I mean, the Republicans have been claiming to be "the party of fiscal responsibility". Lying may be common in politics, but are we really at the point we just give up and stop even commenting on it?

Also, while the Democrats may have still run a deficit, they were reducing it. It's not good, but to claim equivalence seems counter-productive. Claiming they "bloated" the budget when they cut the deficit (roughly) in half (not accounting for inflation) seems to be straight up misleading.

Not to even start with how that money is being spent/where it comes from (or not, as the case may be).

Right. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. They BOTH generate misinformation while the masses claw and beg for basic service provided at reasonable value (i.e., the taxes to waste and corruption ratio is reasonable).

Meanwhile, while everyone is sucked in the (Mad Magazine) spy v spy ruse the money bubbles to the top - regardless of which side is promising the otherwise.

Actions speak louder than words. Why anyone listens to, let alone trusts, a politician is beyond me.

That sure sounds like a rationalisation to not bother.

Sure, I don't dispute the current system has huge flaws. It is the system we live under, however, and trying to change that system doesn't require not participating in it.

There is an obvious least-bad. It may not be everything I want, but it goes from people I care about suffering seriously to not seeing as much progress as I'd like. I'll take that every time, while also pushing for more serious reform.