Betrayed by the People in Power: How Political Theatre Replaced Real Governance
(STL.News) Political Theatre – America is in crisis—not just economically or socially, but morally and institutionally as well. Millions of Americans are disillusioned, asking a simple but damning question: What exactly were our leaders doing while the country spun into chaos? The answer is both infuriating and devastating: they were staging political theater, enriching themselves, and ignoring the warning signs of a nation unraveling.
While the Democratic Party held the White House, the House of Representatives, and effective control of the Senate from 2021 through early 2023, the American people expected results. What they got was a government more focused on narratives than solutions—on managing optics rather than managing the country.
Political Theatre – Economic “Recovery” or Engineered Disaster?
President Joe Biden’s administration inherited a fragile post-COVID economy. But instead of stabilizing it, they accelerated its collapse under the guise of relief. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, hailed as a landmark economic boost, pumped massive liquidity into an already overheating economy. The result?
- 40-year high inflation
- Food and gas prices spiked
- Housing became unaffordable
- Wages lagged behind rising costs
Even former Democratic Treasury Secretary Larry Summers warned in 2021 that the plan was too large and would trigger inflation. He was ignored. By late 2022, the White House pivoted to blaming “Putin’s Price Hike,” greedy corporations, and supply chains—anything but their own policy missteps. Meanwhile, working Americans burned through savings, skipped meals, and watched their dollar shrink.
Political Theatre – Runaway Inflation Is Destroying the American Way of Life
While politicians boast about job numbers and GDP figures, real Americans are being crushed by a skyrocketing cost of living.
- Groceries are up 20–40% since 2020
- Utilities, insurance, and fuel remain unaffordable for many working families (gasoline hit an all-time high)
- Rent and mortgage payments are eating up half of household income in some areas
- Car insurance and auto payments are pushing even the middle class to the brink
The result? Americans are downsizing their lives:
- Families are skipping vacations, delaying medical care, and cutting food budgets, adding to the economic slowdown
- Two-income households are still living paycheck to paycheck
- Retirement dreams are being postponed—if not erased entirely
But it’s not just households. Small businesses are dying silently, caused by political theatre.
Landlords and property managers, emboldened by inflation and corporate greed, are raising commercial lease rates and triple-net costs (NNN) to unsustainable levels. Here’s what that means:
- A mom-and-pop restaurant that survived COVID is now paying 50% more for rent than in 2019
- Retailers in strip malls are being pushed out as leasing rates climb while foot traffic drops
- Triple-net leases—where tenants pay property taxes, insurance, and maintenance—are choking small business cash flow
These businesses can’t raise prices fast enough to keep up with rent, payroll, and product costs. So they close. Quietly. Permanently.
Every closure is more than an economic statistic—it’s a dream extinguished. A local icon erased. A community left more hollow.
Meanwhile, the politicians in Washington? They talk about “resilience,” “transition,” and “equity.”
But they won’t acknowledge this economic war against the working class and small business owners. They get on television and make claims of financial achievements, ignoring their constituents and the pain and suffering they are experiencing.
Inflation is not a temporary inconvenience. It’s a systemic assault on the American Dream.
And those in power—especially during 2021–2024—let it happen, fueled it, and now deny responsibility.
Political Theatre – Infrastructure Hype, Delayed Results
The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in 2021, was sold as a once-in-a-generation investment. But where are the results?
- As of mid-2025, the most significant projects are still in the pre-construction or planning stages.
- Billions flowed into bloated agencies, environmental studies, and consultant contracts—not into shovels and jobs.
- Rural communities still lack broadband. Bridges and roads continue to crumble in many states.
Rather than directly helping Americans now, this bill became another bureaucratic backlog—another photo-op for career politicians.
Political Theatre – The “Inflation Reduction Act” That Didn’t Reduce Inflation
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was a cleverly branded climate and tax bill—not a serious measure to combat inflation.
- Energy costs remained high, particularly in regions that rely heavily on gas and diesel.
- Green energy subsidies favored corporations already worth billions.
- Drug price reforms were implemented incrementally and phased in over several years.
The bill was a Trojan horse: climate spending dressed as economic relief. Meanwhile, voters suffered sticker shock at the grocery store and gas pump.
Political Theatre – Borders Open, Cities Overwhelmed
While Democrats controlled federal immigration policy, the southern border became a humanitarian and logistical catastrophe, or was it a diversion?
