I know, this is an economics blog, but I think viewing economics in a narrow scope is misguided. Unfortunately, politics, finance, employment, religion are all interwoven in the Economy with a capital 'E'. So, let's have a look at the mid-terms:
As of this writing, I am profoundly disappointed in the Obama Administration. It is my depressing belief that a potentially great leader has been purchased by the financial lobby and corporate interests. Campaign promises are like so much dust on our unemployment checks. I've touched on this in other posts, so 'nuff said.
With that in mind, though, I, like other folks, am looking around at the melee that is our mid-term election cycle. What I'm seeing, frankly, scares the hell out of me.
Yes, I believe we have a leadership vacuum; who the hell's in charge up there in DC, anyway? I mean, besides Goldman Sachs? You get my point.
And, into the vacuum, filling it to overflow, comes...
The Tea Party. Lord help us all, these angry, pseudo-right wing Sarah Palin worshippers and their ilk are sure that the 'gov'mnt' is awful, and ought to be shot out in the barn like Old Yeller. Greeeeaaaat. And what, pray tell, do we do then?
Why, the obvious! We put the Tea Party in charge... they Take Back America! They Protect Our Children! They... what was that other thing? Drill, Baby, Drill! Yeah! You gov'mnt types spend too much! We'll... well, we won't, that's what! Yeah! But, my cousin Bubba ain't had a job in a year, so we won't be cuttin' unemployment... and my uncle Earl's youngest, she's GOTTA have some dental work, and him with his back and all... so we won't be cuttin' Medicaid...and Aunt Tellulah, she's been 'on the county' for near thirty years now... so we best leave that welfare alone, at least till she passes on, God Rest Her Soul...
Yeah, okay, I'm pokin' mean fun at the Tea Party folks. Maybe it's not fair. We should look at some of the real candidates that have been brought from the depths to "lead" us...
- John Ensign (NV): $550,000.00 in legal fees in the last 3 months, fighting a Senate Ethics Committee (now THERE'S a misnomer!) and US Justice Department Investigation into his cover-up of an affair.
- Joe Miller (Tea Party, AK)'s 'private security force' handcuffed and detained Tony Hopfinger during a Town Meeting event... Tony being the founder and editor of the Alaska Dispatch. Good thing the cops showed up to get him released.
- Rand Paul (KY) would "edit" the Civil Rights Act... remember that little nugget??
- Ken Buck (CO) thinks being gay is like being an alcoholic.
- Christine O'Donnell (DE) was a witch... or not... lied about which college(s) she attended, and thinks having Sean Hannity "in her back pocket" is good news.
- Carl Paladino (NY) thinks bestiality, pornography, and racist jokes are cool for e-mails. These are his PUBLIC e-mails... just sayin'.
- Sharron Angle (NV) has recently attacked Sharia Law, a system of rules for Muslims that govern things from prayer times to inheritance law... FOR MUSLIMS. Apparently she fears that we'll all be roped into Sharia Law if we don't watch out. <sigh>
- Carly Fiorina (CA) former CEO of HP, but by God, she's a political outsider! Wants to extend the Bush tax cuts, and loses her ability to speak when asked how the government intends to make up for that lost revenue.
Had enough? I know I had... the list is actually longer than this; I just picked the most recent group of screw-ups to make a point. My point, by the way?
The best and brightest of us are no longer involved in the political arena. Not that there aren't any good candidates out there, but as I, and my older friends have grown accustomed to saying, 'we're just trying for the lesser of the evils'.
At one time, public service was an admirable calling. Now it's a great way to pad your bank account. This is what happens when the leaders get out of politics, and leave it to idiots like these to run the show.
Nothing good can come of this.
Brutal Truth
Unfortunately this is a sad truth. Unfortunately, I don't think there is much out there that is any better. SO where do we end up? Palin for President? God forbid. We'll have to move to Australia.
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