Regarding your friend: You have a specific and recurring problem with this friend. It might be a good idea to make your friend aware of your feelings at a later neutral time ("Hey, there's something I'd like to talk about, can we get together?") using a clear assertive message that will show an openness to discuss the problem, take responsibility for your part in the problem, explain the consequences, and search for solutions. (pm me if you want the formula laid out). There are other choices as others have suggested in this thread. What is so frustrating for you is being trapped in the car on the receiving end of this. What you want to do is take charge of your environment. You could stop the car and get out.How can you believe that the government is both worth supporting ideologically AND a bloated, mismanaged exploitable piece of garbage?
mk's response is excellent. There are other answers to the question, none of which were available to your mom at the moment.
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A lot of life involves holding two opposite thoughts in our minds simultaneously. People who can't do that go crazy. For example, often the things we love most about someone are also the things we hate most about someone, yet in a different circumstance. (I love his decisiveness and creativity, but I hate when he paints the kitchen pink and purple, suddenly without consulting me.)
Let me say it like this. If it wasn't a socio-emotional thing, but physical pain, there shouldn't be an issue. I see a friend hammering a nail into their hand all the while going 'My hand hurts.' Do I just say 'I don't want to see the blood and pain you're going through so I'll remove myself from the situation' or do I say 'Maybe stop hammering that nail into your hand.' Why is someone making themselves feel worse about something not the same?
In both cases you want to help. In both cases, you want to stop the pain and damage. Yet, in one case you can pull away the hammer and mop up the blood. In the other case you have to talk to a person who cannot or will not see your point. If verbally trying to help a person get beyond something they are obsessing about is not working and is hurting both you and the other person, it might be an idea to try something else.
Like get out of the car? I'm loathe to just change topics and 'leave something until later' because I come from a family where 'We'll take care of it later' means 'We'll take care of it never.' I want to address a problem when I see it, so the solution has context, rather than in some abstract way that never actually effects change.it might be an idea to try something else.