Today, I am reposting this perceptive article by political commentator Peggy Ryan. I think it rings true today as America navigates its way through multiple crises.

America, You’ve Really Had a Wonderful Life

By: Peggy Ryan

In the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, an angel, Clarence, is sent to help George Bailey, a man who’s sacrificed his dreams for family and community but is now falsely accused of stealing $8,000 and facing jail.  When George wishes he’d never been born, Clarence grants that wish.

Suddenly, George finds himself in a world where his beloved hometown, Bedford Falls, has been turned into anarchy and slums.  The town’s named Pottersville after a greedy, power-hungry oligarch, Henry Potter, who now owns everything.  In this new world, George sees people he’d helped to succeed now destitute, living in run-down projects, with no hope for anything but survival.  Here his once-quiet, peaceful town is a cacophony of flashing lights, sirens, drunken brawls, and strip clubs.  Those who haven’t turned to drink or chaos are locked behind closed doors, trapped in fear, depression, and hopelessness.

Like George Bailey, America’s been given a glimpse of what our country would look like if Hillary Clinton had been elected president or what it will look like if Joe Biden wins in November.  In this new world, our beloved country is now the People’s Republic of America.

In the People’s Republic, people stand helplessly by as their jobs disappear, as shortages of water, meat, toilet paper, and other essentials drive hoarding, panic.  They’re confined to quarters, denied freedom of movement even on beaches and in parks.

Here there’s no competition, no pesky ads and commercials for restaurants, high-end sneakers, or luxury cars, because government allows only state stores, Walmart, Target, big-box stores.  Gone are the small businesses that offer designer clothes and shoes, the mom-and-pop ice cream shops, bookstores, jewelry stores, hair salons — the list goes on of businesses deemed nonessential.  In the People’s Republic, it doesn’t matter what people want; they’ll get only what they need to survive.

“The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.” —John Adams

In this new world, paltry government handouts (stimulus checks) are supposed to heal the wounds of people forced out of business, of private schools that couldn’t survive shutdowns, of people  who couldn’t pay rent or feed their families once their paycheck stopped coming.

Here the streets are filled with violence, racist mobs who attack people for the color of their skin (white).  Looting, burning, even killing is condoned, even encouraged by  leaders.  These supposed leaders refuse federal help to put down riots because they don’t want the violence to end.  It’s their violence, their cause, their country.

In the People’s Republic, the Constitution is dead, the Declaration of Independence but a memory.  Americans have surrendered their right to free movement, religious freedom, property rights to a single despot, a governor.  One man or woman brought down an entire state with pen and phone.  Obama must be so proud.

But most devastating is Americans’ loss of their God-given right to pursue happiness.  From morning to night, America’s airwaves carry nothing but soul-sucking, spirit-killing hatred.  Leftists preach either directly or through their mouthpieces abject hatred for white people, Christians, conservatives, pro-life advocates, the president of the United States and any who support him.  They preach seething hatred for America.

“The hearts of your soldiers beat high with the spirit of freedom – they are animated with the justice of their cause, and while they grasp their swords, can look up to heaven for assistance. Your adversaries are composed of wretches who laugh at the rights of humanity, who turn religion into derision, and would, for higher wages, direct their swords against their leaders or their country.”

—Samuel Adams, American Independence speech, 1776

Media savage the American people with a daily dose of fear, panic over an epidemic that doesn’t threaten our country’s survival but promises to destroy our country’s economy, our spirit, our liberty.

Thus, in the People’s Republic, cheerful waves and smiles of neighbors or strangers are replaced by suspicious stares, accusatory shouts that people are standing too close or missing their masks.  Here people can’t be all chummy with neighbors and friends because any one of them could be the silent carrier of the death virus.  Better to do without friends, not to see family, not to trust or welcome anyone if a lonely, destitute existence will “keep them safe.”

Gone is the rush of joy when proud parents watch their kids or grandkids “walk,” because in this world, there are no graduations, no celebrations, no joys.  Gone is the pride and sense of accomplishment when Americans land a great job, buy their first homes, or start their own businesses.  In the  People’s Republic, these aren’t accomplishments — merely proof of white supremacy, proof of capitalist greed.

In It’s a Wonderful Life, George no longer recognizes his hometown. He confronts his guardian angel, demands an explanation for all the strange things he’s seeing.  Clarence tells him there is no George Bailey, no driver’s license, no 4-F card, no insurance policy because George Bailey was never born. “You’ve been given a great gift, George: a chance to see what the world would be like without you.”

And you’ve been given a great gift, America: a chance to see what this country would be like if Donald Trump had never been elected president, a preview of if Joe Biden wins in November.

But will we make it to November?   Governors drunk on power aren’t releasing their grip on the people; they’re doubling down, rolling back plans to reopen their states.  Many order everyone to wear a mask, proving they can control the people right down to the air they breathe.  Some are defunding police, paving the way for unopposed violent insurrection.

For those who think government seizure of private business is justified because a pandemic calls for drastic measures or who see house arrest as citizens just doing their part, or excuse rampant anarchy and violent mobs because we’re all racists and need to be punished, you’ve found your home: the People’s Republic of America.

But if you want the unbridled joy of true freedom, the miracle of America, then speak now or forever hold your peace.  Americans are settling into subjugation, tyranny is becoming “normalized.”  Today, most Americans don’t plan resistance; they quietly await their overlords’ next edict, another shutdown, mail-in voting, mandatory chips.

“The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them.  The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission.”  —George Washington

Governors will never cede their newfound power back to the people, will only tighten their grip, expand their orders.  They’ll use their unchallenged authority to steal the 2020 election.

And then it will be as if Donald J. Trump had never been elected president.

To paraphrase Clarence’s final appeal from It’s a Wonderful Life: “You see, [America], you’ve really had a wonderful life.  Don’t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it all away?”

Don’t you see, America?

Peggy Ryan is an IT specialist. Currently, she is an author and political commentator. She’s been widely published on multiple conservative Internet sites. Peggy Ryan can be reached at PeggyRyan1203 @ gmail.com