1/ I fear that yesterday we lived through a day that historians will later see as an inflection point in America history, as a key step on the road from republicanism (little R) to authoritarianism.

2/ But I don’t believe in destiny, and I don’t believe in impossible problems.

3/ How can we pivot this would-be turning point to instead be the nadir of decline, the moment that sparked the best amongst us to launch a cultural and political renaissance, which instead led to America’s best days?

4/ We have to start by understanding what is wrong—at the deepest level—and attack the problem at all levels simultaneously, from the roots all the way to the surface.

5/ This will require many disparate initiatives, many independent efforts to heal everything from education to news reporting.

6/ But the most important thing we need is leadership. Today, politics does not attract the best people. We have too many power-grabbers and pragmatists—on both left and right—and a dearth of statesmen.

7/ So I ask this of myself and of you: what could YOU contribute? Could you run for office? Be a thought leader? Help diagnose and correct some piece of the problem?

8/ An essential part of the answer here will be re-unifying Americans around healthy values that all can share. Rule of law. Peace. Individual rights—for everyone including every persecuted minority. Prosperity. Fairness. Authentic leadership.

9/ I’ll be asking myself how I can be part of the solution. And I encourage you to do the same.