A long time ago, I worked on a statewide political campaign for fifteen months. It’s hard work for very little pay and it requires an intense level of commitment.

I loved my candidate. She was smart and experienced. And honest—which is probably why she lost. When the campaign was over, I swore I was done with politics forever. Politics is gross. Even with the best of candidates, people who make careers in politics would eat their young to advance themselves. That includes politicians and all of their staff over the age of about 25, once idealism has hardened into calculated self interest.  

When I got involved in the Obama campaign, I remembered swearing off politics forever and I remembered why. But he was so inspiring that I did it anyway. Fifteen months later, I want to throw up. What a waste of my time. When there is so much money and power to be won or lost, there are people who will say anything to stay on top. Those people are the ones who are lying about anything and everything, simply to preserve the status quo. Some Democratic office holders might think they’re better people, because they’re not willing to go as far, but actually they are worse. Because they’re cowards. They are so afraid of losing their seats—or losing their fundraising advantage with the big corporations—that they don’t stand up for what they say they believe in.

After eight years of watching everything fall to pieces, I thought maybe it could be put back together. But now? Now, I feel like Humpty Dumpty; and I find myself, once again, absolutely done.