Politics 101 in the 21st Century

I’ve heard many a person comment of late that we are living in a messed up time and the dirty business of politics is one of the reasons. We’re all entitled to our opinions and that’s one that is valid for the nonreaders.

If you have studied politics much you’d realize we ain’t seeing nothing like the past. Politics has always been kind of a dirty business, and certainly is today, but compared to some previous campaigns everyone is on their best behavior.

George Washington was revered in his day as much as he is now but his political opponents had no problem trashing him – and most did it anonymously. That way you could say anything you wanted.

It got so bad in John Adam’s presidency, that this famed signer of the Declaration of Independence, convinced Congress to pass the infamous “Alien and Sedition Acts.” This allowed him to lock up in jail anyone who spoke negatively against the President or the government. He could also kick anyone out of the country who made similarly libelous comments. Imagine that in our day. “W” would love that one. We can’t even keep the aliens out of the country let alone kick citizens out for their big mouths. Bye-bye Rosie sounds real good.

In the 3rd Presidential race, Aaron Burr tied with Thomas Jefferson and the House picked Jefferson so Burr became the Vice President. He was so ticked off at personal things a Cabinet Member, Alexander Hamilton, had said about him, he eventually challenged him to a duel. He killed him. Then he left the country to the West and tried to be made king and emperor of the Louisiana Purchase lands and was eventually banished to Europe.

One more example was when Andrew Jackson ran for the 6th Presidency. This race was so nasty on a personal level directed toward Jackson’s wife, Rachel, she passed away from the stress of it all. He won the popular vote and the House picked his opponent for President and for four years the ugliness did not stop; very specific personal ugliness most of which flying both ways was not true, or relevant.

So our day is pretty calm. Swift Boating is whimpy - forgetting the fact that it was true. But we do have a serious problem that is new and troubling. Our society’s inclination toward celebrity worship and “political correctness.” I put that in quote marks to differentiate it from legitimate politeness. In the last two weeks I’ve looked up close and personal at some things going on that show this.

There was the Mitt Romney speech, a speech by Hillary Clinton, a three hour interview with Newt Gingrich, a two hour interview with Bill Clinton, and the first Oprah introduction to Barack Obama including his talk. What a rush. Here is what I observed.

The most qualified man right now for the Presidency is Newt Gingrich. Mostly because he isn’t going after it. It is becoming more and more true that somebody who wants the job ought to be automatically disqualified. He is articulate and right on, on most of the issues. Being a historian he’s actually studied the stuff and is forming opinions based on research and facts and not jut barfing back trite clichéd politically correct drivel. I watched three hours with the guy and he has this crap-eaten grin to go along with his educated answers and is unflappable. Both characteristics are a necessity when deranged people are calling in and asking the most absurd questions on earth. Three hours went by like a minute.

Bill Clinton is amazing. He is the most gifted liar, maybe, to ever live. Cain was a wimp. I think he lies just because he can. And he gets pretty much a free pass, so he does it. One of these days, I suspect he’s going to tell us he’s really a Martian and came from outer space. And he will do it with passion, and he’ll say it with a straight face, and if questioned, he’ll lean forward and repeat it, and in his mind he’ll be thinking, “You’re all a bunch of dummies letting me say anything I want and letting me get away with it.” I’m sure in his diary he records that he is shocked at what he says and gets away with. Some liars convince themselves that they are really telling the truth and then just live in a dream world. Not Bill. He doesn’t believe a word he says but says it anyway. I almost respect him. Kind of like I respect Nehor.

Mitt Romney’s speech was great. It had nothing to do with religion and had everything to do with America. If he made his entire campaign like that speech, he’d hearken us back to the Reagan days when American meant something and we were once again proud of our country. What scares me worse about his whole situation is those who would never vote for him because he’s a Mormon and those who are voting for him simply because he is a Mormon. Frightening perspectives. He won’t make it and that’s good because I don’t want the Church trashed by imbecile’s simply to attack him. It’s tiring. Just like the atheist idiots who are criticizing his speech for not reaching out to them. Get a freaking life. He didn’t reach out to the Neo-Nazi’s either. Or the murderers. Or the Buddhists. Or the illegal aliens (a third of the country at last count.) Or the Lost Ten Tribes.

Hillary Clinton. I listened and didn’t turn the channel just so I can say I did. It is painful. I’ve had multiple root canals and cists removed without anesthesia that were more pleasant than listening to her. I wish it weren’t so painful but the sound of her voice grates on something in my inner ear and creates the same physical reaction as bad perfume does to my eyes. They bleed. And what she is saying is irrelevant because it is all so freaking, filthy, wrong. She lies, no doubt, but her lying is out of ignertrance (I’m combining ignert and ignorance together into a new word.) In the speech I heard she was defending her latest and greatest (# 226) socialized medicine proposal and she said – I kid you not – quote, “There are tens of hundreds of millions of people in this country who do not have health care.” Unquote. Huh? Tens of hundreds of millions is one billion. Who the freak is she talking about. There are only 300 millions of people in this country counting the illegal aliens. Picture my ears bleeding at this point.

Oprah and Obama. What can I say? Lightweight Obama ought to be introducing Oprah as the candidate. If people are so for a woman President and some all for a black President, there you go: Oprah. Now she has done nothing to qualify herself for the job, just like he hasn’t. But at least she has all the money in the world. But listen to what she says about him: nothing. She is just using the power of her celebrity to back him.

Her introduction was moving and her delivery makes you want to jump up and be saved but she says she’s endorsing him for the first time endorsing anyone for very personal reasons … Wait for it … Wait for it …. Wait for it …. It doesn’t every come what those very personal reasons are. And nowhere in her introduction does she tell us one issue he is for that is bring her out in support of him. She says he’s got the answers. She says that Washington needs someone like him. She says it’s time the country elect someone who isn’t just talking but doing. But what? I am not hearing one single issue or thing he’s done or for that connects the dots. Oh, she does say one specific thing. He was the first one to come out against the war in Iraq. Great. So now it’s a race to see who can not support something first and that’s who we back. Well folks, I didn’t support abortion first. Pick me!

What a world. It’s portends a scary world if the power of celebrity gains inroads into the leadership of this country. But as long as this next presidential race has been going on, maybe they do need to turn it into a reality show. And we’ll eliminate candidates each week based on something or other. And eventually after the celebrity panel of Oprah, Natalie Maines, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, narrow down the field based on their pithy insight, the rest of the country can call a number and vote as many times as they are willing to pay, for which every candidate they choose.

For me, I hope the millennium gets here soon.