Below is a collection of Ande’s essays about history and politics. While this collection started as a series inspired by the unprecedented events surrounding the 2020 general election and its aftermath, it will grow beyond that over time.
(Published 28 December 2025): This is likely my last essay for 2025 and discusses what’s happened this year and how it has affected us all. My year-end essays have moved from being a holiday letter about my personal escapades and have become more of a synopsis of the bigger picture from the year from my vantage point as an American. 2025 has been a difficult year for us all. I’m glad to see it end.
(Published 27 August 2025): This essay explores some thoughts about being comfortable in one’s own skin. With so much controversy surrounding gender and appearances, it can be difficult to take a step back and see ourselves and others as fellow humans. Perhaps we as a society need to relearn how to interact with others again, sort of a remedial kindergarten for society.
(Published 7 August 2025): The country is facing an electoral crisis with gerrymandering running rampant, and more states now threatening even more. Democracy is fragile. Justifying cheating even for the so-called right reasons seems a slippery slope that we might never be able to climb back from. This essay explores some of the issues surrounding the question of gerrymandering ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Public education and common knowledge
(Published 18 July 2025): With recent developments regarding public education and the push by the federal government to disband the Department of Education by reducing its funding and personnel below the levels it needs to function, I thought about the importance of public education. This essay explores the importance and history of public education in the U.S. as well as the concept of common knowledge.
(Published 13 July 2025): This essay looks back at an innocuous conversation I had years ago that takes on a whole new connotation in today’s environment. At the time I thought nothing of it, but over the last eight years, it’s haunted me. If only we could all view our fellow humans as us rather than some form of them. All humans are far more alike than different, yet our tribalism gets in the way of so much cooperation. Still, we are all human, and as such, we all one kind – humankind. We need to understand and embrace that.
Thoughts on a somber Independence Day
(Published 4 July 2025): This essay captures my thoughts on this somber Independence Day. We’re at a crossroads in the U.S., and our future isn’t yet written. We are experiencing a crisis the likes of which those of us alive today haven’t seen before, and it’s difficult. This holiday celebrates our nation’s founding and up to now, how far we’ve come in pursuing the ideals that make America so special. Will it continue to be, or is the experiment in democracy over? Time will tell.
(Published 9 May 2025): This essay considers whether it’s possible to be happy even in light of the crises we face trying to save our democracy. Mental health is something that we cannot ignore even as we take positive actions to restore democracy in the U.S., though for some this seems a tall order.
(Published 20 January 2025): As the Biden administration ends and the second Trump administration begins, there’s a lot going on. Heather Cox Richardson held a live session this morning right before Trump was sworn in, and as always, she offered perspective, reason, and hope. It’s important not to get swept up in the chaos, and this essay explores thoughts about how to move forward during these challenging times.
Thoughts as 2024 draws to a close
(Published 23 December 2024): As the year draws to a close, this essay lays out some of my thoughts as we face an uncertain future in the U.S. The 2024 election was a game changer, and not necessarily for the better for our democracy. At a time when we’d love to be celebrating with friends and family enjoying the music and potential of a new year, at this time, politics kind of overshadows everything. It’s uncomfortable, but we also have to recognize our responsibility as citizens to make a positive difference.
(Published 11 October 2024): Less than a month out from the fateful 2024 election where democracy is on the ballot as never before, this essay takes a look at some of the differences between the candidates and what is truly at stake for the U.S. and the world. The platforms are there for all to see, yet some Americans have put their heads in the sand and refuse to recognize the reality in front of them. The Democratic Party stands for a bright future together. Trump and the MAGA GOP stand for a dystopian fantasy where only a few can thrive. The choice is simple. That it’s even a contest is dumbfounding.
(Published 11 July 2024): 2024 is a tumultuous year, even for an election year. The media isn’t helping that at all and in fact is fanning the flames of division, seemingly in pursuit of profits no matter the damage that is done in the process. This essay explores what’s really at state in the 2024 election, how we got to where we are, and what we really need to do to get out of it if we want democracy to continue in the U.S.
