America on the Brink
October 20, 2026 by agutting@reviewjournal.com
Filed under Conversation
BY LOUIE OVERSTREET
We are currently facing eight conditions that clearly suggest to us that America’s continued survival is on the brink. I will be sharing the eight things in two parts — in alphabetical order, not necessarily by degree of severity. This month, I will discuss artificial intelligence, elections, economics, and governance. Next month, it will be health, peace, religion, and war.
Artificial Intelligence (AI). More than any other recent technological advancement, AI has the capacity for both good and bad. As such, our society and the world “ain’t ‘bout really” to regulate this technology for good and eliminate the bad — with the most obvious being making lies seem true. If this were not the case, why are the locations of data centers now a major campaign issue?
Elections. The November 2026 election is easily the sixth most important in our history ranking just behind the elections of 1860, 1864, 1876, 1940, and 2024. Despite a four-year history lesson of Trump’s first term, Americans again chose him over our nation’s second chance to elect a qualified woman. In less than two short years, the disastrous nature of his election is very painful in our daily lives.
Economics. The wealth gap continues to widen, accompanied by Supreme Court rulings that allow people of means to influence public policy well beyond — and in violation of the concept of — one person, one vote.
Governance. This administration is easily the most corrupt, inept, and unqualified in history.
The President, in the first year of his second term, increased his net worth by a billion and a half dollars. His tax policy of rewarding the rich increased the national debt by $3.8 trillion dollars in his first 19 months. This debt increase is on top of $7.81 trillion from his first term.
His cabinet appointments of McMahon, Kennedy, and Hegseth, respectively to Education, HHS, and Defense have made us dumber, unhealthier, and less safe.
America’s present leaders are depriving us of personal liberties, education, health choices, and engaging in conflicts of dubious value.
And this is only the half of it.
