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You may also be right that it will be this quasi-Independent force.  Roosevelt was a Republican, mostly.  But he did form the Bull Moose Party, aka the Progressive Party.  And it was a springboard for a lot of progressive ideas that played out for decades to come, in reaction to out of control capitalism. I think we are stuck - both Democrats as a party and the US as a nation -  for as long as we have these red states like Iowa and Montana and North Dakota that reflexively elect Republicans only these days.  Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, is someone I sent money to for several cycles.  In 2018, he won.  In 2024, he lost.  He allegedly texted someone and said the party brand was like "poison" to him in Montana.  Duh! Tester slams Democrats, voices support for potential independent in Senate race I agree with Tester.  We have two strong Independent candidates running this cycle who are kinda sorta Democrats, in Montana and Nebraska.  There was a time, not that long ago, when moderate Democrats could win in those states as moderate Democrats.  Such a time could exist again in the not too distant future, after Trump's mess ends. The thing I liked about people like Jon Tester and Heidi Heitkamp and Claire McCaskill (recent moderate Democrats who won and then lost in Montana, North Dakota, and Missouri) is that they mostly kept their mouths shut and played as team players, knowing that the AOC/Bernie end of the party was a drag on them.  We need both to win.  And that is clearer then ever.  Had we had those three Senators in the US Senate in 2022 we could have had permanent child tax credits.   That would have cut working class child poverty in half for Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics.  That is better than $1 billion ballrooms if Democrats want to win power and keep it for a while.  Like AMLO did in Mexico by focusing on people's pocketbooks and keeping the college-educated woke crowd at bay.  Disclaimer:  I am part of the college-educated woke crowd, but I recognize that I am NOT a majority.  My actual woke college professor was named Paul Wellstone.  And he ended a long Democratic drought in Minnesota in 1990 by being the woke college professor who rode economic populism to the US Senate.  Tim Walz was an acolyte of progressive training school Wellstone Action.  The formula works! Then we have money whores like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.  I might be arguing against myself by saying i want moderate Democrats, but not Manchin and Sinema.  They are moderates.  But they are also pocket sucking money whores who suck up lobbyist money.  And they were never really good team players.  Even though they claimed to be.  At least with Sinema it worked out well.  We got rid of that pocket sucking money whore and replaced her with Ruben Gallego, who is a team player and will fight for progressive stuff.   Talarcio kind of falls in that category in Texas.  He is running as a Democrat.  But he is branding himself as young and fresh and independent. If any of these three can win, either as a Democrat or an Independent, I think that's good news.  Maybe people are getting sick of the craziness. One reason I like Gavin Newsom is he can and will tell people on the left - like me - to go fuck ourselves.  He has a good enough radar for the center that he can maintain popularity while appeasing the left on some things.  Maybe Kamala Harris or others can do that.  But Newsom has proven it in California.  So my hope is by 2028 someone like Newsom or Harris gets elected POTUS.  And can also get a stable Senate majority, which in theory could include some "red state" Independents.  I think Carney is proving adept at the same thing in Canada.   Then again, maybe it's time for a Bull Moose Party again!

Teddy Roosevelt comes to mind, and the leashing of cartel capitalism under his administration. Whatever Democrat wins if there is to be any improvement in the lives of the general populace breaking up big tech monopolies, and fighting against the systemic corruption of the MAGA regime are essential.      

And the answer is:  in 2018 and 2020, America had had enough of Trump.  Kinda.  Sort of. I decided a while back there basically are two Americas.  We now know pretty much for a fact that up to 40 % of America will eat Trump's shit for breakfast.  For many of them - like one of my nieces and one of my nephews - they are Trump voters for whom times have never been better.  My niece is buying a condo in Florida.  My nephew texted me to say how wonderful it is that NVDA has gone through the roof.  Another nephew, who despises Trump, just become a multi-millionaire on a bet on SOXL (semiconductors) that paid off very well.  So we live in a K-shaped economy.  For many Trump voters, and for many upscale Democrats, times have never been better.  But that's not most Americans.  The rich love tax cuts and ballrooms.  Who cares if we spend $1 billion on a ballroom while gas prices soar?  These are all signs of the times. Trump won again in 2024 with less than 50 % of the vote.  He won for two reasons:  high prices, and open borders.  He did do slightly better than he did in 2016, when he lost the electoral college.  I do blame this on Democrats as much as Trump.  Biden was old and tired.  And even if he was not old and tired, I never got the feeling that he or Harris could tell working class America how they would fight for them every fucking day.  Biden was no FDR, even though he wanted to be.  We'll see how Kamala does in 2028, if she runs.  The polls say she is leading.  If Democrats want a fighter, I think it is just as likely they will pick Newsom.  That is the role he is auditioning for.  He was on the cutting edge of same sex marriage as Mayor of SF when I lived there.  And I think he has been a competent relatively progressive Governor of one of the largest economies in the world in a time of COVID crisis.  Whoever Democrats nominate, they have to be able to explain how they will fight like hell for the working class in a way Harris simply could not in 2024.  Maybe the third time will be the charm for her.  I'm hoping.  Or maybe Mayor Pete or somebody else will emerge. Emotionally, I already feel like America is lost.  When the President of the United States is brazenly threatening to end a civilization and burn millions of Iranian children to death, how can America claim to be a shining city on a hill?  We are a corrupt moral cesspool right now.  And the billionaires, starting with Trump and his family and friends, are building ballrooms and grabbing every fucking penny they can.  They deserve it! I can't tell you when this will end.  But I'm pretty sure it won't end well.  The better question for me is:  what Democrat can clean up this disgraceful and harmful mess when it collapses? But for now, Trump wants gold statues of himself, ballrooms, and parties!    

