The NEXT top five...

Reading Titus' piece on the decline of America made me think about low points in American history. Someone can look at eras, like the Great Depression, the Carter Years, the Civil War, things like that, but in THIS top five the criteria deal with threats to America and our ability/inability to stop them. There also has to be a territorial concern and or a threat to the Republic itself. I know this sounds convoluted but you'll get it through my Top Five American Low Points.

#5) December, 1941

It would seem that this would be a more date specific entry, but the Japanese attack on the Philippines happened within days of Pearl Harbor and led to the largest mass surrender of American troops in our history. Add to that the combat casualties of Pearl Harbor and the assaults on various other bases in the Pacific, countered with America's inability to project force in the region, and there you are.

Had the Japanese pressed their attack on Pearl Harbor, either by sending two more waves on 7 December or follow-up attacks on 8 December, the possibility of invasion could have manifested into a reality. I mention this because it represents a clear territorial threat, qualifying for my list.

#4) 11 September, 2001

Anyone watching the TV that morning knew American inability to deal with flying passenger plane bombs. Imagine if Bush would have needed to give the order for the F-15s to shoot down the plane that eventually crashed in Pennsylvania. American casualties were higher than Pearl Harbor. It was a clear attack on mainland America by a ghost enemy.

#3) January, 1861

The final list of states seceding from the Union is completed by the end of the month. Through drastic and illegal measures Lincoln secures Maryland for the Union, preserving Washington D.C. as the capitol. While I considered STRONGLY placing this higher on the list, the ACTUAL threat to the fabric of our nation was not as in jeopardy as you'll see.

#2) 24 August, 1814

British General Robert Ross invades and burns most the major buildings of government in Washington DC. It is the second time in our history our capitol is held by a foreign power, but the British holding Philadelphia before the War of Independence is concluded doesn't really count. This was both a grave territorial threat and a direct threat for the future of the Republic.

#1) January, 1877

In an extremely unclear and moderately corrupt election, Rutherford Hayes defeats William Tilden in the election of 1776. Several ballots were contested, causing a swing in the Electoral College. The Democrats protested vigorously, and after receiving no satisfaction, moved to filibuster the Counting of the Ballots in the House of Representatives. This would have stopped the transfer of power, crippling the Executive Branch and unraveling the Republic. (By the way, there's nothing ILLEGAL about what the Democrats of the day were doing... They had the seats in Congress to stop the Republicans from halting the filibuster.)

In my humble opinion, this moment represents the lowest point in American history, where the Republic was most threatened. One compromise from the weave of the Constitution from disintegrating.

Not to poo poo Titus' last few posts, and certainly not to stamp any type of acceptance as to what the current administration has done, but as a nation we've overcome far worse. The policies and programs in place right now can be changed with a new Congress, the damage contained and HOPEFULLY the lessons learned.