Hi, Kevin, and thank you for that blog.   It was interesting to me.  Would be a fun extended conversation kind of thing.  It reminds me of this last election, speaking with my older son, who would be voting for the first time.  We could both see the obvious negatives about Joe Biden (and even more obviously so, Harris), but . . . I cautioned him about Trump's demogogue type of behavior, fragile ego, and tendency to be really "
surfacy" about things and then just lie to cover them up.  (To be fair, Joe Biden has been caught in lies, too - it's kind of just a a given with politics).  But I felt the fragile ego and the "loosing" of the really reactionary side was with big problem - much worse than some potentially sensible or centrist conservatism.  There are certainly MANY aspects of the new Left with which I simply do not agree so remain hopeful for some kind of more pragmatic centrist to emerge.  Would seem to me that a more resounding defeat of the Trump "cult of personality" might have to happen first.  Let's hope it doesn't all disintegrate before that occurs.  At least he's old.  Harris is most definitely NOT the solution as a successor to Biden, and that ought to be obvious now.  I knew that when she matter-of-factly and too-quickly answer "no new drilling" in a pre-election debate.  Really?  None?  Not anywhere?  Not for any reason?  That was the most glib and quite frankly STUPID answer I had ever heard.  But would I have to hold nose and vote for her over Trump?  Likely so.  His ego and inability to EVER show humility or adjust course is the more dangerous thing, I think.  

Hope I haven't started a firestorm with all this.  But remember, I have not only seen but also LIVED what happens when the "further Left" and centralized government control sides gain a lot of power (Venezuela, late 90s through now).  It's really a kind of fascism and is every bit as dangerous as what's happening on the alt-right.  Read Rory Carroll's (The Guardian) excellent book on Hugo Chavez called "Comandante" to see the dangers of that path. 

And it it's true and accepted that the extremes of both sides are very destructive then the ongoing radicalization of the alt-left and alt-right seems to me to be the single biggest issue.  Would like to see politicians who intentionally and obviously work at de-escalation.  That's a skill, and it is badly needed.