I'm gonna try.

If I were a smart fella, I'd ignore politics. Just get on with life. Knowing full well that I have no influence over the outcome of elections. Or what happens in the seats of political power. I'm merely an individual without a meaningful say. All I can do is watch. And let political events unfold. Oh, I'm told by political pundits that I have a say. That I can go to the polls. And vote. But I have yet to participate in an election in which my vote made a difference. I could just as well have stayed home. Wouldn't have mattered. One way or another. I have as much influence on politics as I have on the weather. It's raining at the moment. The sun ain't shining. And I'm choosing to make the best of it. I hardly ever complain about the weather. But when it comes to politics, I complain. Right here in my blog. And in casual conversations with my friends and acquaintances and strangers. With virtually everyone. Maybe because I see politics as stupid. And a curse, too. I tell myself that the game of politics doesn't have to be mean-spirited. But 90 percent of the time, it is. That's the nature of politics. Stupid and mean-spirited. Partisan as partisan can be. And often, it ends up in hateful fights. Even war. Killing. Death and destruction. Because politicians can't seem to work out their differences in any other way. It's a dirty, rotten shame. The lack of civility. Especially here in America. At this very moment. In the halls of Congress. In the presidential election campaign. And I'm a contributor to all of this negativity. Because I've learned to despise politicians. On all sides of the aisles. But especially Republicans. I suppose that makes me mean-spirited. Yes, another reason for me to become aloof. To ignore politics. And to get on with the rest of my life. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. But I'm gonna try. --Jim Broede