10 Steps to Save America
American Greatness,
by
Victor Davis Hanson
Original Article
Posted By: GustoGrabber,
12/19/2022 7:22:52 AM
Most Americans know something has gone terribly wrong—and very abruptly—with the United States. They are certain that our wounds are almost all self-inflicted. The current pathologies are not a result of a natural disaster, an exhaustion of natural resources, plagues, or an existential war.
Crushing national debt and annual deficits, spiraling food and fuel costs amid “normal” seven-percent-plus annual inflation, bread-and-circuses entitlements, a nonexistent border, a resurgence of racial tribalism, pandemic violent criminality, and humiliation abroad—all these pathologies are easily cited as symptoms of a sick patient. Our crises are not as the Left maintains
Reply 1 - Posted by:
berthabutt 12/19/2022 7:37:45 AM (No. 1359909)
Make room in Must Reads with the AllTwitter all the time for VDH's hopes for our Nation.
28 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Laotzu 12/19/2022 7:45:12 AM (No. 1359912)
Most of which can be implemented by adoption of a strict definition of Constitutional "interstate commerce". Much of what is regulated by the Feds today is dependent on a ridiculous interpretation of "interstate commerce" as anything that could theoretically affect interstate commerce if done en masse. (It is a corruption of the doctrine brought to us by Roosevelt's corrupt Supreme Court.)
14 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
msjena 12/19/2022 7:54:10 AM (No. 1359918)
VDH gets it right, again. On reforming higher education, the most realistic reform needed is ending the current student loan program, financed and administered by the government. A one-time forgiveness does nothing to fix a broken system. The system needs to go back to what it was before the Obama administration changed it--bank loans guaranteed by the government with strictly enforced caps. No Parent Plus loans for unlimited amounts with exorbitant interest rates. Graduate students should be allowed to participate in the government-backed program but also be subject to caps. Graduate students should also have to submit parent financial information until they are 24. This would force the colleges back into awarding need-based grants to make up the difference between the loan amounts and the cost of attending. There should be three components to college costs--family contribution, loans in a capped amount, and need-based grants from the schools. Scholarships should take the place of loans in the calculation.
12 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
MDConservative 12/19/2022 8:05:35 AM (No. 1359929)
The animals are out of the barn, VDH, and they’re not coming back. Typical conservatism, we need to return to a halcyon past.
We indeed did this to ourselves. We borrowed and spent for all sorts of nonsense, from welfare to warfare. I didn’t hear much “conservative” opposition to tossing $14 TRILLION away for COVIDS welfare and “vaccines.”
Conservatives have no program to do anything, except build that wall and overlard military and law enforcement spending, furthering our “security” state. Six Republican states confirmed Biden electors in ‘20 under highly suspicious circumstances. No investigation of note anywhere. Lock up innocents for J6. No conservative response of note.
Conservatives can’t win sustainably with charlatans “leading” and lack of a serious agenda. Politics ain’t beanbag.
40 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
pixelero 12/19/2022 8:06:04 AM (No. 1359930)
Must read.
16 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
philsner 12/19/2022 8:09:41 AM (No. 1359938)
Of course he is right. But again, he isn't telling us anything we don't already know. Many years ago Milton Friedman told us that inflation is caused by government printing and spending money, and nothing else. It's A GIVEN.
Sure his 10 points are correct, but none of them can be implemented until we defeat the left. On the method for this first step, Hanson is silent.
22 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
franq 12/19/2022 8:10:51 AM (No. 1359940)
I "liked" #3, but immediately did more thinking. The whole loan program needs to be even more strict. We know from experience that if one is a homeowner, with any money in the bank, FAFSA loans (what they called them back in the day) are nearly impossible to get. Which basically make the whole program just another form of welfare, probably funding a lot of "-studies" degrees. I wonder how much defaults are prosecuted. Like insurance in the health industry, it drives up the cost of everything.
