Maybe it’s because I’ve already mailed my ballot, but I’m finding all the election season debating, campaigning, commentary and publicity-stunting to be quite gaseous and slightly nauseating. I’ve had my fill of catchphrases, insistent manipulations of facts, deflections and ugly, reactionary extremism.

I value the opportunity to learn about the candidates, but I’m losing my ability to see past the demogoguery and make sense of it anymore. Where’s the substance? The facts? The reason?

I suspect all this electioneering is media junk food as much as the next televised garbage.

In fact, my political-propaganda-fatigue is reminiscent of Christmas-fatigue — the exhaustion of being bombarded with the omnipresent, fourth-quarter-sales-driven pressure to consume. At Christmastime, I find myself asking, What am I doing in this store? I can’t hear myself think! These days, I’m asking, Why am I clicking on this link? How did I become so partisan? In both cases, I look forward for the quiet of the new year to bring some relief.