Before visiting this shop, I strongly recommend you read a recent post by @macaroni21 on his ShamelessMack2 travel blog.  Here is a link to the article: https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2026/04/19/magically-still-in-business/     Also, I visited this shop in March and included information in my trip report.  Here is what I wrote:   continued…Installment 16 A:  Had a quiet, leisurely morning checking messages and reading forum posts.  Went downstairs to the coffee shop for a latte and pastry.  Didn’t want to eat too much and planning to skip lunch altogether.  Meeting several forum members for dinner at G’s.  Looking forward to good company and food.  Decided to head over to Silom mid-afternoon.  Planned to get a massage.  Recalled reading a post about an older H-type shop off Surawong called Magic Touch.  Thought I would check it out.  Turned out to be a big mistake.  Locating the shop was a bit of a challenge.  There is a narrow street between 56 Surawong and Le Meridien that appears to be a dead end leading to The Rose.  When you get to The Rose, the street sort of zig zags around and continues on past a number of shops which all appear to do laundry.  Approximately 75 meters from the Rose is a very short alley to the left that is very non-descriptive with four or five small shops, one of which happens to be Magic Touch.  Google maps was helpful up until the alley.  The shop should have better marketing from the street into the alley.  Initially I walked past the alley entrance a good 25 meters where it was mostly residential, so turned around and finally was able to determine exact location.  Shop is older.  Ground floor contains a very small reception area.  Decor is very dated, and the place was hot, smelled musty, and didn’t appear to be the cleanest establishment.  Only one person was working, so no options regarding therapists.  No idea how many people they may have on staff.  Of course, this was around 3:30pm in the afternoon, so I wasn’t expecting many employees, but certainly more than one.   He was not my type at all…older gentleman, late 30’s or possibly early 40’s, certainly not twink material, definitely on the chubby side…zero attraction whatsoever.  Provided me with a glass of water, turned on A/C unit, showed me a price list.  At this point I should have politely declined and just left, but I went ahead and agreed to a 60 minute oil massage.  Foot massage wasn’t an option, otherwise I might have chosen that.  Keep in mind there is nobody else in this shop…just the ‘therapist’ and myself.  Paid THB 600 and he proceeded to take me up to the very top floor…four flights of very narrow steps that were not so bad going up, but coming down felt extremely unsafe.  Thought it strange we had to go all the way up when each floor had two massage rooms.  One room was larger with an ensuite shower, small sink, and urinal.  No toilet.  Second room was smaller and there was no ensuite, but a shower nearby off the hallway and a toilet.  I was in the large room with the ensuite.  Massage table was typical wood frame with thin padding, face cradle, with towel correctly placed.  Often the towel will cover the face cradle in many of these shops.  Therapist gave me an old towel that honestly felt like it was made of sandpaper.  Shower was obviously very old, could have definitely used a bottle of Clorox, body wash was almost empty, water was lukewarm at best and just a trickle.  No way to adjust pressure or temperature.  Just on/off.  Hesitated even getting on the massage table as I questioned in my mind just how clean the cover was.  Looked very old and stained.  After taking a quick shower and finally getting on the table, therapist came back into the room.  Started with the sandpaper towel covering me and some dry presses.  Oh, I should mention that when he came into the room, I could tell from the sound that he had removed his clothing and tossed them off to the side.  Without him even touching me, it was rather obvious where this could lead.  Massage skills were basically non-existent.  Probably one of my worst experiences in Thailand.  The entire time I was laying on the table I just wanted it to end.  Just a miserable experience overall.  Absolutely no chemistry whatsoever, so no desire for any ‘special services’.  It couldn’t end soon enough, and I couldn’t wait to get out of there.  Tip was never mentioned, so no idea if there was a mandatory amount or not, and certainly no extra services were provided.  I was just so anxious to get out of there I gave him THB 500.  Not only was the massage itself terrible, but I walked out feeling dirty…actually dirty…like I wanted to go all the way back to Asoke then and there to take a nice, long and hot shower at the condo.  Of all my various escapades, I would never return nor would I recommend this shop.  The only other shop I would not return to is Phoenix, which I visited in October.  While the masseur was ok, it was difficult to find, not as convenient to Saphan Kwai BTS, and in general a sleazy environment.