Get. A. Life.

One of the worst problems we have in America is the politicizing of everything. Whatever happens under the sun is dissected in pop culture and the news media in purely political terms. Who or what political party/agenda does this help or hurt? Doesn't matter if it is a hurricane or tornado, it is always evaluated in terms of who politically benefits.

The ever-expanding size and role of government in our lives is literally squeezing out life itself. As the state grows and meddles in every area of life, we cannot help but relate all things to politics. It is unavoidable. It is the sun around which everything else orbits. Much has been written, and will continually need to be written, about how this kind of statism erodes what are called "mediating institutions," things like families, churches, businesses, and civic organizations.

I remember driving some time in the spring of 2009, months after Barack Obama had been inaugurated as President. The top of the hour news on my car stereo informed me of the President's personal schedule that day. I wondered: why in the world should I care about what the President of the United States is doing today? Why is his calendar relevant to my life? The whole purpose of our form of government is to free a free people from caring about such things. They've got a clearly delineated job, we expect them to do that job, and otherwise leave us alone. America was originally all about refusing to politicize everything. We've come a long way.

So you should probably know that the Federal government, more specifically Barack Obama, is now intruding into your Thanksgiving dinner. His political action arm, "Organizing For America" (He's never stopped being a community "organizer," you see) sent out an email telling its acolytes that they need to be prepared and armed to argue about healthcare around the Thanksgiving table. And this is not preparation designed so that if, on the off-chance, healthcare policy comes up you'll have something to say. This is preparation for how to make sure healthcare policy comes up and how you can then shut up your stupid uncle when he starts railing about Obamacare. 

And somehow, the Obama Administration managed to create an entire, working website for this purpose!

This is beyond stupid. And creepy. Jim Geraghty, in his Morning Jolt newsletter, is right:

A healthy society does not feature a leader who sends messages to his followers, asking them to make a pledge to have a conversation with their families about his agenda at Thanksgiving. This is cult-like.

Indeed.

There's is nothing anymore, literally nothing, outside the realm of politics for these people. Not even Thanksgiving dinner.

I'm here to tell you: almost everything is outside the realm of politics, especially your family. So I have a suggestion: leave your policy disagreements at the door. Enjoy a meal together. Talk to each other. Really talk to each other. Share your lives, your goals, your dreams, your disappointments, your joys and your sorrows. 

I say this for members of the left and the right: if you think Thanksgiving dinner is an opportune time for you advance your political agenda, you need to Get. A. Life.