8 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
slipstik 12/19/2022 8:10:56 AM (No. 1359942)
Victor, no doubt you're the smartest guy in the room. As such you fully realize the FBI/CIA/NSA/DHS/CDC/NIH/NIAID/DOE/RNC/DNC/LSMFT would ever, never, neverever let the tiniest shred of any one of your ideas survive to see the light of day. Nice plan though.
There really is only one road to success, and we aren't on it.
27 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
seamusm 12/19/2022 8:11:30 AM (No. 1359944)
VDH only dreams. Half the US population sees nothing wrong with the way things are and, truthfully believes that we've yet only enacted half-measures towards what they believe are desirable goals. Hanson is the philosopher historian yelling 'the sky is falling' - and in this story it really is. The Old Testament Jews never believed the prophets God sent. Too few will ever believe Hanson until America is also carted away by Babylon into some ChiCom gulag as the new Uyghurs.
20 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
bpl40 12/19/2022 8:16:06 AM (No. 1359950)
Here is Step 0 without which the other ten are nonstarters.
- One day voting
- Paper ballots/Manual counting
- Strict voter ID.
46 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
RCFLyer98 12/19/2022 8:21:50 AM (No. 1359959)
VDH is an excellent commentator, a national treasure . . . however I think he should have started this article with 2 Chronicles 7-14 as the very first step, then all the other steps to fall in line. Without a change of heart, without a change of conscience . . . as "they" say . . . ain't gonna happen. IMHO, of course.
8 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
Muguy 12/19/2022 8:22:49 AM (No. 1359964)
These are common sense thoughts which are all well taken.
The biggest difficulty to overcome is the idea that we have to accept all the corruption without question and that we cannot go back because of a "new 'normal'".
The new normal which began to unravel our society began with NoBama and the perversion of the 10 ideas mentioned in the article are almost impossible to overcome due to fear and manipulation of our information sources presenting 'agendas' and 'narratives' which take over any opposition.
VDH is a national treasure of common sense and his columns at American Greatness are must reads.
9 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
lakerman1 12/19/2022 8:33:37 AM (No. 1359981)
The only realistic way to get rid of our national debt i to inflate our way out of it.
2 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
andyboy 12/19/2022 8:47:49 AM (No. 1359995)
Great list, VDH -- and despite the usual negativity of some posters above, it can be achieved if inspired leaders step forth. There are still enough Americans to get behind them and bring about the needed change.
17 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
LC Chihuahua 12/19/2022 8:54:54 AM (No. 1359999)
Reminds of a movie scene where the doctor walks into the hospital room, takes one look at the patient (in this case, the United States), and mutters to himself "Terminal', and quietly walks out. Seriously, does anyone think Washington will save America? They are the ones destroying it.
The only thing I did not see in the VDH article is growing business and jobs to increase tax revenue. Can't raise taxes anymore considering how it has reached a point of diminishing returns.
8 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Strike3 12/19/2022 8:55:08 AM (No. 1360000)
VDH is becoming as insufferable and obvious as Hannity. The very things that are destroying our country are those upon which our politicians thrive. Overspending, crushing debt, handouts to parasites, division, wasting money on imaginary causes and problems - if not for that horrible mismanagement, politicians would cease to exist. They are not going to fix what keeps them alive so the solution is to get rid of the politicians and install leaders.
20 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
snowoutlaw 12/19/2022 9:18:58 AM (No. 1360021)
Yes they are all symptoms, you need to treat the disease not the symptoms. Every one of the symptoms was caused by one thing, left wing Democrats which seems to be most of the Rat party now.
9 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Gordon Mills 12/19/2022 9:50:06 AM (No. 1360050)
#4, who's this 'we' you're talking about? Do you really believe there were 81 mm 'we''s? I believe it was a few billionaires with the resources to corrupt the systems and manipulate the totals.
6 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 12/19/2022 9:55:05 AM (No. 1360056)
Even if there are only 70 million "we's", #4, is just being realistic.
3 people like this.
Well thought out, solid ideas. Yes, needs to be a Must Read.
