Politics Shmolitics

I used to have a bumper sticker that read, "If you aren't completely appalled, you haven't been paying attention".  It infers that if one were to keep up to date with the current state of political affairs on the local, national and international level, they should be disgusted and terrified.  Over the past five or six years, however, I haven't really had the time or energy to be appalled, and have been making attempts not to pay attention.  I grew sick of seeing a political topic turn a pleasant dinner conversation into a heated debate that didn't end until someone became too offended.  Working in the service industry, where most of my income comes from tips, I also learned that it was best to keep my opinions to myself. 
      However, recently my apathy has begun to fade.  I have since begun laying the bricks for a career, and recently purchased a house.  As nearly half of my income now goes to towards taxes, I've begun to take an interest in where my money goes.  I'll still probably die before I ever vote Republican, but as I've gotten a little older, I've noticed a lot of my liberal sensibilities fall away.  As the election nears, a lot of the bickering that drove me away from politics is going to come to a boil, but I am hoping that by acessing the right channels and avoiding a lot of the negativity, I can renew my passion for politics.