Play-acting in the End of Times

 We have been trained to distrust government, by people who are in government, or are trying to be. In reality, it isn't (necessarily) government that is bad, but rather, the politicians who make up government. 

How many times, of late, have we witnessed fiery democratic senators totally rip apart the fucking lunkheads Trump has put up for positions in his government? Pretty much every time, as it has been one unqualified bozo after another. Well, they are qualified to be bozos- you know what I mean. However, in the end, they vote to confirm these clowns. How do you rip somebody a new asshole, and then vote them into the fold? You have to be a politician, is the answer to that. 

Politics is Hollywood for ugly people. It's a performance. It keeps people like Susan Collins and Lindsey Graham out of the unemployment line. Could you imagine most congress or senators in any job in the private sector? Sure, you can. You probably have worked with feckless idiots no matter what line of work you are in. I look at James Comer and I immediately think of my old boss, 162 IQ Lou. I bet you've known a few Cory Booker's too; somebody who talks a good game but then doesn't follow through. Been there as well. Most of them on either side of the aisle seem to simply phone it in. It's a job. It's a TV show. Their just happy to be working and on camera. 

When he was in congress representing North Carolina, Jeff Jackson used to post videos of how congress really works. He stopped short of naming names, but it was pretty easy to tell who he was talking about. He said a lot of them are quite nice- until you get a camera in front of them. People in either party probably believe Madge Greene is pulling knives on enemy democrats and taking ears, but that's what she wants you to think. Does Wrong John Kennedy drop his country bumpkin act in private and talk like the Oxford educated man he was when he was a democrat? (And does he say creepy things like, "I can't wait to have your cock in my mouth"? Who knows?) It has been this way for a long time. People like to wax nostalgically about the old days when Tip O'Neil would scream at so and so on the floor and then go out with them for drinks and dinner. Why can't we get back to that!

I don't think that ever really left and it was bullshit then as it is now. Think of anybody you fight with. Do you go out to dinner afterwards? I hope not, because if you do, you are as phony as a Big Beautiful Bill too. Loyal opposition can suck my dick. Loyal opposition probably would too, if that's what it takes. 

We all want our politicians to speak for us with passion and conviction. They may or may not have the passion part down, but they generally don't do conviction very well. You might go into congress thinking you are Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington") but if you do, you'll wind up being Jefferson Smith, rolled over by your party, as well as the loyal opposition. Only in the movies does Claude Raines succumb to his conscience. You have got to play the game.

Hopefully after smoke clears, survivors of the Trump coup will regroup and do democracy right. I prefer democratic socialism to any other form of government, and we were at our best when we got close to that, but you can't have that when there are republicans in the room. Republicans are the reason we can't have nice things. How to you deal with people who argue against feeding hungry children? They are fucking insane! How does the greatest nation in the world NOT have universal healthcare when the not-as-great nations do? Republicans- again. Democrats too, of course. I know a lot of them are in on it. They play the game just as republicans do. The thing is- fuck the game. 

Ultimately, Trump tearing down democracy for the pleasure of his billionaire betters might be just what the country needs. We were getting nowhere fast the last several decades. No democrat dared try to fix the broken system. None could. Someone- that motherfucker Trump- has to destroy it first. And that's where all the actors are now, whether they know it or not. 

The Sunday morning shows are- ironically- like the late-night talk shows dropping like flies these days. You go on Meet the Press because you have something to promote, just like an actor goes on (whatever talk shows remain as of this Sunday afternoon) to promote a film. It's part of your job. The hosts know this. That's their job. Everybody involved knows it is public relations, not journalism. Chuck Todd said the quiet part aloud when he was grilled about how he let millions of politicians off the hook. He admitted that he wanted to come back. Crack the whip on them, they won't come back. There goes your ratings.