I caught myself the other day: I opened my Safari and paid absolutely no attention to my Politico homepage. I saw the headlines but gave them no second thought. The same thing occurred in class as I was trying -- and failing -- to kill time. I switched over to Bloomberg Politics, but found myself just scrolling through the titles feeling no urge to actually read the repetitive and negative articles on our nation's most important political race.
Clinton's Under Fire
Dems Rebuke Republicans
Republicans Attack Hillary
Trump Insults the World
Every week, they are all the same. The 2016 Presidential campaign sucks. There is no other way to put it. The candidates, bless their hearts, have driven it so far into the ground that the hole they now occupy is unreachable by the rest of the American public.
As the biggest political nerd south of the Mason-Dixon, I had been dreaming of this election for years. Finally, I would follow every story, stay up-to-date on every candidate, and make these bomb flow charts that would help every person and their mother decide who is best align with his or her own beliefs. But here I am, 358 days till the election, completely indifferent to the debates, drama, and beliefs. How on earth did that happen?
Drama. More than likely, any Washington centered conversation will consist of the horrible noun.
The Freedom Caucus is so dramatic... Benghazi is just a bunch of political drama... etc., etc.
There was a point in time when off-screen drama was associated with two things: rough break-ups and 16 year old girls yet, somehow, the definition now points me straight towards the future leaders of our country.
"Yes, but that is how all the elections have played out."
In the past, each party has been able to unite around one candidate. And when that was not plausible, we were at least able to unite around our own parties without fear that they would be tanked by corrupt individuals. (cough, cough, D-Trump). Today, we have no idea who will win the primaries, and even less faith that our respective parties will hold themselves together long enough to win the general. 2016 has turned into a lot of Is and Mes and a whole lot less of We.
This year has been nothing but a disappointment. There is no solution I can propose or solid foundation I can fall back on outside of the faith that things really do always work out.
Maybe if we continue to educate ourselves on the issues and remain convicted in our beliefs? Maybe if we remain loyal to one candidate and not become fair weather fans? Maybe if our candidates put the country first instead of the insults and drama?
Who knows. While I am still hopeful against my better judgement that we will unite as a country to make the best decision, my faith and attention span, along with those of the American people, wares so very thin.
