Though I understand the underlying sentiment, and I recognize that politics isn’t a once every two years thing, I disagree that it should somehow be on us on.

I would love an engaged electorate, but realistically people campaigned on a specific platform. We pay them to read the bills and ideally vote in accordance with what they said their values are. It’s completely unrealistic to push that back on the constituents. Often even congresspeople don’t have time to read an entire bill before they vote on it. Do I understand all the intricacies of every omnibus bill? No. I give them my hard earned money so they have the time and staff to. If I have to be on the phone all the time reminding them that they promised no more wars just so they remember to stop Trump from bombing Iran then they have failed to do their job.

Does that mean we shouldn’t call and express our opinions? No, of course not. But the entire point of having representatives in a representative democracy is so that your average person doesn’t have to sit down and understand the ins and outs of every policy. It’s really not their job to, and especially in America it’s unrealistic to act like people will. Party leadership should be the ones capable of looking around, seeing the direction the wind is blowing, and coming up with a unified vision that addresses the issues of the people that voted for the party.

Also, however much I support contacting your congressperson, and have done so often myself, I’ve never once had it have any affect whatsoever. I still do it, but that’s not a reliable way to get policies you want to happen. The only real reliable way is to vote in someone who was going to champion that anyway.

If they mess up coming out of this midterm win, I will be astounded if they are able to take the presidency. Dems will never have another chance like this to really demonstrate a new vision. I hope they don’t fumble it.

What a truly heart wrenching comment. Made me tear up. Now I feel like a bad mom. I can’t change my inability to imagine a life without them, but damn I’m going to steal that sentiment and at least pretend like I’m a better person than I am from now on.

Hope you and all your pets get to live together forever.

This is my concern too. I’ve had mine for a looong time, but not their entire life. When I adopted them they were in a bad state. It took a lot of love and trust to build them back up and there is something undeniably unique about our bond. I hope I go before they do, but that’s unlikely. In the likely scenario that they go first, I can’t imagine having that same bond with another pet. I obviously would prefer no animal has to experience what they went through, but there is just no way our bond will be as deep.

I feel a little messed up saying that because obviously every relationship is different, and I’m sure most furry friends are capable of deep love, but I will never be able to demonstrate my love the same way to an animal that doesn’t need that help. If they never needed to be carried, how will they know I will be there when they do? My little one knows I will care for them through anything and I just want them all to know that without having to have experienced the need for it.

I stopped being accompanied by parents in middle school. Obviously you’re entitled to your rules, but that seems like a strange one.

Oh god. This just reminded me that I had to teach this guy I dated that you can defrost things in the container they came in. I don’t know why, but he had it in his head that if you keep it in the original packaging it keeps the cold in forever(?) and it’ll never defrost. He used to do this exact thing. He would just open a whole package of beef or chicken breast and dump it into water or on a plate and just leave it to defrost for hours. I am mostly just assuming it’s more sanitary to keep things in the sealed packaging for as long as possible, but it just seemed so gross to leave things open on the counter for hours. This post gave me flashbacks. Really wish that whole time had stayed forgotten. Thanks OP.