“May you live in interesting times” is a curse, as these last three weeks in American politics remind us. President Joe Biden was routed by Donald Trump in their first presidential debate. Biden’s candidacy is now in serious doubt as leading Democrats have been calling for him to reconsider if he is the best candidate to win the 2024 election — and if his advanced age means that he is even capable of remaining in office and finishing his term. The historic debate was followed several days later by a Supreme Court decision that granted Trump (and his Republican-fascist successors) the power of a king by making them essentially above the law. In a cruel irony, the Supreme Court made Trump a de facto king the same week as the July 4th Independence Day holiday. A holiday meant to be a celebration of American freedom and the American democratic project instead felt like a funeral.
The American people would be allowed no rest or time to recover.
