as a parent why am I raising my kids here?

The problem with a great empire is that when it declines, it does not decline alone. The influence of this country on global affairs is so great that the repercussions of our decline will be felt just about everywhere. It is a global event.

Where will the safe havens be? Will we be able to recoup, here, in the US? We still have vast resources, including people, education and natural resources.

It's not just a matter of economics. Some of the changes he has made will have devastating long-term consequences. Others may be turned around...like his golden oval office, the Gulf of America, the Trump Kennedy Center. If we are lucky, there will be a sea change with the 2026 midterms (if they are allowed to proceed unimpeded). With a working Congress maybe the worst of this administration will be choked off.

Meanwhile, I think we should all be flexible in assessing our futures. I know you will be because you have made dramatic changes over the course of your life. I try to tell my kids to be ready for an evolving future, to not count on stability but be ready to adjust. I hope the same for my granddaughter.

One thing Trump has done for us is remind us that the world is and always has been a scary place. In the U.S. the domestic population has been insulated from that. No war here since 1812. Maybe we are waking to a new reality.

I know I'm going on...but that's just my mind as I reheat a few slices of pizza for lunch. Life goes on, we hope.