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I guess my underlying point is not getting through. The reason we have awful choices at election time is because most of us sit on our hands.

The turnouts at primaries (when candidates are chosen for the general) is pathetic. Sometimes the turnouts are less than 10 per cent. Of course, in those situations, the establishment candidates from both parties are going to easily move on to the general.

So it starts with the primaries.

Steve Bannon is putting together a decent slate of candidates for the 2018 congressional elections but the success will depend on our participation in the upcoming primaries. If we continue to "sit it out" - nothing will change.

I couldn't agree more about not sitting out primaries, but I also think it is naive to ignore the challenges (challenges which are a direct result of voting for people like McCain and Bush in general elections, even though we know or knew where their real interests lay). Challenge number 1: most primary voters are going to be party regulars. Party regulars will generally side with the establishment. Challenge number 2: it is very easy for the establishment to sneak in a fake "non-establishment" candidate, thus rendering the opposition voice neutered. Challenge number 3: the establishment can limit "their" candidates to one, by fiat, whereas the opposition will invariably split their support. Challenge number 4: the establishment will have access to the party's money, and the party's infrastructure. Challenge number 5: the establishment will also have the support of the left (the democrats, the media, universities, and big voting blocks like AA churches), at least when fending off any real opposition candidate. Challenge number 6: all of the rules of the primaries have been written specifically to protect incumbents. Challenge number 7: if the establishment finds themselves in a situation where they are in a run-off, they can always pull a Mississippi. Challenge number 8: if the establishment loses a primary, they can always pull an Alaska. Challenge number 9: if an opposition candidate actually does win, then there are countless opportunities to turn them once in office. Challenge number 10: if all else fails, they can pull a Trump, and the entire DC establishment can turn on them.

Basically, opposition has to overcome an endless series of hurdles, each one more challenging than the last, whereas the establishment only has to win once. I am all for challenging the establishment in the primaries (although I am under no illusions that it can work, in the long run, due to the inherent advantages that the establishment has). But the problem is this: all of these hurdles exist, and are so big, because we have consistently failed to think long term, and have consistently voted for the lesser of two evils. We gave the Republican Wing of the Democratic Party this power, because we always held our noses and allowed them into power.

We need to stop doing that. We need to understand that in the long run, the bones they throw us just are not worth it. This starts by sitting out the VA governors' race.