With the Nov. 6 midterm elections upon us, boilerplate issues such as taxes, spending, and immigration are important, but these are really window dressing, obscuring an existential question.  The deeper question that underlies all of our politics is this: will American voters retain power over the future of their country?  That is the question on the ballot on November 6, though it is not on the radar of most voters.

President Trump understands that this question is the crux of modern American politics.  The essence of his program can be boiled down to that question: who will govern America?  By that he doesn't just mean Democrats or Republicans.  He is asking whether citizens will determine our course, or whether it will be determined by people and powers beyond the reach of citizens.

Nowhere was his understanding of this critical question better revealed than in a speech delivered in West Palm Beach, Fla. on October 13, 2016.  The speech centered on the latest allegations generated by the machine of slander and abuse he battled throughout the campaign.  Throughout the course of the speech, he addressed the central pivotal question facing our country.

Before you cast your ballot on November 6, put aside a small portion of your time and watch this speech.  It may be the most important thing you do before you vote.  It will remind you what is truly at stake, wiping away all of the noise and clutter of the current campaign and getting to the real question: who rules?

Excerpts:

"Our movement is about replacing a failed and corrupt political establishment with a new government controlled by you, the American People.  There is nothing the political establishment will not do, and no lie they will not tell, to hold on to their prestige and power at your expense."

"For those who control the levers of power in Washington, and for the global special interests they partner with, our campaign represents an existential threat."

"Let's be clear on one thing: the corporate media in our country is no longer involved in journalism.  They are a political special interest, no different than any lobbyist or other financial entity with an agenda."

"This is a struggle for the survival of our nation.  This election will determine whether we are a free nation, or whether we have only the illusion of Democracy but are in fact controlled by a small handful of global special interests rigging the system."

"The establishment and their media enablers wield control over this nation through means that are well known.  Anyone who challenges their control is deemed a sexist, a racist, a xenophobe, and morally deformed.  They will attack you, they will slander you, they will seek to destroy your career and reputation.  And they will lie, lie, and lie even more."

"But the central base of world political power is here in America, and it is our corrupt political establishment that is the greatest power behind the efforts at radical globalization and the disenfranchisement of working people."

"Their financial resources are unlimited.  Their political resources are unlimited.  Their media resources are unlimited.  And, most importantly, the depths of their immorality is unlimited."

"This is a conspiracy against you, the American people.  This is our moment of reckoning as a society and as a civilization."

"I've seen firsthand the corruption and the sickness that has taken over our politics.  They knew they would throw every lie they could at me, and my family and my loved ones.  They knew they would stop at nothing to try and stop me.  But I never knew it would be this vile, that it would be this bad, that it would be this vicious.  Nevertheless, I take all of these slings and arrows gladly, for you.  I take them for our movement so that we can have our country back.  Our great civilization, here in America and across the civilized world, has come upon a moment of reckoning."

"We will vote to put this corrupt government cartel out of business.  We will remove from our politics the special interests who have betrayed our workers, our borders, our freedoms, and our sovereign rights as a nation.  We will end the politics of profit, we will end the rule of special interests, we will put a stop to the raiding of our country – and the disenfranchisement of our people."

"The only thing that can stop this corrupt machine is you.  The only force strong enough to save our country is us.  The only people brave enough to vote out this corrupt establishment is you, the American people."