The Greatest Show On Earth

Barnum and Bailey could never have conceived a greater or more entertaining venue in all of their years of traveling circus days. With their high flying trapeze artists and animal acts, the stuff of legends was born through their vision of how dazzling the masses should look.

But never in a million years would they have ever thought that they could be upstaged by the American Idol mentality that has taken over the political arena, most notably the current race for the Oval Office.

We've got a dancer vs. a sleight of hand artist. A beauty queen vs. a one liner comedy act. We've enjoyed singers of songs and actors of outrage on both sides of the side splitting soap opera that has so captivated a nation that they have no idea of what they are voting for or voting against any more.

In the still most powerful country to ever grace the world stage, there are hucksters of distraction everywhere, dazzling us with tales found to be untrue, but told again any way in the exact same fashion, as though no one had caught them lying in the first place. Like a three card monte game, the stories are moved swiftly through the media, spinning round and round, nuanced by talking heads into important issues, when in reality, the talking points have nothing to do with the ability to run our country.

There used to be a time in America when if a politician who was running for higher office was caught bald faced lying to the people, they'd be hounded so badly by the press, and humiliated publicly to the point that they'd be forced to drop out of the race, and hide their head in the sand until the storm of controversy had blown over. Not so any more. Now, the politicos hold the press in their pockets. They wine them and dine them, and invite them to exclusive parties. rubbing shoulders and glad handing celebrities, the media becomes light headed with giddiness.

Having made 'friends' with certain candidates, it then becomes difficult to be objective and dig deep for the truth, even when they know for a fact that what they are putting forth as the truth is nothing but more lies spewing forth from the candidates' mouths. Complicit in the carnival atmosphere, the clowns whirl and do somersaults for the politicians who are best placed to further a media career.

Faltering economy on the verge of complete collapse? Hey! look over here! Watch the candidate eat pie with the locals! Dead soldiers arriving from war zones they claim to be placated? No problem! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat! Homelessness growing, poverty at an all time high? Well, Geez, that's terrible, but watch the beauty queen strut across the stage to the cheers of adoring fans that have no idea that she hates everything you stand for! Rising unemployment and food prices spiralling out of control? Don't you worry because Tada! We just cut taxes for the richest 1% of the country again! Follow the flashing lights and pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. That rabbit hole is off limits to the public.

Does this sound sarcastic and angry? Good. It's meant to sound that way. Americans are so unplugged as to what is really going on, and the powers that be are utterly dependent on an uninformed populace to get away with their dog and pony show politics. They present us with a shiny little ball on a chain, swinging it back and forth, back and forth, until everyone is asleep and lulled into a false sense of security. The man behind the curtain? Oh. Well, that's, er, that's just the shadow of the moon you're seeing, pay no attention. When in reality, it's that shadow that has caused us to forget exactly what we are supposed to be thinking about this election season.

We're supposed to be looking to see who will bring change to the failed and destructive policies of the past decade. We should be looking at the current White House and the squatters who still reside there and thinking about the loss of civil liberties, the lies, the wars, the poverty and the death caused by those people. And about who in this race wishes to go even further than Bush and Cheney's maniacal plans. Who will stop the madness, and get things back under control, and who is actually partly responsible for the current crisis with his voting along with Bush almost all of the time. Who has as his advisers, the exact same people who advised the current regime. Or who can and will usher in an era of change, responsibility, and prosperity for all.

That's the choice we truly have to make and make it right now. Do we want to talk about what the real issues that are facing us are all about? Or do we want to watch the greatest show on earth continue, one that is a bridge to nowhere, and will lead us full circle four years from now, in a worse situation than before, involved in God knows how many more wars, with a completely shut off from the public government, and more jobs shipped overseas? It is incumbent upon every patriot in America to stand up and demand answers to our questions. To not allow candidates to refuse to speak to the People's questions, or if they do, to reject them out right.

Because we are not running an American Idol show here. We are voting for the office of the President of the United States, and for those who would rather watch the circus act, and end up with another administration that rapes your wallets and pocketbooks, you'll have only yourself to blame. The rest of us have to get on every message board, every media site, every chat room and social networking place and get the message across. The message is very simple and goes something like this: They are at it again. They are lying and distorting facts to steal another election, and have hypnotized you, so wake up, get back in the game, or get left behind.

Now, bring the clowns back out. I could use a good laugh............................