This picture popped up on my Facebook newsfeed today. Oh, it is just too sad!  A hopeful little person, dressed in his zoo finest, only to be turned away by red tape and inept politicians.  His sweet little brain could never possibly understand the ridiculous situation that put him in this predicament, and, to be honest, my big brain can’t understand it, either.

I am not a particularly political person in the popular sense of the word.  I do not strongly identify with either political party as my views fail to neatly line up along the left or the right.  I have never voted along party lines. Before election day, I take some time to research the candidates and cast my vote for the man or woman whose beliefs line up with mine.  And, I always vote.

But, with the current government shut down I feel so disappointed.  I firmly believe that when people are paid to do a job, they must to that job.  We Americans pay our Congresspeople $174,000 per year to do a job, but they are so consumed by their parties that they’ve failed to complete their task.  And, in a stroke of sheer insanity, they are continuing to draw a salary despite shutting down the very entity that issues their paychecks.  What?!

Today’s narcissistic political leaders are making critical decisions that affect my kids’ future.  Their total lack of partnership, compromise and energy is shameful and a terrible example for American kids.  Even the least political parent should be bothered by this level of ineptitude.

So, at the next election (and every one following it for the foreseeable future) I am going to make a radical decision: I will not vote for the incumbent. Anyone who has served in Washington before will not earn my vote (Hillary Clinton, this includes you, too!).  As far as I’m concerned, it can’t get any worse, so voting for the unknown really isn’t much of a gamble, is it? And anyway, I think all political offices should have some sort of term limit – the notion of a career politician just seems silly to me.

Shut it down.

P.S. How cool is it that we live in a country where I have the freedom to write a post critical of the government!