Teribus says to Americans "...you yourselves could not stay the course. You could not, with all your wealth, power and ability do what was needed to be done."

In 120,000 words or less, please explain to an American (with specifics not slogans please):

1) what is the course we should be staying?

2) what exactly is it that "needs to be done"?

Note again please, the request for specifics, not generalities.