The TV show Yellowstone depicts a lawless stretch of road between Montana and Wyoming that lacks both guardrails and law enforcement. Referred to as the “train station,” it serves the area’s leading family as a way to circumvent due process—a risky shortcut to achieve ends without the scrutiny that protects society.

Reflecting on this, I see parallels in how certain policy changes during the Obama and Biden administrations weakened longstanding protections for our democratic republic. You be the judge of whether this degradation was limited self-harm or has progressed beyond that.

Less Border Security and More Government Insiders

Like many well-meaning Democrats at the time, I believed electing our first black president and supporting him through two terms would heal the country and scale back old divisions. It never crossed my mind that policies during the Obama administration would weaken many of the trusted guardrails that help America remain the world’s most successful democracy.

Those early policy changes resulted in a significant reduction in border security enforcement.1 With an average of 400,000 border crossings annually, those numbers increased by more than 500% from 2019 through 2024.1

Before Obama, the Immigration Act of 1891 was based on the Constitution's mandate to "provide for the common defense."2 The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol was established in 19243 to oversee that defense—a system I can personally attest to, having grown up near the border.

As a bootstrap entrepreneur from a small, dusty town 20 miles from where the U.S.-Mexico border meets Baja California, I lived closer to the Otay Mesa crossing than to San Diego’s main station. I became comfortable with immigration—many immigrants were my classmates and teammates. One day, my father invited his roofing company foreman, Gilberto, and his new wife over for a family afternoon in our backyard. Gilberto’s wife was a pretty 14-year-old girl, my age, and Gilberto was a full-grown adult I often worked for on weekends, loading roofing materials and cleaning the grounds. Gilberto and his crew called me El Caballo, the horse, because at 14, I was already taller and bigger than any of them. We often swapped my sandwich for his burrito during lunch.

I have many firsthand experiences with immigration and have seen how it can benefit everyone, despite unscheduled border patrol inspections at my software business in the 80s and 90s. We employed El Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Chileans who operated our fulfillment operation, shipping millions of boxes filled with data disks and booklets.

Obama’s policies weakened existing border security policies by awarding prosecutorial discretion without congressional oversight. Combined with the DACA program—aimed at protecting young 'Dreamers' brought here as children—these shifts turned border control from a matter of straightforward law enforcement into a politicized process influenced by the dominant party's political priorities. Transitions between the administrations of Obama, Trump, Biden, and Trump again highlight the difference.

Once politicized, it ushered in fresh controversies like sanctuary facilities, selective deportations, and distinctions between undocumented immigrants with or without criminal records. Issues such as birthright citizenship and a growing distrust in mainstream media added fuel to this fires. The insertion of discretion as a precursor to enforcement opened a wound that has not healed.

That wound paved the way for waves of slightly vetted immigrants—a disproportionate number of fighting-age men, not men with families—from dozens of countries. They arrived in such large numbers and with such demands that they overwhelmed American communities and their established order. This discretion bypassed traditional immigration procedures, like sponsorship, family preferences, residency periods, medical examinations, and acculturation through education. Losing this guardrail created an opening for party politics, undermining the role of American citizenship and the strength of our middle class. You can be the judge of whether this shift threatens the integrity of American democracy.

My awakening to the significance of the government’s dramatic increase in its workforce—destined for the Executive Branch—occurred well into Obama’s administration, while Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers were stabilizing the banking system after the 2008 financial crisis. I was shocked during my visits to see about 30 construction cranes rising above the skyline—a stark sign of how the economics of D.C. differed from other cities. In comparison, Seattle had around 50 cranes, reflecting the growth of Amazon, Microsoft, and a reinvigorated Boeing. D.C., on the other hand, had only the government. Nearly all other U.S. cities lacked such activity.

Adding more than 160,000 workers4 to the Executive Branch alone did not reflect increasing citizen birthrates, wartime buildup, or the government’s fiscal responsibility. It is more likely the Executive Branch surge was a reflection of new realities relating to immigration. Although I voted for Obama, no amount of "hope and change" dulled my sense that either the states were funding this machine or others were. My impression was that the government was expanding in ways that would flood the zone.

I left my dusty border town to play baseball on even dustier fields before attending Harvard and building a security firm with 3 million product users and 11,000 LinkedIn followers, advising executives on cyber threats. I weathered the recession by reducing my workforce by half, something I wished the government would do. When it didn’t, and new regulations piled up, I sensed the tide turning against Main Street businesses and the middle class. This became even more clear when a new mandate forced hiring from "marginalized" zip codes without regard for competence or performance—it was a tax disguised as equity that benefited no citizen. I sensed the squeeze but still didn’t realize its full strength.

