Our Disunited States of America

Our Disunited States of America is about the self-destructive struggle between America’s two political tribes (the conservatives and the liberals). Each of these tribes have been trying to gain and maintain control of our country. Both have taken turns in leading our nation, and each tribe has been pushed aside after a few years, only to come back later. This is truly a back-and-forth type of government.

The book does not take sides to favor one tribe over the other. Instead, it examines the problem of our political dysfunction by describing the competing visions, the end of moderation, tribal membership and painful histories. Then it looks at the causes by analyzing the underlying factors (psychological, social and experiential), the role of the media, manipulation strategies (that only exacerbate the conflict) as well as Russian disinformation.  Finally, the book focuses on solutions that range from winner-take-all approaches to structural changes in government, as well as moderating factors (population shifts, a greater role for women, generational changes, revitalizing rural and small-town America and dedicated moderation advocates).

The bottom line is that our nation is in trouble. Countries, like Russia, that want us to “leave the stage,” are not only enjoying our political dysfunction; but they are also feeding us disinformation to raise the level of our internal struggles. This does not have to continue. We can do better; and we will do better.