I think this is one of the most important essays I have read in recent years. You’ve put your finger squarely on it…the evolution of your thinking about evil and how to rethink our shopworn nostalgia about how democracy thinks, feels, and looks to each of us for the betterment of all. New ways of thinking about how to revive and keep it; what that would actually feel like and look like in structure and purpose. How to extinguish the raging flames of the fire of evil that started in one corner of our republic and has been carefully tended by those in power. Those of us who love peace, justice, and freedom are battling it with all our strength but I fear it has burned down ideas which certainly cannot be resurrected in the concepts of the past. The framework may still be standing, however, and it is up to us to decide if we’re going to stand by and watch everything we know burn to ashes.
I know something about this, after our home burned down a couple of months ago due to a fire that started in our neighbor’s villa. We stood by helplessly as the brave firefighters tried to extinguish it so that we could salvage a few things. By and large, the fire took everything and, like our country, we have made the decision to put in the time and money to rebuild.
What do we need to rebuild our republic? Does it have to burn to the ground before we can save it? What is worth saving and how do we go about doing just that? Are our ideas the structural underpinning of this great democracy or are our ideals irretrievably linked to the structures set forth by our founders? Is there room for reimagining the great ideas upon which we were founded? When Trump tore down the East Wing, he tore down so much more than just a structure. He tore down the majesty, the simplicity of that imperfect structure.
The United States is FAR from a perfect idea, nor is it housed only in its buildings. It lives in each of our hearts. It is the birthplace of ideas which, though perhaps shopworn, have served all of us and each of us. Some of us were born here. Many have died for the ideals of this place.
Damn the evil doers who are trying to burn everything to the ground. They are about to realize that democracy lives in our hearts, and in our hearts it will remain, no matter what.
Thank YOU! Your article raised them by implying that we have to thoughtfully rethink what we really want from our democracy. I think the fire in our own home really forced me to look at reimagining our lives. We can start with our basic structure, but understand that our failure of collective imagination is what brought us to this 5-alarm fire. Donald Trump has watched our democracy burn in service to his own bottomless pit of need and ensuing corruption. What a misery. But what an opportunity?
Great comment. We need an overhaul of our Constitution beginning with the Electoral College, term limits on Congress and many other ideas, and the end of the Citizens United court decision along with a restructuring of our judicial system, but before that can happen, we will need to crush the MAGAs. No mediation. No compromise. Total expulsion from the government is the only route, and if we don't stop this federal mob from growing and effecting our elections, we will have no country as we knew it.
It's been a busy day and I finally am able to catch up on Steven's post from this morning. I agree with every word you said Ellen. Steven's use of the word evil powerfully identifies the motivation behind the chaos and destruction this regime is purposely inflicting on our country and citizens. It's an example of inhumanity at its worst. History will not forget their lustful thirst for greed and power.
Beyond the hard core MAGA, the people who voted for Trump just wanted cheaper eggs. I can't know what was in their hearts, but I suspect that they didn't vote for fascism, corruption or marauding troops in the streets. I still want to believe that there are more Americans who value human kindness, fairness and grit than there are those who would strip the country to its studs. Minnesota teaches us that we can--and will--prevail. The fact of these blow out Dem wins in deep red states should tell you something: there is remorse in this country and that is what you build the restoration of the American experiment on.
We can only hope that more are seeing the light rather than the darkness of what is occurring as King Donny the Stupid strives to control the midterms by putting these paid thugs at every voting place to scare off those of color and anyone who know they are going to vote against truth and honest government.
I believe we can do more than hope. Local organizing is crucial. That’s what happened in the state Senate election in TX. One candidate, an employee, chief of communication for Patriot Mobile (which says it’s working toward a conservative Christian government) in a district that voted +17 for Trump just lost by 14%.
It seemed impossible. The GOP candidate was trump endorsed & had it on her signage. Trump pushed her. Abbott, Lt gov and the GOP canvassed & urged GOP voters to turn out for her. Her campaign had over $2.5M. The Dem candidate, the 1st Dem to win since 1972, less than $700,000. The GOP candidate was well known. She aided Patriot Mobile’s take over of 4 school boards to align them with their extremist agenda.