That strength came from the Executive Branch organizing and mobilizing a cadre of unelected government officials, protected by a union, and enjoying a tenure that would endure beyond future administrations.

If the Obama administration had lowered only two of the guardrails —border security and the overly large Executive Branch —it might be seen as two self-inflicted wounds that exposed America’s Achilles' heel. But as you read on, you can see whether the safeguards outlined below contributed to more serious erosion.

Include in your consideration not only which policy changes might have been self-sabotage, but also the added destructive impact from external influences like China’s “unrestricted warfare” strategies, the World Economic Forum’s globalism push, Soros’s efforts on judicial reform, and the future claims of harm from groups like the Muslim Brotherhood.5

More Guardrails Fall

Government interference with the press and media had not been a major issue in the U.S. since 1948.6 Yet, the Obama administration updated the law that provided this safeguard by quietly tucking the 7-page Smith-Mundt Modernization Act into a 650-plus-page defense spending bill.7 They inserted it late in the limited congressional deliberation, thereby giving the government great power to use media to covertly influence public opinion. Since then ‘video news releases have been aired by local TV stations as if they were independently reported without a requirement to disclose their federal government origin.8 Prior to this update, government materials for foreign audiences couldn't be shared domestically. Removing this restriction gave the government great power to shape public opinion, and they could do so without our media organizations being aware. I no longer listen or watch any curated news program except the mildly right-leaning Epoch Times.

A fourth example of guardrails being undermined was the ESG initiatives (Environmental, Social, Governance). These first appeared, late in Obama’s term, with the Department of Labor's 2015 investment guidance9 before spreading to other U.S. institutions and corporations. ESG began attacking the barrier between government policymaking and financial decisions involving trillions of dollars.

ESG shaped investment priorities for institutional and corporate funds, mandating consideration of environmental, social, and governance factors in pension investments.10 This diluted economic merits in decisions, introducing ideological concerns into where citizens' retirement funds went. It’s easy to see how the loss of this eroded our democracy.

Over the next years, ESG promoted social theories under the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion banner.11 These unproven, aspirational ideals, often conflicted with established laws that protect individual rights, yet are found shaping corporate boards, as well as content in advertising, entertainment, education, and news. ESG’s DEI push led to polarized communities and heightened tensions.12

It was during ESG and DEI's early years that I resigned from the Democratic Party after 50 years plus two prior generations. I posted my resignation letter online13—a statement against a party willing to squash America’s middle class and disregard the laws that built it. I followed that by publishing a novel, Life in Woke America, that tells the story of a hero's journey in an America shaped by ESG and DEI. It is a cautionary tale about that illustrates the loss of safeguards that can lead to lawless zones—not much different than Yellowstone’s train station.

Community Services

For me, a democratic republic cannot survive as a free-for-all in the streets once critical guardrails are destroyed—but, fortunately, those guardrails can be restored. It’s time to return to our republic's first principles, whether branded “America First,” “Make America Great Again,” or simply common-sense pragmatism.

This restoration can start with the safeguards abandoned during the Obama administration: continue to secure borders, select immigrants who embrace the American way, restore meritocracy, and right-size government.

Author Profile

Joel Rakow coached 15 CEOs while writing his first novel Life in Woke America – A Hero’s Journey. Prior to that, he developed the NeverCry Cyber Security Guide, 20 educational software products that sold 3 million copies in 7 languages in 22 countries. Along the way, Rakow received PC World’s Best Product Award for 3 years, Microsoft Implementation of the Year and Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards, Harvard Postdoctoral fellowship, National Science Foundation Undergraduate grant, Phi Beta Kappa key, and his college baseball league's Most Valuable Player Award. He was a National Park Ranger, advisor to the U.S. Secret Service and FBI InfraGard. He has 4 adult children, 6 grandchildren, plays intermediate tennis and table tennis in Newport Beach, California, and Canadian, Texas.

