The Story of Nations

Anyone who reads “The Story of Nations” cannot help but look at where the United States fits on the list. The last time I remember reading it we were somewhere between apathy and dependence, but that was some time ago. Times have changed. It’s time for a fresh look.

The Story of Nations
From bondage to spiritual faith,
From spiritual faith to great courage,
From great courage to liberty,
From liberty to abundance,
From abundance to selfishness,
From selfishness to complacency,
From complacency to apathy,
From apathy to dependence,
From dependence to bondage.

From what I can see, our place on that list teeters on bondage. But Americans have thrown off bondage before, first under English King George III and later, for many among us, under segregation and then Jim Crow. And we can do it again if it becomes necessary.

But the question is, must it become necessary? Must we suffer through bondage again, this time under the rein of King Donald and his merry-making billionaire oligarchs, or can we skip over the bondage part and go straight to the spiritual faith that led us to toss off our bondage and become a great nation.

I think we can. I think we’re already doing it. Look around. The shock is over, fire has been lit under us, and we are coming back hard. People are waking up to the threat that Trump poses to our rights, our livelihoods and our democracy, and they’re not liking it.

People are getting involved as rarely before, and the momentum is building. On a recent Thursday my wife and I attended a 50501 protest that was held in a spot in a public park that it is a long walk from the parking area, and the parking area itself is extremely limited. Further, it was held during a time when most people were working and could not show up. Nevertheless, hundreds of determined, high-spirited, sign-waving people did show up.

That sort of thing is happening everywhere. People are attending Democratic Party meetings in record numbers. They are continuing to melt the phone lines leading into the offices of U.S. senators and House members by making some 1,400 calls a minute. They are demonstrating so profoundly at Musk’s Tesla dealerships weekend after weekend that Tesla stocks are plummeting. And Musk-related vehicles have become such targets of derision that their owners are having buyer’s remorse. Hundreds of people are turning out for town hall meetings with their members of Congress. Thousands are joining protests at state capitals. And a major Hands-Off March on Washington is set for April 5.

But first comes this week’s congressional recess , the purpose of which is for members of Congress to go home and hold public sessions so we can meet them face-to-face. We need these events now more than ever because our nation is widely divided, there is no middle ground, it’s crunch time, and we need answers. We need to hear directly from these people, people in who will write our nation’s future. We need to know definitively, direct from their mouths, whether they are with Trump’s march to monarchy or with our fight to retain our democracy – and again, there is no middle ground they can escape to.

Despite that importance, however, Republican leaders are advising their members across the nation not to hold those sessions because their outraged constituents are likely to show up in large numbers and castigate them, just like they did during Congress’ last recess. And many – most? — of those senators and House members are listening to them because they have decided to shirk their responsibility and shamelessly hide from us.

Oh, they have their reasons. The people who attend those sessions are paid agitators. They won’t be treated fairly. A public meeting could lead to violence. Everything but the truth, which is that they have no answers for the questions they are certain to face, such as those suggested by the organization Indivisible:

For Republicans:

• Your plan slashes Medicaid and food assistance but gives Elon Musk a tax break. Why?
• How do you justify cutting meals for kids while cutting taxes for billionaires?
• Republicans claim to be fiscally responsible, so why are you increasing the deficit for the benefit of billionaires?
• Why is the Trump Tax Scam funding attacks on immigrants instead of holding billionaires accountable?
• Do you support using the budget reconciliation process to force Project 2025 on the country?

For Democrats:

• How are you using your leverage to protect programs working families rely on?
• Will you commit to doing everything in your power to stop or obstruct the Trump Tax Scam?
• What specific actions are you taking to stop Republican sabotage and fight back against the Trump-Musk coup?
• How will you push other members of your party who have yet to speak out against Musk’s power grab to unequivocally condemn it?

But since so many of our representatives refuse to meet us in public during this recess, what can we do?

Indivisible has an answer for that: Hold empty-chair town hall meetings. The Indivisible site includes detailed instructions that describe what to do and how to do it, including tips on ideas for variances that have proven successful, such as placing a live chicken in the chair, or by inviting a Democrat to speak in the Republican’s place.

(Incidentally, I mention Indivisible a lot because it was formed by former congressional staffers who know what works, is supported primarily by small-gift donors, has chapters in every congressional district in the nation, and has a record of success. I hope you’ll take a moment to wander around its web site: Indivisible.org.)

When the recess is over and our politicians are back in Washington, they’ll have a lot to consider. Even without meeting us face-t-face they’ll realize that we are the majority now and we are angry and active. Then, a week or so later, that truth will be driven home to them by the planned April 5 Hands Off March on Washington, which is expected to be big. They will also see that Trump’s popularity has plummeted 10 percent since his inauguration and is steadily getting worse. And remember: that’s atop the fact that more people voted against Trump last November than voted for him.

All those who are up for re-election next year – 35 Republican senators, 23 Democratic senators and all 435 House members — will not be able to avoid the obvious: if they stay with Trump they will sink with Trump, and they will lose any hope of being re-elected next year. So, we can hope, they will say enough is enough and jump ship. They may not leap into the arms of the Democratic Party, but wherever they jump it will be away from Trump.

It will take only a few of them to get things started, and they will become instant heroes to the ever-growing Trump-despising masses — self-serving heroes to be sure but heroes nonetheless. If a few break rank, others are sure to follow. It could become a flood, a true Happy Days Are Here Again moment.

This week, along with the Hands Off March on Washington scheduled for April 5, has the potential to become a significant historical event. If we will keep the faith, do the work, call and attend, we can win this thing. We can skip over the bondage part of The Story of Nations, and get on to liberty.