The Continental Divide is the system of mountain ranges that runs through the entirety of the Americas, North to South, starting at the Bering Strait in North America, moving down through the Strait of Magellan, spanning all of North and South America, and is the watershed that separates the vast river systems of the Continental Americas. In simple terms, all water flowing from the western side of the divide flows into the rivers and ultimately into the Pacific. Water flows from the east side of the Divide and ends up in the Atlantic.
The system is more complex than that, but those are the basics. The important thing to remember here is that the flow on each side of the divide ends up in an ocean on the opposite side of the Continent. The distance between the two is vast.
The Continental Divide of America, aka The Great Western Divide, is made up of a majestic spine of mountain ranges i.e. The Cascade, Sierra Madre, Rockies, etc, which are beautiful to behold but perilous to cross.
In days of yore, America was not a "Fly Over" Country. Early American settlers, pioneers, etc, in seeking to discover better lives and fortunes in the West had to cross our beautiful country this way on land. Many didn’t survive the journey, but they got to know the land, its beauty, and its peril at least for the distance they covered.
America is now a divided country…
The Continental Divide is the geographical metaphor for the vast divisions of Left v. Right, not East v West. While the East v. West Divide exists in remnant form, the lines are not clearly drawn geographically these days…
The Divide between the Political Left and Right is more appropriately labeled “Progressive/ Socialist/Marxist” on the Left and “Conservative” on the Right as descriptors.
The American Left is not a center-left Liberal Party that loves and respects America or The American Way. It embraces a philosophy that seeks to destroy America, its foundational institutions, and its legitimacy. Currently, the Left has made its home in the Democratic Party, but their residence as Democrats is not by their choice, but by current necessity.
They don’t really want to be Democrats; They want to be Socialists, Marxists, Communists, Anarchists, and Globalists. In short, they want to "come out" and are sick of being in the closet. Their problem is that America has a "two-party” system, so they have to hang their hat somewhere. The Left hates this country. It's not me saying it, they do it from the rooftops every day.
The Left hates American Sovereignty and seeks the internal ruin of the country by aspiring toward a weakened America governed by corrupt, dysfunctional, global institutions (i.e. UN, WHO, and Global Environmental Treaties) that will intentionally bankrupt the U.S., The Western Democracies, and their Allies.
Conservatives primarily make their political home in the Republican Party. The Conservative vision for America is one of Constitutional Democracy, Capitalism, and the understanding that even with its many flaws, imperfections, and injustices; America is the Greatest Country on Earth.
The goal of those who are philosophically conservative is to preserve and perfect America with full understanding that the world’s last best hope for freedom and democracy is with America at the helm of World leadership.
Why? Because the next in line is Communist China…
America is already on the precipice of losing its position as the world’s most powerful country. By some metrics, we already have.
I have a close, decades-long, friend who has been remonstrating me to show more balance in these writings. In deference to his request, I readily confess that there are lunatics on the fringe of both the Left and Right.
Politically, I have been challenged by questions such as “How about the insurrection? January 6th proves that the Right and Donald Trump are trying to subvert our institutions...”
If Donald Trump or anyone else committed crimes on or leading up to January 6, 2021, they should be prosecuted. Justice should be meted out blindly and without regard to a political party.
The problem with a balance regarding the understanding of our American Continental Divide is that failure to see and understand the goals of the Left will lead to the destruction of America. The gravitational and intentional pull of the Left is toward American destruction. There is no countervailing force on the Right that calls for, or seeks, America’s destruction. Hence, this aspirational balance does not compute.
The Continental Divide between the Left and Conservatives is as stark as the intended destruction of our country versus the nurture and development of America as the Leader and only Nation on earth that can defend Freedom and Democracy.
It is up to all of us to let the rivers flow to that side of the Continental Divide that will keep America strong and preserve The American Way.
-Emes