The Election Circus

            The only thing thinner than Trump’s toupee is the security of Hillary’s email server. Yes, it’s election season again. Well, it’s not quite election season. But, it’s not Halloween or Christmas season either, but Walmart is already rolling out the decorations. Why must the decorations come out earlier every year? Because every year, We The People have less to look forward to. So, every year we push the holiday hope a little sooner. The election circus comes earlier for a similar reason. Our sole hope as an electorate is a change of guard.

            I remember a day when we used to have hope. We had the Democratic version of hope—a vision of society helping those in need. We had the Republican version of hope—of economic prosperity emerging from free commerce. Both of those visions have some merit, but We The People now see the truth. The visions aren’t based on policies. They’re marketing slogans. That’s what our politicians have degraded into—slick snake oil salespeople. And, the snake oil is poison and it’s overpriced.

            We The People don’t want an insider. Used to be, we lacked trust in the Washington insider. Now, we no longer even trust our local school board.

            Let’s look at a few of the Republican candidates. Christie wants to cut social security. Kasich made disparaging comments about teachers. Walker’s policies have led to turmoil in Wisconsin. Graham has as much presidential demeanor as Foghorn Leghorn. This isn’t to say every Republican personality or idea is bad. But, at times I feel like I’m watching reality TV as opposed to thoughtful leaders.

            The Democratic side of things also has its drama. How can anyone seriously consider Hillary as viable? Benghazi! Email security issues! And, she tries to deflect with bad jokes as opposed to addressing the issues. There is Biden. He seems a nice man, but his propensity for spouting stupidity seems only surpassed by Dubya!

            Amidst this freak show, two candidates are stepping forward: Trump and Sanders. Two or three decades ago, I’m not sure either candidate would have been taken seriously. Trump seems to speak what’s on his mind. That seems to be his main appeal. He’s not one of them (political insider) and that’s why people like him. He doesn’t have a sliver of presidential demeanor. Electing Trump would make us the laughing stock of the world. But, here’s the catch. The bar is so low, that he’s a better choice than some of the other candidates.

            The Democrats have Sanders. He’s their black sheep. He claims to be a Socialist. At least he’s honest. And, some of his ideas do have merit. He wants to talk about income inequality, police brutality, the soaring cost of college education and the need for quality healthcare. These are key issues people are struggling with. Merely mentioning them grabs attention. His demeanor is crusty—not what one would expect for someone seeking a job that requires high-level diplomacy. At one level, I’m proud that We The People are able to see past the veneer of personality. At another level, Sanders may be a little too far left and too lacking in diplomatic demeanor. He may be the best the Democratic Party has running, but is he the best our country is able to produce? I don’t think so!

            This election season is a turning point. People are screaming NO to politics as usual. They don’t want the insiders. They don’t want slick politicians. They want a change of guards. I’m only hoping that We The People are beginning to see that the guards are not public servants. The guards are running the prison.