If you look at nearly any polling, President Trump’s approval is at an all time low. Even some of his most stalwart supporters have come to realize there’s no bridge he won’t cross, or moreover burn, in his quest to “Make America great again.”

But what does that even mean? Prior to the election, he touted it as bringing down prices and making sure we were respected as a world power. Now with prices continuing to climb and our reputation as the adult in the room now a distant memory, what’s the platform?

Anyone? Bueller?

This week, Vice President JD Vance shared a video ahead of the midterms in which he asked voters “Give us another chance. Give us another couple of years.”

The administration acts as if the shot clock counting down to November is the only thing holding them back. Republicans have had control of all three branches of government and have used that power to basically showcase how useless two out of three really are when it comes to running the country and keeping the executive branch in check. Many things Trump wanted could have could and should have gone through proper channels, but he likes stroking his pen far too much to share credit. Oh, and even with a loaded deck, many of his follies would have faltered to get the required votes, even with control of the house and the senate. 

Before you start crying Trump derangement syndrome, remember that if three years ago someone told you he’d be renaming Lake Ontario or bulldozing the Kennedy Center because they wouldn’t let him put his name on it, you’d have said the same thing.

Are there people who will criticize anything he does? Yes. Are there people who will support all of it? Yep. Even the really weird stuff they’d have dismissed as insanity before his second term?? You betcha.

Executive orders have taken the wheel and left congress in the rear view mirror. Try to count the number of times Speaker Mike Johnson, when asked about something Trump said or did, claims this is the first he’s hearing of it. It’s almost a daily occurrence… that is when the house is actually in session.

This week, Mitch McConnell was wheeled into the building where reporters were told they were not allowed to record video. He then accidentally voted against his party before fellow party members whispered in his ear that he was supposed to vote yes and had him recast his vote.

Folks. What the hell are we doing?

I’ve been a vocal critic of our aging political class, but seeing the lengths the party will go to in order to protect someone who can hardly speak is a new low. Regardless of your party affiliation, that’s hard to watch. You wouldn’t let him sign a car loan in his current state, but passing legislation is just another Wednesday in America.

Now lest you think I’m just attacking the GOP, I’ve also had my fill of democrats writing strongly worded letters and acting as if their hands are tied.

Should they win the midterms, dems will need to find new ways to govern. While that will likely include countless hearings and hand wringing, the real goal should be to install actual guardrails to ensure no executive is able to unilaterally decide the direction or our independent institutions ever again.

We fought against dictators and monarchs and swore America would be different. How different are we when the president can wake up and declare we rename a damn lake over a self imposed trade war? Where reporters are told to shut up when they ask questions that deserve real answers. 

We now have self proclaimed fiscal conservatives who look at a $40,000,000,000,000 national debt and say let’s keep spending. Elected politicians who will praise the president knowing that he’d turn on them in a heartbeat if they didn’t rename a local stream in their district to Trump Falls. 

There’s democrats turning against democrats for being too liberal or socially conscious. It’s a new world out there, eh?

I’ll repeat... What the hell are we doing?

I’ll ask for the umpteenth time in recent memory– where are the adults?

The phrase “reaching across the aisle” now gives me a mental picture of two politicians fighting instead of what it used to be: how things actually got done in Washington.

Somebody. Anybody sane. Are you out there? Can I interest you in public office? Wait! Don’t run away! There’s money and benefits and lunch stipends and staff!