- Over 6 million illegal crossings were recorded from 2021 to 2024 (the actual number is unknown).
- Cities like New York, Denver, and Chicago declared emergencies due to migrant surges.
- Law enforcement and border agents were demoralized and under-resourced.
Despite pleas from both red and blue states, the Biden administration and congressional Democrats refused to pass serious immigration reform. Political optics and fear of offending activist bases prevented meaningful action.
Political Theatre – Rising Crime, Soft Justice
From 2020 onward, Democrats in many major cities embraced “progressive prosecutors” and criminal justice reforms that prioritized ideology over public safety:
- No-cash bail
- Reduced prosecutions for theft and drug possession
- Lower sentences even for violent offenders
The result?
- Retail theft skyrocketed, prompting store closures in San Francisco, Portland, and Chicago.
- Carjackings and homicides surged in urban areas.
- Police departments experienced record numbers of retirements and resignations.
- Public trust in justice collapsed.
Instead of reversing course, many Democratic leaders labeled critics as reactionaries. Citizens were left defenseless.
Political Theatre – Schools and Children Sacrificed to Unions and Ideology
One of the greatest betrayals was the handling of education.
During COVID, teachers’ unions—a core Democratic constituency—dictated prolonged school closures:
- Learning loss hit historic levels, especially among low-income and minority students.
- Remote learning failed.
- Mental health issues and youth suicides rose.
Rather than confront this failure, Democrats focused on diversity training, gender policies, and labeling concerned parents as “extremists.”
Our children’s futures were traded for ideological loyalty and political cowardice.
Political Theatre – Washington Profits While Main Street Collapses
While Americans struggled, lawmakers enriched themselves.
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband allegedly made millions on trades in sectors tied to legislation.
- Members of Congress resisted reforms banning stock trading. You can’t expect the fox to protect the chicken coup and have positive results.
There were no serious consequences. No reforms. Just more headlines, more hypocrisy.
Political Theatre – Censorship, Division, and the Death of Dialogue
Once champions of free speech, Democrats embraced Big Tech censorship during COVID and after January 6th:
- Stories like Hunter Biden’s laptop were censored.
- Critics of mandates or social policy were banned.
- The government coordinated with platforms to suppress dissent.
Rather than heal, leaders exploited race, gender, and class for control. A republic became a stage for ideological war.
Political Theatre – Real America Was Ignored
While Democratic leaders gave speeches about “equity” and “justice,” here’s what average Americans experienced:
- Grocery and rent costs up 30%+
- Unsafe neighborhoods
- Drug overdoses kill 100,000+ annually
- Savings wiped out by inflation
- Children failing in broken schools
- Veterans and seniors are neglected
The disconnect between rhetoric and reality was unforgivable.
Final Word: This Was Betrayal, Not Leadership
Democratic leadership from 2021 onward wasn’t only ineffective but also actively destructive. It prioritized donors, headlines, and ideology over governance and oversight. It managed narratives instead of managing reality. Both sides are blaming each other, but the facts remain on record, and Americans need to learn to read, think critically, listen, and make their own decisions based on facts.
And for that, the American people have every right to feel betrayed.
Political Theatre – Enough Is Enough
- We don’t need parties obsessed with control.
- We need leaders obsessed with results.
We don’t need spin.
- We need courage, humility, and a complete change of direction. We need politicians on both sides to work together. The democratic side has pooled together and thinks as one. However, that is not how the system was intended to work. Regardless of their political party affiliation, each member is expected to make up their mind without being influenced by the party. For example, voting for the Big Beautiful Bill, there were Republicans who voted against it. That is normal and how it should work. However, every Democrat voted together without forming their own opinions. The Democratic teamwork is admirable, but it is not how the system is supposed to work.
- Local governments are experiencing the same problem and damaging communities without any reservations. County and city property and sales taxes are out of control due to out-of-control spending.
- Every politician, political party, state government, local government, major corporation, and anyone in power needs to realize and accept that consumers have limited resources and can’t bear leaders’ mistakes, and continue to be the fuel of the economy. Our economic growth is slowing at a rapid pace, and it’s because the consumers are tired and tapped out.
WARNING: If this poor form of governance does not change quickly, America will face significant economic damage that could undermine our global leadership, creating substantial national security concerns. It has surpassed being a professional game of greed.
Additional article that might be of interest:
- Why Congress’s Portfolio Should be America – Published by STL.News on August 1, 2025
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