Since World War II, Americans have generally dismissed the possibility that a communist-type insurrection and revolution could succeed in the United States. Upon reflection, it is also plausible that the normalcy bias, overconfidence in our invulnerability, and the tendency to lower rather than raise our guard would all be exploited by our chief communist adversaries, notably the People's Republic of China. Its leaders have fully embraced the essence of Sun Tsu’s supreme art of war: to subdue not by military confrontation but rather by internal strategies that bring on mass demoralization, disorientation, and then division and dysfunction.
Make no mistake, when wholesale dysfunction becomes normalized as it is today in the U.S., the final stage of collapse cannot be far away. Uncorrected, what will follow is some kind of communist tyranny.
The first order of business in the next Trump administration is to counter our current sick reality by bringing health to public and private sector institutions in America by banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies and restoring merit as the principal driver of decision-making. An equally high early priority is to restore equal justice under the law and root out corruption throughout our government. With trust between the people and government at an all-time low in the United States, we must be prepared to do whatever it takes to reverse this. There is simply no substitute for bold and swift action to correct this late-stage dysfunction of injustice and corruption.
It is essential to understand that many government members who have become corrupt did not start out that way. More often than not, they became compromised in small and incremental ways, like those employed by the Mafia, who have made compromise an art with no way out for those captured.
What is needed to provide deliverance to many compromised people throughout the U.S. government and its agencies is a program that gives them a way out and offers incentives to come clean and tell what they know with complete assurance that they will have immunity from prosecution. Whatever their levels of compromise and corruption, people should be assured that their honest testimony against others who choose not to come forward will be rewarded. Doing the right thing should always be rewarded. That would include immunity from prosecution and could consist of witness protection and financial assistance if appropriate.
An effective program would likely start with low-level corruption and then move up the chain, similar to the methodology used to bring down the Mafia. This would have a greatly beneficial effect on the public by educating them on just how deep the corruption is. The American people would support amnesty programs based on the simple philosophy of: “You come clean with the American people, you tell us what you know, and we will extend grace, not go after you, and give you a second chance.”
A program like this would be highly successful because doing the right thing is contagious. It would also result in widespread support for security measures, such as loyalty oaths and strict security clearances, that are needed to prevent this from happening again. It would also greatly improve the morale of the U.S. armed forces, the key variable in fighting and winning wars.
Suppose the new Trump administration undertakes such a program boldly. In that case, it will throw every foreign intelligence agency into chaos—swiftly driving out vast numbers of Chinese, Russian, and Iranian operatives from the United States. In addition, Mexican and other nationality cartels and gang members would move back out of the U.S.
This forgiveness and immunity from prosecution should be extended from the bottom to the top, including Senators, Congressmen, Wall Street financiers investing in China, and high-tech leaders involved with foreign trade—all of whom would be given favorable treatment and immunity for doing what is right and putting American interests first.
Ultimately, what is true and good for us as individuals is also good for the nation; living with integrity, we will experience genuine success that transcends earthly measures. The wisdom of Ezra from 430 B.C. is as true today as it was then. Captured in the book of 2 Chronicles 7:14, we are told that if we humble ourselves and pray…and turn from our wicked ways, “then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Scott S. Powell is a senior fellow at Discovery Institute and a Committee on the Present Danger-China member. His timeless book, Rediscovering America, has been #1 Amazon New Release in the history genre for eight weeks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637581599. Reach him at scottp@discovery.org
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