We are taking two steps back but progress will not be curtailed by old men and women who long for the "good old days.". We have a momentary set back and it's a reaction of the last 8 years. It is a painful reminder that much still needs to be done and we cannot become complacent.

The pendulum is swinging back in the right direction. Truth, justice, and love will ultimately prevail. All this racism, corruption and hate is on its last gasp and is going down.

It simply astounds me that so many align behind trump. The utter disregard for the country - the party over people - displayed by the vast majority of republican politicians is simply staggering - it points to some serious flaws in we as human beings. I suppose it has always been there, and bubbles up at various points in history.

So, since we as a species always seem to overcome these dark days, I am hopeful that we can do so again.

But the bigotry, racism, hatred, lack of kindness, lack of curiosity, disregard for learning and intellect, pride in ignorance is indescribably disconcerting to me. It is something I thought could not be possible - but there it is.

I am hopeful for my wife and I, for our 2 daughters and their families as quality people - I seem to be finding ways to be a positive, not negative force. I have friends and colleagues that are working to do the same.

My question is to whether the schism in our country is simply too great to overcome. But.....I suppose it will, someway, some day, somehow.

The historical trend in our country has been solid and I see no reason it won't continue.

What we are experiencing is the result of an act of war by a foreign power. Were Shithole doing things to garner support from more than his 35% Basket of Deplorable Shitholes I would be less positive. But the fact is, he has done nothing to improve himself or his acceptance.

That tells me we are in aberrant times. It tells me we will reverse it as soon as we are able. It tells me that went know who we are. And we now know who isn't an American at heart.

I think we have hit a political bottom. I think Shithole, with his almost hourly assault on time honored American norms and mores, is allowing the time honored American norms and mores to be seen again as who we are.

I can imagine an American society that is more cooperative and including on both political sides of any issue. A society where respect and a willingness to compromise in the name of a better national fabric. I can imagine a national government that is peopled by elected legislators who shun those who would divide for the sake of power in favor of those who would come together for that national weal.

As grumpy as i am - and make no mistake, I AM grumpy - I am incurable optimist.

I am so optimistic that I can even say something good about the present: By giving the worst of our citizens their voice we now know who they are and how to marginalize them.

Another reason for hope, in my view, is what my brother reported to me when he asked the question. The optimism is highest among his liberal friends and less so the more conservative the respondent (he doesn't know many/any Deplorables).

Reason being...there is a lot of room for things to get worse, and they will.

We are falling fast, but we have not hit bottom yet. We can't start to climb until we hit bottom.

Winning both houses of congress and getting Trump out of there is only the head of the boil. We have to fight to shame Trumpers into the shithole of history. They have to be viewed by the rest of the country in the same way the Nazis are viewed now. Only then will we recover, and I don't think I'll see it in my lifetime.