Presidents Day open thread

How many of you fellow-Americans are old enough to remember when we had both Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays off? I sure do. February was a wondrous month of two back-to-back three-day weekends. But, that didn't serve corporate profits, so one holiday it is.

And no, speaking for myself, it's still a conjoining of Lincoln and Washington. It's certainly not to honor the likes of Warren G. Harding or Martin van Buren. I light no candles for James Polk, and look side-eye at Andrew Jackson. Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and now Donald Trump should have no hint of commemoration from this holiday. The idea that this holiday is to honor all the men—heh—who have served as President of the United States is an affront to our democratic traditions. It is not akin to the King's official birthday in various monarchies. It is solely to remember the two men whose singular actions set the course for this Republic.

That being said, this holiday let us remember the past two Democratic presidents, who were elected to right the shambles that their Republican predecessors created, and were rewarded by a fickle electorate turning back to the same party which put the car in a ditch in the first place. Barack. Joe. You both deserved better thanks. President Obama deserved to have Hillary Clinton succeed him. President Biden deserved to either serve a second term, or to have Kamala Harris, his vice president, follow him in office to continue the work of rebuilding this nation. But in a democracy the people are sovereign. That's why I'm not in favor of a deus ex machina like a military coup to "save the Republic". The only salvation will come from the electorate finally accepting the gravity of its responsibilities, and vote for people, for men and women who will bring the greatest good to the greatest number, not to charlatans and pettifoggers who ply them with the sweet drink of forgetfulness. 

This is your open thread.