We are the:

Pissed-Off and Angry Party

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Why Are We:

Angry

Every morning, we wake up to a world where the media treats politics like a reality TV show, complete with manufactured drama and tribal warfare. They've figured out that getting people to hate each other is way more profitable than boring old "reporting facts." Research shows that pro-attitudinal media consistently exacerbates political polarization Taylor & Francis, because apparently watching people agree on things doesn't sell nearly enough ads. Scientific studies have documented the "explosive" increase in polarization between cable networks like CNN and Fox News Nature Scientific Reports, with their language becoming increasingly different even when covering the same topics. It's almost like they're speaking entirely different languages about the same events.Meanwhile, our elected officials are busy turning public service into a get-rich-quick scheme, treating the taxpayers like their personal ATM while they insider-trade their way to early retirement. Studies analyzing over 181,000 congressional stock trades found that senators' purchases outperform the market by 4.9% over three months PMC Public Health – which is either the most impressive streak of beginner's luck in history, or exactly what it looks like. At least 62 members of the current Congress have violated federal insider trading laws Raw Story, because following the rules is apparently more of a suggestion than a requirement when you're the ones making the rules. Democratic lawmakers averaged 31% returns while Republicans saw 26% increases in 2024, compared to the S&P's 24.9% rise Fortune, which is either the greatest coincidence in financial history or exactly what it looks like.We're not angry because we're unreasonable people. We're angry because we elected representatives, not day traders with voting privileges. The 2012 STOCK Act was supposed to fix this Ballard Spahr Legal, but somehow "no charges have ever been brought against a senator or representative under the act." Shocking, truly shocking. As one Newsweek columnist put it Newsweek: "For Congress, insider trading isn't a scandal—it's the business model."

But Also:

Pissed Off

We believe politicians should be like spiritual leaders – called to serve, not to get rich. Somehow we've normalized the idea that the people writing our laws should also be playing the stock market with insider information. Even during COVID-19, twelve senators made 227 stock purchases worth $98 million PMC Public Health right as the pandemic hit. Because nothing says "public service" like timing the market during a global crisis. More recently, dozens of lawmakers made thousands in stock trades around Trump's tariff announcements CNN, with some buying as markets tumbled and others selling right before policy changes. Now Republicans are finally introducing the "PELOSI Act" to ban congressional stock trading Fox News, though it's telling that they named it after someone whose husband's stock trades have been so prescient they should probably teach a masterclass at Wharton.We're pissed off that people think someone else's love life is their business. What two consenting adults do behind closed doors isn't a political platform – it's called "mind your own damn business."Most of all, we're pissed off because too many people have turned their personal beliefs into everyone else's homework assignment. Your moral compass is yours to follow, not everyone else's GPS. Research consistently shows that social media platforms amplify divisive content because anger drives engagement Brookings Institution, turning every family dinner into a potential war zone. The algorithms literally profit from making us hate each other – it's like having a robot therapist whose only advice is "have you considered burning all your bridges?"

Why are we here?

We're here because we're fed up with people forgetting that other people are, well, people. Let someone pray to whatever deity they choose, love whoever makes them happy, or make their own medical decisions. Life isn't a multiple-choice test where you have to pick Team Donkey or Team Elephant and then spend the rest of your days screaming at everyone who chose differently.Studies show that Americans are more polarized than ever Boston University, with partisans believing their differences aren't just about politics but about "core American values." Meanwhile, research finds that liberals and conservatives now inhabit completely different information worlds Pew Research, with little overlap in trusted news sources. CNN has been documented as having consistent left-leaning bias Media Bias Fact Check, while Fox News leans right, and both sides watch their preferred flavor of outrage like it's a sports team. We've essentially created parallel realities where the same events get completely different interpretations depending on which channel you're watching.Mob mentality turns neighbors into enemies and transforms social media into a digital gladiator arena. We're here to say: maybe, just maybe, we could try being decent humans instead of walking political billboards. Maybe we could stop treating every disagreement like it's worth burning down democracy over. When Nancy Pelosi stays mysteriously silent about supporting a congressional stock trading ban Fox News while her husband continues making suspiciously well-timed trades, and Republicans finally decide to call her out with legislation specifically named after her, you know we've reached peak absurdity.Echo chambers reinforce beliefs while avoiding alternative viewpoints Boston University, because apparently hearing that you might be wrong about something is now considered cruel and unusual punishment. Social media has turned us all into our own personal North Korea, where only information that confirms our existing beliefs is allowed past the border guards of our ego.Maybe we could all just calm the hell down and remember that most of us want the same basic things: to be left alone, to take care of our families, and to not have our lives turned into someone else's moral crusade. Research suggests that simply warning people about polarizing content can actually reduce its divisive effects Oxford Academic – so consider yourself warned. If telling people "hey, this might make you angrier" actually helps them be less angry, maybe the problem isn't really that complicated after all.And yeah, fuck Kyle.

The Pissed-Off and Angry Party is located just a stones throw from the capital. For Q&A and press inquiries, [email protected].

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