I hate politics

I’ve really grown to despise politics during the last few years. No longer is politics about getting things done, about the give and take of compromise to produce what’s best for people and our country. Today, politics is completely about winning at any cost, and not just defeating but destroying the other side. Politics now is “ my way or the highway.”

No one can openly express your opinion now without being attacked and ridiculed. And in social media you can’t even post a meme or share something you found interesting without being dogpiled by critics. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, if you express an opinion you might as well be holding a “kick me” sign.
Actually, Republican or Democrat means nothing any more. The parties are little more than shells and money funnels for right-wing and left-wing extremists who by virtue of volume have driven out everyone else.  Volume as in noise, not numbers. There once were liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats who filled the center and kept the extremists at bay. That center, collectively known as moderates, made our system of government work.
Sure, there were outside influences and lobbies for various interests, but there also were honorable people serving with ethics and morals. Now, thanks to corporate contributions, PACs, and greedy billionaires we have the best politicians and government money can buy.
I’m disgusted by today’s politics and politicians. I think Donald Trump is the worst thing to happen to America and I’m astounded by how many otherwise intelligent, rational people adore this preening, narcissistic, spoiled fraud and buffoon. And Republicans have let him run wild while they’ve been dismantling and working on plans to dismantle every progressive thing enacted since FDR — including Social Security and Medicare, two things older Americans depend on. The GOP has shirked all responsibility and ignored their role as a check in our checks-and-balances system so they can advance their agenda.
Democrats don’t get off scot freewith me,  either. They keep foisting the same tired, old candidates — emphasis on tired and old — on voters. It’s time Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and that entire generation of Democrats stepped aside because their time has passed. I wouldn’t vote for any of them. Unfortunately, they’ve spent so much time and effort trying to get Hillary elected that the Democrats, at the moment, have no viable contenders to offer other than their over-the-hill gang. I haven’t seen one feasible presidential prospect for 2020 among the Democrats. Right now, the best hope for Democrats is in the midterm election next week because right now they have no shot at the White House that I can see.
Oh, and let’s not forget those far left-wing fringe Democrats whose ideas are as scary as the far right-wingers’ ideas. Some of their rhetoric scares the real mainstream Democrats as well as keeping the GOP extreme foaming at the mouth. They all need to remember it’s all about balance. Tip too far far in either direction, and the consequences won’t be good for anybody.
Only one thing can restore balance politically in our country. Voters.
In 2016, a little more than a fourth of eligible voters — and the Electoral College — elected Trump. A little more than a fourth voted for Hillary.  About half the eligible American voters either stayed home, or at least didn’t vote either Trump or Clinton.
Half. That’s sad. Trump claims a great victory and the support of a great majority of Americans when a quarter of eligible voters cast ballots for him — and three-quarters did not. It would have been the same situation had Clinton won with only a quarter of voters voting for her.
I suspect, or hope, the vanished moderates are among the half of voters who didn’t vote. Perhaps they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for the lesser of two evils. Or, like me, they’re just disgusted with modern politics. It is hard to blame them since their voices have been hidden by the screeching, snarling, and shouting of the extremists.
But, as I’ve said before, it’s time for moderates to no longer be silent. Moderates need to come forward and figuratively box both sides’ ears and send them back to the dark recesses of the fringe where they belong. It’s time for the adults to take control of our gover again, and for all the extremists to be sent packing.
That’s my opinion.  If you don’t like it, or don’t agree, I don’t care. I’m not going to argue or debate with anyone. Been there, done that, had enough of the BS.