I’m old enough to remember a time when political discourse at least pretended to be civil.

“The gentleman from West Virginia apparently believes his constituents prefer not having clean water or affordable health care.”

Those days are long gone and it’s common to hear a member of congress insult —often using vile language— another member or that person’s family. Nothing is off-limits. Since we’ve come this far (down), let’s go one step further. Fistfights.

If you insult me or my wife or my children, I can invite you to join me in the parking lot and we settle or differences like adults. Okay, not adults. Like, high school kids. I seem to recall a long, proud tradition of duels in American politics. Are they really any less dignified than what we’re seeing today? And if the loud-mouth declines to “step outside,” we wait for him/her in the parking lot.