Of Course...

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and one of the things they do in your precheck-in thing now is a mental health survey.

I'm always a little puzzled as to how to answer the questions. Like, who isn't stressed lately? Who hasn't had a few sleepless nights as you ponder the demise of democracy? Isn't it a sign of worse mental health if you aren't bothered? And, honestly, would it be a good idea to medicate all of this away?

I mean, I sort of did that during his first presidency. Baked goods and bourbon lead to a cozy Covid 19 pounds that has made itself comfortable. But even self medicating, as tasty as it was, didn't make any of it go away. Only voting him out of office sort of did that. It didn't stick, unlike the weight, but at least it was a respite.

So sure, I could tap into a large dose of prozac to smooth the edges, but I don't think there is a strong enough dose to make me completely delusional and that's really what it would take right now.

Today I'm angry and disgusted and disappointed, though not at all surprised, that the dems caved. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory once again. I mean, I knew it was coming. I wrote last week about how they had been close to caving before the election but held out to not suppress voter turnout which...did you all think this would help in the midterms next year? And what do you think happens between now and then when you've proven that you will absolutely, once again, cave?

They got nothing that they were demanding. Nothing. They had started with three things, quickly went to two, then settled on one and got...nada. Oh wait, they got a sure we'll hold a vote on the ACA subsidies, sure. You can trust us, baby, just the tip...and speaking of Johnsons he's already said he won't hold a vote on it in the House so it doesn't fucking matter what the Senate does.

The dems got nothing.

My joke for years as to why I'm a registered independent is that I'm too left to be a republican and too fond of getting shit done to be a democrat. It's morphed into I'm wicked but not evil so no way I can be a republican and I'M TOO FOND OF GETTING SHIT DONE to be a democrat.

I mean, the polls, the results from the elections, the energy around the No Kings rallies, the absolute complete shit show that this administration is and can no longer hide from even people who voted for it and...dems are like...well how about if we cave?

And if they were going to cave anyway, which we all fucking knew they were, why the fuck wait for 40 days? Just do it and be done with it. Don't hurt people for over a month and then say okay, now we're done. Don't pretend you are fighting for an important gain and then toss that to the side. Because the ACA subsidies were an important win. People are going to lose their insurance. People are going to go broke. People are going to die.

We need medicare for all, or single payer, or government run healthcare, whatever you want to call it, this shows AGAIN that what we have is ridiculous. We should have baseline healthcare for all. Do a blended service. Everyone is covered, you can get fancier stuff through paying, I don't fucking care, as long as everything is covered at a baseline level. Nobody goes without care. Nobody dies because they know they can't afford a trip to the doctor to see what that nagging pull in their side is. We are one of the wealthiest nations in the world and we have one of the worst health outcomes and this ONCE AGAIN shows that what we have is broken.

And on that...

Primary every single democrat out there. Every one of them. If they have good ideas, if they have been fighting to save our democracy, then great, vote for them, but make sure they have competition. Make sure that there is an alternative. And if they are not up for the fight? Then it's time for them to do something else. There is no right to a lifetime position as Representative or Senator. It's time to remove and replace. I'm so up for a group of 35-45 year old brilliant minds who are ready to take on the world to run.

Primary. All. Of. Them.

Don't accept that we will always have a heartless republican party and a feckless democratic one.

Fuck....

So yeah, doc, I've been a little stressed lately. Haven't you?