The game of politics

Politics in the United States no longer has anything to do with looking our for the well-being of its citizens or the nation. It has just become a game. It's a pretty rough game. As McCain has said, in response to being asked how he can possibly suck up to Bush after what Bush/Rove tried to do to him during his presidential bid, "politics is not bean bags." It's not bean bags but it quite definitely has become nothing more than a game. Each side hires coaches and players. The goal of the game is simply to win. It doesn't matter what is at stake, "just win, baby."
How else can you describe people like James Carville and Mary Matalan? If either one of them truly believed in what they were doing they could not possibly stay married. They are coaches, just as Karl Rove is a coach. They know and interpret the rules and advise the players what to do. And obviously they are not above bending the rules when it suits them. And don't forget the mindless cheerleaders, the Limbaughs, Hannitys. O'Reillys, Coulters and others who don't care what they say or how outrageous they are as long as the can denigrate the other team and motivate their own. Republicans, Republicans, sis boom bah, Democrats, Democrates, ha ha ha. This, unfortunately, is what American politics has become.


And just like any other game, when a game is over the losers congratulate the winners. Witness Bill Clinton palling around with George Bush, a captain he both won and lost to. Clinton could not possibly forgive Bush and what the Republicans did to him if he did not fundamentally believe it was all just a game. And witness Hilary joining with (of all people, the world's premier hypocrite) Newt Gingrich. Notice, too, how they all engage in the game of "gotcha." The plan is to try to slyly trap one of the opposing players into making some kind of mistake at which point they can yell "gotcha" and thereby win some points.

One of the problems here, just like in all professional sports, is that some teams (in this case the Republicans) have more resources (money) than others. Therefore they can hire better coaches and players, or at least more coaches and players than the other team. They can also have better facilities, press converage, and so on. The beauty of politics as sport is that it need have nothing whatsoever to do with public policy, national well-being, or even reality. The Iraq "war" is surely a case in point. An unnecessary, immoral, illegal, unconstitutional "war" that has now virtually disappeared from the front pages while we concern ourselves with the various strategies required to deal with it. The fact that thousands upon thousands of people, including thousands of non-combatant women and children, have been maimed and killed isn't even worth reporting. We are concerned, however, over the rules. Should they be counted or not? What actually constitutes a combat related death (home run), should the players be replaced or reassigned (move the players to different positions or replace them). Who should be allowed to umpire? Should some of the rules be changed? "Show me the money."

Also, it would be most unsportsmanlike to quit before the game is over. That is, before there is a winner. Furthermore, there has to be agreement on the rules (is torture acceptable or not? What actually is torture? Who has the authority to decide? And who will decide when the game is over?).

The fans (public) believe the outcome of the game is vitally imortant. They buy their t-shirts and flags and oversize hands and caps and imitation uniforms (as well as their magnetic stickers, ribbons and slogans) and faithfully cheer on their team. That this is all just a game is lost on them. What does it matter who wins today? The game will go on tomorrow, along with another six-pack. Osama bin Who? Who's Rove? Never heard of John Roberts. Condi...that black lady with the funny name, yeah, I heard of her. What does she do? The vice-president? I think his name is Chaney or something like that. Who's starting for the Yankees tomorrow? No, I don't vote. What's the point? It's all fixed anyway. They just take turns ripping us off year after year. It's some kind of game and I don't know the rules. Are there any rules? Who decides?