The Democrats are in a precarious position between an insane but influential wing of the party that has been allowed far too much leeway to be reined in now and an increasingly disgruntled base. That the Democrats even entertained, let alone tried to enact, a policy that attacks the union membership, is convincing proof that the leadership is not only out of touch, it's lost the whole plot.

Truth is, the Democrats already committed political suicide - the party is just taking its time dying. This is nothing new - it's called a party system shift. Occasionally, one or both parties collapse - this is why none of us are Whigs. It's not a pleasant thing - especially if your party is collapsing - but it's far from the end of the world.

Like it or not, we are the new sheriff in town

That's the incredible value of the 'free marketplace of ideas'. It let's us take them for a test drive, see what works and what doesn't, tinker with them a bit and then either drive them home - or test out a newer model. Some, like the need for freedom and justice, we keep under the hood all the time. Others, like ducking under the covers every time other nation-states say boo, we have mostly discarded - well, we still keep our isolationist blanket in the closet in case of emergency.

. It's never easy to own a mistake - when that's a political mistake that cost hundreds of thousands of people their jobs NO ONE wants to admit to that. Ever. The media provided the hype to cover the lack of good research and the absolute trash of public health response; politicians doubled down on failed policies in order to look like they were getting something done.

No popular support, no effective support in the courts, no real support in either House of Congress - the only thing this administration has going for it right now is occupancy.

The current administration claims that only about 100 Americans are still in Afghanistan and in hiding. Rescue organizations on the ground place the number near to 1000. Which estimate is correct is immaterial - the question is what is being done by the Biden administration to secure the safe return of the Americans the administration stranded behind enemy lines?

Has anyone else noticed that the science ceased to matter about five months ago? It's not coincidental that this sudden shift away from 'follow the bouncing science' occurs just as the first indications were coming out that there were major problems with the vaccine

It's people - not governments and corporations - that matter and it's people who can and will change things.

From a public health policy standpoint this entire set of interventions have been a fiasco - what happens when they come to an end?