The atmosphere here is a bit more than I care to (pâte à) "chew" through anymore.

All levity aside, this forum has become a perfect microcosm of how hopeless and doomed America's political processes and discourse have become. The country is hurtling towards dissolution and it amazes (and horrifies) me how some bright folk can't see it. "Soft secession" is happening as we speak; one can only hope a harder, bloodier version doesn't follow.

Deep divides can be mended (as we both know), but there has to be a desire to do so on all sides. That desire simply isn't present in any meaningful amount, both here in this little corner of the Internet and in America in general. Each side is fixated on blaming and denigrating the other, viewing them not as fellow Americans with differing opinions, but as the "enemy," As such, they are viewed in the most shallow, false-binary manner possible, as false and self-serving caricatures. It's so wearisome...