A Funk, a Troubled Country, and a Glimmer of Hope
I've been in a funk for a while. I told Tammy yesterday that it feels like I'm depressed. I'm usually upbeat about my life, but not lately. Much of it, I'm sure, has to do with the disheartening realization that so many in our country—including some family and friends—seem perfectly comfortable with the cruelty of the Trump administration toward immigrant communities, while a racist undercurrent in our society has become increasingly visible and vocal. We're a nation of immigrants. It saddens me to ponder the direction we're heading.
So much is happening in our country and around the world that demands strong, competent leadership—leadership this administration woefully lacks. For example, AI technology is developing at a frightening pace, so much so that leaders in the field are sounding alarms and saying we need to pump the brakes before it gets out of control. They're actually saying out loud that AI has the potential to wipe out humanity. Trump called for a ten-year moratorium on regulations that curb AI development, but the Senate shut him down.
Data centers needed to support AI are under increased scrutiny as both sides of the aisle unite in opposition, calling them resource hogs that damage the environment and are driving noticeable increases in people's electric bills. Mass layoffs are also a concern as AI technology renders many jobs obsolete. I haven't seen a plan that addresses this concern.
I can't help thinking about the world my two young grandsons will inherit and wanting better for them than a country lurching from crisis to crisis.
Zelenskyy and his fighters have been targeting Russian war infrastructure through concerted drone attacks, much to Putin and Trump's chagrin.
Part of my disappointment with what's happening under Trump is how he's severing our global relationships while blowing up trade agreements in ways that will harm people around the world. The people who seem to benefit are Trump and his inner circle, who face serious questions about conflicts of interest, stock-market trading, and lucrative contracts awarded to connected companies. The Guardian does a fine job of detailing these concerns.
The only silver lining I can see is that Trump's MAGA base is beginning to hurt from the economic hardships brought on by the man they placed their trust in. Those open-minded enough are finally seeing that he never cared about them. Some are actually leaving the MAGA movement, but sadly, only after it directly affected them. They supported a man who tried to overturn the 2020 election results and was found to have retained highly classified documents after leaving office, but a fuel-price increase was apparently the last straw.
We're bracing for midterm elections next week and the potential for Trump to insert himself in the process to hold on to power. His following is weakening, but he still holds the levers of power and has placed people in positions to carry out his unconstitutional orders. I wouldn't be so worried if we had a SCOTUS I could trust.
We recently attended our 4th No Kings protest rally. It was a tangible way to feel the change happening, as we noticed a definite uptick in friendly horn honks and thumbs-ups from passing drivers—even truckers who generally haven't shown us much support in the past. Seeing that support buoyed our spirits!
Our mild autumn continues, offering some welcome beauty amid everything else that's been weighing on me. I've included a few recent videos below.
That's all I've got.
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