I've lived in the south for 15 years or so and there are things I still don't completely understand, but I accept it for what it is.  There are cultural things that mean something here that don't mean the same thing everywhere.  The flag...that fucking racist flag that only represents racism to some blacks and a very small number of racist white people.  The south hasn't let go of the past in a few aspects...but the culture here for better or worse is different.  Some of it is just a joke to say fuck you to people that judge them, but they believe in tradition and southern heritage/hospitality.  It's a different mindset and just because you and I don't understand it doesn't mean it's wrong.  They have different values.  Doesn't mean they are right or wrong.  They are just different.

When you're brought up a certain way (whatever that way is), it gets ingrained in you.  Your family shapes your mind when you're young.  Some people as they get older start to think for themselves or experience different cultures and expand their worldview.  One thing that was very interesting where I lived before moving to Charlotte...without doing a scientific poll, 90% of the people in that county had never been on an airplane before.  Many lived on a piece of land that was given to them as part of the family land.  Chattanooga was the big city and people hated going there.  If you haven't lived there you have no chance of understanding it.  It's not that the people are evil for believing what they believe, they literally don't know any better.  And it's not because they are stupid; they just haven't seen the rest of the world.  They don't understand things and as a result they are afraid of them.  I'm not judging whether it's right or wrong; I'm just trying to help you understand where they are coming from. 

You can't underestimate the impact of the culture people grow up in.  If you don't get to experience other cultures, you don't get to see other perspectives.  The terrorists grow up believing that we are evil because that's how they are raised.  People grow up fans of the Yankees or Mets because they are raised to be a fan of that team by their family.  The confederacy is their culture whether you respect that or not.  That doesn't mean they want slavery back.  That doesn't mean they are all racist or bible thumpers (though those people do exist).  It was their culture before the war and it's going to continue to be their culture.  The more people try to force change on them, the more they are going to embrace it.

Relatively healthy I suppose, but far from healthy.  Wife is a diabetic.  I work in the industry as well and have for about 10 years now.  I know more than most about it.  The problem is that ACA didn't work at all.  It is a failure because it was designed to be a failure so they could get single-payer.  Oops.  That didn't work, did it?  You are close to right...I have a lot of empathy, but very little sympathy.  There's a difference between the two. I feel for people in tough situations, but that doesn't mean I have to support them forever either. Take some responsibility for yourself.

See, the problem is nobody except the sick signed up.  That is unsustainable.  He fucked up healthcare on purpose, but instead of getting what he wanted, the end result was the backlash that contributed to Trump being elected.  It's not bashing when you're telling it like it is.  Bashing is what you guys do to Trump...everything is going along just fine, but you bash the fuck out of him because you feel like it.  No rhyme, no reason.

You're probably right on the economy.  I was thinking backwards...Clinton destroyed the economy by creating the conditions that led to the housing and .com bubbles and when they burst (as they were going to because the math didn't work) everyone blamed Bush.  The damage was done already.  Same thing would have happened with healthcare...build this unsustainable platform (whether it's healthcare, bad lending practices, etc) and act surprised when shit falls apart.  In many ways Clinton is lucky she didn't win, because the economy would have been crushed under the weight of the healthcare burden alone and she would have taken the hit for it.  Really we're all lucky.  Instead of being pissed at Trump you guys should be thanking your lucky stars...at least we have a chance this way...

Desperation doesn't look good on you.

We're blaming Trump for the flu now?  I suppose AIDS was Reagan's fault...