As long as there are 2+ people involved, it doesn't seem possible to stay away from some kind of politics. How you deal with problems depends on how bad it is.

As long as there are 2+ people involved, it doesn't seem possible to stay away from some kind of politics. How you deal with problems depends on how bad it is. If it's really bad, you'll probably have no choice but leave. With the caveat that there is no ideal place out there, you can always try starting your own. Otherwise, the best strategy I think is to let your skills speak for themselves, get things done and be so good (or good enough) that they can't ignore you. They don't have to you like you but they should respect you for getting things done and being invaluable. And then there is always the option of talking to your manager or HR if the problem is serious enough. HR isn't necessarily your friend but it's in their best interest to keep good people to protect the company so they should be able to help in case of serious faul play.