Political name-calling has gotten so ridiculous that now labeling your political opponent as [insert your least favorite dictator, cultural reference or school yard bully here] is as useless as a dead skunk (no offense to skunks).

Most normal people are now exhausted by the antics. They turn the channel when it comes to political discourse. But that leaves a huge void in terms of actual, constructive debates to help move the country forward.

A key value for a respectable third political party is to avoid name calling. Criticism based on facts is absolutely 100 percent fair… it is politics after all!

But unsubstantiated references to demons — real and imagined — and childish trash talk are quite embarrassing for a country based on the premise of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

All the more reason for focusing on local politics… where it’s much harder to look an opponent in the eye and call her or him a nasty name. Bravery seems to disappear once folks come out of the anonymous shadows of social media where being mean carries little risk.

We recorded this episode between the political firestorms of the attempted assassination of former President Trump and current President Biden ending his campaign. Yet, our overall discussion of avoiding the ugliness of political speech remains more relevant than ever.