That’s unfortunate. I had some family members who were Trumpers, I no longer communicate with them. I don’t know anyone who is here, but I live in a very blue place. I feel like politics has changed, at one time I could respectfully disagree with right-wingers, and now I regard them as dangerous, deeply unethical fascists who tried to steal our right to elect representation. I believe they pose a greater threat to this country than any foreign enemy. It’s a shame that it’s come to this. So yeah, I’m feeling the tension too, but from distant red states. It feels kind of crazy that someone so deeply unpopular and terrible could be celebrated in so many distant places.

I think the Overton window will move leftward, for a few reasons:

• It’s been pulled so far right there’s no where else for it to go, short of full Nazi, which I don’t think it will despite Trump’s best efforts.
• The stomping that Republicans got in the last 2 elections seems to indicate they’ve gone too far right and have lost voters because of it.
• Demographic shift, Republicans skew older, and many of them are passing away. It is often said social change happens one funeral at a time.
• Younger people skew left and are dissatisfied with both parties, which will eventually lead to a realignment of platforms to appeal to them.
• Bernie did pretty damn well in the 2016 Democratic primaries, and put up a strong showing in 2020 as well.

Although he isn’t very exciting to me, Biden’s centrism might be an asset when his opponent is so far radical right. Stability matters to a lot of voters more than fulfilling wishlists of how we can improve. After all, there’s usually a lot of disagreement regarding how and even if we should improve. Opposing the dangers of the radical right isn’t a bad way to position himself.