Something I want to say about Biden's speech and the overall tone of Dems vs. Rs.

I know, politicians are ALL corrupt. They all do terrible things behind our backs and often right in front of our faces. And so much of political optics is simply skin-deep posturing. https://twitter.com/EvanMcMullin/status/1351964554926972931

But, we are a nation. We are a united group of people, living, striving, working, hoping and dreaming in the same country, under the same laws and leadership.

Trump (and most Republicans, in recent history) make very few gestures toward being the party of all Americans.

Rather, Republicans see themselves as being elected to serve only Republicans, to promote, validate and champion ONLY the values of those who align with their party, their religion, their race, ethnicity, etc. And that's always frightening.

The right wing feels it doesn't even need to pretend to care about the lives and hope and dignity of anyone that's not voting for them. They don't need to worry about the praxis of saying "We're all equal...except for these people and THESE people need less rights."

You look at all the celebration and hope and relief people feel today. It's not because most people think Joe Biden is the perfect president who is going to solve all problems and has no negative qualities. It's because the alternative was and is so cold and dark.

The Democrats, for all their many many many problems, at least understand that they have to be a party of all Americans. It's one of the reasons they suck at getting anything truly progressive done. But they feel accountable. And that makes a huge difference.

Biden's Inauguration speech struck a tone we've missed. One of not having to worry that the next executive order is going to strip someone's humanity because it plays well with the religious right or take away healthcare from a sick grandmother to make room for a tax break.

Are the bedrock foundations of our country going to shift massively toward justice? No, sadly not. But the humanity of the individual is going to be preserved. The hope for a better tomorrow is present and possible. It's a new and better world than it was yesterday.

For just this moment, that can be enough.