What remains of the city upon the hill?

America today is characterized by pervasive anger, polarization, and fear, a stark contrast to the jubilant and friendly atmosphere the author experienced during a recent commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania. This sentiment was underscored by an incident where a man furiously protested the praise of the country's rule of law.

While acknowledging that America has faced grave crises before, the author posits that its resilience has stemmed from an imperfect adherence to core founding principles. He contrasts the current societal suffering, which includes not only material inequality but also a declining faith in fundamental tenets, with Franklin Roosevelt's observation during the Great Depression that the nation's troubles concerned "only material things."

Central to the author's concern are two threatened tenets: the rule of law and faith in free and fair elections. He laments that, unlike the revolutionary ideal of equal justice, the current system appears to favor allies of the administration with favorable rulings while targeting political opponents. Similarly, he notes a disturbing trend where a significant number of Americans fear federal interference in elections, a notion previously unthinkable even during existential crises.

The article recalls historical examples like Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, who, despite advice to the contrary during severe crises, insisted on proceeding with elections to demonstrate the strength and integrity of American democracy. The author implies that these foundational ideas, once almost boilerplate, are now "radioactive" in American discourse, raising questions about what remains of the nation's foundational ideals.