In September 1968, there were 1,053 United States combat deaths in a country called Vietnam. The dead were part of a 12-month total of 16,899 killed in a war that rattled the foundation of our country, dominated our politics, divided us day in and day out along lines of race and class during a long calamitous climb across a calendar year that seemed to scar the soul and change the culture of America along racial and class lines.

History still weeps over 1968 but history never witnessed anything like America is experiencing today: a corrupt, lying president who is intent on setting our divided country on fire, who violates his oath of office on a daily basis, and who keeps telling us that he might not go along with a peaceful transfer of presidential power if he loses in November. In short, welcome to Venezuela.

For a long time I thought nothing could be worse than 1968 and still the republic survived. Wow, was I wrong.