Washington, DC – Here we are, once again, into the breach. Wildly extravagant lies and promises coupled with utterly loathsome character assassination. It’s election time. Whoopie. Prognostication and analysis fill the “news” programs with the same talking, bobbing heads saying the same thing over and over.
It’s nearly impossible to listen to, much less appreciate. It reminds me of an old Olivia de Haviland movie, “Snake Pit .” The premise was that putting a crazy person in a pit of snakes might make them sane and vice versa for a sane person. It’s enough to drive everyone nuts, but sadly, it does not seem to make the crazies less crazy, but more so, alas.
In a week or so, we’ll find out the results. After that, more analysis from the same aforementioned talking heads. It’s much like a tape on a loop: same people, same points of view. One could write a column for George Will if one had a Thesaurus. His stuff is so predictable after so many decades it’s sad.
We are apparently going to have a bevy of new tin hat folks in Congress, which, considering how messed up it is already, may be hardly noticeable. The one good thing about all this is that all the folks willing to blow up everything, both right and left, will expose themselves in front of the whole world. And since quite a few are really, really old, no one wants to see them exposed. Yuck!
Diane Feinstein, who is 89, has said she wouldn’t want a leadership position which makes her the one ancient that seems to have some sense left. For the record, I’m a septuagenarian myself. Not one of the ancients appears to be capable of thinking outside of their old experience. If you haven’t managed to win the argument for 30 or 40 years, it’s time to give it up, go home, and play with your grandkids.
Since Eisenhower, every president was in their prime years between 40 to 60. The last two were and are in their late 70s. Why have we decided to hire our grandparents to run the country? Some of these folks grew up during the Second World War and the Cold War, and they seem to be unable to think themselves out of that box. We are living in a time so completely different. Putin is one of those old heads who want to return to the 18th century. Erdogan and Modi are living in the old ’50s.
It’s too late for this round, but it’s way past time to get new blood into the petrified hall of that marble building.
There also needs to be a penalty for every lie or exaggeration you tell and a doubling and tripling for repeating the same. The amount of mendacity is daunting on all sides. I often wonder if those aforementioned talking heads actually believe the nonsense they spout. Particularly because they contradict themselves regularly. Sadly, people have developed selective deafness, being unable or unwilling to consider any viewpoint other than the one they have chosen. They allow themselves to be led by some of the most ridiculous folks who have ever graced the halls of legislatures or news and commentary outlets across the country.
As my grandson, when he was three or so, used to say, “We’re doomed,” and by our own foolish ignorance and prejudice. Doomed!
