Shikaka!

Two major political conflicts have seized national attention in recent weeks. Both inspire passionate defenses from their supporters and fierce attacks from opponents. Neither is actually about what everyone claims they're about.

• The Wall is not really about border security. Border fences are common, immigration is actually declining, and there's no new crisis except capacity issues with asylum cases. Yet it dominates debate because it functions as a symbol, not a policy.

• The 70% Tax proposal won't accomplish what either side claims. It won't significantly fund new programs, won't reduce inequality, and existing tax loopholes will neutralize most of its impact. Yet it inspires fierce conviction on both sides about what it represents.

• Both have become memes that work like psychological collars. For supporters, each signals loyalty and standing firm against opposition. For critics, each represents everything wrong with the other side's values and vision.

• The actual policy details have become almost irrelevant to the debate. What people are fighting about is what they've decided these symbols mean, not what the policies would actually do if implemented.

• This transforms mundane governance questions into existential conflicts. When cement and steel, or tax code adjustments, become stand-ins for identity and values, compromise becomes impossible and reasonable discussion vanishes.