While this is a humorous take on the problems we are facing as Americans, especially as Californians, it is real. Politicians create issues, lie to the public, usually by omission and make decisions based on their needs and agenda. Few really do represent the community. You see photo ops, staged press conferences, tears, posters. What you do not see are results.
Politics is Kabuki.
Sadly, we can not ignore it. We can not turn our heads. These people control every aspect of our lives. We need to control them, not allow them to control us.
Political theatre of the absurd by Richard Eber
Richard Eber, Exclusive to the California Political News and Views, 3/17/22
One of my favorite moments in cinema is the iconic scene from 1964’s Dr. Strangelove when Captain Lionel Mandrake is trying to save the world by calling the president to avoid nuclear extermination of the planet. He is thwarted by Colonel Bat Guano who objects breaking into a vending machine to secure change.
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake:
Colonel! Can you possibly imagine what is going to happen to you, your frame, outlook, way of life, and everything, when they learn that you have obstructed a telephone call to the President of the United States? Can you imagine? Shoot it off! Shoot! With a gun! That’s what the bullets are for, you twit!
Colonel “Bat” Guano:
Okay. I’m gonna get your money for ya. But if you don’t get the President of the United States on that phone, you know what’s gonna happen to you?
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake:
What?
Colonel “Bat” Guano:
You’re gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.
I feel much the same way trying to figure out what our President is doing in dealing with the crisis in the Ukraine. While this valiant country and their leader battle the barbaric invasion of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the United States sits idly by.
Only after Russian troops have crossed their border did President Joe Biden send military equipment to thwart Putin’s army. At the same time while helpless civilian targets are hit each day, he has refused to ship old used MIG aircraft from Poland. Biden thinks doing so will anger Putin and threaten further US involvement.
Such thinking is about on the same level of the President blaming Putin for the rise in gasoline prices at the pump which have sky rocketed since he assumed office in 2020. In his mind (whatever still remains) cutting off the Keystone Pipeline, not allowing for new oil exploration leases on Federal property and slowing the permit process for existing well development to placate Green New Deal advocates, has no role in the current dilemma.
In the next breath our Commander and Chief recently told our nation if they spend another four trillion dollars on his Build Back Better program, inflation will abate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems more concerned with mythical voter rights legislation to protect Stacy Abrams, partisan investigations of Donald Trump, and placating AOC and her Squad, rather than dealing with issues her constituents actually care about.
Not a peep from the House Speaker or the President about the crisis of illegal immigration on the Mexican border including the importation of fentanyl, rising crime rates in Democratically controlled cities, or the deteriorating conditions of public schools around the nation.
Taking all of this drama in, my present condition of being the “Madman across the Water” is not assisted. All this evil viewed on cable news to see history unfold along with commercials that must be endured to view the Ukraine war.
I am constantly deluged with advertisements about special pillows and the best linens ever known to mankind. Thousands of women and children are being murdered in the Ukraine yet I am being told several times a day that it is imperative for me to purchase these items along with slippers that have four layers allowing them to be worn outside the confines of my house.
Since why are buying slippers, pillows and sheets such a priority for me? I am sick of this guy Mike Lindell begging me to purchase his products three times each hour. I almost prefer spokesman Phil Swift of Flex Seal using a chain saw to tear apart a boat then gluing it back together again.
At the same time medications for anything from Diabetes to mental illness are being touted on the air. There are also constant reminders that my energy and sex drive can be enhanced by ordering a special trial of exotic pills. There is even this stuff call Relaxium that is supposed to induce sleep if one gets nightmares from the news.
I am also sick and tired of the media pushing public service announcements of Black History and Women’s months down my throat. It’s not that I have a problem with either of these events.
Somehow it seems that if one does not pay attention to being more informed on these subjects, that person could be considered a bigot, sexist, and-or racist. Under these circumstances it is normally sound policy to make use of channel changers until the month changes.
The list goes on with professional athletes lecturing me about politics and morality. The last time I checked being able to shoot a basketball, hit home runs, or throw touchdown passes, are not qualifications to preach, even on ESPN. It has been my understanding this task is supposed to be the job of preachers, priests, and rabbis; but not dumb jocks, most of whom are less informed than me.
I hate Tom Selleck selling reverse mortgages on late night TV. It would be preferable if the actor who plays NYC Police Commissioner on Blue Bloods, moonlight as a consultant to inept District Attorney’s in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Contra Costa Counties. Was he to do this, I could not envision even Progressive political hacks defying Frank Reagan.
Lastly, like most people in my age group, I intensely dislike rap and R& B music as seen on the Super Bowl halftime show. This fact is only told to a few close friends because of fear mentioning my opinions in public would result in ridicule and charges of bigotry.
This is puzzling. No one seems to care about my negative feelings about opera and classical music. Both are boring and put me to sleep. So why this?
Perhaps these tastes make me devoid of culture but as Popeye once said, “I is what I is.”
Meanwhile, I am turning off this rant “for quality control purposes” and go back to depressing coverage of the Ukraine war. I am certain Captain Lionel Mandrake would agree with this decision.
