Most of those who tune into this Thursday night’s first-of-many Republican presidential political bonfires debates will do so for all the wrong reasons.
While the mega-rich continue to leech off the fruits of the widest disparity of wealth in America since the abuses of the Gilded Age, and while too-big-to-fail banks and multinational corporations continue to feast on record profits at the expense of the working class, and while disgraced neoconservative warmongers continue to bang the drums for yet another senseless unsustainable war in the Middle East, and while just about every Confederate flag-defending apologist within the Republican Party continues to openly question evolution and deny man-made climate change at the peril of everyone on the planet — most of those of us who will be watching tomorrow night’s sure to be a lively debate in Cleveland will be longing purely for entertainment, as if the future of our nation is some sporting contest or sick reality show.
Alas, if Americans really cared about the issues (rude awakening — they DON’T), the writers at Slate and Politico might have one-tenth the number of followers as the Kardashians or Bruce Kaitlin, or whatever her name is, now. As a society, we really don’t give a shit about the solvency of Social Security or controlling the sale of deadly assault weapons. Entertain us. Amuse us. Make us smile. That’s enough to make change the channel for a couple of minutes during American Idol just in case someone in the presidential debate says something funny.
Of course, the center of attention within madcap carnival at the moment known as the Republican presidential primaries will be Donald Tramp, his massive ego feeding off all the national attention he’s been getting lately like some kind of coked-up bacteria-eating flesh, rendering any serious and constructive debate about the issues to the status of a stripped cadaver. The supporting cast of other candidates, pretty much consisting of nine demented dwarfs elbowing each other out of the way to crawl even lower off to the most extreme right sliver on the stage with only one wing, could all fit onto the head of a pin. Truth is, no one really cares much what any of the governors and congressman and senators — you know, people with actual public policy experience — will say or do since we already know this charade of talking heads mouthing rehearsed quips is going to be nothing but a contorted distortion of reality in the alternative universe known as “modern conservatism” — torching every single accomplishment made by President Obama (and there have been many). Expect President Obama to be portrayed as the lovechild of Karl Marx and Osama bin Laden. Hillary Clinton won’t fare much better, as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The over/under on the number of mentions of e-mails and Benghazi makes this a proposition that’s now off the board.
Just when I thought the Republican Party couldn’t sink any lower (which is really saying something), they’ve managed to dig a grave in their own empty basement. There certainly is a valid debate that’s worth watching and listening to from what supposedly are these, the brightest conservative minds on the political right. Trouble is, you won’t be seeing that kind of debate on Thursday night. This isn’t the party of Barry Goldwater anymore. It’s not even the party of Richard Nixon or Pat Buchanan. Instead, look for what amounts of a politicized television version of the Duggars, each little tyke standing behind his podium pulling on mommy and daddy’s leg hoping to get some attention while the bully Tramp hoards all the dinner table goodies for himself.
Indeed, it’s sad to see so many otherwise decent people — and by this, I mean the part of the electorate which is justifiably fed up with both parties — confusing entertainment with leadership, and confounding anger with genuine conviction. Yes, Tramp can be entertaining to some (I consider him a monumental bore). Yes, Tramp appears angry when he speaks, and there’s a lot of anger to tap into right now across the country with so many of our elected officials bought and paid for like whipped mules on a wagon train. By attacking Washington, blaming illegal aliens, ceaselessly ridiculing President Obama, and even resorting to attacking the record of a war hero (Sen. John McCain), The Donald is appealing to the lowest instincts of red-state paranoia. Within this madhouse, somehow Tramp has managed to catapult himself to the top of an ugly ash heap, at least for the moment. That certainly makes him watchable in any debate, as well as an inviting target.
The question is — will any of the nine dwarfs have the balls (let alone the decency) to tell it like it is, call out this lunatic of nothingness, and wipe his ass with his own stinky record? Don’t count on it. Attacking Trump is now attacking the Tea Party. It’s a full-frontal assault on the Republican mainstream. Expect these cowards to politely take issue with Tramp, when he rightfully should be disgraced and leaving the stage under armed protection for the damage he’s doing to the Republican Party.
Oh yes, we’ve been down this rocky road before and it was an ugly path taken by some desperate people, which history has correctly judged as an embarrassment. Funny, how it’s always disenfranchised CONSERVATIVES who lead these third-party, fringe movements. Let us not forget our history, so we shan’t repeat it. Back in 1948, independent-minded Strom Thurmond used to say the very sorts of things that appeal to Tramp’s supporters, and we now know his true colors. Same with George Wallace, who ran as a trailblazing independent in 1968 and carried multiple states in the general election, by tapping into what can only be described as “White backlash.” Then, there was H. Ross Perot who was running neck-a-neck at 30 percent the polls against Bush I (the competent one) and Clinton in the 1992 presidential race, before he turned into a broken coo-coo clock on national television in front of 40 million people when claiming he was suddenly withdrawing from the race because the political opponents were “trying to disrupt (his) daughter’s wedding.” Back then, America pretty much did a collective, “what the fuck was that” sigh a relief after watching Perot self-destruct. Whew, that was close. But oops, here we go again.
I expect the same will happen to Tramp, eventually. As the reality show frenzy wears out and finally gets old, this infatuation with absurdity and ignorance will end. There’s no way some pathological liar who has changed his position on virtually every major policy issue over the past decade (abortion, health care, foreign policy, and so forth) will be a serious candidate by the time we’re in the midst of the Republican primaries coming up in 2016. For goodness sake, the man couldn’t make it in the casino business and declared bankruptcy FOUR FUCKING TIMES — is this really the figurehead Republicans want in charge of the U.S. economy? His expertise? Taking advantage of the New York real estate market. Gee, that takes some real talent, doesn’t it? He would be eaten alive in the general election, although anyone foolish to ingest this bile will invariably be throwing up by next January. Let’s not forget the appallingly poor judgment and ignorance of those who profess to support him now. The gullible will not be fit as colleagues worth listening to, come the time New Hampshire rolls around. Their credibility is already shot to hell. Anyone who supports Tramp in any way, shape, or form shall forever be branded as AN IMBECILE. Mark it down. Take names. Remember.
Seriously and I repeat– he couldn’t make it in the casino business. Or the magazine business. Or the airline business. Or as the owner of a now-defunct pro football team in a bankrupt league. What kind of record is that? I’ll tell you….one of repeated failure. He’s a Fraud with a capital F.
Nonetheless, we will all be watching the freak show. For progressives and liberals, Thursday night’s presidential debate is must-see TV. Watching all the neanderthal Republican candidates pandering to the far right while Donald Tramp continues to make a farce out of the political process, yet somehow manages to expose how ugly the conservative movement in American has become, will be the newest episode of a popular show watched by millions.
For progressives and liberals, be sure and tune in Thursday night, for the latest episode of “Glee.”
I despise Donald Tramp. But I absolutely love the clusterfuck this moron poses for the Republican Party. Glee, indeed.