The theme for this year’s Warren Fourth of July parade is “State of the Union,” which prompts us to ask, “how is the state of the union?”
At first glance, it might be considered okay, fine. The guardrails might be holding. The rule of law seems extant, our institutions are stable today. And they may be, right this instant.
But there’s no guarantee that will be true in a month or in five months or in January 2025. Recent events are troubling to say the least. The Republican nominee for United States president is promising to dismantle the federal government, replacing government employees with sycophants loyal to him.
That same nominee has vowed to use the justice department to wreak vengeance on political opponents. He has jokingly (maybe) vowed he’d be a dictator on day one – for a day. As if that’s a joking matter.
Aided by a depraved, disappointing, and ultimately corrupt and partisan U.S. Supreme Court, this former president can now assert broad and sweeping immunity for law-breaking actions taken in the name of doing his job.
The state of the union depends a lot on an independent, non-partisan judiciary and our most revered court has devolved into a bastion of corrupt cronyism, with an emphasis on corrupt when it comes to Justice Clarence Thomas who can be bought with private jet travel and multi-million-dollar motor coaches as well as free-tuition for family members.
A lot is riding on the presidential election in November. To be sure, both candidates are old, and one turned in a less than stellar debate performance last week while the other candidate blustered and lied with every single answer, failing to answer even one question that was asked -- instead repeating the exact same lies over and over again with no fact-checking whatsoever from CNN. Disappointing.
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July. Go forth and use the hell out of your first amendment right to free speech, but please, please, also exercise your right to participate in free and fair elections come November when it’s time to elect a new president.
Please vote, the state of our union depends on it.
