1. It’s Wednesday, July 13, 2016.

2. Is it just me being a geezer, or are there lots of things about Pokemon GO that aren’t immediately clear?

For example, what does it mean when green leaves come up from the ground? Does that mean there’s a land Pokemon around? Is it a sign that somebody should prune the trees on that spot?

My son, who has been into this Pokemon thing for most of his 21-3/4 years, won’t be back in the U.S. for another week. I’m guessing he’ll be able to answer a lot of my questions.

But if he weren’t coming home, I’d just have an iPhone full of these digital creatures that I have no idea what to do with.

I’m not sure when peak Pokemon GO day is. It could be anytime this week. Eventually, there will be a cooling of the passion and people will get back to normal. My money is on this being nostalgia by Thanksgiving.

3. The Republican Party is betting against the tide.

The acceptance of same-sex marriage and the breakdown of barriers to those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender has happened at breakneck speed. Not a decade ago, there were people who could have imagined the changes that have taken place.

But they have. And it doesn’t seem like such a big deal. Isn’t the idea for the maximum number of people to be happy?

And yet, the Republicans don’t seem to be happy at all.

Their platform advocates the reversal of the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decisions. And, unbelievably, it favors the idea of gay conversion therapy – the nonsensical concept of attempting to brainwash a person who prefers someone of the same sex into heterosexuality.

First, so much for the party of personal liberty. Republicans only seem to be for that when it’s their choice.

Second, when the Republican Party foists a presidential candidate who doesn’t seem to want Latino, African-American or Muslim votes, it looks to shun LGBT and young voters as well.

Why young voters?

Because young people have led the same-sex equality fight in a way that’s as admirable as any generation’s stance ever. They have decided that discrimination against their friends who are in a same-sex relationship seems stupid. And when something’s stupid, you get rid of it.

4. And it would underline this Republican stance against popular change if Trump picks Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.

It was Pence who, a year ago, signed into law Indiana’s heinous “religious liberty” legislation that allowed businesses to deny services to people in same-sex relationships. That led to a boycott of Indiana that forced Pence to back down and endorse a modification of the law.

Pence is a fool. But he represents what the Republican Party has come to stand for – standing in the way of, rather than in support of, personal liberty. On same-sex issues, on a woman’s right to choose, on health care.

If I were running the national Democratic campaign, I would take planks of the Republican platform and place them verbatim on signs and billboards where my voters live. And I would stand there with voter registration cards saying “The Democratic Party. All are welcome.”