Author Contact Info: joelrakow@yahoo.com, 310-418-7322, 14789 County Road 6, Canadian, TX 79014

Sources

1. CBP Border Patrol Total Apprehensions (FY 1925 - FY 2020) https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2021-Aug/U.S.%2520Border%2520Patrol%2520Total%2520Apprehensions%2520%2528FY%25201925%2520-%2520FY%25202020%2529%2520%2528508%2529.pdf https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/obama-record-deportations-deporter-chief-or-not https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters https://usafacts.org/articles/what-can-the-data-tell-us-about-unauthorized-immigration/

2. Immigration Act of 1891 / Constitution common defense mandate Locator Words: Immigration Act 1891, common defense. Sources: https://immigrationhistory.org/item/immigration-act-of-1891/ https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/fact-sheets/INSHistory.pdf https://michiganlawreview.org/journal/the-imaginary-immigration-clause/

3. Establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (1924) https://www.cbp.gov/about/history/1924-border-patrol-established https://online.ucpress.edu/ch/article/101/4/7/203582/The-U-S-Border-Patrol-A-Short-History-and-Personal https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/united-states-border-patrol

4. OPM Historical Tables on Executive Branch Civilian Employment https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/data-analysis-documentation/federal-employment-reports/historical-tables/executive-branch-civilian-employment-since-1940/ https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-true-size-of-government-is-nearing-a-record-high/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2025/02/15/these-presidents-including-trump-added-the-most-federal-workers/ https://www.cato.org/blog/bush-grew-bureaucracy-faster-obama

5. Muslim Brotherhood is one of several threats to U.S. democracy https://www.congress.gov/event/115th-congress/house-event/108532/text https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jasser-AIFD-Statement-Muslim-Brotherhood-7-11.pdf

6. Government interference with press was not a major issue since 1948. https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&context=nulr https://www.aclu.org/news/free-speech/new-government-propaganda-bill-positive-step-first-amendment https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/pdin_monitor_article/smith-mundt-belatedly-enters-21st-century

7. Smith-Mundt Modernization Act was 7-page act tucked into 650-plus-page defense bill. https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&context=nulr https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/pdin_monitor_article/smith-mundt-belatedly-enters-21st-century https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/4310 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-112publ239/html/PLAW-112publ239.htm

8. Example of the government’s ability to directly influence government opinion under the modernized Smith-Mundt Act. https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&context=nulr

9. ESG initiatives from Department of Labor's 2015 investment guidance. https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ebsa/ebsa20151022 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/26/2015-27146/interpretive-bulletin-relating-to-the-fiduciary-standard-under-erisa-in-considering-economically https://www.klgates.com/dol-issues-proposed-rule-on-esg-investing-for-erisa-plans-part-1-history-and-state-of-play https://www.vermonttreasurer.gov/sites/treasurer/files/VPIC/PDF/2016/04262016_Fiduciary_Duty_Panel_AddressingESGFactorsUnderERISA.pdf https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SLP74.pdf https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Destruction-Mandates-Destroying-Capitalism/dp/B0D64WSNP9

10. ESG mandated environmental, social, governance factors in pension investments. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/10/26/2015-27146/interpretive-bulletin-relating-to-the-fiduciary-standard-under-erisa-in-considering-economically https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ebsa/ebsa20151022 https://www.klgates.com/dol-issues-proposed-rule-on-esg-investing-for-erisa-plans-part-1-history-and-state-of-play https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/SLP74.pdf https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Destruction-Mandates-Destroying-Capitalism/dp/B0D64WSNP9

11. ESG and DEI frameworks are linked and often mutually reinforcing https://www.tsnn.com/sustainability/dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-is-sustainability-here-s-why https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1533&context=tvc https://www.heritage.org/progressivism/report/esg-dei-and-what-do-about-them https://creativedestructionbook.com/praise

12. ESG/DEI led to polarized communities and increased violence https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/14/us/political-violence-cases-america-charlie-kirk https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/campus-speech-survey-finds-66-of-students-support-shouting-down-campus-speakers/article_3e8d6236-1fa7-11ec-94d4-539d0724c0ef.html https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2z9z4m22ro https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/analysis-why-charlie-kirks-killing-could-embolden-more-political-violence https://www.reuters.com/world/us/nation-edge-experts-warn-vicious-spiral-political-violence-after-kirk-killing-2025-09-11/ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/right-wing-extremist-violence-is-more-frequent-and-deadly-than-left-wing-violence-data-shows

13. Resignation from Democratic Party after 50 years, letter posted online. www.lifeinwokeamerica.com/articles https://x.com/lifeinwokeamerica.com/status/1771245272582222134

Publishing literary fiction is challenging at any time, but I’ve encountered new roadblocks where they should never be. From editors twisting facts to my web hosting service throttling access to the book’s website for mysterious reasons. Now, I remain on high alert for the clash between power and voice.

What’s new: Layers of unofficial censors lying in wait at every publishing threshold. They silently dominate the industry, dodging accountability and due process while kidnapping the parts of American culture they don’t want you to see.

