One of the great tragedies of the human experience is that it is rare that difficult decisions are made until a disaster happens that makes it patently obvious to everyone that a difficult decision has to be made. In the past people knew that buildings were not built to withstand an earthquake but the cost of making them safe was expensive so most preferred to put it off telling themselves it will all be ok. Then a big one hit and many were killed then building codes were passed. Many regulations of today were created to deal with death and disasters that could no longer be put off. Climate Change will be one of the next ones. It will take a disaster that cannot be denied or conspiracy theoriyed away to finally make us wake up to what should be obvious right now. Today opposition is correct that it will cost tons of money, meaning probably higher taxes, more government intervention AND of course it hits certain big company pocket books (like coal and oil).

The events of the Trump insurrection looks like it will be one of those disasters that finally made people wake up. So many books came out by reputable journalists and the like – and even major Republicans spoke out in the 2016 election including Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruse, Mitt Romney etc. The last four years saw many hide concerns and bury their heads in the sand or simply looked out for their own career or money making interests thinking it will not be so bad. It’s just what the Germans did in the early 1930s, Who wants to think things wont turn out alight if some of what you believe in happens like trains running on time in Germany and conservative judges appointed to the bench in the USA?

One thing that often happens with autocrats is they begin to believe their own bullshit and begin to think they are above the law and can do no wrong, and then go a bridge too far. Hitler did it. If he had not invaded Russia, or turned the German army towards Stalingrad instead of taking Moscow history might be very different. Japan did it. Pearl Harbor was a mistake and a bridge too far that ended that regime. On January 6 Trump did it. Many of his supporters finally woke up. History books will say that his bridge too far saved democracy in the USA.