That last sentence is likely what most non-Americans do not understand. The federal government doesn’t have (and has no right to) this information because elections are administered by states. The way a state elects its federal representatives is variable(to a limited degree) but valid, as long as the state upholds its own rules and laws.
I miss video stores, for sure. Blockbuster itself wasn’t great but it was so omnipresent in our lives that it has become shorthand for “video stores” the way Band-Aids are shorthand for adhesive medical strips. Often, when people reminisce about “Blockbuster,” it isn’t really about Blockbuster itself but just the culture of the rental store as it existed back then.
The entire appeal of McDonald’s is being predictable. It’s mediocre but you know what you’re getting and it’s appealing to a lot of people. In that way, Blockbuster being McDonald’s is true — but also explains why it’s preferable to streaming in some ways. They had a limited selection but that selection didn’t change and you knew pretty reliably what kind of movies they would be carrying.
Ironically back when video stores existed, no major distributor would box themselves in like that. The only Blockbuater exclusive movies would be modestly-budgeted things released through one or two smaller studios with ties to Blockbuster itself.
They’ve never met my dog, who is an asshole.