Since around 2000, I've also felt that every election is increasingly more important of my lifetime. I don't think it's hyperbole.
In 2004, we had a president who had led us into Iraq for really no reason at all. It was not going well, and he was absolutely resolute in his conviction. Gotta 'stay the course' no matter what. He and his cronies even thought they would actually win the 2006 mid-terms. That's how delusional they were. Dick Cheney continues to troll today.
In 2008, we had a candidate who was clearly itching to not only expand our presence in Iraq, but also possibly go into Iran. And then there was his VP candidate, a clueless and complete moron. Since the primary candidate was an older guy who had taken a lot of abuse in his life, this couldn't be ignored.
In 2012, a guy who wanted to turn back the clock to the crap that had gotten us into the 2008 financial crisis AKA the Great Recession. Didn't give a shit about or even realize there were people out there making less than $250,000 a year. He basically called them leeches. Unemployment was still high, but improving. He claimed all we had to do was lower taxes on the upper class and the jobs would come raining down.
In 2016, holy shit. That's all that has to be said. The Republicans have basically created and encouraged a culture of proud ignorance that believes in things like birtherism.
I don't actually consider myself a Democrat,