The GOP knew they were in trouble before anyone else paid attention. A big early sign — Apparently the school board takeover was too much for the locals. They organized and the boards seats flipped.
The Democratic candidate was well known in his community. He is a veteran who had the support of Vote Vets, which may have been the only organization that jumped into the race. He is a Union member--in a "right to work" (misnomer) state. He also spoke to concrete concerns of the voters, not the hazy culture war stuff that has been the Republican bread and butter.
Yes, I think candidates need to run on the issues their constituents care about. They can do that and stay within the recognizable Dem principles. Please no more Manchins.
Vote Vets did a huge amount of advertising. I read that the DNC got involved after the primary with technical support. Beto O’Rourke’s Powered by People, helped register people to vote in the district, stayed in touch with them to encourage them to vote - calling & voters to vote by mail. One of the big things that helped was a backlash among the Latino population. All this work gave them a reason to vote.
Steven, BRAVO! This is an outstanding, important piece, and you have captured our moment, our predicament, and our call to action perfectly. I, too, have taken solace in the Civil War and our survival against such great odds. And I’ve looked and longed for a person of great vision, wisdom, and stature to lead us out of the darkness. I still have hope, but I admit it’s harder and harder to access as the banality and evil of this malignant man and his spineless sycophants plow our liberties and our history under miles of greed and bullshit.
Bravo, Steven. I, too, wrestled long with the the concept of evil - evil behavior by some seriously damaged or deluded individuals and groups or evil as a force inherent in some people and groups. Trump and the rise of hateful, violent Magaism has convinced me of the evil inherent, sometimes referred to as the Powers and Principalities (see civil rights activist and theologian Walter Wink: The Powers that Be). Many people, perhaps all of us succumb to individual wicked deeds our of human frailty and the misguided inhumane culture of consumerism that envelops us in the USA. But the current state of our country is now a battle with a force field of Evil. As you suggest, we must not look away, or soothe ourselves with silly platitudes like “wait for the midterms”. It is time for the people - the good, the fearful, the timid, - from all walks of life to stand together for the values that matter most. In the words of prophet Micah (echoed in other wisdom traditions) “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” Time to get at it and move as a people to build the society that the best of the Framers envisioned. BTW, your words are informative always but could we read them without having to look at a photo of the Evil One first. How about just a symbol?
You have given us a benchmark essay that is true to our times. On a personal note, your commentary on pure evil rang especially true. I was the same place as you were and have made the same transition you have undergone. We can plainly see evil in its purest form in so many people and actions of this Administration. No term describes them better than evil.
Yes, we cannot go back to business as usual. I'm about as far left as you can be in this country and it's still considered mainstream in other wealthy countries. We have to move past the debates about women's rights, pass the ERA!, invest in renewable energy and trade schools, national healthcare now, pay everyone a living wage! It's no longer a question of should we do these things, we have to if we're going to survive. We've been fed a lot of lies. There are still people who believe we can't afford to do these things. These are all small change in the big picture. I believe our Constitution and Bill of Rights actually describe Social Democracy . This is not rocket science. Put good ideas in place, remove the evil.
We’ve never done a good job of listening to our elders — Washington, Lincoln, Obama, even Eisenhower and the Military Industrial Complex. It’s those 80-ish-year cycles that demand that we find our better angels from the oligarchial corners where they hide at the end of each memory hole’s lifespan. (George III’s tax schemes, 1850s Southerners, TR’s trusts to bust, 1929 speculators, 2010s media and AI consolidation are all harbingers) to 1788, 1865, 1941, 2016 or ‘20 or ‘24. Here we’ve been going again. By the arrival of the third generation of every upheaval, the memory of renewers fades in their re-telling, no matter how impassioned. So here we are again proposing that all men are created equal and can govern themselves with that proposition. Let’s roll!
