This is, as you have heard more times that you ever wanted, the most consequential presidential election of our lifetime.

The consequences surpass those of the last presidential election in 2020. And, of course, that one had consequences exceeding the 2016 vote. Obviously, 2016 was more consequential than 2012 – which, now that I think about it, probably was the least consequential of the 21st century.

You get the idea.

The problem is that this, seriously, is a real test for our country. It’s about what kind of a nation we are – not what we imagine we are or wish we were. If we’re about governance and community, or grievance and dissolution.

Are we going able to look at ourselves on November 6 and shout hosannas about the beauty of democracy? Or are we going to decide that, yeah, this country is closed until further notice while we clean the place out?

Too much is written about this election already – and I’m somewhat sorry to add to the noise. The fact is I wanted to be more involved in this – I even signed up for a local congressional campaign.

But I admit I don’t have the patience to hear the other side on this. I’ve heard it already. 

I heard it in Citi Field one gray May afternoon when this couple – that was clearly, as my Dad used to say, in their cups – groused loudly about how all these people were getting free stuff thanks to “Clueless Joe” in the White House.

I see in signs on lawns around my neighborhood. “Democrats Support Iran,” “Democrats are Socialists,” “Trump Saved America.”

There are the shirts and signs that read something like “We like country music, the Lord’s Prayer, guns, the American flag and making liberals mad.” As if they like those things only because they hope it gets some people pissed.

I did text messages in 2020 and got the same sort of crap. 

Then there was whatever that was at Madison Square Garden yesterday. I don’t have to catalog the bigotry, the racism and the hatred spewed – you can read about if you haven’t already.

In fact, it took me to this point to tell you what I want to write about instead of that – and what I hope to write about in the run-up to Election Day.

Because, after thinking about it, I’ve got a theory about why this election is even close.

It has to do with a strategy that includes the venomfest that polluted midtown Manhattan. That display was not designed to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. 

It was designed to keep people talking about Donald Trump. Because when “Morning Joe” and “The View” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” are talking about Trump and the asininity around him, they are not talking about what Kamala Harris would do if she was elected.

That is the point.

Michelle Obama raised a great point in her speech in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Saturday: Harris is held to a much higher standard that Trump. It’s unfair. Or as Van Jones said, she needs to be flawless, while he can be lawless.

And the fact is that she meets that higher standard. Consistently. Constantly. With passion, with intelligence, with empathy and with joy.

You won’t know that. That won’t be the zeitgeist. Because the cacophony of Trumpania is designed to make sure you don’t.

It explains why people think she’s not specific about what she would do as President. Because no one can hear what she has to say when the national conversation is about who maligned Puerto Rico or Hannibal Lecter or eating dogs in Ohio.

Before Trump came along, seeking the presidency was about a vision. Even if you disagreed with it – I’m a lifelong Democrat and have never contemplated voting for a Republican, but I know John McCain and Mitt Romney had some sort of idea about moving America toward the future.

Trump doesn’t give a damn. As long as he panders to his base, he’ll say anything. Do you think he really cares one way or another about abortion? Or even how to build a national economy?

As long as people support him for giving them tax breaks and eroding women’s rights, he’s fine.

So what I want to talk about the next few days is the future. The place we’re all going for at least some of the way.

Because Kamala Harris has tried to campaign on what she’d do as the 47th President of the United States. And Donald Trump doesn’t want her to do that.

So we’ll talk about a few things that require our attention: housing, elder care, transportation, immigration, America’s role in the world, education and our politics.

Now that’s the kind of discussion I can look forward to.