"I think the Clinton sex scandal was still on everyone's mind and that was a massive drawback for Gore by association. "

"Who's Andrew Jackson?"

"So you force people to show up at a polling place. How does that change any outcomes?"

I seem to remember hearing that which side was Blue and which side was Red wasn't fixed until post 2000, starting with how long that particular election took to be resolved, by the end of which the colours were strongly associated with each party as a result. I wonder if I'm remembering that correctly?

I guess the question is, will even the most they can offer, ever be enough?

As a not belonging to the white male demographic, I'd still rather be here than there in post-Obama's America.

I still like the idea that there's a self-destruct button for Texas. Given everything else that's happened lately seems like it's from a dystopic sci-fi movie already, well … why not?

It's still not too late to break Texas up into up to 5 separate states. It's written into their constitution as condition for joining the US I believe … for some reason.

Sadly, I'm not amazed. We've finally made some headway in cleaning up the mess from the last time the idiot populace decided to 'elect' and 're-elect' the last clearly unqualified candidate over a much better qualified one as recently as 2000 and 2004 and oh look, they've doubled down and done it again but even more…

Look, the Democratic Party may be craven, opportunistic, two faced … sorry, what was I trying to say again? … but they still do some good for people even if it's incidental … or at the very least, they attract some people who are genuinely good.

I highly recommend "Deer Hunting With Jesus" by Joe Bageant.

Well, for what it's worth, they started from a much higher place and still have a bit further to fall before they pass the Republicans on the way down.

God I loathe Ryan. Amazing how he wants to take away all those benefits that helped him in his time of need growing up. Luckily he's so stupid that the surplus population will be fitting his gangly frame for an appropriately tall lamppost* before they get as far as starving to death.

Read it again. I said I'm not that kind of a monster. Not that I wasn't a monster at all (I'm not denying what I am).

"especially to people who weren't paying too much attention"

Like I said, I'm a doctor. I have connections.

Don't worry about it. I've been around here long enough to know you well enough from your past posts to understand where you were coming from and that it wasn't directed at me personally.

Malory Archer has just one 'l'.

Not a lot that's good, I agree but there's still no comparison, as aghast as I am to say that.

I also have private health insurance (at under $100 US/month) so I can still get the original brand-name Lieutenant Broccoli in the Private Health System if I want it as opposed to the generic. I guess you're out of luck again.