Posted by
John Finnigan on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:06:49 PM
Politics is a messy business. It’s a grab for power and then a wrestling tournament to hold on to the ring for the maximum period of time. The ring of power is tempting, but the skill and intestinal fortitude to hold on to it is too costly.
I was in Iowa recently visiting my ailing mother-in-law. Iowa, along with New Hampshire being Ground Zero for the presidential primary campaigns. Every man, woman or child hoping to get in or lead the pack of ravenous candidate dogs goes to Iowa to primp themselves and their resources before Iowa citizens for approval. Iowans love the attention and access to the powerful every few years. Every August Candidates trek to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines to walk the political Cat Walk for Iowa and the assorted media.
Mom-in-law being a life long Des Moines resident is an example of what I think is so wrong with the political landscape. She hates taxes, passionately, but loves the benefits she gets form the governments redistribution of wealth. As long as she doesn’t have to pay higher taxes she doesn’t mind receiving government handouts. She’s against the war, but wants global Islamo Fascist terrorism stopped.
On the other hand, my mother-in-law is exactly why America is great. She worked fifty years until illness struck her down, Paid off a home mortgage, raised a family, paid her taxes, voted regularly and never stole a material thing in her life. She is in many ways the salt of the Mid-Western earth.
Yet, she is prone to the prevarications of snake oil politicians, news reporters and media advertising. These three are like prostitutes who will service you for a price, yet leave you with difficult to get rid of, long lasting, often embarrassing consequences.
I remember the words of Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols at their last concert in the United States before the death of Sid Vicious; He asked: Do you feel like you’ve been cheated?
I know I do.
Yet, mom-in-law will run back to her political party, after they’ve fleeced her, she’ll vote for them again, and continue complaining.