Loudest

CNN has screamfest panels featuring opposite sides of the political spectrum duly illustrating their bluster. Abby Phillip is the moderator and most are thoroughly unwatchable. Their resident curmudgeon and Trump apologist Scott Jennings does his best to excuse every current administration crooked deed with more than a hint of smugness. 

No doubt these panels get ratings and the more outlandish the outburst the better. It is political theater while Rome quietly burns in the background. 

Partisan politics at this level borders on the comical because guests use arguments that are disingenuous and heavily garbed in whataboutisms. There is no attempt to admit defeat even on the least controversial of issues because the whole point is to battle even if the egg on your face is clearly visible. 

I think about how this descent happened and how social media played such a pivotal role. Everyone staked their own turf and stubbornly clung for dear life despite knowing very little. The point was to have enough fellow believers on your side. 

Small wonder that conspiracy theories are at an all-time high.