Completely agree. We are in the disintegration stage of our recent paradigms, myths, guides. I taught the presidency, Constitution, law, yet how much of our written structure functions as intended today? We need healthy uplifting visions, stories, metaphors, myths of who we are and what we aspire to. In high school we had to read PROFILES IN COURAGE. Today such a title would be 2 pages if that. And where once I had to deal in class with Watergate and Lewinsky, now students must contend with the rampant horrors of the Epstein Files and the leaders implicated therein. A book WETIKO by Paul Levy defines wetiko as "A contagious psycho-spiritual disease of the soul...acted out en masse on the world stage via an insidious collective psychosis of titanic proportions. This mind-virus—which Native Americans have called “wetiko”—covertly operates through the unconscious blind spots in the human psyche, rendering people oblivious to their own madness and compelling them to act against their own best interests....Before being able to treat this sickness that has infected us all, we have to snap out of our denial, see the disease, acknowledge it, name it, and try to understand how it operates so as to ascertain how to deal with it." No small task.
“…I believe America is more than ready for bolder—indeed, more radical—ideas that move the country closer to the promise of Lincoln and Jefferson.”
“We have seen the enemy among us:
It is evil, it must be rooted out, and it must be replaced with new laws that represent our commitment to rejecting hate and sustaining our American project.”
“Getting there will require new and more forceful leadership, more fearlessness and more innovative and inspiring ideas to ensure Democratic victory in the midterms, in 2028 and for decades to come.”
“Anything less means that the depraved, the hateful and the unprincipled will continue to shape our future.”
Citizens United was one of the worst decisions by a court in history. Money is not speech, corporations are not persons.
Ending Citizens United and adding justices to SCOTUS, along with term limits, are necessary if we are to continue.
Ridding the elections of the Electoral College is another necessity. The Interstate Popular Vote Compact (I’m not sure of the title) is coming to 270 electoral votes, and that will solve the EC issue.
Thank you for your thoughts and references. You so eloquently speak for me.
I did not believe in evil until 2015, the evil that becomes more profound with each passing day. This evil morphs with an increasingly obvious depravity that has been apparent at least since the Access Hollywood tape. I have to wonder if half the country is evil. After all, about half the country elected him twice.
We must become radicalized (peacefully). Moderate, conciliatory Democrats are not going to end this horror. We cannot stop what is happening by "reaching across the aisle." Where is the urgency? Where is the total
outrage about this totally violent, depraved regime? How did so many Democrats vote for members of dt's cabinet, including Democrats we consider liberal? We need Democrats who are ready to respond to this moment with the greatest urgency and fearlessness. This is no time for timidity.
"Conventional politicians don’t have the vision or power to reverse a historical tide. Chuck Schumer is not going to save us." Exactly. Neither is Hakeem Jeffries. Who will pull us protesters into a movement against this regime and toward a society of empathy, kindness, and generosity of spirit? Toward culture and critical thinking? Toward a belief in science and what it teaches? Toward respect for human and other beings? I'm afraid it might be too late, that current generations will never experience life as it was before dt.
Having read this quote from your column "And that’s why I increasingly oppose elected officials who still imagine that business-as-usual and policy retreads are appropriate responses to this moment," I find myself wondering if you position Chuck Shumer in the category of disappointing leaders. Thank you.
So, Steven....I agree with you wholeheartedly. But I have a sincere question. Just HOW do we defeat "Inherent Evil" non-violently? Can it be done? Can inherent evil be reasoned with or negotiated with? My gut says "no". Maybe our technology will be able to alter the "Evil gene" in fetuses before the devil child is born? Until then, what is our path towards enlightenment>
I think this is one of the most important essays I have read in recent years. You’ve put your finger squarely on it…the evolution of your thinking about evil and how to rethink our shopworn nostalgia about how democracy thinks, feels, and looks to each of us for the betterment of all. New ways of thinking about how to revive and keep it; what that would actually feel like and look like in structure and purpose. How to extinguish the raging flames of the fire of evil that started in one corner of our republic and has been carefully tended by those in power. Those of us who love peace, justice, and freedom are battling it with all our strength but I fear it has burned down ideas which certainly cannot be resurrected in the concepts of the past. The framework may still be standing, however, and it is up to us to decide if we’re going to stand by and watch everything we know burn to ashes.
