Referred pain is when something hurts, but that pain radiates and is felt in other areas of the body. It’s nerves, if you tap one in one spot, you might see a reaction elsewhere. Our cultural nervous system is inflamed.

A new wave of reports and accusations land on PEOTUS Trump. But, ultimately they will pass and we’ll be left with the same broken system. Nearly everything that we had come to expect seems to be fraying at the seams. I don’t think anyone feels comfortable about the direction of this country, right now. But, it’s not a policy direction concern, it’s an overall civic societal concern. Elections to root out corruption beginning with President Obama’s win in 2008 set in motion a series of events that have taken us here. We still have an opportunity to maintain a democracy – because there’s some sort of tame revolution going on in this country.

In high school, I remember seeing a satirical poster in the hallway near a history teacher’s classroom. It read, “Are there Bolsheviks in your cereal?” We have, or believe to have, the most far-reaching intelligence capabilities on the planet. In turn, we seem to believe there are threats of equal or greater ability, like Russia. Our power and perceived global dominance informs our worldview. We see threats as often as see partners. Actually, we probably see more threats than not. While lesser developed countries are looking for partners who can help them grow. We’re at the top. But, we are also highly competitive.

It’s that mixture of attributes that fuels the fire of foreign invaders, intelligence work, and influence of the media. It’s the idea that we’ve lost our country. There’s no doubt a feeling that the country is slipping away has led to a series of votes for “outsiders” to usher in a reckoning. But, it doesn’t really happen commensurate to the electorate expectations and due to a lack of education about our system of government, or general knowledge, the expectations aren’t reasonable.

The Trump campaign almost served as a metaphor for the feeling of an inescapable level of D.C. corruption. The people have spoken over several elections – there’s a disconnect. There is no conversation between politicians and the people. Corporations get people – they have to in order to sell their products. Politicians tap into what makes people vote – but not how they live and what they really need. Instead, what they want, right now, and are willing to show and vote to change.

The Trump campaign was the first time a lot of people in this country felt like they were being heard. They showed to vote out of solidarity as they should. It’s not just about the rustbelt and how they’ve been neglected all this time. It’s not just about how we’ve become obsessed with outside forces and foreign nations while people in the Appalachians live as bad or worse than the nations we shed tears for. It’s about our government and our people being two separate entities. The only logical place the people can turn is private organizations who do good, pay their way and can find results. There’s a great disillusionment with our government. That skepticism is healthy.

Bottom line: we’ve lost some of our political discourse or we’re realizing that we never had it. There are members of Congress who show up to work with average bank accounts and leave as millionaires. People are prospering and living in a minority while the majority of Americans are living in relative poverty. That economic disparity is felt by many around the country and people are fed up. The biggest concern is that when people are elected and catapulted into Congress they’re inhaled by that minority cabal of rich and powerful people. PEOTUS Trump is a kind of antidote in the minds of many of his voters with the thought he can’t be bought. Regardless of what happens, this seems to be about rich and poor, the haves and have-nots. The media has wealthy people and people from the ground view it, but they all float around one another circles.

The problem is corruption and the solution isn’t known. But, here’s an idea – get involved in your local politics. It all starts there, right there in your community. The only way you can help improve your community is by trying to do it, yourself, alongside members of your community. It’s obvious that Americans are losing trust in a lot of things but, hopefully, you can still trust your neighbor. Because when that trust goes, who knows what might happen.