The Story and Inspiration

“Life in Woke America – A Hero’s Journey” tells a story that parallels the movie Saving Private Ryan while echoing George Orwell’s warnings. It’s a thoughtful tale about a lowly individual thrust into danger, overcoming institutional betrayal by pursuing the truth about self and society. Like Ryan, Xavier achieves worldly significance.

Xavier’s journey takes place in Texas, mostly the Panhandle. His challenges stem from a ‘color revolution,’ where sanctions masquerade as compassion.1 This upheaval is captured within the book’s title as “Woke America.” The story unfolds in cinematic detail and intimate dialogue, blending coming-of-age growth, international intrigue, hi-tech action, and a romance designed to flourish.

The plot draws from reality: the 2023 U.S. congressional probe into China’s bio lab near Fresno.2 The report details the secret bio lab’s operations by Chinese nationals who crossed the Canadian border during the previous administration.

It deserves a place on shelves and Kindles for its entertainment value, cultural insights, thriller sequences, and warning of overreach. Instead, it encounters quiet resistance that begins before any publisher inspects the manuscript, and it intensifies the instant the book’s website goes live.

The irony: This resistance mirrors the suppression Xavier faces. And I say this as a third-generation Democrat, from Nixon through Obama.

Early Gatekeeping: An Editor's Withdrawal

One pre-publication experience stands out: A talented copy editor in Austin reads the first four chapters, praising them as "compellingly literary, with strong plotlines, and unique characters." Excited, we sign his letter of agreement. He accepts payment and begins work. But later, he calls to back out, citing that it "rubs him the wrong way.”

He refunds the money, and we part amicably. Yet this real-life turn of events echoes my story’s portrayal of the dampening effects of an unspoken, unprofessional consensus that stands as an oppressive barrier that subverts contrary truths. He delays and denies progress on my work, even when literary quality and financial gain are not in question.

Silence from Mainstream Publishers

Continue reading this Article on Daily Signal

Note to Epoch Times Editors:

The following are provided for the convenience of the Epoch Times:

Author’s Bio: Joel Rakow, a Harvard Alumnus, Technology CEO and CEO Coach with Vistage, CASA advocate for foster kids, Fortium cybersecurity thought leader for building systems with 11,000 LinkedIn followers, Microsoft Award Winner, PC World 3-time Best-Product-of-the-Year winner, and National Science Foundation Undergraduate Fellow. Author and publisher of educational software sold in 7 languages, in twenty-one countries, to 3 million users. Former Managing Editor of the Journal of Education, author of the NeverCry Cybersecurity Guide, numerous trade and research articles, the Audio-Visual Myth, a dissertation, and over one hundred poems. This is my first work of fiction.

Endnotes:

1. Color Revolution a. Your Tube video https://youtu.be/gJnz9a9z5vM?si=kw5rHvM_DoqUZySd b. Chinese media call George Soros ‘global economic terrorist’, Press TVhttps://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2021/09/08/666140/Chinese-media-call-George-Soros-%E2%80%98global-economic-terrorist%E2%80%99

2. The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Investigation into the Reedley BioLab, United States Congress, September 2023 a. Full report, https://www.lifeinwokeamerica.com/report.html b. Full report, https://chinaselectcommittee.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/scc-reedley-report-11.15.pdf

3. Little Ice Age in North America a. NASA Earch Observatory (2023 Update): Describes the Little Ice Age in North America as spanning roughly 1450 to 1850 AD, impacting local people. b. Britannica (Updated 2024) Defines the Little Ice Age in North America as approximately 1400-1850 AD, emphasizing glacial expansion with effects on agriculture and immigration patterns among indigenous peoples.

4. Indigenous peoples settle along Texas Rivers, followed by nomadic migrations: a first wave around 1300 AD using dog-pulled travois, likely Apachean, and a second wave on horseback (e.g. Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache adopting horses) post 1600. a. https://americanindian.si.edu/exhibitions/horsenation/travel.html b. https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/campfire-stories/american-indians

5. Jordan Peterson, conservative voices suppressed a. Burn the Books: Jordan Peterson, Penguin and the Hitler Youth, www.stevenglaveski.com b. Banning Jordan Peterson Book Inconsistent, But Not Anti-Freedom, Liam Hehir, March 22, 2019

6. China’s ‘unrestricted warfare’ has coercive effect on American institutions a. “Unrestricted Warfare – Warfare Beyond Rules”, by Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, two People’s Liberation Army colonels, 1999 b. 2024 U.S. House Oversight Committee characterizes China as conducting ‘unrestricted warfare” c. RAND Corporation, mid-2020 report details nearly 80 gray zone tactics against U.S. allies.