I Got My Mind Made Up

In these partisan times, it is hard to imagine anyone who is on the fence in 2020. Maybe there are some torn between Sanders and Warren. Maybe some are curious about Yang or weighing the possibilities of a third-party vote. But we all have something in common. You, me, MAGA stans, QAnon truthers, Never Trumpers, Bernie Bros, Yang Gang members, and anyone who identifies with any of the current political fan clubs. Our minds are made up. After 4 years of living in MAGA world, I have an idea of what this administration is about. I don’t need anymore Russian collusion stories; I don’t need a pee tape; I don’t need another two-hour podcast about how he is a fascist or leaked memo or book about how he’s incompetent and corrupt. I got it. Everyone except Yang running for office in 2020 has a political track record. Eight years of Biden as Obama’s BF and 36 years in the Senate. Socialist Bernie the former Mayor of Burlington, member of the House and current US Senator. ’I have a plan for that’ Warren the academic, law professor and seven-year senator. Soldier Pete’s time with McKinsey & Company before becoming Mayor of South Bend and begging for money in wine caves. Billionaire Boys Club Michael Bloomberg the former mayor of NYC, co-developer of “Bloomberg Terminals” and owner of Bloomberg News. Besides with a simple google search I can find each candidate’s voting record, legislation they wrote and or supported, political positions, family background, net worth, yadda yadda yadda. Hell, they all have books, some even best sellers. The Freedom Dividend giver, Andrew Yang has a book and plenty of MATH merch on Amazon to flex your undying devotion. Everything that needs to be said has been and honestly, I’m exhausted. There is nothing to gain by watching millionaires debate over whose pockets are deep enough to play big bank take little bank with our billionaire president. There is nothing to learn from watching or listening to millionaire pundits pretend to give a non-partisan analysis of the election circus when they are just highly paid cheerleaders. I’m better off wasting time on IG sharing memes and scrolling through strangers’ curated lives.

I’m Just a Normie

My girlfriend might disagree, but I am a grown-ass adult. An adult with responsibilities. I have a 9–5, a long commute, a mortgage, a 7-year-old, soul-crushing debt, and friends and family I only see on social media. I leave the house before the sun rises and don’t return on most days until it sunsets. I try to squeeze in gym time in between the end of work and picking up my daughter from after school activities. Then it’s time to cook dinner, help with homework, prep for the next day and get ready for bed. My time isn’t like Eric Trump’s bank account where I can spend it frivolously knowing the Trump Organization’s checks keep cashing. It’s more like my bank account, there’s usually nothing left over for me. I have to be conscious of how my time is spent. So constantly staying up to date with the latest news, tweetstorm or hashtag activism isn’t the best use of my time. Not because I’m above it all or a nihilist. It’s because knowing the political history of Iran and US relations doesn’t make my material life better. As the cost of existing in America goes up and my wages remain the same it seems like I’m only treading water in this great economy. So I’m working that extra shift as opposed to watching another debate or state primary. I’m researching side hustles instead of deep dives into the articles of impeachment. I’m writing this stupid article in hopes it can turn into some extra cash. Doing my civic duty and being politically engaged is time-consuming and in America time is money and I have neither. I mean our national religion is capitalism. You can’t expect me to sacrifice my life at the altar of the Federal Reserve and still have the time and mental energy to be an informed citizen. Maybe that’s the point. So while our corporate oligarchs entrench themselves deeper in power and wealth through ALEC legislation, I’ll be on my grind trying not to become that homeless person you step over on the way to buy a $10 latte.