30 May 2024 was a good day for America
(Published 31 May 2024): 30 May 2024 marks the first time a former president was tried an convicted in criminal court. This essay explores my thoughts as an American about this historical occasion and why this is a good thing. It shows the nation and the world that United States of America is a nation based on the rule of law, not a king, not a dictator, not a deity, but the law, and nobody is above the law, not even a former president. This is a big deal and something to be proud of.
Then and now, how different is it?
(Published 14 May 2024): While thinking about the urgency and importance of the 2024 election, I thought back to my childhood, and how different things were growing up in the 1960s and 70s. That too was a tumultuous time, and some startling things happened. It was also a time of wondrous advancement and accomplishment, and despite the struggles, there was still a common understanding of reality, of truth, and of what it meant to be an American. This essay looks at some of the differences between then and now, and the importance of the simple choice we have this fall – stay a democracy, or surrender to autocracy and lose our voices going forward. It really is that simple.
(Published 31 March 2024): Facebook can be used constructively. There are a lot of arguments, but sometimes they can spark a useful discussion. I had a political post do just that recently. A young friend posted a provocative comment on a political post that sparked a meaningful discussion regarding the 2024 election and how members of his cohort see the issues differently from older generations. This essay explores some lessons that are difficult and time consuming to learn.
I’m done with the rage merchants
(Published 17 March 2024): So much of the news and entertainment industries are geared toward fomenting rage, especially in this election year where so much is on the line. It’s easy to get burned out, and yet we have to be vigilant about the information we consume. Much of the rage industry is engaged in political fights, but it’s bigger than that, and it’s reached historic levels. This essay discusses the situation and points to some important resources to help mitigate the damage.
2024 – A Leap Year to remember
(Published 29 February 2024): While not explicitly a political essay, this piece touches upon the extraordinary choices we face during one of the most consequential Leap Years in memory.
2024 is going to be a long year
(Published 28 January 2024): As we approached the end of the first month of 2024, a lot has been happening, much of it political which is next to impossible to escape these days. If the rest of the year is anything like this first month has been, it’s going to be a very long year, and some big things are yet to come. I decided to share a few thoughts about the start of what could be a crucial year in U.S. history.
(Published 31 December 2023): 2023 has been a heavily political, judicial, and consequential year. This essay looks back at some of the extraordinary things that have happened in 2023, and how what we do in response can have an outsized effect on generations to come. The U.S., and in fact the world is at a crossroads between democracy and autocracy. Several smaller nations have flipped from being strong democracies to embracing autocratic governments over the last several years, and in 2023, the dangers facing the U.S. came into clearer focus as the next presidential election looms large going into the next year.
Remembering the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
(Published 18 October 2023): After seeing a friend’s Facebook post about the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, I thought back to my own experience that day and decided to write a short essay. As of this writing that was 34 years ago, a veritable lifetime in some respects. I was young, and though I had experienced many earthquakes in my lifetime even to that point, that one was a much bigger deal. I was lucky that day.
(Published 11 August 2023): The reality of a former U.S. president being indicted multiple times is both disturbing and fascinating. It’s disturbing that a former president would behave in such a way to require such actions. It’s fascinating watching the process work, and beyond that, it’s filled with wonder about how all of this will be depicted in story once we are through it all. This essay explores some thoughts about the why it might be a challenge to write those stories believably.
(Published 5 April 2023): Watching the rise in authoritarianism happening worldwide, I’ve begun to wonder if humankind is facing a negative evolutionary trend. Are we breeding for greed and aggression rather than cooperation and service? The net of all of the aggression being acted out in the U.S. and abroad is that people have become meaner. Can we reverse this trend before we usher in our own destruction?
A day for the history books: a former president has been indicted
(Published 31 March 2023): On 30 March 2023, former President Trump was indicted. This was the first time a former president has ever faced criminal charges in the history of the U.S. In this essay, I shared some of my impressions as an American. This is a difficult period to be living through, but it’s encouraging that the judicial system is still doing its job.
(Published 9 January 2023): After a chaotic week, this essay captures some thoughts and concerns about what will happen over the next two years with the House of Representatives under a dysfunctional GOP’s control. If what they propose comes to pass, the country will be in big trouble.
