Let's see. Ronald Reagan left office c. two weeks shy of his 78th b-day. Nancy Pelosi now nears 73. Last November, the twentysomething Reagan fan Luke Russert took it on himself to scold the House minority leader for "failing to make way for" a "younger" colleague. Enter Joanie -- now 74 or 75. Evidently, so long as nepotism, sexism, and George-Burns-knows-what trump feminism, the term "senior stateswoman" will remain as rare as hen's (make that rooster's) teeth. Till things change in the world at large, if Betty White could pop in to put Joanie's afflicters in their place, I'd be grateful.

As a new mom, I acutely feel Alex's pregnancy anxiety and jealousy, especially as her body contorts to carry twins. Bravo to her great relationship, and to Toggle's sweetness. I'm happy to see Alex continue to develop as a complex character, not always lovable, as none of us are.

I have a feeling that if Joanie confers with Senator Warren, Miss Ponytail may by looking for a new job.

As a 44-year-old male, if my wife told me she was going to appear on C-SPAN, the question "What are you going to wear?" would never enter my mind. Yet, somehow GBT gets me to empathize with Joanie and see things from her point of view. That's one definition of damn good writing.

Unfortunately, the young "minions" who work with Sen. Warren are all about social media. Consequently, looking good (read "hot") on iphone, Skype and TV is a priority. This is a generation that is having their "lady parts" surgically revised to look better visually, for goodness sake. With financed plastic surgery a given, it's all about delivering your message while looking young and hot no matter how long in the tooth. Think Susan Lucci and get with the program, Joanie!

I so badly wanted to see Joanie reply to her younger colleague, "You know what? I've been fighting since before you were born so that women can be valued for what we do, not for how we look. I'm appropriately dressed and my hair is combed, and if that's good enough for all of the men who show up in the C-Span feed, then it's good enough for me." In fact I was counting on it. I know it's a comic strip, but every once in a while I need vindication.

I feel Joanie's pain and confusion. I look in the mirror and while I see the grey hairs on my head and the white ones in my beard, I still see the face that was there when I was eighteen. People of my parents' generation have gotten older, and some of my contemporaries are showing the ravages of age, but I am still the same. Aren't I?

Thanks. After 40 years of following Doonesbury (I started following in college during the 70s), I still love it.

Hmm. Second wave feminism seems to be well past its crest, eh? At least Joanie is still getting paid for her childcare work!

Joanie is taking it hard, but she needed that. We definitely don't want to lose sight of the big things, but a little fluffing and buffing now and then can improve morale at any age and help prevent grimness from settling in. Excuse me, I have to go now. I just remembered it's time for my quinquennial appointment at the nail salon...

The Doonesbury family is no different than a lot of others. There are people who are likeable half the time, but when they're not, watch out. Still, we must learn to coexist with them. Other media are populated with fictional characters who end up in awkward situations as a result of their idiosyncrasies. Then it can be "train wreck" time, or, in other words, real life. Often it's extremely uncomfortable to endure. I sometimes wish some of these characters were less obtuse. But that's out of my control. In other words, real life.

I love you, Joanie Caucus. You will always kick ass.

I totally relate to Joanie and the pressure for one's 'hotness' being held just as important as doing a great job. Good luck with the paint pots, Joanie. It was such unspoken harassment in my State job that pushed me into an early retirement.

I am disappointed in the tone of this week's comic. I thought Sen. Warren was above all that looks-over-brains stuff. One would think her minions would be of like mind.

Oh darn. I missed the seismic shift, again. For so long, attractive women were considered less than intelligent. Now that my youth is past, female competence is measured in looks and grooming. I can't decide if I need another degree or an esthetician. Help!

I've been a fan of yours since reading The Doonesbury Chronicles at age 10 in 1980, and admire you for your intelligent grasp of events and your integrity about holding to your own standards re media exposure. The only area of perpetual disappointment I have had is that Joanie's son Jeff is such a negative character. I don't recall a single cartoon since he was born that showed him in a positive light or enabled me to feel any sympathy for him. He's a boring, selfish, uninteresting, ungrateful, shallow, unlikeable person. And why curse Joanie, an intelligent and sensitive person, with two awful children? At least JJ was a likeable and sympathetic character, even if her life did go off the rails and on balance she didn't turn out well. With Jeff, there's nothing to redeem, and I have always found that very disappointing and hard to believe.

Alex and Toggle have the main ingredient to a long lasting marriage. They feel comfortable enough to express all their feelings, not just the noble ones, trusting they will still be loved and deemed "worthy." Alex did not sit on these concerns and simmer them, she is outspoken as ever about her self doubt, and spousal doubt. Toggle recognized a keeper and he can feel secure he will not have to second guess her thoughts for long, or whether it would be okay to indulge any attractions he might feel toward another. It is all out there on the table like it should be. Good going, Garry. Thank you for keeping your 2D characters multidimensional in personality, genuine and likeable.

'Humblebrags' ? Too long a word for today's media elite. For Roland's tweeting attitude, might I suggest 'humbris'?

Wow! Toggle is learning fast!

Alex just isn't very likeable on the hormone trip. She's OCD enough under normal circumstances!