Welcome to Dumb Politics 2008
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Yes friends, that great American experiment in democracy, where every four years the intelligent and wise of our nation gather to discuss and debate the great issues of our time, is upon us. Well, something is upon us and we’d better clean it off before it starts to stink. It’s already up to our ankles and it’s only gonna get deeper! That’s right my friends, the presidential race is finally down to the homestretch, and here and now we will discuss what is most important about this upcoming election. That is of course, the humor, the jokes, the guffaws, and just that continuous carnival of copious incompetency at all levels of the political process that each day of this election brings to we few, we happy few, we band of comics. Yes my fellow Americans, the Democratic and Republican conventions, those uniquely American institutions,(and who wants to be in an institution) that are a cross between a three ring circus and a paid political infomercial, are finally over. Not a moment too soon I might add. The selection of the candidates, such as they are, is made, the party platforms declared, the policy positions stated, but so much more lies ahead, lies of course being the operative word. There is still dirt to be dug, mud to be slung, muck to be raked, scandals to be mongered, accusations and counter accusations to be leveled and denied. Then maybe, just maybe, a discussion or two about the issues will ensue. But, if I were you, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
But this whole political process will not work without you. Yes you my friend! It is not up to the citizens, who abdicate their voting rights to automatic voting machines. It’s not up to the media, those political pundits who pontificate profusely pleading their points toward a probability of prevalence. It’s up the lobbyists and PACs, whose client’s good hard earned money goes to greasing the wheels of power. It’s not up to the political parties, who for years have followed that time-honored tradition of choosing the wrong person for the wrong office at the wrong time. It’s not up to special interest groups, the so called “five-twenty-sevens”, the stealth bombers of the campaign providing myths so dearly beloved by our political pundits of the pressroom It’s not up to corporate campaign contributors, whose millions of mostly unregulated dollars buy favor with those elected to represent the people and make these events possible.
It is up to us! That’s right! “We the people.” It is our constitutional duty to generate those jokes, garner those gags, and giggle at those gaffes, to show the humor and silliness that pervades the political process. Let us put aside for a moment the serious discussions of the war, the economy, health care and social security (God only knows the current administration and congress has) and don instead the jester’s cap. Let us find those character flaws, generate those jokes, and work those one-liners, and show just how dumb politics can really be and mostly is. Come join the fun. Welcome to Dumb Politics 2008!