As we live through the era of shock and awe, it is easy to dismiss these times as chaotic. They are disorderly but not chaotic. It is the natural cycle of change. It includes a quality of destruction and and leveling of the playing field. From all the noise and conflict will emerge a new power. It will take time and we won’t know who that will be at this time. While this is going on, we can expect disorder as being a new normal. Empires last, in general, approximately 250 years. This pattern is well documented throughout history. Some empires shorter, some longer but the average 250 years. The power of the world prior to the American Empire was the British Empire. No one could predict that America would come out of the woods as the next empire. It had been a struggling colony and didn’t really become the world’s power until WWII. We are now weary of being the world’s cop. We have become more insular and less interested in regional warfare. Our playing field is being repurposed and we can’t see where this is all taking us.
There will be a new kid in town to run the country. That person, too, isn’t being shown yet. As I said in prior writings, 2024 was not the election of change. It was the election of the past. Whoever would win the 2024 election was not America’s future. It would have always been a clean up of the past 50 years. As I keep repeating myself, America must go through the preparation for the new 50 year cycle. This preparation includes, dismantling, clearing and changing. It is very important that this gets done. It is similar to surgery prep. You have to do certain steps prior to surgery, lab work, ekg’s, eliminating certain medications etc. It isn’t any fun and there is fear and trepidation involved. You expect all will go well but until you go through it, you won’t know.
America is going through a big moment but it is not one that will permanently damage the country. Multiple distractions are taking place but none of the real “meat and potatoes” of the government have been hit yet. Many of these agencies they are dismantling were put together by prior presidents, (i.e. Carter in 1979 with the Education Department). USAID was founded by Kennedy in 1961. Over time, all organizations get bloated, sloppy and need refinement. The methods we have been watching with Musk and Trump disturb us as it is a continual break from what is usual and customary to our lives over the last 80 years. (America also goes through the 80 year cycle as well).
We are, therefore, looking at not only ending the 50 year cycle that started with Reagan, but also the 80 year cycle that started with WWII. The collision of these two cycles makes this current period even more stressful. We are leaving the land of the experts, reliance on government programs and even the governing body. Where is the anchor? At this time, there really isn’t any and it is unnerving. One of the earmarks of an empire ending is when the politicians become performers. Starting with the President and following through with the cabinet, you will find most of them are TV personalities, celebrities or attention grabbers. Many have had no experience with the department they are to run. They are chosen for their loyalty not their competency. This can lead to more disorder and errors in decision making. The result will be a few more years of disorder and uncertainty.
The United States is a different nation than most powerful nations of the past. She was formed by a group of ship burners who couldn’t return to whence they had come. They couldn’t go back. They had to stand, defend and make it. They did and they learned they had to blend and continue to push forward, This is America. She has to experience this rough patch, revisit the original constitution and see if this is what she still wants. Nothing would surprise me over the next 5-10 years that a refinement of the governing body takes place. It could be elimination of a representative government to a direct democracy, eliminating primaries, adding term limits, outlawing gerrymandering, rank voting, more states’ power, adding amendments to the constitution. It is big. Currently, she is the world’s main power. How quickly that changes over the next 5 to 10 years will be the signs of a new empire being formed.
Trump is the instrument. We may not like how he is doing it but he could be the catalyst to get people involved in their government. Americans have shown little interest in understanding how their government works. It is easier to just pick up a sign and march. Easier still to just complain to each other. It has been easy to lull us into complacency and vote for who has the better, bigger microphone. — or shall I say is a better performer. Revealing a new empire will take time. Revealing a new leader for the future will also take time but one will emerge by the 2032 election if not sooner. In the meantime, get involved. It is a time of cooperation and persuasion. It is America’s personal number 2 year. Patience is essential and tough to practice in 2025. It is especially difficult when being bombarded again and again by shock and awe. Remember that the budget largely falls in the areas of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Defense. The rest is pretty small parts of the budget. They do, however, make great headlines. ICE rounding up immigrants, stopping all funds for foreign aid and now the Department of Education not to be funded. These are distractions to where real influence lies in the budget. That is harder to do and relies on Congress.
The next few years will be in the courts and we expected that. In the meantime, try and watch/read the media less and get together with friends or strangers who want to be helpful in improving our government. We are really asking ourselves if the original constitution should be revised, added to etc. It is the big 250 year Pluto cycle we are in, and very strident times for the United States. 2025 is not an easy year and hard to read in many areas. If tariffs are not modified or last too long, we most likely will have higher prices for goods and services. This is history. It is a “supply” issue. We already have a shortage of housing across America, a shortage of help for growing elder care, a shortage of doctors, a shortage of qualified workers. Robotics will help but in the meantime, we are learning to live with supply issues.
