With the founders, Lincoln, and FDR, there was this comforting idea that the nation and our democracy are able to produce and elevate great leaders when we needed to meet crises, such that, while still appreciating their greatness, it was still slightly discounted and taken a little bit for granted.

But since 2000 we have seen that, in fact, you can have great crises without great, or even good, leadership. And we are experiencing the outcome when you have mediocre to terrible leadership facing global polycrisis.