Have you ever heard of the band “The Babys” and the song “Every Time I Think of You?” It’s one of those late 70s power arena rock anthems you only hear on “SXM 70’s on 7.” John Waite sang lead, though he did not write the song. Jonathan Cain was on keys. The Babys dissipated (I can’t say “broke up” and there’s a reason) in 1980, but you can still find them touring, reconstituted with the original drummer. Just a few weeks ago they played a small club in San Juan Capistrano, California, and unfortunately, I missed it by a week.
In 1980, The Babys had achieved enough success to open for Journey, who needed a replacement for veteran keyboardist Gregg Rolie. Cain got recruited, and wrote monsters like “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Open Arms” for Journey. He still tours with them, though I believe this is their farewell tour (supposedly). I will see them when they swing through Atlanta in October. As for John Waite, he went solo and had a big hit “Missing You,” in which the opening verse begins “Every time I think of you, I always catch my breath.” It’s a pretty dark coda referencing an uplifting song by The Babys, which, of course Waite meant to do.
Songwriting is a mystical art, and much of what we think are deep lyrics end up being words that just fit a riff or melody when the writer can’t think of anything else. If you get a chance, watch Rick Beato’s interview with Billy Joel, which to me was full of interesting surprises on how Joel wrote his songs.
I wrote all that to make an interesting introduction to some political truths, but I don’t know how to segue cleanly, so I’ll do what editors call a “jump cut.”
A lot of what we think are political machinations are merely the politicians saying what they think sounds good, or expressing their raw, and many times not thought out, ideas, poorly but effectively to the ears hearing it. Or in some cases, to ears who don’t want to listen. Occasionally, a well-thought-out idea will get communicated, and many times is judged as impractical, stupid, or just not in the interests of the voters hearing it. So the song gets changed, again, and again, and again. (“The movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on.”)
Over the last month, during the America 250 celebration and hosting (along with Mexico and Canada) the World Cup, we were reminded of some truths and fairy tales about America. I’ll give you the short version of my impressions.
I believe our country is better than we think. Sure, there are problems with drugs, homeless people, criminals, and sometimes, welfare cheats or well-organized crime rings. But that’s a small dent in what otherwise is a gleaming tower of liberty. We have it so good, we don’t know that we have it so good. Ask visitors, especially Europeans, who live in a first-world economy, an advanced society. We have ranch dressing, air conditioning pretty much everywhere, enormous public spaces in national parks, stunning treasures of scenery and wilderness, spectacular stadiums and urban parks, and shopping beyond compare that exists only in other countries for the very wealthy.
We all own cars, many of us more than one. We own guns, freely, and use them in public shooting ranges. Some of us own many guns. We welcome strangers and feed them, give them rides, share our music, culture, and family. We don’t get bent out of shape when someone doesn’t understand our sports, but we are usually fine joining them for their sport (which is “fulbol” for the rest of the world).
We don’t talk trash about other countries in front of people from those countries. We present America the way it is—we don’t have to talk it up—and leave visitors in awe and wonder, planning their next trip to America as they go.
Americans are capable of being gracious to the world. We are capable of living up to the fairytale of liberty.
On the other hand…
Our government is worse than we think. In some cases, much, much worse. Depending on the political tribe to which we subscribe, we don’t hear or believe the terrible things our tribal government leaders do, say, or believe. We ignore their hypocrisy, corruption, and word salads. We celebrate their insipid and benighted ideas because (we say) it’s better than the other side. We attribute evil to the other side when in fact they are pretty much doing the same things as our side.
The arguments over who went corrupt first, and who will be more corrupt in the future are themselves counterproductive. The federal government in power is as corrupt as any we’ve ever had (and we’ve had some pretty corrupt ones). And to counter that, some are saying the answer is to become even more illiberal and get revenge on the people who made it that way. If we want to find a way to make Abe Lincoln’s words come true, this is the way to do it.
At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.
Americans are free, free to elect corrupt politicians, free to believe the lies spoken by ear-tingling politicians, free to embrace those lies. We’ve done it for 250 years, more or less. The only time there’s been any hint of unity is in times of national distress, where everyone experienced war, famine, depression, or sickness together. Our touchstones are 9/11 and COVID-19. Neither make people less cynical.
The World War I “Silent Generation” went into World War II, producing a national boost because we won and wanted to collectively walk out of that pit. But the place we’re in now is politically dark indeed. There is no single answer to it, but I think the last month gives a hint, a clue, to how we climb out.
Our country is better than we think, though the government is worse. We can’t easily change the country, but we can change the government. I think we will hit a breaking point, hopefully before our debt and war machine bring us into another world war, and bring in better people. Not perfect, just better. People who reflect the America we know we have.
It would be nice if we began the turn. Talk to neighbors. Talk to those who are not on your political team. Touch grass. Help strangers. Do what Americans do. Stop supporting politics that trashes other countries, even as we welcome their citizens here as visitors. Stop supporting policies that ignore the problems of crime, homelessness, mental health, drug addiction, and illegal immigration.
It’s not hard to look at one single policy and decide to apply logic, to see if it is really something you believe. Just one. Pick anything. Then test it. If you find you believe a lie, change your mind. Sure, your tribe may expel you, but I have found more freedom being expelled than we can ever get as loyal party members. America’s fairytale of liberty begins where loyalty to party, blood, oaths, and shibboleths end. Step out of them.
Let me bring this in for a landing. Jonathan Cain is a believing Christian. He is married to Paula White Cain. I think you know her as one of President Donald Trump’s top spiritual advisers. The man who wrote “Don’t Stop Believing” has the ear of the man driving the lie machine. Music is nothing but irony written to melody.
Interesting column and excellent responses. Music clearly is salve for those things that ail us. Every day when we hit the pool with our puppies in tow, we find incredible music to float away from the day's troubles. While i suspect our generational musical choices differ, those musicians from our time provide endless hours away from the madness.
I do have to ask you a personal question (and others who have responded), the non-stop references to both sides being bad fascinate me. Here's the question: Are both sides equally bad?
Obviously the fact that so many former republican's have abandoned their party as never-trumpers certainly creates an illusion that one side is worse than the other. I have my bias, so my opinion may be different than yours.
Finally, let me recommend an Amazon series i am currently plowing through. The "Last Resort" is stunning to follow as it weaves its way through countless human interactions in a setting that is unsettling at best. I think some will find it interesting, other will see it as a political jab.
Great way to start the day Steve.
Going back to WW2, I've heard a lot about how the Nazis differed from the communists because they were extreme rightists while the Soviets were extreme leftists. Looking at the situation in both countries and the leadership the populations embraced, I don't see much difference in their messaging to and handling of any dissidents that opposed their policies. From my view, two peas in the same pod.
In today's USA, the rightists are comprised of MAGA and the leftists include many extreme views with their own personal agendas, including the DSA, BLM and LGBTQ+ groups who's only common ties lie in their opposition to MAGA. From my point of view, two peas in the same pod. Do these people make up the majority of Americans? Not by a long shot but there are far too many Americans who choose to support their side regardless of differences because those in power both reinforce the idea that there are only two choices and if you aren't supporting one side or the other then you're wasting your vote.
It's time for Americans to smarten up, look at the vast majority of their leaders understanding that the most important policy any of them have is to maintain their own political power and start searching out candidates who have and live the moral and ethical values needed to further our position in the world while maintaining American values here. Any candidate that enjoys the full support of either Republican or Democrat leadership needs to be viewed through very discerning lenses and for the most part dismissed as part of the problem and not part of a solution.