The Rape of Dignity and the Rise of Bread and Circuses

Trump in NHWhat hath we wrought? How deeply must we plunge the knife of ignorance into our national gut? Will we die before it’s too late? Is it already too late? Is ours the greatest societal suicide story ever told? Say what you will about Jeb Bush (and many of you no doubt will) but here is (was) a dignified statesman. This was a thoughtful candidate whose sound judgment could have steered a necessarily sober path through the economic and foreign minefields that have been strewn in our path. He is gone, and we are left with a “bread and circuses” campaign. Let’s face it; the lowest common denominator has won. The manipulators of public fear (on the right) and envy (on the left) now rule the day. Mother Dignity has been disgraced and is no longer valued as an American virtue.

The pundits have already sliced and diced the rise and fall of Jeb Bush’s campaign. Even here on the American Thinker pages the common refrain is touted. Jeb and his team “were unable to adopt to the changing political landscape and were crushed by their own hubris and incompetence.” American Thinker Article

Let’s accept all arguments regarding the reasons for Jeb’s failed campaign. We’ll take them at face value. The point is this; it’s not the point!

We stand on the precipice of something momentous. We are fighting for the very soul of our nation, yet the vast majority of Americans seem wholly oblivious. There are so many anomalies occurring at the same time that one struggles with where to start in decomposing this moment in time in which we find ourselves. Shall we start with Donald Trump?

Who are his supporters? This article provides some solid information. Real Clear Politics on Trump Supporters The more things change, the more they appear to stay the same. Watch this video of Archie and Edith Bunker. Archie Bunker on Washington politicians

Can you honestly tell me Mr. Trump is not exploiting today’s Archie Bunkers? Mr. Trump is not a Republican. Mr. Trump is running a campaign based on fear and loathing. His greatest applause line now involves getting his audiences to respond to his question regarding who will pay for his wall with a resounding chant of “Mexico!” Trump manipulates crowd on border wall You can’t make this stuff up, and if you did, no one would believe you.

Mr. Trump may well be the Republican nominee. Since this author has been singularly wrong about just about every political turn of events for the past eight months, the reader will not see any predictions in this article. Suffice to say we are in uncharted waters and something very big and very different needs to continue happening if Mr. Trump is to have a snowball’s chance in hell of beating the Democrat nominee. The lessons of the last half-year are that maybe something that improbable may just happen.

Let’s not forget Ted Cruz. He is a Constitutional originalist who bends from time to time to stay relevant. His is a campaign of rebellion. Washington is the enemy. This campaign speech sums it up As angry as we are at President Obama for his intransigence and refusal to negotiate anything with anyone, why would a rationale voter think Ted Cruz would be any better? Gridlock driven by the right is no better than gridlock controlled by the left.

The Republicans don’t own all the craziness. What has happened that millions of millennials now think socialism is cool? How can we have degenerated to the point where the promise of free stuff becomes a sustainable political platform? In one of Margaret Thatcher’s last stands in Parliament, she tackled the issue of socialism head on. Thatcher tackles socialism in Parliament Where are our leaders today? More importantly, do we even have the intellectual capacity to listen any longer to common sense?

Would Bernie Sanders have been given a moment’s notice in campaigns over the past century? Is it conceivable that he or anyone similar to him would ever have been more than a blip on the political radar? This is the man who says “”If Wall Street does not end its greed, we will end it for them!” See Sanders speech here Yes, this man has mastered the politics of envy.

And then there is Hillary. What can one write that hasn’t been written? Not much. So let’s just say this. This is one flawed candidate; one who is completely out of touch with mainstream America, and whose stilted, scripted performances are painful to watch. Then there is the honesty issue. Folks, there is a reason people do not trust Hillary. Compilation of Hillary Misstatements

The bread is baked and the circus is in full swing. Dignity has no home and statesmanship a thing of the past. Lord help us.