I miss the good old days, when...
I could sleep 8 hours without waking up to pee 3 times!
Obama was in office and the Democrats controlled the house and senate
Yes, THOSE days! Except many of us remember them a bit differently than you just described, jorj. It was sure nice to have a real grown-up in the white house, with no real scandals, just the red herrings that Republicans fabricated. When the first couple were a clear inspiring example of a healthy marriage and the president obviously respected women. When respect and inclusion of LGBT people was growing tremendously, and the government was actually supportive. When tens of millions of people of color could look to the White House and see a sign that, just maybe, they too could be respected as equals in society with white people. When hostile threats from Russia to the foundation of our democracy were just hypothetical and were taken somewhat seriously by the government. When there was a better than equal chance when the president opened mouth that he wasn't spewing bald-faced lies as our current Prez Cheeto does. When neo-fascists were still marginalized and shamed instead up being propped up by the administration. THOSE days!
@MikeInBatonRouge, thank you, Mike. Well stated.
@jorj No one said anything about gay marriages. Obama work many other things to fight for the LGBT community
[obamawhitehouse.archives.gov]
And Obama was far from perfect I give you that but he was much better the any other president in previous decades. And I’m not happy with the DNC either. I supported Bernie. And only voted for Hillary to keep trump out.
Jorj, to your point re. scotus being responsible for lgbt rights advances and that therefore the potus opinions don't matter, actually, the potus' first function is to help direct public awareness and opinion on any issues deemed important and to then lead the campaign to get Congress to do something legislatively. POTUS is "Cheerleader in Chief."
SCOTUS is independent, yes, but they certainly are still attuned to public and political tone, and many a written opinion of various justices over the years have acknowledged the court's reluctance to rule too far outside the stream of public sentiment. POTUS certainly still plays a prominent role in shaping the tone of public discourse, which in turn informs the justices as they deliberate on the issues brought before them. Obama has been a solid friend to LGBT people, regardless of who might doubt his motives, and it mattered tremendously. Same goes for immigrants, women, racial minorities. It was no fluke coincidence that after Trump's election, violence toward, and murder of lgbt people spiked sharply as neo-nazi and another fascist leaning hate groups crawled out of hiding, confident that they now have thug friends in high places.
It matters who POTUS is, so don't pretend it doesn't. I have never known ANY president I thought was perfect, including Obama, but he was more than a breath of fresh air compaired to toxic Trump. And Obama did a lot of good.
People were engaged with other people instead of with electronic devices.
people (romantic or platonic - family - doesn't matter) could sit and talk or do something together -- whether it's a movie, a project, watching TV, eating at a restaurant, playing a board game, sitting on the back porch swing, at a concert, at the dinner table, a birthday party, riding in the car, shopping, or just walking along -- and keep their brains and their eyes right there with the other human at least 90% of the time and NOT on their damned phone (including the phone camera)!
we played outside, running all over the neighborhood until dark. OUr mother's had bells and we knew their sound and ran home when we heard them
Women did as they were told !,!!
I Wonder how many of you will now be wound up?
I could be happy playing street baseball or football with a group of neighbor kids, or walk a mile down to the sloughs at the south end of Imperial beach where I grew up in the 50's and early 60s. Where you purposefully sought out people near the pier and lifeguard station if you were going to swim or surf. And a mile of beach was empty both north and south of the whole group even on a weekend.
Once in aporox. 1960 I came across a group of about 10 to 15 Beatniks down at the south end of the beach. I knew a little about them from TV, I watched the Dobie Gillis show. But to see a whole group in person dressed like Maynard Krebs, better known later as Gilligan, with the goatees and longer hair and strange clothes was exciting and a little scary since I was by myself and about 13 years old. I did not hang around long. That was several years before the Hippie movement. And in 1963 I went with some other teens to a Beatnik club in Coronado, where some people played guitar and read poetry, etc. I never saw any true beatniks after that time. The surfer movement and the flower children replaced them in the evolution of society.
some people actually seemed to give a fuck about other people.
You said a mouthful, brother.
yes i did