Lots of new people entering political discussions over the past five years, it was the best drama in town. It was likely fantastic for readership, but I suspect everyone will move on now that politics will be boring again. As it should be.

Politics ain't gonna be boring again for a while yet, though I can understand why you might push that narrative. Trump was a mere symptom of political dysfunction that includes both parties. Until our government can actually address the needs of its people we're going to continue swapping back and forth between the two parties.

Eh, I wasn't pushing a narrative. I'm not even from America, so I have no horses in this race. It's just not comically dysfunctional anymore, and back to being real politics. The politics may be controversial still but it's hopefully just policy, not subterfuge, scandals and insurrections. I guess we'll see though!

"Real politics" would involve considerably more aggressive movement from the democrats to shut out the republicans for 2022. I see the republicans gaining the house a the current trajectory, with nothing more than a one-time, means-tested, under-delivering $2000 check, let alone more aggressive policy on the horizon to address economic crisis.

In the first year it was comically dysfunctional. Then it was concerning. Then it was deeply, deeply sad to watch as an outsider.

It did make me realise that some people think the U.S. has the greatest health care system in the world though. That took some time to process.

I think that's part of the problem in getting a proper health care system. Some think they will lose what they have, rather than gain quite a lot, in the switch to a modern public health care system.