I still voted, for many of the reasons you mention here. I don't share your friend's attitude. I don't think Democrats "should just step up." I think they made a huge mistake in how they ran their campaigns. I also think we agree. This "victory" basically gives us a couple more years to make our plans. You might be better off leaving the country. I'm trying to get somewhere that's not heading into a permanent state of extreme drought. All I can do is vote and do my best to make others aware of what the stakes are. I think you get it. Too many Democrats think everything's going to be just fine, and they're so deeply wrong. I think the Democrats have to go for broke, because what they did this election won't save us from anything, whether it's fascism or the planet's destruction. They bought us some time, and you're right that maybe I should be a little more relieved than what I seem to indicate in the article, but not too much.