That isn’t what the article said, it isn’t even what the rest of the quote I posted said.

• Karate lessons
• Steel chairs and ladders

For a second there I thought you didn’t know what you were talking about. Everyone always forgets these!

Isn't it though?

Yes, of course - and pushback is deserved. They've fucked up and seemingly deliberately, out of a head-in-the-ass attitude. But there's nothing to gain from hurting them.

Actually, judging from their actions, I'd expect that hurting them would make them get shittier and I already know they have no idea how to direct their anger properly.

The ideal situation for me is that they find some shame and sit with it and come back after they get their heads out of their ass.

They didn’t. But I didn’t say they did. I said this was a fuck-up.

I think they wanted to punish someone who didn’t need punishment.

Furthermore, they didn’t have that available a choice. The choice was less harm or more harm.

Because of that, their choice seemed to them like a choice to punish, but it was actually a vote for more harm.

I don’t think they need to be punished for that. I don’t think they deserve to be hurt. In fact it’s one of the things I vote for. Less harm. Every time.

I just think it’s sad, I don’t need payback.

:)

I don’t see much of a difference between them wanting punishment instead of harm mitigation and myself wanting punishment instead of harm mitigation. I will keep hoping for less overall harm.

Step 1 is already done, and now institutional resistance from inside the party is the problem. So it is in fact time for step 2, there’s enough of a body of voters to start building it.

The trick is that to subsume the DNC in the next ten years or so, the party has to form a coalition with it for now while remaining separate. That could achieve two goals: first, put a lot of pressure on Republicans they aren’t ready for. Next, create a strong leftward tension that just isn’t represented right now and which the Democrats will be walled off from controlling.

It’s sort of what happened with the Tea Party / MAGA.

“They voted for Trump to punish the Democrats.”

Oh, that didn’t work. Losing elections isn’t the same as being punished. Not saying it was a bad move, I’m saying it was the wrong one. It was also a bad move though.

“All Harris had to do was stop the war.”

Oh is that it? Just as a VP / figurehead, swoop on over and say, “Stop it.” Man, why hasn’t anyone ever tried that before?

Dearborn, I hope your lives work out ok. You’ve really fucked up.

You might mess up! That's normal. Even experienced professionals do. That might be part of your apprehension? Like, if those experienced professionals can goof up, imagine what an inexperienced person might do?

But, the reality is that you'll mess up the same when you mess up. It'll be a little cut here, a little singe there. Your kitchen won't explode, you won't catch on fire. All in all, you stop thinking of some things as mess-ups and start thinking of them as just a normal outcome.

Here's what I would recommend doing if you want to practice in safe ways:

• Practice mixing drinks. Not necessarily cocktails! Like, mix some herbs and juice in with a club soda. Tada, that's cooking.
• Practice making salads with take-home kits. Add some vinegar or oil and herbs in addition to what you've got out of the kit.
• Make hot drinks: teas, coffees, things like that. Eventually start making your own syrups for them: look up simple syrup recipes and infusions.
• Get frozen pizzas or other frozen foods. Buy extra shredded cheese and Italian seasoning. Cook them as normal except add the cheese and seasoning on top before you do.

Here's what I would recommend if you want to increase your own personal safety:

• Get a fire extinguisher and put it somewhere obvious in your kitchen.
• Look for "cut resistant" gloves. They help protect your hands when you're working with knives and stuff.
• Get some timers with magnets on them and practice using them. The most likely way something'll catch fire is if you're distracted and timers will help you avoid that.
• Get some silicone mitts and handles for the oven. They're incredibly heat resilient!

I'd also maybe just say familiarize yourself with cooking enough to demystify it? Like, marathon watch Good Eats or Iron Chef or something? Put it on in the background while you do other stuff, and just get used to seeing kitchens and food in action?

Fundamentally though this might be worth talking to a therapist about, because it could be that you've got some kind of reason (maybe more rational than you imagine) to have this apprehension. If that's the case the first step is, honestly, talking it out with someone and not ignoring it and forcing yourself to do something you're uncomfortable with.

The people who say this can’t exist because of FPTP are right… but only for the presidency.

In every other part of government, extra parties are very viable. Even more so if they get into legislation and prove an ability to establish coalitions. The whole dynamic of elections can change in the House every 2 years.

I’m sick and tired of this stance because Republicans have done it with Libertarians and “quiet conservative” Independents for the last decade.

It’s not the Greens because they don’t take local or legislative elections seriously. But a pro worker party that backed up the right legislation would be amazing.