History Is Not Just What You Live Through

Since the time I first developed an awareness of public events (say 1970-73, give or take), we’ve seen the end of the Cold War, multiple hot wars, the September 11th attacks, a dozen presidential elections, and so much else. Yet I’ve never had the feeling we were living through…

— George Conway (@gtconway3d) September 1, 2024

October, 1962, Cuba.

Early '60's: "Duck 'n' cover" practice in school.  CONELRAD.  Air raid siren testings.  Early in the '60's/in my childhood (I developed an awareness of public events in elementary school, about mid-way through.  Everyone in my generation did.)

November 22, 1963, death of JFK, Dallas.

November 24, 1964: assassination of Oswald, also Dallas.

November, 1964: landslide defeat of Barry Goldwater (the "Daisy ad" was barely an exaggeration of the stakes).

March 7, 1965:  Bloody Sunday

March 31, 1968: LBJ withdraws nomination for Presidency.

April 4, 1968: Assassination of Dr. King

June 5, 1968:  Assassination of RFK.

I was eligible for the draft in the last year of the lottery.  I had a high number that year, and was not even subject to being called up.  (I would have had a college deferment anyway, but I was paying close attention in those days to those numbers.) That would have been the year George became "aware of public events."  My awareness includes the height of the Cold War, two public assasinations of national leaders in 1 year, the murder of Kennedy and Oswald, the Civil Rights Movement and the violence attendant upon it.   Not to mention the various "liberation" movements spawned by the Civil Rights Movement (women's lib, gay rights, even AIM).

And I lived through repeated scandals involving GOP Presidents:  Watergate, Iran-Contra, Poppy pardoning himself for the latter, "extraordinary rendition" and "enhanced interrogation," Abu Ghraib and the continuing stain on US justice of Guantanamo Bay under W. No slight on George, but I don't think the current presidential election is more momentous or historically important than any one of those events.  And I think the record is clear that we don't need another GOP President in my lifetime; or in George's.  Besides, Bill was right:

Since January 1989, the U.S. has added 51.5 million jobs, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. During Democratic administrations, the nation has added nearly 50 million of those jobs. By contrast, Republican presidents have overseen the creation of some 1.5 million jobs over that period, according to BLS data.

The country deserves far, far better than another Republican in the White House.  Ever again.