Domestic Tranquility In the Time of Trump
Is Comity Even Possible?
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
This complex sentence appears in the Preamble to the Constitution. Over many generations, the meaning of “insure domestic tranquility” has been vigorously debated by scholars and historians. Some believed it was meant as a warning against revolution. Others felt it was an aspirational statement and not to be taken literally. Still others thought it was what today we would call a “framing statement;” this new United States would be, colloquially, a gentle giant.
On one point there was no mistaking the Founders’ intent. If the new nation were to survive, it needed to establish and uphold clear and necessary standards (today’s “benchmarks”) for how the United States must function. Internal harmony — mutual civility and respect — was essential to sustain a new ruling structure in which power was dispersed between the states and the federal government. The citizens of this new place, America, were encouraged to debate and disagree about the issues of the day, without rancor or, God forbid, violence. Revolution such as tore France to shreds would not happen here, as long as we kept the faith in one another.
How’ve we done so far? It is a mixed record, all in all. American soldiers and sailors helped rescue Europe from tyranny — twice. Early on, George Washington had to put down a rebellion of Pennsylvania farmers. Slavery was an open sore from the outset, resolved only after a brutal Civil War whose outcome still rankles. Lynching persisted for decades, mocking the very idea that all people were created equal. The Great Depression pitted the wealthy against the downtrodden; General Douglas McArthur used military force to clear the Washington Mall of protesting World War I vets. A “Red scare” angered and frightened millions in the 1950s. Separate but equal was rejected, yet pleas for racial equality were often met with incidents of ugly brutality. Vietnam became the symbol of disillusionment, as did the Iraq invasion and the quagmire of Afghanistan.
These were events that altered American consciousness and generated bitter resentments. Yet the center held, somehow. There were times — 1968 , 9-11, January 6 — when it felt like America had come to the precipice of no return. But we pulled back, if not to a tranquil equilibrium, than at least we remained a nation with the deep roots necessary to withstand fierce storms.
Where are we today?
Donald Trump is entering a second term as President promising revenge and retribution. For the first time, a non-elected , deeply compromised outsider is overseeing federal spending and calling the shots for Congress. Families are politically divided, as are longstanding friends. A free and open press — the Fifth Estate — is under attack.
Amid such a fraught environment, gun violence is a national scandal. Income inequality is more pronounced than ever. American healthcare is the envy of the world — for those who can afford its exorbitant costs. And border security remains intentionally unresolved as a bitter and divisive political cudgel.
One could argue that the very notion of domestic tranquility is outdated and no longer attainable. A 21st Century descent into a Dark Age is entirely possible.
It was good while it lasted, this experiment in self-government. But all good things must come to an end. Right?
I am not ready to thrown in the towel. I’m not about to let things slide and keep my mouth shut.
If you feel the same, hang with me, and invite your friends to join in. In followup posts I will lay out ideas meant to restore civility and respect — to reengage with tranquility. My views may be naive, and I claim no special expertise. I am merely a citizen of the United States of America, and I am motivated to spur discussion about our beloved country’s future.
Onward to 2025.