Thanks Ross for all the sharing. Your relationship with your grandparents was touching and really interesting. It sounds like you had figured out their "challenges" at a relatively early age. I didn't really know my grandparents and I feel like I missed out on something really meaningful. I think the limits that were set on your television watching were probably hugely consequential for the trajectory of your life, and good for you for monitoring your children's viewing. Screens have such a powerful pull on our brains and I know in my bones that excessive watching has a corrosive effect on academic achievement. My best students typically have had strict limits on their viewing time, but of course not all viewing is the same and as you said, there's quality content out there. 

My wife and I have discussed how we think Trump could have really built a bridge to a larger segment of the electorate when he took office. He could have come out of the gate in 2017 with a more conciliatory tone and really pushed for national unity.  With a hefty amount of political capital, he could have demanded that the GOP fund an expansive infrastructure program that would benefit blue collar workers from both parties.  He could have geared the massive tax cuts more to the middle class. He really squandered an opportunity to be the man of the people who was beholden to no one but the voters. But no, he tripled down on the divisive talk and was corrupt, cruel, and dangerous beyond anything we could have imagined.

 As you say, he was incapable of growing into the job. He is who he is, and he seems all too happy with that! Yes, bring on the election! 

Peter T.