Both major political parties are now locked in a death struggle.  The irony is that they are attempting not to annihilate each other, but rather to survive the onslaught of the voters.  No longer is the struggle between Democrat and Republican; it is between the landed gentry and the peasants.

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are the villains, as far as the ensconced parties are concerned.  Thus, we have the very bizarre spectacle of Republicans saying that, in a general election, they will defect, preferring Clinton to Trump, and Democrats vowing to vote for Trump rather than for Clinton.  No author of political fiction would have proposed so implausible a scenario, and yet it has become real.

Despite its surrealistic appearance, this was a long time in coming.  Over the years, both major parties have lied, and lied so thoroughly that we came to tolerate it, even to accept it as normal.  Democrats promised things that they could never deliver.  Republicans promised things that they could have delivered, but then they broke those promises.  In both cases, the voters have felt betrayed – nay, they have actually been betrayed.

No clearer instance of this betrayal has been seen than among the Republicans.  Election after election, the candidates have promised to reduce the size of government, only to repeatedly increase it once elected.  Republican insurgent Senator Ted Cruz said it best: the newly Republican senate is not at all different from the formerly Democratic one.  Winning the election amounted to nothing.  Nothing.

The situation in the Democratic Party is different, but the result is the same.  Generations of Democrat politicians promoted a culture of entitlement.  They largely succeeded, but now it has backfired on them.  Inevitably, a socialist, if not an outright communist, mentality has infected younger Democrats.  They no longer desire freedom, just free things.  Moreover, they demand free everything, from health care to college tuition to feminine hygiene products.  There will be no end to it.  Every Democrat office holder should dread the day when the money runs out (it already has in large degree), the day when they will be forced to utter those unthinkable words: "No, we can't give you that."

To make matters more complex, even the revolting peasants are themselves divided.  While many are Sanders socialists, many are on the other side, demanding smaller government and controlled borders and, to phrase it metaphorically, demanding that men stay out of the ladies' room.  (How did that ever become controversial?)

The political elites care nothing for any of that.  Not more than a dozen all told are patriots.  The remainder regard their offices as valuable – not because they wish to serve the nation, but only because they wish to enrich themselves.  They have power, corrupt power, and they intend to keep it, no matter the cost to the republic.

Where will all this lead?  Stay tuned, and fasten your seat belts.