This post has been brewing for a while.

I’ve been avoiding doing political posts, because honestly, politics has become less about ideas and more about identity. And a lot of the time – it’s more about hating the other side because they are evil.

In a lot of my feeds, it’s all-or-nothing, and you must agree with all of one side’s positions. Granted, the radicals are the loudest voices in the room, because the moderates tend not to be loud. I’m just tired of the whole thing. I only keep my eye on it because it affects the day job and some of my hobbies.

If you look on my voter ID card, it says Republican. I’m only a Republican because first, Florida has closed primaries, and second, there are too many local races where if you can’t vote in the primary, you can’t vote for the office. If that wasn’t the case, I would be independent. Maybe back to the Libertarians to boost their numbers on the voter rolls.

I despise the cult of sycophancy around Trump that dominates the current party. I hate the cult of populism that runs through the party. I hate all of the executive orders instead of legislating. I hate the rejection of free trade policies. I hate the acceptance of taking stakes in private companies. I hate the tacit acceptance of antisemitic personalities. I hate the edgelord playing to crowd instead of trying to govern.

If you hate this so much, why don’t you go be a Democrat? Because they’re just as bad in their own way.

I despise their cult of identity. I despise their bent to more and more radical socialism. I despise their eschewing of personal liberty in the search for this mystical “social justice.” I despise their acceptance and promotion of anti-natalism, doomsday ecology, and personal fragility over personal growth.

Overall, it just feels like the politicians are valuing attention over ability. It’s more important to be shouting faces on the streams than being serious about the offices they were elected to. It’s more important to grab power to punish their enemies and reward their friends than be actual statesmen that guide this nation to a brighter future.

In the end, the blame lies with the voters. This is what the voters wanted. This is what they voted for time and time again.

Like I said above, I’m not fully withdrawing from watching politics. I can’t ignore it like many others do because of the day job and my guns. I watch them like I watch the oceans during storm season. I’m also not going to cut my friends who are into politics just for their politics.

Now I need to do something other than navel gaze and stew in my own frustrations. I think I’ll enjoy the company of my loved ones and my cats. And maybe play a little Civ.