“The middle is disappearing,” according to Michigan Sen. Gary Peters. For this reason, he and other moderates in Congress have decided not to run for reelection.
This sentiment reminds me of W.B. Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”:
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world
In his oft-quoted poem, Yeats described the conditions prevalent throughout the world during the period after World War I that eventually led to World War II. These included breakdown in communication and feelings of disillusionment, fear and foreboding.
In my opinion, Yeats’ poem has current relevance. Hardliners on the extremes of right and left are taking unyielding positions. Tariffs are weakening the economy, increasing the debt, hurting major U.S. economic drivers, such as agriculture and tourism, and emboldening adversaries. At the same time, the United States is becoming increasingly isolated and losing influence and friends throughout the world. Naturally, these conditions create anxiety and instability.
It’s a fundamental principle of physics: When a thing leans too far, it falls. Arguably, the right-leaning purge of our government and its institutions is causing an imbalance. Will democracy fall? That depends on whether We the People can restore balance before the tipping point is reached. If our democracy falls, what will replace it? History has that answer.
William Plumlee
Ligonier