It is awful getting a poisoned purged from us. We brought this on ourselves, and we will self correct and improve and grow.

I am a patriot.


MR

It took me until about two years ago to recover (not accounting for inflation, so not from that either really but it helps with the stiff upper lip to pretend) from the FIRST Dumbass Dubya recession.

Bullshitting is like taking a cough drop hoping to cure pneumonia.

I keep saying that Trump et al is the logical conclusion of Reagan's presidency. Reagan's economics and union busting, Newt Gingrich and his doublespeak and disregard for facts, the GOP's cynical use of the religious right, or the "moral majority" as they liked to call themselves. Trump makes Reagan seem like a statesman, makes Bush Jr. seem like a reasonable nice guy, but really he's their demon offspring, the product of the deliberate path they set this country on. Utterly predictable.

I agree with this.

I meant to express my entirely personal and internal sense that our countrymen are not as great as I had hoped.

My inclination is towards strong incrementalism and institutionalism, so I'm feeling a bit more radical in my middle age.

The Democratic party really seemed to have gotten the patriot messaging down this cycle though. I'm just working through.