I haven't been writing much about politics lately.  Actually, I haven't been writing much about anything.  But politics has been something I've been really interested in - until the last few months.

The amount of rhetoric and spewing of vitriol has become toxic, at least for me.  I used to listen to quite a bit of talk radio, but I can't stomach it so much anymore.  I feel discouraged because we are becoming a nation of polar opposites, and no one wants to listen to anyone but themselves.  When a politician starts to talk about working with the other side of the aisle in Congress, he or she is denigrated by members of their own party as "not team players".  Seriously, aren't our elected officials supposed to talk to each other to work out compromises for the greater good?  Or am I some sort of idealistic fool?

I have heard some pretty horrible things coming from groups that are gaining a following in this country.  The tea-party folks scare the crap out of me.  And they are growing.  I have to believe that there are a lot of people like me who consider themselves in the "middle of the road", but no one is asking us what we want.  And anytime we speak, we get drowned out by the crazies.

I was at 7-11 yesterday getting a snack, and there was a homeless woman outside the store ranting some kind of nonsense.  Customers just kept going in and out, doing their quick convenience shopping.  So who do you think any of those customers will remember?  The quiet folks going about their day?  Or the crazy lady outside, ranting and raving about the cataclysm in her head?  This is what is going on in politics today.  We listen to the people with the loudest, nuttiest voices, but the everyday person is largely ignored.