For context, this may be the most bleak I have felt about the team's big picture prospects in 25 years of avid fandom.

On the current roster, there is no one outside of Webb and MAYBE Doval and/or Bart who you can honestly feel good about contributing to a winning team in even 2 years time. There are no real difference makers on the horizon - the best two prospects are in AA and A leagues respectively. And as much as I hope they become good starters let alone perennial all stars, the former is a coin flip proposition for either of them at best.
For as great and fun as last season was, the preceding four years ranged from barely mediocre to terrible. Looking around the division, the Dodgers unfortunately have a never ending stream of big league stars and elite high end prospects making it difficult to imagine them being bad ever again. And the Padres have assembled a young core of superstars to go along with a balanced roster of veterans, and are set to compete at a high level for the next half decade +. Those organizations have lapped this one and then some.
When the recent history and the near future appear bleak, the guys at the top - the one constant through the years get the blame. I admit the political comment was a bit of a cheap shot, but even so things like that weigh heavier when there aren't on field wins to mask it away.