While the ignorance and blind faith of Trump supporters may seem far away from informed and humane voters, it may not be quite as far away as we think. Despite the great hope that President Biden’s recent inauguration sparks, glorifying flawed politicians like Biden and Kamala Harris is unwise. Liberals often criticize Trump supporters for their unwavering belief in his alleged altruism and support in his destructive actions but forget to fact-check and critique their own politicians.

It is good to spotlight the positive actions of a politician like Biden or Harris when they exist as the lesser of two evils in an active political race, but blindly supporting a politician does not produce good effects. No one can attain perfection, and no one ever has. Politicians exist as public servants, and as such their actions should always be just and good.

If your doctor messed up the dosage on one of your medications you would take action about it, and if you heard that he has a history of malpractice or incorrect diagnosing you would question him about it. Vigilance and activism are the only ways to mend what is broken in this country. We are so desensitized by the utter moral failings of our current political system that we forget how bad it is.

Politicians are allowed to buy and invest in the stock market they write legislation about and receive monetary support from oil companies and massive corporations they are supposed to keep in check. We must never place implicit trust in those who have the ability to profit from our oppression.

Obama is often used as the poster child for the Democratic Party and yet his administration committed war crimes (yet was never tried or held accountable) and is the second Nobel Peace Prize winner to bomb another Nobel Peace Prize winner. President Biden wrote the 1994 Crime Bill, a bill directly helping the racist and disgraceful War on Drugs by creating stricter sentences. Vice President Harris’s decisions when she was Attorney General of California regarding truancy and low level marijuana offenses disproportionately hurt minority families, especially Black families.

Even idealizing politicians like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, who bears no history of offensive actions or remarks, and has not supported or written any offensive legislation, can lead to a dangerous path. She may seem perfect, but she isn’t. Her job is based on two things: money and power. Politicians need money and greedy corporations love to give it, and DC is the biggest game of power struggles this country knows. Critique must remain the number one outlook a citizen has for their politicians, for politicians will always fail us in some way; it’s their prerogative.

Politicians will always fail us in some way, so citizens, beware: Keep a critical eye on them at all times. Never idolize them, even if they are doing a good job, for their job is to serve, and anything positive that they accomplish should not be perceived as some wondrous gift or act of kindness.