Every few years we have polls to give our consent to being ruled. Because it is not a natural to give unknown figures authority over oneself, the election must seem to be very important. But is it?

Where the parties disagree

Every election is the most important one in recent history and we can choose between two opposing views for our country and even the entire world. Usually one party is seen as the virtuous champion and the other one as a monstrous evil. The fun fact is that voters on both sides share this view, only with the parties exchanged.

Where are the differences. Mostly these are which values are supported and how they guide the internal politics. The right is supporting conservative values, the left is more progressive. Both sides have a quite different but positively defined moral framework.

But this is nothing more than a branding of the party. Take two identical bottles of cheap schnaps and then label the first as a happy party drink and market the second as a drown your sorrows solution. They may appear to be very different products on the surface. The first is for happy people, the second for sad. But looking at the content both are just the same.

Of course it is great if politicians have morals, but most of the time this does not matter. A lot of what they do is not managing the society, but managing regulations, funds and more. I do not believe that politicians transfer their morality to the population, quite the opposite politicians imitate the trends found in society. We do not have gay marriage because of progressive politicians, we have it because society has changed its attitude towards homosexuality. Politics is at best a catalyst for change.

When it comes to internal policies, the parties seem different, but looking at the actually passed policies these differences are much smaller than expected. The left governments have betrayed their voters more times than I can remember. Often the decisions are the same, only the argument leading to them is different.

What we hear is how great the politicians are, their great biographies and ideas. A lot of dirt on the opponents that have just surfaced from hell. All the campaigns are structured emotional, bringing stories that people strongly care for and polarise the population. Only it does not really matter.

Where the parties agree

source

In practice democracy is not choosing among opposite choices, but the parties have to become so close they are almost indistinguishable. The reasons are two-fold. First there is the McDonalds dilemma that states that next to each McDonalds there appear competing fast food chains. By moving closer together the parties become votable by a majority of the voters. Strong positions means loosing votes, so better have weak positions and only 'appear' in a certain way to be able to catch the more radical voters.

In addition, parties do not only need votes but also money. All of the parties are trying to appeal to the rich that are willing to fund them. The optimum strategy is then to serve the money with the hard decisions, while creating an emotional show for the voters to appear different. Promote cosmetic differences, while the hard politics does not change.

What is not discussed

source

Because the parties agree on a lot, these topics are useless for the political campaigns. And it may be better to not touch these at all. Thus almost nobody ever talks about them the parties agree in silence.

• Global wars and arms deals: both parties agree
• The federal reserve and monetary policies: both parties agree
• Cutting our liberties: both parties agree
• Spying on us and building an illegal surveillance state: both parties agree
• Increasing state power: both parties agree
• Global politics, exploitation for resources: both parties agree
• Regime change: both parties agree
• Torture: both parties agree

And these topics are not up for election. If all I can do is vote on the flavour of my politicians, but not on the substance then it is not even a democracy. It is just a circus that lets us believe we are in controll, shut up and legitimise our governance.
A small minority has already decided what really matters and all we can choose is the the marketing of these ideas.

All of the differences are emotional, marketing. Suitable to make people care for them, but nothing tangible. Is the president a gay black female trans muslim? Maybe, but what do I care if she continues the same shit as before.

Democracy is suffering a crisis and it is not clear if it can or should be saved. Its not looking too good, but instead of building a more open and free world, we likely will see a more nationalistic and authoritarian future ahead. The people realise how corrupt everything is, but still believe that they need some leader to guide and care for them. Instead of a corrupt politician better have a strong Führer. I hope we will not repeat history and start demand that all authorities justify themselves or are removed.