1980. As for accumulated wealth, the top 10% of US households own 70% of the country’s wealth, while the bottom 50% control only 2.5%. 

The impact on generations that come after baby boomers like me has been considerable. Gen X, the babies of the late 60’s and 70’s, were the first generation to have less upward mobility than their parents’ generation. Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, – they’re all experiencing high student debt, loss of manufacturing jobs, industrial down-sizing, less stable gig economy work, delayed home ownership and lowered retirement savings. 

There is considerable data that shows that wealth inequality leads to a decline in the quality of democracy, a lack of trust in democratic institutions, and a loss of civic engagement. Higher rates of mental illness, obesity, chronic diseases, and lower life expectancy all correlate with greater wealth inequality. And America is displaying all of those symptoms. Actual life expectancy in the US is now lower than it was in 2014, and life expectancy in the States is now 4 to 6 years behind nations like Japan, Canada and Germany.

If you were born in the 80’s or 90’s, you might not recognize that things are different now. You might not recognize how or why the economy is different now than it was in 1970, but you certainly understand that this economy isn’t working for you. And that recognition is burning bitterness into the souls of young Americans who voted for Trump because he promised them something better.

• Billionaire greed and Unrestricted Capitalism

I have written in the past that it is the job of a Corporation’s executive to make money for its shareholders, and there’s nothing much wrong with that, as long as they play by the rules. I have also written that the rules are government regulations, and I have recognized that there may be a need to relax some of the rules in order to restore productivity and competitive balance in world markets. 

Capitalism in the US has gone a long way past “playing by the rules”. If you’re interested in re-reading it, go and look at my article on “The Dark Money Conspiracy”. There is a group of extremely wealthy and powerful people in the United States who are intent on throwing away the rule book, to allow their corporation to maximize profits regardless of what the social costs of that profiteering might be. They have totally corrupted the judicial system, reaching the highest court in the land. Let’s face it, the US Supreme Court is now a sad joke. A travesty. They have gerrymandered voting districts in a direct and unapologetic attack on democracy. They are funding hundreds of “foundations” and “think-tanks” so that they can generate support for their positions. 

Until America finds a way to root out the cancer that is the billionaire class, they are going to remain a sick, sick nation.

• The Melting Pot

It used to be fashionable for Americans to pat themselves on the back because they were the melting pot – that nation where other nationalities were easily absorbed and assimilated into the national fabric. That was, in my opinion, a self-serving congratulatory myth. The truth is that immigrant groups like the Irish in Boston, the Italians in New York, the Chinese in San Francisco were ghettoized and suppressed until their populations grew to a point where they began to take power to themselves. But that power wasn’t given – it was largely taken. Immigrants have always had to fight for acceptance.

       So, I think that the “melting pot” has always been something of a forced process. But it’s a bit different now. When the English were forced to accept the Irish or the Italians, at least they looked “like us”. But immigrants now are not white. They’re black, or brown, or ivory coloured. The US population as a whole will achieve majority/minority status (where the largest racial group is less than 50% of the total population) within about twenty years.  The population below the age of 18 is already less than 50% “non-Hispanic white”.  

       In a multi-cultural society, there are occasional frustrations of language difficulties, strange and different cuisines, different dress, and adaptation of customs. There are also occasional pressures caused by immigrants taking work that might otherwise have fallen to “born” Americans. But all of those things are minor. Call it what it is – racism is a strong and divisive force in the United States, and it has expanded from anti-black racism to “anti-other” racism. A lot of support for the aggressive ICE deportation raids under Trump’s regime is coming from Americans who are desperately trying to hang onto the feeling that this is the America of “people like us”. They’re not liking the feeling of being out-numbered and out-worked in their own country. Multi-culturalism in the US is failing.

• The Rot of Religion

I have expressed the belief on several occasions that politics and religion don’t mix, and expressed the desire for a determinedly secular society. I think a look below the border would be all we need to support that stance.

Religion is killing the US society. Broadly speaking, religiosity correlates with declines in Quality of Living (QoL) and quality of democracy. In November of 2023, I delved into that correlation a bit, resulting, in part, in this judgement… “the table demonstrates that the higher religious importance is ranked within a country, the poorer they are likely to do in their democracy and QoL summation….  if you’re in the US, these data tell you that you’re lurching towards a God-inspired mediocrity.” The United States is an aberration among rich and well-developed nations in that mostly religiosity does not correlate with wealth. But statistically speaking, their love of religion is a threat to their democracy. 

Beyond that statistical correlation, I believe that religion is hurting their society in several specific ways. The first is that it leads to very bad decision-making. Religions are great at restricting other people’s freedom to decide and to act in accordance with their own conscience. I wish that the religious right wing would remember the teaching that went “judge not, lest ye be judged”. There’d be a lot less trouble in the world if there was a lot less sanctimonious religious judging going on. The Nashville Banner recently carried a story about a pregnant Tennessee woman whose ob-gyn refused to treat her because she was unmarried and it offended his religious sensibilities. Religious fervor is driving lots of Americans to take ridiculous positions. Objective rational thinking is being supplanted by dogma.

The second major problem with religious fervor in America is that it is being exploited by unscrupulous politicians. In many cases, it’s as fake as Donald Trump’s tan. Donald Trump positions himself now as a very religious guy – in fact, surprise, surprise, he is God’s chosen! Speaking of the assassination attempt that left him with a bloody ear (but no visible scars) he said “God alone saved me that day for a righteous purpose: to restore our beloved Republic to greatness and to rescue our nation”. This is the man who, in 2011, said that his faith was “very important. I’m also busy”, and in 2015 on the subject of being forgiven said “I don’t bring God into that picture.” Donald Trump, and scores of other right-wing politicians are now trumpeting their faith because they believe that it appeals to their base and will bring them votes. The religious right has claimed a position in America’s political spectrum, and Republican’s are pandering shamelessly to that crowd.

