There was a time not too long ago when I couldn’t wait to get to Mr. Computer and type my little fingers off about the political events o’ the day. Lately I’ve had to drag myself into my little downstairs office and convince myself that I was motivated by some story or other.

I asked myself over and over why that was. Part of the reason, at least recently, is my general malaise due to my dad’s passing. And part of it is that, generally, interest (read: traffic) has ebbed, as Digby so ably pointed out… to my relief. I say relief only because Paddy and I were concerned about the quality of and attraction to TPC content; but as it turns out, it wasn’t just us (again, read Digby’s post). It is no relief at all that it’s happening everywhere, though.

But beyond that, I’m still finding it tougher and tougher to get it up to write posts. I’ve analyzed it to death and finally had a quasi-epiphany. It’s been clear that there has always been plenty to write about, and there’s always an election right around the corner, or a conservative misfit to rant about, or a new controversy.

What makes it difficult, I’m discovering, is that I find myself dreading the next political “fight.” I’m conflict weary. By now everyone with a pulse knows that ever since Barack Obama was elected, the GOP plan was to obstruct, defeat, and destroy him at every turn. It was on their nasty, destructive little agenda ever since inauguration night to plot and scheme and block the president, to prevent him from succeeding at anything, ever.

And that’s exactly what they’ve done, not only nationally, but also in state legislatures. Everything is a battle. Every proposal ends in a struggle. Every plan triggers more head-butting. Every day brings another collision. And America is sick of it, including me. Political TV shows are being switched off. Car radio dials are being turned. And blog posts go unread.

The result? An uninformed, bored, exhausted electorate. And when voters are uninspired or turned off, they don’t vote.

And when people fail to go to the polls, Republicans win.

They’ve so pooped us out with their constant clashes to the point where many of us have wanted to hibernate, and one result, inadvertent or intentional, could be voter apathy.

And that was my quasi-epiphany.

Which is why I was inspired enough to get myself to Mr. Computer and keep writing. Somebody out there is reading blogs and watching news reports, which means somebody out there is more informed, which means more interest and more ballots cast.

I hope.

We must make sure that the Republican inauguration night plan, and by extension the state GOP schemes, don’t take hold. Keep reading, keep watching, keep listening. 2014 will be here before you know it.