held hostage by the know nothings

i see the polls.
i hear the arguments.
i taste the sour.
i smell the defeat.
and since i'm big with taking personal responsibility, i feel my own pain, thank you very much.

it doesn't matter what issue is at hand, the republicans are united in one objective: create doubt in anything the majority seeks.
as for the democrats, they are united as well.
they are united in their affinity to self destruct.
i'm certain now that if the democrats owned every seat in congress, they'd still be unable to pass health care.

as a result, the country is held hostage by the "know nothings", and the tea bag movement is it's poster child.
filled by organized talking points laced with lies, misrepresentations and fear, the less mindful among us clamor to decry death panels, socialism and the cooked books of global warming.
on the other side of the fence, aroused by fighting the good fights, liberals are blindly taking the progress out of progressive, leaving only "i've", as in "i've got to have this or else".

after a decade of angst, i was ecstatic at the possiblities just a short year ago.
boy was that ever squashed in short order—completely turned upside down by nonsense, stupidity and stubborness.
i'm downright depressed frankly.

my only solace is that i'm certain i'm not alone.