I Hate Politics

by Summer D Clemenson | Feb 9, 2026 | Opinions, Politics

I often read or hear the phrase: “I hate politics.” I used to say this myself, and I used to believe it, but as I have embraced the idea that hatred is not only a waste of time, it is a waste of energy, but it is also something I don’t want in my life. When it comes to a topic that is so engrained in our life, it is futile and meaningless to try to get away from politics.

Politics, at its core, is about power relationships, decision-making, and the art of influence that exists in virtually every aspect of human interaction. – Political Science Institute

We can not get away from politics and this is why we are frustrated and exhausted right now. Politics fundamentally involves three key elements: leadership, domination, and subordination. We find politics in workers unions, student organizations, federal, state and personal budgets, relationships, institutions, social networks, religion, education, art, and even the Super Bowl. The influence of a person in a respected position of leadership can cause either calm or havoc, joy or angst and let’s face it; the current administration likes to keep us jumping. I am in a constant state of wait and see because I decided I could not wake up to, “Dear God Help!” anymore.

In a conversation I was told I was not allowed to speak in, yesterday, I bit my tongue while I listened to someone tell me that they did not care about the video that was put out on our president’s Truth Social wall, where President and Mrs. Obama were portrayed as primates and he was the king of the jungle. The same video, I actively did not look for because I don’t give room in my mind for such things; however I did see screen captures that some people had put up on Facebook. This person did not want to hear what I thought about it.

Since I wasn’t allowed to share my opinion yesterday, I will share with you what I thought after I had waited and saw, throughout the day. I was thankful. I was thankful because I saw in two different posts that Christian groups, that previously had not been able to speak because of their political beliefs, now were able to put down politics and see their humanity and their common belief in love for each other and the teachings of Jesus and agree that our president is wrong and we need to be loving each other. There was humility where there once was judgement. God found His glory and I was grateful.

I don’t believe if you are a human, it is honest to say that you hate politics, if you know what politics are because politics is how we change systems. Systems exist so that people are served. We have heard the word “system” used to describe many things, including racism or white supremacy, government assistance, our police, and government. This word, like politics is not a bad word but it can be used against us, much like politics, if we are not mindful of it. A cookie is not bad either, but if you eat an entire box of them, do not be surprised if you get a tummy ache.

I do not know everything. I try to be slow to answer these days, because that was a habit my grandpa had. It is good to stop and take a breath before you speak. Consider who you are talking to, whether they can even hear what you are saying, before you bother to add your 2 cents. Because let’s face it, pennies are not available anymore. This next generation wont even know what $.02 looks like. Some people cannot experience what you are going to lay in front of them, for any number of reasons even if they are good people that mean well. Just because Morgan Freeman doesn’t believe that we should have a Black History Month, doesn’t mean he has the authority to speak for all Black people. He is a great and creative and intelligent man, but he is just one man. I read Malcolm X and Uncle Tom’s Cabin in high school and Their Eyes Were on God in college and many other books about Black culture in my life. I have read There There and The Soul of the Indian, Like Water for Chocolate, Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of and African American Jew, Madness: A Bipolar Life, and Gandhi: The Autobiography and many more books, as an adult that have taught me that as the human race, we are all complicated and beautiful and we all deserve to be here and no one is better than anyone else.

There are different forms of political power:

• Economic – control through financial resources and market access
• Social – control through cultural influence, celebrity status, or moral authority
• Institutional – control through formal positions within organizations or government structures
• Informational – control through access to knowledge and communication channels

Trump ran on a promise to lower the cost of living. But he was also supported by oligarchs (a small group of government with a lot of money) that could support him as long as he did what they wanted. He has succeeded to keeping them happy but a huge number of people in the United States are not happy because we are hurting. In order to make the oligarchs happy, many people have lost their jobs, their insurance benefits have been reduced, Medicare and Medicaid is being gutted, SNAP has been cut off or decreased, although unemployment and inflation seem to be steady. This is all economic politics.

Trump and his staffers, republicans and democrats have all learned to use the media and social media sites to communicate with us, what they want us to hear. Celebrities use their time at awards ceremonies telling us what they think we should know about political issues. We are overwhelmed by videos of people dealing with ICE and CPB agents, protests from fellow United States citizens who are not happy with our government. This is social politics.

The County Assessor decides how much tax you own on your property. In Washington State about 50% of our taxes come from retail sales and use taxes, 18% from B&O taxes, 10% comes from State Property taxes and 22% comes from all other taxes. This is Institutional politics.

I believe that social networks have given us a freedom to communicate and a HUGE responsibility to make sure we are being careful with what we find online. I do not believe that AI is a gift. I may be incorrect, and I am comfortable with being incorrect, but if it is free AI, I think you are setting yourself up for something that might be dangerous, much like those free surveys and games online. Every time you push a button that says yes, you are giving permission to someone and it might be for more than you realize. I don’t care about Big Brother. If they are really watching me through my cell phone or computer or flat screen TV, than they must be really bored because they are not going to see anything but a middle-aged woman, reading or writing or cooking or sleeping. But I am not going to give them permission to access my pictures and addresses and notes on my devices. This too is political power, because it is my information. But informational politics includes what we have available to us in libraries, newspapers, magazines, online, schools, media in general.

Sex also plays a huge role in politics because we have decided that not only is my genitalia, that of what is considered female, and the weaker sex, who will never make what a man makes in wages, but people have decided that you get a vote on what my doctor and I decide what medical procedures I can choose, depending on what state I live in. When I voted for marriage equality, I had no idea I was voting for the right to marry my wife, Karen G Clemenson, but it worked out for both of us. However, if we go to certain states, our marriage is not recognized. I am not angry about it, but I know people that have known their whole life, they were queer and they were bullied and abused, and they do have scars. This too is political.

I also know people that feel as though their body is not as it should be. They feel they were born in a body that is the wrong sex. Who am I to argue with them about the body they live in? Even if one of us is wrong, it does not hurt me to love them, they way they want to be loved and called by the pronoun they desire. I have fought a lot in my life to be seen and heard. If you tell me your name is Susan and you have a full beard, I am going to call you Susan. I might also ask permission to ask a few more questions and if you let me, I might ask you a few more questions, but when you say you are done, I will stop. This too has become a political game.

If I am here to love you, which is what I believe my mission is, and then I wont listen to you, what good am I, if I condemn you before I even hear your name? Some of the best lessons I have learned, came because I let someone speak.

Politics is what gives individuals in a group a voice. Politics is what my great-grandmother fought so my disabled great-uncle could have access to restrooms and sidewalks. Politics is what Jamie Holloway‘s mom fought so that blind individuals in Longview, Washington would have access to the chirping bird sound at the crosswalk and people would know what the white and red canes were for. Politics made it so that I could not only be friends with my best friend and now wife because she is black. Politics made translators available for people who don’t speak English or can’t hear or see. Politics made lunch breaks mandatory and child labor illegal. Politics are not perfect because people are not perfect. But we have to keep trying. Politics are are not evil. But we might need to stop and take a breath sometimes.

Read More:

• 12-Month Inflation: All Items vs. Core (2015-2025) by Coin News Media Staff for US Inflation Calculator
• A Legislative Guide to Washington’s Tax Structure by Senate Ways & Means
  Committee staff within Senate Committee Services and the Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program, 2021
• Civilian Unemployment Rate by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics, 2/9/2026
• What is Politics? Exploring Definitions and Concepts by Political Science Institute Staff for PolSci.Institute, July 22, 2025

~

Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Jesus Follower, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Jesus Follower…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

~