The politics was exactly what gave the prequels depth. Without the squabbling in the senate there wouldn’t be any ambiguities about who the good guys of the war are. The prequels are primarily subversive of the OT which makes them genuinely interesting. Everyone shits on midichlorians but midichlorians are a more scientific aspect of the force. Where the OT presents a purely mystical force. The OT has clear cut black and white heroes and villains, the prequels subvert that so it’s difficult to know if anyone is good at all.
By cutting straight to the action and only action forever, TFA makes itself extremely shallow. Kylo Ren literally wants to be evil? Puh-lease, even saturday morning cartoon villains have more depth than that. It’s like a five year olds conception of what grey morality is, just switch black and white around, that’s interesting right? No.
The senate scenes add real depth where TFA adds “hilarious” temper tantrums.