Over the past few years, I have received phone calls from my political party, on 7 or 8 occasions, asking for a donation. Each time I’ve told the the solicitor that I wouldn’t give money unless I could talk to someone about my concerns. On seven or eight occasions, no one ever bothered to call me back.

Politics in our country has been reduced to raising campaign money, getting elected, and then fighting with the other elected people while not getting much done. This cycle appears to repeat itself.

Because of the pandemic, I believe that traditional politics no longer serve us. The virus has reduced everything to the study of sociology and human needs, in other words, people. We are in trouble as a species because of our inability to work together. Our shared destiny and the ability of our society to function are in danger.

I came to this realization on July 18. And if I may, I would like to offer myself as a case study to illustrate how I arrived at this conclusion.

 The number of positive cases in my county increased from 111 on July 11 to 145 on July 17. I was angry at the people along the river who partied in large, unmasked groups around an island and on a beach on the St. Lawrence River. They were young and didn’t seem to care about my country or the fact that I had spent 10 weeks at home in lockdown during the spring.

With the rising cases, my emotional fear alarm went off as I considered my options. Would there be another shutdown?    I scanned my environment. A heat spell was coming. Additionally, I’m 71, and although I have excellent health, I’m in the high-risk category. So, I made a plan. 

I woke up at 6:00 a.m. to avoid the heat and crowds.    First, I went to Walmart 15 miles away to get more meat to put in my freezer. When I went to the store’s grocery pickup a week ago, they were all out of the ground turkey I had thought I had reserved. came back home and was able to store a good supply of available meat in my freezer. felt satisfied that my stash of supplies was now quite adequate.   

Next to the recycling center. e don’t have garbage pickup in my rural area. t felt good to have my recyclables and trash out of the house. 

My basic needs were met, and I felt relieved. f the uptick in cases continues, I will be confident that I have all I need to stay home again. worry, like all Americans, that another shutdown is looming.  

Today, July 27, the number of positive cases in my rural county has reached 185, with 12 new cases added over the weekend.

Worrying about my basic needs reminded me of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, something I learned about in my training to become a teacher.

To become the best we can be, we first have to have our basic physical needs met: food, shelter, water, and clothes. hese things are essential to keep us alive. hat is why I’m making sure I have food in case of another shutdown or a disruption in the supply chain.

Next comes a sense of safety and stability, freedom from harm including death from disease and/or social unrest.

Then there is love and belonging. ur present situation is separating us from friends and family.

These three important factors for human well-being are being threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic. he world is in trouble.

Political parties and political bickering are insane when our country is facing life and death issues. here has to be a major shift. he time for candidates to ask us for support and money is gone! he question now is, how will the people running this country protect and save us? e need that answer.