Does this metaphor explain my enormous respect for Hillary, Bill and Barack, and my ferocious support for Bernie?
Hillary is one of the smartest and hardest working people in national politics. Bill is both those things — plus charisma and ability to project humility. Barack is all those things — plus exceptional self-control. They are each majestic trees, and for 23 years have dominated the forest of Democratic politics.
But those 23 years have contained more losses than gains, on most people’s reproductive rights, , income, wealth, career potential, retirement funding, job security, unemployment safety net, and fear of violence from weapons lawfully possessed by US residents or blown back at us by foreigners provoked by “our” national military, diplomatic and business activities.
What does it mean when (or if, for readers who disagree) such talented political leaders preside over so many unsatisfying results? Of course partly it means that nothing is easy for any country transitioning from hyper-hegemony to semi-hegemony. But that merely refocuses the question on why such talented leaders have not been able to have more positive, sustained and sustainable impact on our transition.
There are no easy answers to this, but further extending the above metaphor might enable more of us to crowd-source answers and consequences rather than start hating each other for starting from, and being overly wedded to, different premises. So, here goes:
Any tree’s most lasting value is as part of a forest, which can be immortal so long as there is no habitat collapse. The tallest trees cast their seeds the farthest, and those seeds grow best that are far enough away to escape the local habitat constraints of the pre-existing forest, including the shade cast by the tall trees.
This metaphor explains to me how Bernie’s platform and supporters can fly away (as if their life depended on it) from the platforms of Bill, Hillary and Barack, even while respecting their stature, other qualities and legacy — partly because every historical figure’s biggest legacy is this kind of seeds, rather than shade, trunk, roots, etc.
Moving on from that metaphor: If post-war Britain can turn away from Winston Churchill’s great wartime successes, without destroying his legacy, surely it is in the nature of things that we now turn away from the many losses a majority of our people have suffered in the last 23 years of political warfare.