It's OK To Be Politically Homeless

We can be independent, despite the rage machine

We have been brainwashed, in a way. All of us. Over the last few decades every issue, every problem, and even many products (Bud Light? Chik-fil-a?) has been sorted nicely into political lines. Americans have allowed the rage machine to convince us that we must have an opinion about every outrage or fault-line, we must be angry about it, and we must pick a side of the nicely defined differences courtesy of those making money on the grift.

Let’s think about this: Bud Light sends a can of beer to a transgender influencer, and now to drink Bud Light means you support some political agenda. Want to take your family to Chik-fil-a because you, gasp, like their food? Nope, you can’t if you support the far left. Let’s take the issue of guns. Can you support the right to own firearms but support some limits, or extra licensing, of assault rifles? Nope, not on the right. And the far left thinks anything short of a total ban of these guns in ineffective (despite the millions already in existence.) In the case of guns we have two options, either change your beliefs to fit into the “all or nothing” mentality of both sides, or exist in a grey area, unrepresented by either extreme. Really, every issue now has a political camp attached to two competing sides. And there is no room in that camp for nuance. You must be all in, or in the case of the right, you are a RINO (Republican in name only-of which I’m a proud member!)

The point in discussing this is not to engage in both sides-ism…or even the gun debate or the quality of Chik-fil-a. I think the right is currently an existential threat to our nation, and don’t compare each extreme as an equal concern. But I want to point out the slow movement by the political extremes. We have been led to believe that we have to have an opinion on almost every issue, and that opinion MUST fall neatly in line with whomever determines the opinion of a political camp. How did this happen?

All we have to do is look at the advancement in technology and new media, and the (I would argue) retrenchment of political fundraising. We learned as politicians that rage and anger raises tons of cash, and the more issues you can use to create anger, you guessed it, the more cash. Cash wins elections, winning elections give you power and, more cash, so you can win more elections. Nowhere in that sick cycle do you see an opportunity to solve problems, you simply see more cash and more rage. To feed the beast, you must create more issues for rage.

This leaves many of us in a bad place. We feel lost, and face a choice. Since political identity has become so intertwined with our self perception (another relatively recent phenomenon) we either have to adapt our views, or feel politically cut off. Too many have chosen to respond by altering their own views. In the social media environment, they seek out confirming opinions until they get enough information to put them at peace with the change. They self radicalize.

We need to realize that in this great nation, represented by only two parties, it is ok to be politically homeless. Life and politics is very complicated, and the idea that a specific party can be right on everything is nonsense. We have a rich history of independence, and we need to embrace that again. Only when the politically homeless embrace that fact and demand better representation, can we force the extremes back to the middle, or off to irrelevance. In my organization, Country First, we are building such a movement of the politically homeless, and those with a political home who still demand sane politics where polite disagreements can occur to refine us. Check it out.

Embrace your independence! It’s a sign of strength, and if you don’t feel homeless, embrace diversity in political opinions of people with genuine beliefs. It’s liberating, it reduces stress, and it just may save our Republic!

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