On June 5, 1944, General Dwight David Eisenhower carried a heavy burden. For four years, he had planned, prepared, and practiced for the invasion of Europe. He had done all he could to secure success, but he knew that “even the best laid plans of man…often go asunder.”

Eisenhower wrote an inspirational message for his troops. It was stirring, confident, and appropriately grand. It spoke of liberty and sacrifice and began with the words, “The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”

Eighty-two years later, the eyes of the world are once again upon America.

Not because armies are preparing to storm the beaches of Normandy, but because Americans are preparing to enter voting booths in Summit, Selma, San Francisco, and thousands of other places where the fate of our democracy will be determined by people armed with the most effective weapon in a democracy: a vote.

And, hopefully, a resolute conviction that hate, fear, and lies, led by a man whose principal goal as president appears to be making his bank account great again, are not the right direction for our beloved country.

The sacrifices are different today. But the consequences of today’s election will reverberate far beyond our shores.

For much of the past century, the United States has presented itself to the world as democracy’s most prominent advocate. We have not always lived up to that billing. Indeed, we have occasionally demonstrated the remarkable ability to lecture other countries about democratic principles while treating our own as optional reading. This is especially true under the reign of Orange.

Nevertheless, the American experiment represents something important.

That a nation can govern itself. That power can be transferred peacefully. That no individual stands above the law. That the institutions of government belong to the people, not to whoever happens to occupy the White House or writes the largest campaign check.

To me, a Democratic victory in both houses of Congress would signal that those principles remain alive. That the light from our shining city upon a hill has not been extinguished.

It would prove that checks and balances are not merely decorative phrases gathering dust in eighth-grade civics textbooks.

It would demonstrate to our allies that America’s commitment to democratic institutions remains intact, even when our president spends more time pursuing retribution and helping his buddies get rich than addressing real problems such as affordability, health care, and education.

But if we falter, the consequences could extend far beyond the next two years.

The decisions made by the next Congress will influence the courts, federal spending, health care, civil liberties, foreign relations, and the balance of power between Congress and the presidency. Some decisions will be felt immediately. Others may shape the country our children and grandchildren inherit.

History has a nasty habit of charging compound interest on political mistakes.

Recognizing the importance of this election, and with the utmost respect for General Eisenhower, I have decided to borrow his famous Order of the Day and adapt it for the millions of Americans who have worked, organized, volunteered, contributed, argued, and occasionally sacrificed their remaining faith in human intelligence to reach this moment.

With apologies to Ike, here is my own D-Day communiqué.

Order of the Day — November 3, 2026

To the Volunteers, Organizers, Voters, and Defenders of the American Experiment:

You are about to embark upon a great democratic undertaking, toward which we have striven for these many months.

The eyes of the world are upon you.

The hopes of liberty-loving people everywhere accompany you. From Europe to Asia, from the Americas to the Pacific, people are watching to see what the United States intends to make of itself.

Your task will not be an easy one.

You have faced powerful political organizations, enormous financial resources, and an information environment in which the truth is frequently treated as the equal of the conspiracy du jour. And, regrettably, the conspiracy theory often has a better publicist.

You have endured endless political advertisements, fundraising emails, unsolicited text messages, idiotic social media posts, trolls, and television commentators whose principal interests are ratings rather than accuracy and who have somehow managed to turn the simple act of counting votes into a seven-month sporting event.

But this is the year 2026!

You have organized communities across the country. You have knocked on doors, made telephone calls, registered voters, worked polling places, and defended the principle that government derives its authority from the consent of the governed.

You have argued for a Congress that will exercise its constitutional responsibilities, scrutinize and hold the executive branch accountable, protect the public purse, and remember that the words public servant are supposed to describe a job rather than a particularly sophisticated form of self-enrichment.

You have demonstrated that American democracy is not merely a collection of marble buildings in Washington, but a system of living institutions sustained by citizens willing to participate in them.

The tide of history does not turn by itself. It is moved by the actions of ordinary people who refuse to become indifferent.

I have full confidence in your dedication, perseverance, and commitment to the principles upon which this republic was founded.

Today, do your part. Make your voice heard. Respect the process, make them respect the process and remember (Donald are you paying attention) that democracy depends as much upon accepting the legitimate outcome of elections as upon participating in them.

Good luck. And may we prove ourselves worthy of the extraordinary experiment in self-government that was entrusted to us 250 years ago.

There. My version of Eisenhower’s first message.

Admittedly, the General was considerably more concise. But then, he didn’t have to contend with the Orange-in-Chief, the cult of MAGA, cable news, social media, or billionaires who don’t want to pay taxes but are more than happy to spend millions getting their toadies elected. Apparently, buying politicians is a perfectly acceptable investment, provided nobody asks them to pay capital gains.

Eisenhower also prepared a second message, one he intended to release if the invasion failed. It was a remarkable document in which he accepted personal responsibility for the defeat. No excuses. No finger-pointing. No blaming the weather, the generals, or the French. Imagine that. A leader accepting responsibility for failure without first consulting his lawyers or posting in ALL CAPS.

Thankfully, it was a message he never had to use.

And that brings me to Wednesday.

For my sake, and for the sake of the country I love, please let me spend Wednesday posting pictures of my kittens, my dog, and the orchids blooming here in Rio rather than writing my own version of Eisenhower’s second message.

After all, my kittens are already perfectly capable of making a mess of things without any assistance from Washington. And unlike certain politicians, there’s still a reasonable chance they’ll eventually be house-trained.

Go Blue.

Also Go Green:

If you’ve enjoyed this little excursion tyou might enjoy my new novel, The Green Flash. It’s a story about friendship, love, loss, and the people who never quite leave us. Unlike American politics, it features characters you might actually want to spend time with. Available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle. Click here to buy The Green Flash. You’ll be supporting an independent author, which is considerably more rewarding than supporting a billionaire. At least this one says thank you.