I was walking to the station this morning, and heard a rush of steps in the old creekbed next to the road. I looked over expecting a beaver and saw a startled doe, which was looking back at me across the swale. "Hello, deer," I said, then realized how odd that sounded. I'll be glad when my wife rejoins me next week. I find myself talking to plants, the TV, the sink.

I was just rolling several ideas around in my head. Certain people here are disappointed in the Democrats; others are furious with them. A commenter at Econbrowser was predicting that one of the present parties will collapse. Starting a third party, like the Greens, seems to strengthen the wrong party - at least in the Presidential election. But I think, for the time being, we have to write off the office of the President as being a motivator for positive change.

We sort of let Acorn go down without a fight. Now Planned Parenthood and collective bargaining are under attack. Clearly, such organized groups of people are frightening enough to the robot overlords that they will attack them in broad daylight. Perhaps we need more Acorns, rather than another party.

One of those acorns might grow into something that could effect more change than simply voting for the lesser of two weevils.

Many people react to bad news by stocking their pantry, getting a wood stove, buying a shotgun, etc. as if they can survive without the people around them. Others have started separate ecovillages. The Tea Party think they can keep going without the rest of the middle class/working class.The rich think they can hide in their gated enclaves.

Perhaps we need something like the Transition Network which is trying to prepare people for a new sort of society. But definitely something that embraces society rather than shrinking away.