I agree. Politicians are taught, in schools, that a function of elections is to give populations a sense of being in control, let they become restive. Despots have elections. Elections are not a measure of freedom.
Party politics is one outward indicator of a sham system. The US, via State Department, exports two party politics to other countries. It's a generic system that permits two ostensibly agreeable groups (bipartisan) to have a "pretend conflict," so the voters can pick which of two directions they prefer. Short term and superficial differences result, but the general progress of government control over the people (perpetuation of a "control" class over a "controlled" class) is highly likely.
Fifty years ago I came to the conclusion that the only difference between the U. S. and other evil governments, is that they let us citizens, share in more of the wealth. Now they are well on their way of distributing what was formerly ours to the rest of the world.
Russia was a common joke when they held elections with only one name on the ballot, but it isn't any different when you have two people of the same mind on the ballot.
Reagan was an anomaly, and they won't make that mistake again. I have felt since the last campaign was on its final days, that this would be the last election that our vote really mattered, now I even doubt whether it did last time.