Hang in and on. This is not a permanent state of being for America. She goes through this drama every 80 and 50 years. What has made this even more important is the melding of these cycles with Pluto’s return. America has consistently remade herself after one of these cycles. She gets stronger and better. Let’s hope she continues this pattern.
Speedy recovery! I hope you’re well! Our country needed an overhaul and I heard about it 30 years ago in a newsletter from Ashtar. It was said to ground your feet as the Earth shakes around you. As far as the educational system, I have five grandchildren and three are homeschooled. When they’re with me, have a school of gardening for them and as they watch the seeds grow- it’s the best education. I don’t give them screen or a TV time Because we have art, gardening, reading, chalkboard, etc. 25 to 40 kids in the classroom does not optimally open their minds for learning, emotionally or spiritually.
As far as the kids who are drilling into our countries’s information (he did say drill baby drill), I remember you saying that our minds are not fully developed until 28 to 30 years old. So how can we fully trust unvetted children too keep secrets, be discreet, or not have other agendas at that age? There is so much divide on this. All I and many others are saying is that we need a scalpel not a hammer to investigate America’s records.
I watched 5.38 hours of a hearing of the American Foreign Affairs looking into USAID with witnesses who have been with the program many years. Congress is supposed to have this job of fixing the economy. Weeding out waste, etc. It’s Congress’s job not Elon Musk’s job. I think sympathy, empathy and love are absent right now. I hope we get to see a more peaceful and cooperating country very soon.
y glad that you are doing well after your surgery. Stay well. Thank you so much for this article. Let’s hope that folks can do some of the things you mention, and take a deep breath to stay calm. It does seem that all will be a bumpy ride.
Glad you surgery went well and sounds like you are back in fighting form already.
Great message of hope, thank you.
Thank you for another excellent article, Gail. Your piece, I believe, has the strong ring and resonance of truth.
I am keeping a healthy detachment from all the “shock and awe” nonsense this administration is constantly spewing. Am focusing on taking actions making my stance known to my senators and representative repeatedly. Am staying informed from sane, intelligent well respected and established media sources for information in healthy doses.
Gail, wishing you a complete and speedy recovery from your surgery. Thank you for all your
work. It’s greatly appreciated.
Tank you! So precisely formulated. I love to read articles like this one. It strengtens me because I can relate to its truth. I´m not american but it is same same all over Europe too. Let´s hang in to the truth and the future – all in one piece!
I couldn’t be happier with what is taking place. All the deceit, lies and corruption are being exposed, as well as how long we have been asleep at the wheel by relying on the government to be good stewards of our tax dollars. Trump is finally doing what other Presidents have promised to do, and we have $37 trillion in debt to show for it!
And When I retired from public education in 2008 I almost wrote a book about all the b.s. and academic fraud that goes on in schools and the perverts the teachers unions protect. The Dept of Education is all about milking the “cash cow” and CYA. I fully support any move to get government out of education, and if that means shutting down the DOE and sending education back to the states and local communities, it will be a big improvement. “No Child Left Behind” was a blanket policy to pass failing students who could not read, write, or do simple math without a calculator. But we just keep giving schools more money. I can’t wait for Elon to do an audit of DOE!
Dear Gail, always the voice of hope and reason. Thank you! Hope you are feeling/doing well. I appreciate your doing this column so soon after surgery. xx
Thank you!
I too believe this painful period is a catalyst for Americans to come together. Unfortunately the catalyst is an idiot and his side kick is evil … I believe democracy will eventually prevail but it will be painful.
It’s also a mirrored time to look at the microcosm of our lives to determine personal change which ultimately fosters a better collective
Thank you
PS. Shared on FB.
Great article. Thank you and get well fast!
Thank you! Great insights! Quick note: in the last sentence of the first paragraph, “before” appears twice.
Of course, I have a wish and that is that I wouldn’t be at this age of 75 having to go through turmoil when you’re talking about 5 to 7 years of it, finding some kind of balance in the United States. I think I’m gonna think really hard the next time, if I decide to come back in just exactly when I’m going to do that and make sure it’s a little bit more complacent for that following 100 and some years that I will be living..