Pratical Politics

When the giant iceberg is upon you, it is too late to keep discussing what to do. We are all in for a very bumpy ride, my fellow Americans. And we were warned.
The world of nation-states is a very scary place. Intrigue, spy secrets, snooping on each other, always trying to gain an upper hand in trade deals, warcraft studies, monetary clout, space exploration, etc., is commonplace. Those nations on the field of play constantly buzz around trying to maintain whatever place they’ve been able to seize and occupy on the perpetual game board. Since competition is everyday, all day, in virtually everything, especially for those frontline nations that see themselves as the cream of the crop among nation states, having an off day at the office can have devastating consequences and one’s international status that seemed so safe and sterling yesterday is now dangling by a thread, hoping to avoid getting pushed into oblivion.
The U.S. has been at and in the upper echelons of nation-states in the world since the end of WW II. It prides itself as the strongest, most developed, and most envied of all other countries in the world—first among the giants. Activity intended to hamper, even break, the bonds of that status by other competing nations is constant. That’s why allies—even those that are probably also very envious—are always sought. Isolated and alone, even the dinosaurs faced extinction.
In virtually any kind of competition, those training for bouts are always taught to never beat oneself. Preparation. Preparation. Preparation, and knowledge of one’s opponents, including one’s own imperfections, are always uppermost in the training regimen.
Somewhere along the line, the American people forgot that we constantly exist in hostile, piranha-filled waters, with eyes always looking for an advantage against us to take us down. We thought our in-home choices were just about us—our family and what happens in our own houses.
The new Trump administration team must go through a transitional period of learning where everything is and where existing plans for action are located, based on the new Presidential Transition Act of 2022. That means before the current government starts providing military secrets and tactics to Mr. Trump’s new team, that team has to be vetted to make sure no member is receiving money from Russia, Iran, North Korea or other foreign government actors. As of today, virtually none of the Trump team members have gone through such vetting—there’s been a refusal to meet with current Biden officials to find out where everything is. It is a dangerous, ill-advised course to follow.
Those of us still willing to call ourselves Americans whenever we travel to foreign lands can only hope that this new Trump administration is not a total embarrassment on the world stage. But a grievous government has usually not ”
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
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