American history when a party is "the solution". Dems certainly are the party of science right now, only because the other party rejects "science", which they often refer to almost like its just another religion. But I wouldn't overstate it. The dems are just the party that does not currently reject near universally held (for all intents and purposes) scientific conclusions as though they are just religious beliefs taken on faith.

I don't see what that has to do with the reality that all political parties play politics. This isn't a case of "anecdotism" overwhelming a broader data set, like focusing on a specific crime to make all members of a group out to be criminals (a favorite of the nationalists). Everybody pretty universally understands that govt employees are not in those jobs because of the enormous W-2 they get every year. Their hardship in missing pay is pretty universally understood. And both dems and repubs will probably use dramatic examples to accentuate that. But I don't think any of us questions the reality of this pain to most of the furloughed employees - and to many people who rely on now compromised services.

I think this is a case of democracy being the absolute worst form of govt, except for every other known option. Of course its messy as all get out - we're a massive, and massively diverse, country. No single party can possibly represent all of a reasonable person's views. You have to be all in on playing for the home team to always back either party.

Certainly for me, we have a very clear choice. Voting dem is the way to be rid of the caustic nationalism that threatens our democracy, and the best way to counter the nationalist forces threatening peace and democracy abroad. I don't want to see a turn to the socialist populist left either, but we'll have to see. We may have little choice in today's world but to pick between the populist extremes. That doesn't mean there isn't a clear choice. I do hope the dems give me a better choice, but I'm bracing myself that they won't.

I also think that, like every other political era we tend to think of as permanent, this one won't be. We have to survive it though, and dumping the nationalists is the best chance of that IMO.