I have been trying to avoid the election as much as possible, and while I was doing other things, it's probably just as well that I spared myself the agony of watching the Democratic debate last night.

Seriously, why should I watch? Did I have any duty? I'm no good at "live blogging" things, so it's just as well to leave that to those who are really good at it, like Stephen Green and Ann Althouse. They did a better job of watching the debate than I could. So much better, in fact, that reading their reactions gives me a better idea of what was going on than writing my reactions would have. Seeing them confirm two of my primary suspicions made me feel that I really didn't miss anything.

Here's Stephen Green:

Sometimes I really hate all these guys. Even more than the Republicans. And that's saying something.

And Ann Althouse:

this is the precise point in the debate where I conclude -- I'd been toying with the conclusion -- that Clinton is the superior candidate.

Notwithstanding my problems with the Republican Party, there is no way I could vote for Hillary Clinton. Nor could I vote for any candidate who believes in the following:

That this has become the mainstream position of the Democratic Party is too obvious to require extended discussion. I think pulling out in such a way that it emboldens powerful enemies who are poised to take over Iraq is dangerous and irresponsible. The idea that the US should pull out of Iraq because it was wrong to go in is not only illogical, but in light of the Democrats' former statements, it is supremely hypocritical.

A simple and recent illustration of how utterly destructive and insane this has become, look no further than the Democrats' deliberate killing of legislation which might have protected people from being sued for reporting suspicious behavior by possible terrorists. (Fausta Wertz has a good post on the subject.)

If what had happened to me in September of 2001 happened now, I think I'd be sued. What the Democrats did was beyond scummy; it was truly despicable. Identity politics always is. (I believe it is an evil, loathsome virus of the human mind.)

Look no further than today's WSJ editorial:

Rationing via price controls and, as costs rise, waiting periods and coverage restrictions. This is Michael Moore's medical dream state.

Um, anthropogenic global warming alarmism? (Ugh, not that again!) Nothing like putting environmentalists in charge of the ecomony. What I think Hillary would do is let Al Gore continue to catch the flak for her, then create a new Cabinet level "climate change" position for him. (While the GOP isn't much better, they are nice enough to at least tolerate dissenters.)

No, the Democrats will never, ever, ever, stop with that -- even if they have to break the gun laws in order to pimp for more. That's because gun control has long been one of their crown jewels. (Hillary has long worn hers publicly and proudly.)

Like it or not, the above things are all bread-and-butter issues of the Democratic Party. I disagree on every damned one of them, and I think they are all major issues of vital importance which dwarf the rest. True, many Republicans suck on pork, many suck on individual liberty and lifestyle politics, and many are only half opposed to socialism. Many people get hung up on lifestyle issues and religion, but the GOP is not monolithic about lifestyle politics. Besides, such personal issues are not within the scope and power of the federal government. Much as I disagree with them, I'd hold my nose and vote for a sexual moralist who lacks real power to impose his morality over an environmentalist socialist gun grabber with the power to impose his.

In short, the things I most hate about a minority of Republicans, they can't do.

The things I most hate about the majority of Democrats, they can and will do.

This situation is unlikely to change, and the election is still more than a year away.

(Probably a good reason not to watch the debates, and instead have my fear and loathing done for me vicariously. Nothing wrong with a little emotional outsourcing!)