The State of the Union

Last week’s elections made it clear that our nation is being torn apart by forces on both the far left and far right. What makes this especially troubling is that both extremes are increasingly fueled by antisemitism.

On the left, self-described Democratic Socialists such as Bernie Sanders, Zohram Mamdani, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lead a movement that has grown openly hostile to capitalism and Israel. Their pro-Hamas, anti-Zionist rhetoric hides beneath the language of “social justice” and “equity.”

On the right, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defends conservative voices, like Tucker Carlson’s, who empower Holocaust deniers and white supremacists such as Nick Fuentes. Conservative institutions once devoted to principle—the Federalist Society, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies—now appear paralyzed by the spread of hate they once sought to contain.

Students of history will recognize familiar warning signs. A generation burdened by debt and disillusioned with opportunity grows restless. Technology, led by artificial intelligence, is radically transforming the labor market. War or the threat of it looms from Ukraine to the Middle East to East Asia.

Instead of preparing for global instability or addressing our national debt, America is once again consumed by internal division. Yet, amid this darkness, there remains a flicker of light: our enduring faith that Americans can still talk, argue, and find common ground. For 250 years, that faith has sustained our democracy.

City Club continues to act as a securus locus by creating a safe place for dialogue, hoping to rediscover the political center that holds and guides us toward a wiser, more united future. We strive not to silence the extremes, but to strengthen the middle.

— Sina.

For Another Angle, read The Soul of the Union by Kubs Lalchandani, Esq.