We are all familiar with the phrase, truth is stranger than fiction.
We are awash in such truth today.
For example, Trump’s attempt to justify his incoherent ramblings by calling them the “weave,” a strategy involving talking disconnectedly about a number of things and then tying them together. He says English professors tell him it is “brilliant.”
The problem is that it is not a strategy. It is not the result of focused intent. There is no tying together of the disparate elements. Batteries and sharks. There is only incoherence.
Which is not brilliant. It is merely embarrassing.
It is not easy to extricate oneself from the day to day unfolding of this most unusual presidential election. But I want to try.
In a few months things will be resolved, one way or the other. Whichever way it goes, it will reflect what roughly half of the country wants. So there will not be an immediate easing of the tensions generated by it.
In fact, I believe we will be fortunate to avoid violence if Trump loses. He has done everything he can to set that up.
But things will eventually settle. We will get back to what serves as normalcy.
The unknown is, what will that look like? Most importantly, what do we want it to look like? What are we willing to invest in, to get the future we want?
Are we willing to invest in a better health care system, that serves all Americans with affordable quality care?
Are we willing to make higher education affordable and accessible to all, so all have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to get ahead personally while contributing to the collective good?
Are we willing to develop public and private strategies that provide affordable housing options for all, from the homeless to young people trying to establish their first homes.
Are we willing to invest in safer communities, by creating sensible controls on weapons while insuring adequate numbers of trained police and other agents of social control?
And are we willing to invest in control of our environment, and our energy policy, to stave off climate change?
Many challenges face us. They are not political fictions. They are inexorable truths.
We have much work to do.
Col Owens is a retired attorney and a retired law professor. He is author of the book, Bending the Arc Toward Justice.