I grew up when Eisenhower was president, cast my first vote in 1968 when one had to be 21 years old. Maybe we ought to go back to that age? One of the main reasons for the 26th amendment was Vietnam. The thought was if you were old enough to go fight and die for your country, then you should be old enough to vote. Many states which had a drinking age of 21 also lowered it to 18 back then.

I remember when the democratic party was known as the big tent party, the party of the working man vs. the Republican party, known as the country club party, the party of business. Of course, back then, both major parties had their liberal and conservative wings. The Democratic party, their solid conservative south, the GOP, their old Rockefeller liberal republicans of the northeast. Then both major parties discarded their unwanted wings to start moving to where we’re at today. There was also the change from the old party selection process to today’s modern primary system in 1976. Trump would have been laughed out of the room pre-1976 or under the old party selection process. I say selection process as there were only 12-15 primaries back in the pre-1976 modern primary system and some of those were non-binding. Trump wouldn’t have never happened.

Like you, I don’t understand the fascination with Trump. Liar isn’t what I consider the worst with him, all his legal problems, his childish antics acting like a spoiled 4-year-old brat with his name calling along with his 3rd grade schoolyard bullying tactics. His thirst for revenge along with an ego that doesn’t quit with much more. But unlike most here on this site, I do understand the reluctance to support Biden which I’ve touched on in the past. You don’t know how much I wish the democrats went with someone else. He was the ideal, safe candidate to defeat Trump in 2020, not so in 2024 for many reasons. But Biden is still the only adult in the room this year as he was in 2020. As for political parties, they never interested me be that back growing up in the 1950’s, in 1968 when I cast my first vote or today. I’d like the major parties to return to where the republican party was the party of Eisenhower, the democratic party, that of John F. Kennedy. But way too much has changed. I don’t think for the better.