I know something about this, after our home burned down a couple of months ago due to a fire that started in our neighbor’s villa. We stood by helplessly as the brave firefighters tried to extinguish it so that we could salvage a few things. By and large, the fire took everything and, like our country, we have made the decision to put in the time and money to rebuild.
What do we need to rebuild our republic? Does it have to burn to the ground before we can save it? What is worth saving and how do we go about doing just that? Are our ideas the structural underpinning of this great democracy or are our ideals irretrievably linked to the structures set forth by our founders? Is there room for reimagining the great ideas upon which we were founded? When Trump tore down the East Wing, he tore down so much more than just a structure. He tore down the majesty, the simplicity of that imperfect structure.
The United States is FAR from a perfect idea, nor is it housed only in its buildings. It lives in each of our hearts. It is the birthplace of ideas which, though perhaps shopworn, have served all of us and each of us. Some of us were born here. Many have died for the ideals of this place.
Damn the evil doers who are trying to burn everything to the ground. They are about to realize that democracy lives in our hearts, and in our hearts it will remain, no matter what.
Thanks for this thoughtful note, Ellen. Many good questions...And I appreciate your sharing the analogy of the house fire you lived through.
Thank YOU! Your article raised them by implying that we have to thoughtfully rethink what we really want from our democracy. I think the fire in our own home really forced me to look at reimagining our lives. We can start with our basic structure, but understand that our failure of collective imagination is what brought us to this 5-alarm fire. Donald Trump has watched our democracy burn in service to his own bottomless pit of need and ensuing corruption. What a misery. But what an opportunity?
Great comment. We need an overhaul of our Constitution beginning with the Electoral College, term limits on Congress and many other ideas, and the end of the Citizens United court decision along with a restructuring of our judicial system, but before that can happen, we will need to crush the MAGAs. No mediation. No compromise. Total expulsion from the government is the only route, and if we don't stop this federal mob from growing and effecting our elections, we will have no country as we knew it.
I agree, Richard!
Thank you , and very well said.
Thank you, Paul!
So eloquently said, Ellen! So sorry for your personal loss….
Thank you, Rachel!❤️
It's been a busy day and I finally am able to catch up on Steven's post from this morning. I agree with every word you said Ellen. Steven's use of the word evil powerfully identifies the motivation behind the chaos and destruction this regime is purposely inflicting on our country and citizens. It's an example of inhumanity at its worst. History will not forget their lustful thirst for greed and power.
There is truth in all you have said and our country ytuly needs a radical overhaul to move forward to regain our democracy!
“A civilization is not destroyed by wicked people; it is not necessary that people be wicked but only that they be spineless.” - James Baldwin
And when you add wickedness into the equation, well, here we are.
Beyond the hard core MAGA, the people who voted for Trump just wanted cheaper eggs. I can't know what was in their hearts, but I suspect that they didn't vote for fascism, corruption or marauding troops in the streets. I still want to believe that there are more Americans who value human kindness, fairness and grit than there are those who would strip the country to its studs. Minnesota teaches us that we can--and will--prevail. The fact of these blow out Dem wins in deep red states should tell you something: there is remorse in this country and that is what you build the restoration of the American experiment on.
We can only hope that more are seeing the light rather than the darkness of what is occurring as King Donny the Stupid strives to control the midterms by putting these paid thugs at every voting place to scare off those of color and anyone who know they are going to vote against truth and honest government.
I believe we can do more than hope. Local organizing is crucial. That’s what happened in the state Senate election in TX. One candidate, an employee, chief of communication for Patriot Mobile (which says it’s working toward a conservative Christian government) in a district that voted +17 for Trump just lost by 14%.
It seemed impossible. The GOP candidate was trump endorsed & had it on her signage. Trump pushed her. Abbott, Lt gov and the GOP canvassed & urged GOP voters to turn out for her. Her campaign had over $2.5M. The Dem candidate, the 1st Dem to win since 1972, less than $700,000. The GOP candidate was well known. She aided Patriot Mobile’s take over of 4 school boards to align them with their extremist agenda.
The GOP knew they were in trouble before anyone else paid attention. A big early sign — Apparently the school board takeover was too much for the locals. They organized and the boards seats flipped.
