Yup. It's true, and yes, it can.
But I've voted in every election since I was old enough to vote, including the piddly little ones that most people don't turn out for. I've given time and lots of money to candidates and been a passionate defender and supporter of the party over the years, but I'm fed up with the toothlessness.
If Chuck Schumer, my senator, whose office I call and email with some regularity, can't be bothered to actually stir himself, why should I vote him back in again? (Although, please, God, make him retire.) If the reps are going to do things like elect Jerry Connolly, 79 with advanced cancer, to leadership over AOC; and refuse to endorse the NY mayoral candidate that their own voters turned to democratically select in a primary; and fail to nurture solid prospects for the Democratic senatorial seat in Maine, which could be vital for them if they want to take the senate, leaving voters to choose between a guy with a nazi tattoo and an 80 year old, not hugely popular governor, I don't see much hope for the future with them.
Just as an example, last week, when airports were a disaster because TSA agents weren't being paid, ICE was standing around in airports scratching their balls, why wasn't every Democratic senator and congressperson, back home on spring break, standing out there in front of their local airport talking to the media and constituents? Why weren't they saying, this administration did this? They're flying around in grafted Qatari jets and using your tax money to fund this war. If they can't even show any teeth there, why should I believe they have what it takes to fix things?
I've never felt that way before. But the world is a different place than it was two years ago, and if they can't find some fight and the understanding of that, they deserve to lose.