<p>It's clear we need a new constitution, taking the best from our founders and adding the best in light of all we've learned in the last 240 years. Our founders were wealthy land owners who sought to reduce their tax to the British Crown. At the time, other monarchs were beginning to be challenged as well, as the Enlightenment Period took form.</p>
<p>This piece may be premature, as there is a least a small chance Mr. Trump and his Republican allies might pull of The Steal, curiously shouting their motto, Stop the Steal. But for our purposes, we will assume even this beleaguered democracy can hold up through this assault as she has many times before.</p>
<p>Sisters and brothers, we are separated and broken. Fearful for our lives and livelihood. For our families and friends. This is not an easy time. Epidemics are stressful, and our shit was already all broken. </p>
<p>I could go on and on about the latter, but we already know. Glaringly, corporate greed and human health are incompatible. COVID-19 is providing the magnifying glass on the corporate behaviors that have been wrecking our lives and our planet for decades, corrupting our political process and encouraging endless war.</p>
<p>The term suggests people who are sheep, easily led to whatever fate. And such has certainly been true for most of us throughout history.</p>
<p>To be clear, there are forces at work that have contributed to our 'sheepleness' for a thousand years. Kings and wealthy merchants have little desire for a population that questions everything. "You be sheep, we'll take care of everything" is a variation of the well-worn elitist mentality.</p>
<p>As we wind our way to Election, 2018, there is a wide variety of possibilities to unfold. From Trump's 'there may be a red wave' to the possibility of a blue tsunami where Democrats take the Senate as well as the House.</p>
<p>This year's election is surely crucial, the stakes never higher in my lifetime. If we get more of the same, we will hopefully survive, but we do not improve our fare or our Earth.</p>
<p>Even as we are all here together, events punctuate our lives and culture.There is a deep discontent in our world and lives here in the United States. The world is degrading as are our lives, while signs of emergent sustainability and political engagement abound. Curious times.</p>
<p>The 2017 election brought a host of firsts, and a clear repudiation of Trumpland. </p>