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/30/texas-senate-district-9-runoff-rehmet-wambsganss-special-election/
The Democratic candidate was well known in his community. He is a veteran who had the support of Vote Vets, which may have been the only organization that jumped into the race. He is a Union member--in a "right to work" (misnomer) state. He also spoke to concrete concerns of the voters, not the hazy culture war stuff that has been the Republican bread and butter.
We need more such candidates.
Yes, I think candidates need to run on the issues their constituents care about. They can do that and stay within the recognizable Dem principles. Please no more Manchins.
Vote Vets did a huge amount of advertising. I read that the DNC got involved after the primary with technical support. Beto O’Rourke’s Powered by People, helped register people to vote in the district, stayed in touch with them to encourage them to vote - calling & voters to vote by mail. One of the big things that helped was a backlash among the Latino population. All this work gave them a reason to vote.
Steven, BRAVO! This is an outstanding, important piece, and you have captured our moment, our predicament, and our call to action perfectly. I, too, have taken solace in the Civil War and our survival against such great odds. And I’ve looked and longed for a person of great vision, wisdom, and stature to lead us out of the darkness. I still have hope, but I admit it’s harder and harder to access as the banality and evil of this malignant man and his spineless sycophants plow our liberties and our history under miles of greed and bullshit.
Thank you, Kyle.
Bravo, Steven. I, too, wrestled long with the the concept of evil - evil behavior by some seriously damaged or deluded individuals and groups or evil as a force inherent in some people and groups. Trump and the rise of hateful, violent Magaism has convinced me of the evil inherent, sometimes referred to as the Powers and Principalities (see civil rights activist and theologian Walter Wink: The Powers that Be). Many people, perhaps all of us succumb to individual wicked deeds our of human frailty and the misguided inhumane culture of consumerism that envelops us in the USA. But the current state of our country is now a battle with a force field of Evil. As you suggest, we must not look away, or soothe ourselves with silly platitudes like “wait for the midterms”. It is time for the people - the good, the fearful, the timid, - from all walks of life to stand together for the values that matter most. In the words of prophet Micah (echoed in other wisdom traditions) “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” Time to get at it and move as a people to build the society that the best of the Framers envisioned. BTW, your words are informative always but could we read them without having to look at a photo of the Evil One first. How about just a symbol?
Thanks for your thoughtful note, Carol. Sorry that I’m obliged to share a photo of the malignant one more than either of us would like.
I echo that wish, I too am repulsed by his image….
You have given us a benchmark essay that is true to our times. On a personal note, your commentary on pure evil rang especially true. I was the same place as you were and have made the same transition you have undergone. We can plainly see evil in its purest form in so many people and actions of this Administration. No term describes them better than evil.
Yes, we cannot go back to business as usual. I'm about as far left as you can be in this country and it's still considered mainstream in other wealthy countries. We have to move past the debates about women's rights, pass the ERA!, invest in renewable energy and trade schools, national healthcare now, pay everyone a living wage! It's no longer a question of should we do these things, we have to if we're going to survive. We've been fed a lot of lies. There are still people who believe we can't afford to do these things. These are all small change in the big picture. I believe our Constitution and Bill of Rights actually describe Social Democracy . This is not rocket science. Put good ideas in place, remove the evil.
We’ve never done a good job of listening to our elders — Washington, Lincoln, Obama, even Eisenhower and the Military Industrial Complex. It’s those 80-ish-year cycles that demand that we find our better angels from the oligarchial corners where they hide at the end of each memory hole’s lifespan. (George III’s tax schemes, 1850s Southerners, TR’s trusts to bust, 1929 speculators, 2010s media and AI consolidation are all harbingers) to 1788, 1865, 1941, 2016 or ‘20 or ‘24. Here we’ve been going again. By the arrival of the third generation of every upheaval, the memory of renewers fades in their re-telling, no matter how impassioned. So here we are again proposing that all men are created equal and can govern themselves with that proposition. Let’s roll!
Good will prevail. This too shall pass.
