Nothing Democratic National Committee (DNC) interim chair Donna Brazile says should be taken seriously, especially with regards to the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections. After all, if anyone has motive to propagate this narrative for Democrats in order to skirt accountability for the content of the leaks and the losses the party has suffered over the past eight years, it’s Brazile.

Brazile didn’t think much of Obama playing hardball with Russia recently. In response to the President’s announcement of sanctions against Russia in retaliation for their alleged cyber-attacks and harassment of U.S. diplomats, Brazile claimed that the sanctions were insufficient.

Making a broad, sweeping claim of “insufficiency” is an attempt by Brazile to manufacture outrage over WikiLeaks releasing damning emails between the DNC and Clinton campaign manager John Podesta. The emails exposed Brazile for helping the Clinton campaign cheat before debates on CNN, which ultimately led the network to sever ties with Brazile. The DNC, however, has much lower standards and has allowed Brazile to continue to serve as its interim chair and to issue statements on its behalf that criticize the current administration. If Brazile wants to talk about “insufficient action,” she can start by explaining why the DNC has allowed her to keep her position, even after evidence was released that she overtly violated their charter.

Every time Brazile issues a statement, she reminds everyone why the the public despises Democrats—and in a broader sense both parties. Brazile’s and many other Democrats’ responses to Donald Trump winning the election have been hyperbolic reactions that increase the toxicity within politics. Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty of sensationalizing narratives to garner attention, distract from other issues, and to mobilize their support base. The mainstream media often serves as a catalyst for this sensationalism, while Americans become increasingly disenfranchised and underrepresented by their elected officials.

Numerous studies have found a direct correlation between political polarization and income inequality—including one cited by former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich in his 2013 documentary Inequality For All. The greater the polarization, the greater the income inequality. The vitriol found among both political parties enables the wealthiest to assert their own influence, while debate and critical thinking in the public discourse is stunted.

This is what makes Sen. Bernie Sanders so popular with voters who identify as Democrats, independents and Republicans alike. Sanders has transcended the partisan dysfunction by focusing on important issues and taking advantage of the amendment process to tack on important legislation to bipartisan-led bills. As the head of outreach for the Democratic Party, Sanders remains focused on issues instead of contributing to the Russian interference narrative, which exposed the DNC and Clinton campaign for rigging the primaries against him.

Without providing any evidence, the Obama Administration and intelligence agencies have suggested to the public that the Russian government was in some way involved in the hacks that were provided to WikiLeaks. Democrats have focused entirely on sensationalizing the issue, yet completely ignore the negative implications of these accusations on U.S. relations with Russia and the importance of cooperation between our two countries, especially in regards to nuclear policy.

Brazile and the Democratic establishment don’t care about the actual issues or policies surrounding the Russian election interference narrative. For both sides, it’s little more than the usual partisan circus, while the mainstream media willingly takes the bait and makes the whole thing into a three-ring production.