What seems abundantly clear in this next round of Presidential elections is the ability of the politicians and their media lackeys to create political issues that do not need to be political issue in the first place. President Obama's desire to be the next Harry Truman fighting a "do nothing Congress" may backfire upon him if he, in fact, regains the Presidency. Truman, after all, ended up with Korea, Obama may end up with Iran.
The Republican debates have been the worst television I have watched in decades. The caliber of questioning has been sub par and lends itself to the lowest common denominator of political supporters. As this nation continues its Great Depression Part II slide into economic coma the push button debate questions center around ridiculous concerns such as the HPV vaccination and gay marriage. The score board is lit up with the 'zings' Romney and Perry toss at each other but nothing of substance from either of them. Policy and politics becomes nothing more than theater. Senator Brown and his challenger have already fallen into the category of pornography.
The sad thing is, no one seems to care. The media is happily lapping up every tidbit they can crunch into a thirty second soundbite and designing more stupid questions to keep the carnival ride turning and polarize the candidates and the general public. Even the candidates just regurgitate the canned talking points handed to them. The candidates who are speaking their minds are being ignored by the media or ridiculed on Saturday Night Live and John Stewart. However they are also generating the slow rise in poll numbers while the front runners are engaged in a tussle. The petty back and forth between Romney and Perry alongside Huntsman's blank stare are enough fodder for the masses to delude themselves upon. This myopia enforces and solidifies the polarization of Left and Right.
The emerging dark horse in this race is Herman Cain. His numbers are creeping slowly upwards like a slow rising river. The front runners dance around each other while the tide rises against them in the back round. The voters too are transfixed at the bright shiny objects on the television while the whistle of the Cain-Train grows louder in the distance.. The Left is on top of their game though. They have already begun the denigration campaign against a successful Conservative Black. Mr. Cain can now join the prestigious line that includes, Clarence Thomas, Condalezza Rice and Colin Powell. Between Socialist (and sometimes college professor) Cornel West and NPR's (theres a neutral media outlet for-ya!) Tavis Smiley; the Left is already tainting the waters of informed debate. It is a planned tactic and one I would have been on board of during my hippy, salad days.
Another phenomenon is the desire of some of the candidates to move the Primary dates forward. I can remember when the race didn't really start hopping until March of the election year. Now we have straw polls and caucus' the preceding autumn. Hell Romney wanted the first primary in December. Don't go messing with my holiday shopping Mitt, I have enough on my plate those thirty one days!
Eventually we will just see all the Primaries contained in one national primary. This would be unfortunate because it will cheapen the race and remove the weeding out process we see now through a year long race. This may be a tedious and nauseating process but it is necessary for the Republic and the people to have an equal chance to hear all sides and for all the candidates to get a fair shot at that ultimate prize.
The character assassinations are standard faire' for any election season and 2012 will be no different. 2008 brought out some of the worst this nation has seen and most of it from the Obama Campaign while the media ignored the glaring realities that surrounded this unknown Senator from Chicago. The recent wave of rioting around the world over economic justice could be the wave that rides the Anointed One back into the Presidency. This potential victory could mirror the rise of Socialism that swept the first two decades of the 20th Century. The same factors are in play today; joblessness, and elite class that could care less and the rise of an enigmatic figure who captures our attention.
The same forms of character assassination, class warfare and media manipulation are also in play. We see the complete rejection of capitalism, the perception (some real, some just a photo-op) of the jack boot authority maintaining the status quo, the always present rage and resultant property damage. It will all come into focus and into the race as we narrow the field of candidates and we draw closer to November 2012.
What always remains uncertain is how these factors play out and to what extent they will affect the outcome of the race.We cannot determine for sure what future will result from a Republican victory. We can, however, predict with great accuracy (if history, and the last three years are any indicator) what future will result from a Democratic victory.
....And That Is The Diatribe....
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