WE NEED TO START SHAPING OUR OWN FUTURE

WE NEED TO START SHAPING OUR OWN FUTURE

Gennady Shkliarevsky

The Senate has spoken loud and clear. President Trump has won an acquittal for the second time. He is free to run for President again in 2024. If America’s ordeal is to be over, we must start talking about the future.

The scramble to define the future has already begun. The Republicans project winning control over the House in 2022 and possibly electing President in 2024. The Republican National Committee has invited President Trump to address its meeting in spring. Senator Lindsay Graham, who always keeps his nose close to the wind, has already announced that he plans to meet with President Trump to talk about the future of the Republican Party and America.

The second win of President Trump signals a broader victory against progressive liberals. The continuous attacks against him have failed spectacularly. Now the Democrats face an uphill battle to revive their moribund war effort against America. There are still some pockets of resistance but they certainly are increasingly incapable of mounting a massive offensive.

Now is the time to start building on recent successes and consolidating gains. Such consolidation requires an objective assessment of the experience of the last several years. In looking over the recent past, one has to recognize the enormous role played by the movement of common Americans against elite rule. Not only has it managed to survive, but also has sustained its faith in the justice of its cause and hope for victory. The fact that its participants are fighting for their dignity and freedom is its most important strength.

The democratic aspirations for universal inclusion and empowerment have made the success of the movement possible. These aspirations constitute the foundation for America’s future. Any discussion of America’s future must include participants in this movement.

The Republican Party can and should play in these discussions. There has recently been some talk about creating a new party. This idea is a result of uncertainty and confusion that have affected the Republican Party. However, as the confusion lapses and uncertainty recedes, we must recognize that the Republican Party can recapture its old glory. As in the past, it can help lead America to a better future. Meetings between Republican leaders and President Trump on the future of the party and America are timely and necessary.

As the movement makes clear, the future of America is impossible without universal inclusion and empowerment. Many ideas are waiting to be vetted; many details are yet to be elaborated. But we have made a good start and there is no reason to think that we cannot accomplish this task. We must align and coordinate all constructive forces. The alignment of these constructive forces will serve as the foundation for ensuring the future of this country that lies in freedom, dignity, peace, and prosperity for all Americans.

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Dr. Gennady Shkliarevsky is Professor Emeritus at Bard College, New York

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