If we are going to entertain the possibility that the illusions Republicans hold about the 'state of our nation' in past days are true, I have my own to throw into the pot.
While the Republicans are pining for days of crotchety old white men in charge of the House of Reps and sitting in the White House, I'm pining for the days when this was a nation I could, within a degree of plausible deniability, be proud of.
I want back my country that was horrified at the thought of committing a war crime. (Not that we never committed them, but if asked no one would have admitted to being in favor of torture).
I want back my country where you could get by on an honest paycheck for an honest day's work....at ONE job! And where pensions that were promised were actually delivered.
I want back my country where the votes that were cast in an election actually physically existed somewhere so they could be counted once much less twice!
I want back my country where reporters were answerable to their editors and fact checkers instead of corporate advertisers, and where news divisions were never intended to make money.
I want back my country where a public education was sufficient to actually, you know, educate.
I want back my country where a strong middle class provided for a strong economy, and where we actually made products we could be proud to buy.
I want back my country, that was taken away by greedy, self-serving, freeloading Republicans that want it all without paying their fair share. A country where bridges and dams weren't in danger of catastrophic failure because public works funding was slashed to make way for privatization, a country where a handful of corporations didn't own 99% of media outlets, and control the majority of food production.
As the saying goes, the good old days weren't always so good, but I can pander to my illusions as well as the conswervatives can.