WTF has happened to 2016?

At the beginning of the year I was somewhat hopeful. It was hard at the time to be hopeful because I'd just gone through a break up that crushed me, and I had moved back home, which further crushed my spirit, but I was still slightly hopeful.  But now that the year is almost 3/4ths done I've got to ask What the Ever Loving Fuck?

First there's the deaths, a SCOTUS Justice whose opinions are a real joy to read (and I HATE legalese), David Bowie (the Goblin King), Alan Rickman (Hans Grueber), Kenny Baker (R2-FREAKING D2), Anton Yelchin(Checkov), Prince, Nancy Reagan. . . the list goes on and on.  It's incredibly depressing when so many talented people suddenly up and die.

Then there's the bullshit that was the primaries.  On the Democratic side, an actual honest to God Socialist very nearly became the DNC nominee for president. His main opponent was someone who has almost certainly violated federal statutes that should have landed her in a courtroom if not in jail. In fact one sailor who did far less than she did actually tried to use her as an example for leniency in his case.

On the other side, you had a field of 15 decent candidates and one joker who was just there for shits and giggles it seemed. You had Governors, Senators, a doctor.  By any standard many of the people who ran in the GOP primary would have made an excellent president.  But because there were so many, the joker won.  His main selling point is he doesn't seem to give a damn about political correctness.  Actually, his main selling point is he is making the Left absolutely lose their collective shit, which has the people they've been maligning and alienating for so long tickled pink.

In the last two days I've witnessed conversations of deep conviction in the gym locker room or around the pool.  Most of the time this is a place to share technique, catch up, or encourage others.  But yesterday in the midst of my swim I heard this long drawn out conversation about how you just couldn't  vote for Trump.  The black man responded the democratic party left him behind and he just couldn't vote for Hillary.  It was astounding.  Then I had a long drawn out conversation with another man today about the current crop, and two passers by felt the need to jump in and pitch in their two cents.

Let's not kid ourselves Gary Johnson says one or two things one side might like then veers sharply and says some truly bone headed things.  That's why Ron Paul could never get elected anything higher than a Representative, despite throngs of avid followers.  Johnson at best will draw votes away from Clinton and Trump, I generally think he's going to draw more away from Clinton, but with the hard edge to the Democratic party I'm not so sure.

One thing is for sure, 2016 will go down in the history books as one bad year.  I just want it to be over.