CONSPIRACY

If you are planning to vote in the November 2024 Presidential Election, Stuart Stevens The Conspiracy to End America: Five Ways My Old Party is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy is a simple, must read. My experience of the book is that Stevens is objective, not self-serving, and offers his work as helping Americans make sound decisions when voting this November.

Stevens contends,

The inescapable truth is that there is now only one pro-democratic party in American politics, and that’s the Democratic Party. The Republican Party has proven there is no line that can be crossed, no principle shattered, that will force the party to return to decency. If you are unwilling to hold the man accountable who sent the mob to kill you and your colleagues, what other possible transgression could merit a response…The only hope for the Republican Party is for it to suffer crushing defeat after crushing defeat so that it is forced to confront its failure. Then maybe, just maybe, it will begin to change and return to some semblance of a normal center-right party in a democratic civil society…America is so much more than a place on a map with a flag. We must fight not because we know we will emerge triumphant but fight because not to fight is to give up. And if we do that, we no longer deserve to call ourselves Americans. (223-224)

Having been raised in a small town in Northwestern Ohio, taught to embrace learning experiences, spending eight years in the military service, including two years of combat, and grateful for friends, family, and civilian careers, it is painful to reflect on America of past life and America today…and Stevens displays the contrast on each page. Some examples:

• Culture of fear and hate vs trust, hope, and compassion.
• Gun violence and cruelty vs virtues, values, guiding principles, and sane education and use of weapons.
• Home grown terrorism is OK vs transcending and including others.
• Money and power vs voting to make a difference.
• Existence for a few vs the many.
• Ego vs true self and individual and collective authenticity.
• Autocracy vs democracy.
• Destruction vs building for tomorrow.
• Voting obstacles vs voting encouragement.
• White supremacy and racism vs “We the people…”

Today we are on the brink of evolving from: By the people…For the people…Of the people…to: By a few…For a few…Of a few.

As Stevens offers,

We must fight not because we know we will emerge triumphant but fight because not to fight is to give up. And if we do that, we no longer deserve to call ourselves Americans.

 If you plan to vote this November, request that you read The Conspiracy to End America: Five Ways My Old Party is Driving Our Democracy to Autocracy.