I am usually positive and forward-looking about the political scene in America; even in the worst of the Trump years I found that taking action mitigated my dread of the evident fascist evils stalking our land. But, this year, everything is up for grabs: both democracy and the fate of our beloved planet.

With two weeks before the midterm election, here is a little civics lesson and a diary about how my days are going during this particularly perilous political season.