Photo: NASA (Goddard Space Flight Center)

Photo: NASA

I’m not sure exactly how long they’ve been aware of it, but I think at this point it’s very clear that most Americans realize that both major political parties are worthless at best, and insane at worst.

Consider the pattern:

  • George W. Bush and a Republican Congress preside over a government distinguished by incompetence, endless war, the enrichment of moneyed interests at the expense of all others, and contempt for women, gays, minorities and the rule of law. They lose the 2006 and 2008 elections in a landslide.
  • Barack Obama and an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress preside over a government distinguished by incompetence, endless war, unemployment, foreclosures, the enrichment of moneyed interests at the expense of all others, and contempt for women, gays, minorities and the rule of law. They lose the 2010 elections in a landslide.
  • Barack Obama and a divided Congress add draconian budget cuts to the mix, coupled with tax cuts for the rich. This is presented as “shared sacrif