The Circus Continues

Newton Leroy Gingrich, one of the greatest entertainers since W. C. Fields, has won the South Carolina primary. That is quite an accomplishment for an ethically disgraced ex-Speaker of the House, serial adulterer, master hypocrite, consummate liar, loudmouthed pontificator, and all-around phony, that makes other politicians look like honest practicing Christians. Not only did he win and defeat the Romney that few people want as candidate, and have desperately been trying to avoid for months, by looking for someone, even anyone else, he apparently did so by a fairly large margin. But, after all, we are speaking of South Carolina.

The only reason I can offer for even watching this ring of the three ring circus is that I was bored and had nothing else to do. I particularly enjoyed what appeared to be Romney’s victory speech, even though he had just lost when he had been predicted to win. During his performance I searched carefully for a single honest statement but could not find one. Romney either actually believes the utter garbage that emanates from his mouth or is the world’s greatest prevaricator. Reduced to its fundamentals, he told us we were all on our own, sink or swim, live or die, succeed or fail, and never mind any problems. It was as if he lives in an entirely different world from most of us, which, I guess, he does. He didn’t mention jobs, poverty, Social Security, Medicare, or even Obamacare, as he extolled the virtues of the free market and the American empire. He obviously lives in a gated community of the mind.

Romney’s ode to capitalism was followed by Ron Paul’s overly long tirade against government, foreign aid, printing money, welfare, the importance of “liberty,” the tyranny of regulations, and the necessity to return to the Constitution. The longer he spoke the more apparent it became to me that he does not realize we are now living in the 21st century. He did not deplore the rise of civil rights, nor did he mention how fast Black teenagers could run after robbing someone, his previous racist newsletters, or his anti-abortion views (you know, the ones where the government tells you what you can do with your life and your body). He promotes the same kind of simple minded Social Darwinism of Romney and that characterizes the Republicans idea of non-government. Somehow they don’t seem to grasp the idea that you cannot manage a national population of billions without a government (or even, I guess, that you should).

I confess I was so exhausted from cheering these two extraordinary speeches that by the time Santorum spoke my eyes had crossed, my attention span was overtaxed, my patience was exhausted, my wits were scrambled. I felt I was trapped in never-never land. I have no idea what Santorum said but I’m sure whatever it was it was more Republican nonsense. He did say, I recall, that he would continue on, against all odds, logic, purpose, and use. I think he has nothing else to do. Republicans, I gather, are supposed to have another one of their “debates” on Monday night. I truly regret I will not be able to watch it. My wife does not allow me to watch them when she is not here to supervise and she teaches on Monday nights (she is concerned over my health, especially my heart, during these spirited Republican discussions).

And so, as we continue on towards the Republican promised land, shrouded in mist and mystery, that land at the edge of the earth where their Great Guru Saint Ronnie now resides, I am comforted to know that, god-willing, we will soon be in the good hands of somebody-or-other who will do something-or-other to save us from the Black villain who has stolen our country and is desperate to prevent us from raping and pillaging it even further than we already have, shutting down our profits and even trying to make us pay taxes. Lordy, Lordy, these Black folk don’t understand how things are supposed to work in the “civilized” world. Whatever happened to those wonderful days when they was singin’ happily in the cotton fields, eatin’ watermelon and fried chicken, and the sun was predictably revolving around the earth? Not to worry, the good ol’ times will return once we get a Republican in the White House, just ask ‘em.

The object of government in peace and in war is not the glory of rulers or of races, but the happiness of the common man.

Lord William Beveridge