Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right

I’m a political orphan.

I grew up center-right—old-school conservative. The kind that believed in personal responsibility, fiscal sanity, and respect for democratic institutions. I never imagined that I’d one day find myself abandoned by the party I’d spent most of my life supporting.

Over the last few years, political homelessness has become the norm for people like me. I’m too conservative for the progressives, but too rational --- and frankly, too tired --- for the MAGA circus.

Caught between “burn it down” and “it’s all their fault,” I’m just looking for a government that does its job. A government that works.

Why Trump and MAGA Lost the GOP Loyalists

Trump did more than shake things up—he bulldozed decades of hard-won victories.

Free trade? Out the window.

Fiscal restraint? Please.

Respect for alliances? Gone.

Instead of draining the swamp, he became the swamp, pulling us all into a vortex of rage-tweeting, reality TV governance, and yes-man politics.

The traditional conservative values I grew up with were replaced by conspiracy theories and a willing blindness to the truth. So here I am, a former GOP voter, watching a party that won the election, but sacrificed its soul along the way.

Why Democrats Lost Me Too

So, why don’t I just join team blue?

I tried. But if I’m honest, there’s not much room for me at that table either.

Democrats are weighed down by a hodgepodge of identity politics, unchecked spending, and an often heavy-handed approach that sometimes feels like a “we know best” directive from the top.

But even in areas where I agree with them -- where I think they're right -- they sound more like egghead political science professors than people with ideas that will make a difference in our lives.

Their messaging? Tone-deaf.

Preserving democracy is an abstract concept when you're working two shifts so you can pay rent. Talking about climate change falls on deaf ears when people are struggling to pay for gas and groceries. Instead of connecting with everyday concerns, Democrats are trapped in a cycle of self-reinforcing messages, more focused on ideological purity than earning the trust of middle America. Is it any wonder that they struggle to pull in the undecideds?

I truly believe Democrats want to help average Americans, but their follow-through misses the mark.

Why People Like Me Feel Abandoned

I know I’m not alone—there’s a growing crowd of us political orphans who are fed up. We want leaders who can have an adult conversation without turning everything into the political version of the Hunger Games. We want pragmatic solutions, not ideological purity tests or loyalty oaths. We want a middle ground that isn’t afraid to call bullshit on both sides.

Where's the party that believes in personal responsibility but understands that a health crisis can bankrupt people? The party that champions individual freedom without over-romanticizing the past? The party that’s serious about climate change but also understands that energy prices affect real people?

Bueller? Bueller?

Anyone?

The middle is wide open, but no one seems interested.

The Dark Impulses of "Burn It Down"

There are some who think we should just burn it all down.

I get it. There’s a seductive pull to that impulse. When institutions let us down and leaders refuse to listen, it’s easy to feel like starting fresh is the only way forward. But for three years I lived under a military junta in Thailand, and I’ve seen firsthand what happens when a society tears it all down.

Spoiler alert: it doesn’t get rebuilt better.

Instead of a clean slate, you get a system redesigned to benefit the powerful, the insiders, and the special interests. The dream of a new beginning quickly fades, replaced by an even more entrenched elite and an even wider gap between the rulers and the ruled.

“Burn it down” doesn’t give power back to the people—it just shifts power to a different set of players, often leaving everyday folks with less voice and fewer protections than before.

Real change doesn’t come from tearing down—it comes from digging in and improving what we’ve got. It comes from rolling up our sleeves, not reaching for the sledgehammer.

That’s the inconvenient truth the “burn it down” crowd doesn’t want to hear.

So, Where Do We Go from Here?

Right now, I’m not sure. For now, I remain an orphan—unaffiliated, independent, annoyed.

But one thing is certain: this country has more people like me than either party wants to admit. We’re not a small fringe—we’re a majority waiting for someone who’s ready to lead responsibly, pragmatically, and, most of all, effectively.

Until then, I’ll stay here in the middle, watching the clowns to the left and jokers to the right.