The Old Poli-Sci Major

Yes, a lot has happened in the political world since I graduated as a poli-sci major 42 years ago. Watergate was just a place no one ever heard of. Nixon was The One. I really enjoyed politics. It was interesting and supposedly made some sense. I am sure that wasn't true, even then. I have a hunch that the insanity we see having run rampant in the past 18 years was just as real- but not reported on. The silent agreement between the press and the politicians not to talk about certain things hadn't fallen apart yet.

But this past week was just amazing as a way of seeing how insane it really is.

And his name is Stephen Colbert. He has skewered politics as it is now being run in the country. He has taken the legalities of unlimited corporate and Super-PAC funding to it's logical conclusion and torn it apart. His fake character on his Colbert Report, acting as egocentric as the best 2012 GOP candidates, has repeatedly given us an inside satirical look at what is happening in reality right before our very eyes.

It might be possible for an old poli-sci major to be upset at all this. But I am not. I am far more aware today of the brokenness of the American political system and the deep divisions that exist. How Colbert and his partner in politics, Jon Stewart, have been able to meet the legal requirements while poking Swiss Cheese holes in it is both funny- and scary. It may be why we are having so many difficulties.

Then, as if Colbert and his crew weren't enough, the GOP candidates and SC primary outdid them. Newt is back  (as egocentric as the best 2012 candidate?). His entitlement to anger, his inability to understand (or at least express) compassion and how people are so upset at him, is amazing to watch. It is almost as if he is a satire on the political system like Colbert. He was right to be upset about the leading question at the debate which I have a hunch won him the final thrust of the primary yesterday.

And Romney, in attempting to be "Just Your Average Mitt" fails regularly. Another satire of the 1% not understanding the middle-class.

So, the Old Pol-Sci major shakes his head and hopes that something good will come out of this whole mess, especially since we haven't even gotten to the main event for the fall. Meanwhile I will watch and shake my head in sadness at how crazy we have become.