2026 and All That

It's shaping up to be our last chance to save US democracy. Let's make sure we take it.

America's 250th birthday was supposed to be a big celebration.

We were supposed to be celebrating the popular notion that, in America, we reject the very idea of a king.

Especially the kind of mad king who raises taxes willy-nilly and slaps his name on everything.

We were supposed to be celebrating the enduring genius of "Founders" like Jefferson, Franklin and Adams who sought to establish a self-governing nation based on liberty, equality, and the consent of the people.

Instead, we're having the bonkers notions of megalomaniacal "Founders" like Musk, Thiel, and Ellison shoved down our feeds, even as our government pursues elite-friendly policies opposed by a large majority of the nation's citizenry.

We were supposed to be saluting the belief that America is a land of opportunity — a meritocracy that rewards hard work, determination, and ingenuity, regardless of a person's status at birth.

Instead, our ruling family expects to be treated like a hereditary aristocracy, while allowing its tech-oligarch benefactors to multiply their wealth (as they obliterate jobs and turn us all into "digital serfs") even as they raise the drawbridge on their new digital fortress.

America voted for cheaper groceries, more jobs, and to release the Epstein Files.

Instead, we're rationing our beef and coffee, watching data centers strain our grids and drain our aquifers — and getting stonewalled by a "Justice Department" that abandons due process for the American people as it bends over backwards to protect our richest pedophiles.

The Mump Regime promised us a new era of "free speech" in which everyone could speak their minds and comedy would be legal again.

Instead, they're creating a totalitarian state in which citizens are surveilled online and off to ensure good behavior, where, just to enter the country, tourists and business visitors must have their past speech evaluated and then get swabbed for DNA, and where comedians are judged not on their ability to make us laugh, but on their fealty to Dear Leader.

Yes, it's a nightmare. Tragically, an entirely predictable one.

Is it already too late to save America?

On my worst days, I fear that everything is already lost.

Trump may be disintegrating mentally and physically.

But Elon always knew he would.

That's why JD Vance is where he is. And why JD's cozying up to everyone in the new GOP coalition — from Erika Kirk to the worst antisemites and grifters in MAGA-land to the broligarchs like Musk and Thiel.

On my worst days, I fear that, whatever happens after Trump, the broligarchs have already won.

They're positioning themselves to come out on top whether or not the AI bubble bursts, the dollar crashes, future elections get canceled, or the masses finally revolt. (Plan B: Swanky bunkers.)

On my worst days, I tell myself that my voice is inconsequential, that I should pull the plug on this newsletter, get off social media completely, and just leave all the commentary to the YouTubers, Substackers and TikTokers who have grown far bigger platforms than mine in recent years.

After all, things were bad enough when I launched this newsletter six years ago today.

What I said in my very post on 30 December 2019 has been true every day since:

1. The lies will be endless.
2. The distractions will be constant.
3. The media will fail us.

Today, things are much, much worse.

We can't bite our tongues. We have to shout louder

On my best days, I get inspired by the reality that so many independent — and expert — voices are putting out content to shine a light on topics the mainstream media continue to ignore.

I realize this is no time to shut up. No time to self-censor. No time to let the side that says, "quiet, piggy" win.

On my best days, I realize that this newsletter has thousands of readers — and because it has no paywall, its articles are frequently shared on social media, and often re-circulate weeks or months later.

In 2026, I'll keep doing what I'm doing. I may experiment a little more in what I publish. Perhaps with more short, quick-turnaround responses to events big or small.

I'll keep trying to focus on topics (or at least offer a perspective) that you might not have seen elsewhere.

Whether you've joined recently or have been reading Unprecedented for a while, I thank you for being here. If you're a paid subscriber or have ever been one (or have ever supported me on Buy Me a Coffee), thank you for that support!

If you have any suggestions or feedback please feel free to leave a comment or drop a line to thedailyedge (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Because in 2026, TEN things are certain:

1. The lies will be endless.
2. The distractions will be constant.
3. The media will fail us.
4. The misinformation will be overwhelming — and harder to spot.
5. The propaganda will be constant — and multi-pronged.
6. The corruption will be despicable.
7. The intimidation will be frightening.
8. The attacks on our elections will be flagrant.
9. The technology will be used against us.
10. This could truly be our last chance.

Every recent election has been "the most important in our lifetime." The 2026 midterms could literally decide the fate of America.

Making sure those elections happen — and are conducted fairly — must be a top priority.

I've already heard it said that 2026 will be "a year of rage."

We must use our rage effectively.

Or else American democracy won't make it to 251.

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