I need to share some feelings that I believe will resonate with the vast majority of Americans, especially baby boomers.

Not too long ago, I was remembering how I felt the first time I entered a voting booth to exercise my civic duty as a citizen of the United States. Just one of literally millions of voters, I still believed that my choices for president, senator, mayor, school board member, and dog catcher really mattered. This was serious stuff because I was, after all, helping to choose from among us the "best and brightest" men and women to help move my city, state, and nation forward.

Even then, I was not totally naive. While I thought most candidates were decent and honorable individuals, I understood that some held positions on issues that I could never agree with. Over time, I also realized that many candidates got in the politics game not for the common good but to advance their own self serving interests. Still, because this is America, I figured that was their right and if an occasional bad apple got elected, he or she was sure to be more than balanced by the multitude of good, honest-and bright-individuals chosen by an educated and discerning electorate.

Most importantly, I believed that our system, however flawed and dependent on the wisdom of mere mortals, would move slowly but surely toward creating a society based on liberty, justice, and opportunity for all.

But today, as I move quickly toward the end of my fifth decade on earth, I have never felt more discouraged and annoyed by what our government-and the political process that shapes it-have become.

Our country and the world face serious challenges yet the campaigns to determine the next leader of the dominant super power are mired in frivolity and silliness. The majority of Americans seem to care less about issues and more about personalities. Out-of-touch celebrities known primarily for their prowess as entertainers and not for their depth of thought are given carte blanch by the media to diss one candidate and promote another, with their assertions largely going unchallenged.

Meanwhile, the news media no longer even pretends to be unbiased, blatantly cheering for or protecting one person while viciously attacking another. This continues even as most major newspapers struggle to maintain readers and advertising revenue. Many Americans are forming their opinions about the candidates by watching Leno, Lettermen, The Daily Show, or the Colbert Report. Still others turn to the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Hannity and Colmes, or Michael Savage, none of whom even pretend to be unbiased.

In desperation to ensure their candidates win, extremists on the left and right use every means necessary, unencumbered by the need for honesty, to destroy their opponents. And it doesn't matter who gets splattered with the mud. By the time the campaigns are ended, rational, fair-minded individuals are usually left with only one logical conclusion: None of the candidates deserves to be elected. In fact, most of them should be incarcerated.

And so, we reap what we sow. Young people flock to a charismatic candidate and soon get discouraged watching the grownups play the game of character assassination. Not one but two women presented themselves as viable candidates this year-but each is decried by warring camps as not adequately representing all women (as if that is even possible). Older, more experienced candidates are dismissed as out of touch, potentially feeble-minded, and too beholden to interest groups.

No matter which ticket wins the general election, they face half of an electorate that believes them to be incompetent, dishonest, and invalid.

The result of all this, over time, is that many intelligent, accomplished, and patriotic Americans avoid running for elected office because it simply isn't worth the unfair scrutiny, the smear campaigns, and the painful wringer they, their friends, and family must go through.

The country is torn asunder, as we retrench into red and blue states to the point that the name United States of America is borderline false advertising. We are tugging so hard along the fringes that we are incapable of moving forward toward a better life for all.

At least I can sit here, as I wonder how we could have careened so far off the course I envisioned when I cast my first vote as a teenager, and state unequivocally that I am neither red or blue, but both. I am red with rage for what some have been able to do to my country and blue with the sadness that the damage could be irreversible, meaning America's best days might be behind her.

Harvey Kart