5 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
Sanchin 12/19/2022 10:33:55 AM (No. 1360094)
Great suggestions to get things started Unfortunately this administration and Congress are not interested in saving America at least not for the average American nor for ideals of what this country was founded on and a sense of nationalistic independence. The Shock and after affects that are about to happen cannot be avoided at this late date and it will occur in a few months. I know that is a negative assessment but sometimes systems especially complex systems simply fail with devastating consequences.
3 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
hershey 12/19/2022 10:36:27 AM (No. 1360098)
1. Get rid of democrats 2 get rid of liberals...3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 repeat....
4 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
franq 12/19/2022 10:39:27 AM (No. 1360101)
Yes it is a good list, to which I would add "term limits". But the chances of even 2 items being implemented before it is too late are remote.
4 people like this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
clayusmcret 12/19/2022 10:43:35 AM (No. 1360105)
So what VDH is saying in 10 parts is get rid of the democrat party. Nine of the ten run in direct opposition of what the democrats support and the tenth one (discrimination) has been molded into a weapon.
7 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
czechlist 12/19/2022 11:19:44 AM (No. 1360143)
Some of the solutions are possible with the right leadership and Congress but much is unattainable because of "Drain the Swamp". Political and criminal blackmail is currency in the swamp and, like organized crime, no one will thrive until the swamp bosses have control of them. They cannot control Trump and it is why they constantly try to destroy him by other means.
3 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
columba 12/19/2022 11:21:04 AM (No. 1360144)
As the first President of the United States wrote: America's greatness depends on a Christian foundation.
12 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
Safari Man 12/19/2022 11:28:44 AM (No. 1360151)
#10 is correct. Election integrity (or lack thereof) is THE reason Dimocrats are able to run the country into the ground. Nothing will improve until we fix that. Then it will take 50-100 years to undo their damage. By then, China/Russia will own the USA.
For once there’s a benefit to being older. Fewer years left to watch us slide into the abyss
6 people like this.
Reply 28 - Posted by:
bighambone 12/19/2022 11:47:20 AM (No. 1360164)
Since Biden, the leftist Democrats, most of the “taker folks” and the “woke” who are said to have voted for the leftist Democrats, the RINOS, and a lot of the wimpy Republicans will not support those ten steps to save America, who has the go-power to support those ten steps?
2 people like this.
Reply 29 - Posted by:
wayneright 12/19/2022 12:00:50 PM (No. 1360173)
I know of only one man with the spine. No balls, to see that is done.
And that is why they hate him and will see that he is locked up before 2024
2 people like this.
Reply 30 - Posted by:
mc squared 12/19/2022 12:16:12 PM (No. 1360192)
But be sure to wear your Faucimasks: the virus will return. Look over there - a squirrel!
0 people like this.
Reply 31 - Posted by:
JonR 12/19/2022 12:20:34 PM (No. 1360197)
Perfect solution that will never be implemented by the corrupt and irresponsible Congress! Add in for good measure a figurehead, brain dead president who is totally controlled by a leftist/Marxist cabal and the United States of America is no more! Completely self inflicted!
2 people like this.
Reply 32 - Posted by:
Venturer 12/19/2022 12:44:01 PM (No. 1360210)
The country is not sick, the perpetually lying thieves that are running it are.
0 people like this.
Reply 33 - Posted by:
philsner 12/19/2022 1:18:47 PM (No. 1360223)
What #14 dismisses as "the usual negativity" is actually "the usual reality". While it's nice to go over what we all know is wrong, that in itself solves nothing. Asking to hear some actually solutions to the directed destruction caused by marxist democrats is NOT "negativity.
1 person likes this.
Reply 34 - Posted by:
nwcudagal 12/19/2022 1:39:43 PM (No. 1360229)
I went to Google and put in "form of life that kills its host" and a "P" word appeared. Parasite or Politician; your pick.
1 person likes this.
Reply 35 - Posted by:
udanja99 12/19/2022 1:42:35 PM (No. 1360230)
This is a great list with thorough explanations but what is missing is the “how” of accomplishing any of these items. Short of violent revolution, how is this supposed to happen? I’m not suggesting violent revolution; I just want to know how anything can be done about even one of these issues.
4 people like this.
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