The third problem is that the separation of church and state is no longer assured in America. Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the house says “the founders wanted to protect the church from an encroaching state, not the other way around.” Vice-President Vance says “we are a Christian nation, and we need to start acting like it”. Brilliant intellectual luminaries like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert have jumped on board that “Christian Nationalist” bandwagon. The problem with that, of course, is that it’s a direct threat to every Jew, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh in the United States. Religious division has, for centuries, been the cause of violence, war and persecution. We in North America have been relatively free of the worst impacts of religious intolerance. But it’s coming. It’s coming.

Finally, religion has always been the enemy of science. And if religion is in a period of ascendancy in the States, then science is likely to suffer. It becomes really problematic when elected officials, people in positions of power, deny science on the basis of religious bias. Representative Tim Walberg, of Tennessee says that if there is a climate change problem, God can take care of it. Minnesota State Senator Glenn Gruenhagen says that the Book of Genesis disproves climate change consensus. House Speaker Mike Johnson is also on the same bandwagon, asserting that we needn’t worry about climate change because God will take care of you. Remember that people like these have the power to affect the appropriation of money for research, not just into climate change, but for medical treatments, vaccination programs, GMO vs non-GMO foods etc. I repeat a conclusion I reached several articles back – if you cannot find a better explanation for a position than “God told us”, then you really need to re-check your thinking.

• Catalytic Reinforcement

The last big issue for the sickness of America is that several of these disorders are working together to make the patient even sicker. The “Christian Nationalist” movement is a proxy for anti-immigrant racism. The claim to be a devout Christian allows racism to hide under the cloak of pro-Christian, anti-Muslim sentiment. Christian Nationalism reinforces the anti-immigrant theme.

The Marlboro Man syndrome is also exacerbated by the rise of fundamentalist Christian nationalism. The “rugged individualist” is being told that he need not rely on science for support, nor on his neighbours, nor his government, because God will hear your cry and help you. And by the way, if God fails to deliver, that’s part of His plan and you should accept in a spirit of willing suffering.

The income and wealth inequality in the USA is, in part, due to an international trend towards global corporations which owe allegiance to no specific nation. But it has been exacerbated, in the United States, by the actions of the billionaire cabal who have been manipulating policy and philosophy through their extensive use of “charitable foundations” and “think tanks”. There has been a deliberate and sustained push to reduce taxes, reduce social programs and reduce the size of government which has gutted the middle class and moved trillions of dollars to the elite stratosphere. Donald Trump and company have really made a big push in this direction, but their efforts are really the end result of about 50 years of attacks on government size and influence. 

7) Prescription for a Cure

I have always tried in these missives to define and explain a problem, and then to try to advise how we might work our way out of some difficulty. I’m not sure that’s a reasonable expectation here. But I could try.

The first thing they need to do is to reinforce the quality of democracy. They need to legislate sensible election spending rules to ensure that power can’t be bought. That means that the “Citizens United” ruling must be explicitly overruled. They should also pass laws that govern electoral districting (gerrymandering) and voter registration and protection rules. It is incredible that national elections are a patchwork quilt of methods. 

Getting rid of unrestricted election spending and ensuring some uniformity in how voting is conducted should help to limit the influence of the billionaire cabal, and I think that is extremely important.

The next thing they need to do is to restore the respect for the rule of law, and that implies that they urgently need to overhaul the rules about how appeals court and supreme court justices are appointed. This need is especially critical right now because the US Judiciary, starting with (and especially?) the US Supreme Court, is out of control. It is clear that in Trump’s America, the judiciary, not the legislative branch, is the most important actor in the formulation of law. It is also clear that the judiciary is a tool of the executive branch, and through his domination of the Supreme Court, Trump has largely rendered the Legislative Branch powerless. They should redefine how judges are selected and appointed, and how the legislative branch could be used to limit the power of both the judiciary and the executive branch.

Next, they need to define exactly what role religion must play in the functioning of government. If they are going to be a Christian nation, then that will influence immigration categories, religious tolerance expectations etc. 

       All of the above could be addressed by re-writing their Constitution. Would anyone like to apply for that job?

Americans are really proud of their constitution, which has been guiding their republic for a little over 250 years. And it was, and is, a fantastic thought experiment about what constitutes a legitimate government. I think “government of the people, by the people and for the people” was a terrific up-rooting of “might is right” thinking that drove much European governance. So great work, guys. But it’s old! It’s time for an update. You need to modernize the thing and do some serious thinking about:

• What powers really belong to the Feds and what powers belong to the State, and how do we eliminate overlap.
• What should we really enshrine in place as the basis for citizenship?
• Is this a secular state or an overtly Christian one?
• How should the State treat minority religions?

I’m not going to carry on – I’m sure you get the point. The American constitution predates the emancipation of slaves, suffrage for women, population pressure, climate change, space technology, artificial intelligence and so much more. It might do them a lot of good to convene a major constitutional congress to consider re-writing the whole goddamn thing. 

       Can the sickness be cured? I think the slide into autocracy is very difficult to reverse. And the Constitutional re-write that I see as a solution will likely never happen, because the two parties would never be able to agree. I think their society has cancer, and I don’t think it’s likely that they are going to resolve those problems anytime soon. Be prepared to watch and learn, and defend Canada against encroaching autocracy.