I do enjoy telling Gen Z about the Bush and Obama years, especially as an anti-Trump conservative when I can give how things looked and felt on the other side of, say, the Obamacare debate. I shut down a kid saying that the Democrats should pick a far-left progressive to wake up and energize the dormant liberal sentiments of the country by pointing out that a common sentiment of the Tea Party right was that the vast dejected American electorate would deliver for the Republicans in a rout if they just nominated a True Conservative® like Ted Cruz, and that his idea would work equally well. It’s astounding that the grassroots left think the McGovern coalition is going to work in America 2025. Oh well, kids are stupid. I get the appeal, but I prefer to give perspective and wisdom to mush-brained young people rather than spew invective against fish in a barrel.

One really nice thing about this time is that liberals and former Republicans are coming together and mingling and we’ve gotten over decades of the right vs. left squabbling that emerged from the Nixon era (the 1960s are finally over) and it’s now pro-democracy forces against Trumpism and authoritarianism. There’s a thriving cultural and intellectual exchange between liberals and former Republicans. Most of us on this side of the aisle just self-censored online during the Obama ascendency because it was easier than being berated and having your motives and intellect constantly impugned.