Completely agree. We are in the disintegration stage of our recent paradigms, myths, guides. I taught the presidency, Constitution, law, yet how much of our written structure functions as intended today? We need healthy uplifting visions, stories, metaphors, myths of who we are and what we aspire to. In high school we had to read PROFILES IN COURAGE. Today such a title would be 2 pages if that. And where once I had to deal in class with Watergate and Lewinsky, now students must contend with the rampant horrors of the Epstein Files and the leaders implicated therein. A book WETIKO by Paul Levy defines wetiko as "A contagious psycho-spiritual disease of the soul...acted out en masse on the world stage via an insidious collective psychosis of titanic proportions. This mind-virus—which Native Americans have called “wetiko”—covertly operates through the unconscious blind spots in the human psyche, rendering people oblivious to their own madness and compelling them to act against their own best interests....Before being able to treat this sickness that has infected us all, we have to snap out of our denial, see the disease, acknowledge it, name it, and try to understand how it operates so as to ascertain how to deal with it." No small task.
Beautifully written and important to share. Thank you..
Thank you and yes I believe too.⬇️
Excerpt
“…I believe America is more than ready for bolder—indeed, more radical—ideas that move the country closer to the promise of Lincoln and Jefferson.”
“We have seen the enemy among us:
It is evil, it must be rooted out, and it must be replaced with new laws that represent our commitment to rejecting hate and sustaining our American project.”
“Getting there will require new and more forceful leadership, more fearlessness and more innovative and inspiring ideas to ensure Democratic victory in the midterms, in 2028 and for decades to come.”
“Anything less means that the depraved, the hateful and the unprincipled will continue to shape our future.”
🇺🇸
Also getting oligarchs out of our election processes. Changing Citizens United ASAP.
Citizens United was one of the worst decisions by a court in history. Money is not speech, corporations are not persons.
Ending Citizens United and adding justices to SCOTUS, along with term limits, are necessary if we are to continue.
Ridding the elections of the Electoral College is another necessity. The Interstate Popular Vote Compact (I’m not sure of the title) is coming to 270 electoral votes, and that will solve the EC issue.
Absolutely Richard!
Great essay. Unfortunately 100% true. My view: the obstacles to faily living (cost congestion bureaucracy technology) are overwhelming.
Daily
Thank you for your thoughts and references. You so eloquently speak for me.
I did not believe in evil until 2015, the evil that becomes more profound with each passing day. This evil morphs with an increasingly obvious depravity that has been apparent at least since the Access Hollywood tape. I have to wonder if half the country is evil. After all, about half the country elected him twice.
We must become radicalized (peacefully). Moderate, conciliatory Democrats are not going to end this horror. We cannot stop what is happening by "reaching across the aisle." Where is the urgency? Where is the total
outrage about this totally violent, depraved regime? How did so many Democrats vote for members of dt's cabinet, including Democrats we consider liberal? We need Democrats who are ready to respond to this moment with the greatest urgency and fearlessness. This is no time for timidity.
It is time for us to have our own revolution.
Thank you again for giving voice to my outrage.
Thanks, Steven. Part of me just wants to yell to no one and everyone "Make it stop."
I just read this in a David Brooks column:
"Conventional politicians don’t have the vision or power to reverse a historical tide. Chuck Schumer is not going to save us." Exactly. Neither is Hakeem Jeffries. Who will pull us protesters into a movement against this regime and toward a society of empathy, kindness, and generosity of spirit? Toward culture and critical thinking? Toward a belief in science and what it teaches? Toward respect for human and other beings? I'm afraid it might be too late, that current generations will never experience life as it was before dt.
Having read this quote from your column "And that’s why I increasingly oppose elected officials who still imagine that business-as-usual and policy retreads are appropriate responses to this moment," I find myself wondering if you position Chuck Shumer in the category of disappointing leaders. Thank you.
So, Steven....I agree with you wholeheartedly. But I have a sincere question. Just HOW do we defeat "Inherent Evil" non-violently? Can it be done? Can inherent evil be reasoned with or negotiated with? My gut says "no". Maybe our technology will be able to alter the "Evil gene" in fetuses before the devil child is born? Until then, what is our path towards enlightenment>
It may be that we cannot defeat inherent evil--that is, wipe it out--but can only contain it.