It does seem to, at least sometimes (image credit: /u/dogryan)

Not Entirely Gloom

Reflections from the second year of America’s ongoing political crisis

It’s January 6, 2023, and it has seemingly become a custom around here for me to take the opportunity to reflect on the current state of the American political project. So gather round, Readers, and let’s see where things stand.

Things could be so. much. worse.

This time last year, my sentiments were that we had not seen anything close to what was needed if the goal was to place trumpist-style fascism in the trash pile of American history. I was pretty worried that the lack of a necessary, public reckoning might well leave said fascists, and their enablers, in a place to really exert their latent desires via the 2022 midterm election. While that didn’t wind up happening (more on that below), it was a nail-biter all the way through the election and slightly beyond. But when it was all said and done, the idea of an onrushing wave of fascist-friendly GOP lunatics taking the reins of all non-executive political power didn’t turn out to be the case. Instead, we have a split-power situation that is largely unchanged from what it has been for the past two years.

We have gotten a whiff of a public accounting for the events that led up to January 6th. Congressional hearings, piles of insurrectionists going…