Idealistic sophistry at best, malicious deceit at worst.

In a perfect world, I would agree with you. In your fever dream, I probably do. Unfortunately, we have to play the hand we're dealt and exist in reality. In reality, the system doesn't work the way you wish it did.

Please, do everything you're saying you're going to do, make your idealist stand and pat yourself on the back because because you took the moral high ground and voted for who you thought was best.

I know you're going to come back with the logic of "vote for != vote against" and you're not wrong. There's no defense against that. In a fair, and just world, you're absolutely right. Unfortunately, the rest of us don't live in your idealist leftist utopia, and are stuck on mundane terra firma. Enjoy your smug satisfaction as you look around in a self-congratulatory stupor knowing that you didn't vote for someone who didn't implement your idealism as immediately as you wished for.

The rest of us, "liberals" or whatever the term is now days... I can't keep it straight anymore, too old and tired... conservatives who can no longer handle the directions their party is going, libertarians who can no longer abide stupidity, and the unaffiliated who simply want people to be able to live as who and what they are...love who and what they are, we will vote. Sure, it'll be a vote for the status quo, but as the status quo sits now...it's better than the alternative.

I know you find the status quo morally repugnant, and frankly I don't fault you a bit. It is, you're right. We should be so much further down the path than we are. Is the Democrat du jour going to get us there? No, probably not. Are they going to step in the right direction? Maybe. Are they going to be a triage scenario to stop the hemorrhaging and stabilize the patient so they survive long enough to get to a place where actual work can be done? Hopefully, definitely more so than the republican du jour.

It's meatball politics. It's ugly, it's unpleasant, it's sad that we have to fight so hard to simply stay where we're at.

If you read this far, I appreciate it. This is a lot of thoughts I've had reading yours and other comments throughout various forums. You are not the cause of all of these, but you were the catalyst that drove pen to paper.

I'm not looking to debate you, mainly for two reasons.

1. There's no point.
2. You're not technically wrong. I'm not going to dissuade you, and you're not going to elevate me beyond reality.

I hope you have a good day neighbor, and may you find the utopia you so richly deserve.