So I think people like me are one of the groups you need to convince. I used to be more of a Centrist and used to make sure I at least understoid where both sides are coming from, to try to establish common ground and a way forward.

But we’re so divided now and the “sides” are completely alien, binary, with nothing in common. I can no longer see wtf “the other side” is thinking, how that makes any sense, or what sane person could support it. Maybe a big part of it is pundits and politicians “saying the quiet part out loud”, admitting to denying reality, admitting to offensive stereotypes and goals, being an proud of actions that in previous years would lose their entire audience, admitting to playing political games, corruption , or obstruction as the only goal. Even if you claim those are extremists, those are the voices of the Right and to all appearances people are voting for them against their own best interests, their humanity, and toward fascism, corruption, hatred. Most no longer seem to bother expressing any constructive goal. Meanwhile an entire generation of Republicans is retiring out of the mainstream to be replaced with that extremism. I may not agree with Mitt Romney but he recognized realities, had constructive goals that I could understand, he was willing to put in effort to achieve them and he was generally honest. I can work with that. Where are those Republicans?

Maybe it’s the media degenerating but I make more effort than ever to look for balanced views, avoid outrage clickbait, step outside my echo chamber but it no longer works

Maybe it’s my environment. I’ve spent decades in a state that consistently votes for one party and no one campaigns in a non-swing state anymore, so maybe there’s just no one with a sane version of what the heck they’re thinking. But Mitt Romney was one of the very few Republicans from my state and he came together with Democrats to agree on universal healthcare that later came to the national level as ACA. They made something happen with something for everyone. But then again I’m proud of my state. I’m a proud of compassion toward others, leadership in healthcare and education, quality of life. We vote for things that make this one of the best states to live in. I understand others may think that as well, but how can you keep voting for people who lose jobs, reject healthcare, deny reality, dilute your children’s education, keep your state poor and downtrodden. How can you vote for someone with pride in their ignorance, their maliciousness? How can you vote in the face of fact checking, self contradictions, and some of the offensive attitudes some politicians have? Stand up for yourself and vote for someone who wants to build your future.

It’s really difficult to understand the other side of the political spectrum. I don’t know how to reconcile the destructive, fascist, racist views so many politicians keep espousing with their constituents or what could possess people to vote for some of it