I am sunk in gloom. Our politics is, and apparently can only be, reactive. Nobody will do anything about our borders, or about our rules for residency and citizenship. Soon — I’d say in the 5 to 10 years ahead window — we’ll lose a couple of cities to terrorist nukes. Then something will be done, fast and fierce and probably not very nice. Until then nothing will be done. The President is clueless; the Senate is a joke; the House has some stalwarts, but it will have fewer after November.

It’s all hopeless.

From where I’m sitting, right under the fallout plume from New York City, my own previous idea for a bolt-hole in some quiet provincial Chinese town is looking real good right now. Perhaps we could even get an expat colony going over there. Anybody want to sign up? But that’s parbly** a loser, too. For all their faults, the ChiComs keep a careful eye on who comes to live in their country. They’re nasty, but they’re not STUPID.

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** Riddley Walker reference. Don’t know who Riddley Walker is? You’ll find out.