For more than 200 years, we’ve been warned about the dangers of unchecked political power, media manipulation, and systemic corruption. George Washington saw it coming. The 1940s proved it was already entrenched. And today? We live with the consequences.

But here’s the real question: Can it be fixed?

The Shadow Journalist lays out the patterns of history, showing how investigative journalism, truth-seekers, and those who challenge the system often become targets instead of heroes. Washington understood this struggle long before political parties dominated the system. His Farewell Address didn’t just warn of corruption—it outlined a path to fixing it.

So, let’s look at his advice.

🔹 Washington’s Solutions to a Broken Political System

Washington’s Farewell Address wasn’t just a warning—it was a blueprint for avoiding the mess we’re in today.

✅ Beware of Party Loyalty Over National Interest
📌 Washington saw political parties as a threat to democracy because they made winning more important than governing. Today, loyalty to a party often outweighs loyalty to the country itself.

✅ Keep the Press Free & Independent
📌 A free press was supposed to hold the government accountable. Instead, many media outlets have become part of the political machine. Washington understood that when the press is compromised, truth is lost.

✅ Reject Foreign Influence & Corporate Control
📌 Washington feared foreign interference in U.S. politics. Today, it’s not just foreign governments—big corporations, tech giants, and special interests shape policies more than voters do.

✅ An Educated, Informed Public Is the Best Defense
📌 Washington believed an educated citizenry was essential for a functioning democracy. Today, misinformation and division keep people uninformed, disengaged, and easy to manipulate.

👀 Sound familiar?

🔹 The System Was Built to Preserve Itself—Can We Change That?

One of the hardest truths about American politics is that the system isn’t designed to fix itself. Those who benefit from it have no reason to change it.

📌 So, what can be done?

🔹 Recognize the Pattern – We must acknowledge that the cycle of corruption isn’t new—it’s just evolved.

🔹 Challenge the Two-Party System – The biggest barrier to change is the illusion of choice. Washington knew that a nation locked into two parties would never truly represent its people.

🔹 Support Independent Journalism – In The Shadow Journalist, Nate Briggs risks everything to expose corruption others ignore. Without investigative journalism, history repeats unchecked.

🔹 Stop Fighting Each Other & Focus on the System – Division keeps people distracted. When people are divided, the system stays the same. Washington knew this—and so do those in power today.

📌 The question isn’t whether the system is broken—the question is, who benefits from keeping it that way?

🔹 A National Conversation Starts Here

🔹 If Washington’s warning was ignored, what makes us think we’ll change course now?
🔹 Are people ready to prioritize truth over political loyalty?
🔹 Does the system need to be reformed—or completely rebuilt?

Washington gave us a warning. The Shadow Journalist gives us a historical lens to see just how deep this problem runs.

🚀 So, what’s next? Are we ready to have this conversation, or are we just repeating history?

This Concludes the Blog Series—What’s Next?

Would you like to continue building on these topics in future blogs or shift toward more engagement-driven posts that invite people to respond?

Also, do you want to start integrating these topics into social media conversations or build a more structured outreach plan for engagement?

Let me know how you’d like to proceed! 🚀