(Published 25 December 2022): While listening to holiday music, I wrote some thoughts about the things that stand out in my mind about 2022. A lot has happened, some good, some bad. Despite the conflicts, this year offered some hope for a better future as progress was made on multiple fronts. In some cases, some turmoil may have forced some improvements that might not otherwise have even been contemplated.
(Published 11 June 2022): The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol began its public hearings on June 9, 2022. The first hearing was powerful, though parts of it were hard to watch given they used some never-before-released video content that showed the true horror of what happened. This essay discusses what’s at stake, and how important this is for everyone in the U.S. to understand. While it’s nice to think about how things could be different sometimes, we can never forget what happened on January 6, 2021.
(Published 9 May 2022): There is tremendous turmoil over a draft SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v. Wade which potentially puts all of our individual rights at risk, not just the right to abortion. This essay explores some of the ramifications of such a reversal should it stand.
The Animal Kingdom includes us
(Published 2 May 2022): This essay discusses the odd dichotomy between how humans choose to define personhood, including conferring the same to fictional entities and clumps of cells while denying consideration to large swaths of humanity and other species. The other confounding thing to consider is how humans consistently try to deny the fact that humankind is part of the Animal Kingdom, not separate from it.
(Published 18 April 2022): The news is a constant barrage of the struggle between democracy and autocracy, and the U.S. is in the thick of it. The political attacks are worse. The restrictions against choice and against letting people have their voice at the ballot box are increasing. This essay captures some of the challenges and frustrations of the current times.
Thinking about history 80 years ago
(Published 7 December 2021): On Pearl Harbor Day, I couldn’t help but think about the stories my mother told me of her childhood during WWII. Those experiences shaped her life and gave her an understanding of the world in a way that seems almost incomprehensible today.
(Published 6 December 2021): There is so much going on these days, and I often think about what is happening and what we can do about it. This personal essay discusses the threats to our democracy amidst general musings about life in the U.S. today.
(Published 5 December 2021): As the country has become far more divided, the highest court in the land has heard a case that challenges the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in a way that poses an existential threat to individual rights going well past whether or not to end a pregnancy. Roe v. Wade and subsequent legislation built on its precedent established a national threshold before which the right to abortion was inviolate – viability. This right has been under challenge for decades, and now with the balance shifted hard right faces its most serious challenge yet.
Election 2020 – a harrowing, real-life story unfolding
In the U.S., the 2020 election has been building for quite some time. This is the most consequential election in almost a century, and the eyes of the world are upon us. The results of this election will drive the U.S. and the world in untold ways. The following essays capture some of my thoughts as an American as we move through this turbulent time.
The American story continues: Getting ready for the Biden Inauguration
(Published 18 January 2021): On 17 January 2021, 60 Minutes aired a segment about the 2021 inauguration preparations, and in light of the recent coup attempt, they are extensive and a large departure from how the U.S. normally holds an inauguration. While saddened that it has to be this way now, it also gives me hope that this inauguration can serve as a new beginning to get our nation back on track. This essay shares some memories and thoughts about the upcoming event.
6 January 2021: An American Story
(Published 8 January 2021): Something happened on 6 January that was more terrifying than any suspense novel I’ve read, and it was real. I watched it unfold live. This is the story of a failed coup attempt in the U.S. as Congress tried to certify the 2020 Election results. The story isn’t over as of this writing, but that day shall be one right up there with 7 December 1941 and shall live in infamy. Let’s hope that nothing like that happens again here.
(Published 29 October 2020): One more pre-election essay talking about the importance of this election and what’s at stake. This is not just a question of policy, it’s really about the future of democracy in the U.S., and how we’ll be remembered by future generations.
(Published 14 October 2020): With the biggest election of my lifetime in progress, this is an essay about storytelling and how we use it in politics to spur people to take action and how I was inspired to do more than just sit back and wait this election. I’ve never volunteered for a campaign before, but this time, I needed to get involved on a deeper level, and volunteering on a major campaign is invigorating.
Trouble – when the story matters more than reality
(Published 24 September 2020): This is an essay about storytelling and how it can be dangerous when used for nefarious purposes, especially in the 2020 U.S. general election. We are at a crossroads, a watershed moment in our history, and we need to save our democracy.
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