I’m finishing the book “The Power Game” by Hedrick Smith and towards the end of the book he brings up an interesting point in regards to the political power “scene” in Washington DC back in the 80’s which is, in my view, even more profound today.  He points out that beginning with JFK the American presidential elections are pretty much determined by candidates who are able to “sell” themselves on TV.  That is: The makeup on your face is more important than the makeup of your political positions. (this is my analogy)  What was transpiring then (the book was written during the last year of the Reagan administration) has become more acute in today’s world – especially, in my view, in congressional elections – and that is:  many of the people elected to office in today’s political “climate” do not understand how to govern.

The first example that came to my mind while I was reading this part of the book (other than the republican candidates which I’ll get to later) was what I witnessed during the last “episode” of the Benghazi hearings where the right wing republicans in the House were attempting to destroy Hillary Clinton.  I listened to about an hour and a half of the proceedings and was totally amazed that virtually EVERY one of the republicans on the committee demonstrated almost a COMPLETE lack of knowledge regarding how our government – and, in this instance, the State Department – works.  The reason for my interest in this inquisition was my support for Bernie Sanders for the democratic nomination for president in 2016 and how this hearing would affect Mrs. Clinton, who is obviously the main opposition to Mr. Sanders.  Well, “to make a long story short,” the next day I told one of my friends I think the Benghazi committee just elected Mrs. Clinton as president.  The republicans were embarrassingly ill-prepared and Mrs. Clinton was given the opportunity to demonstrate an incredible grasp of the workings of our government – well beyond just the State Department.  In a “nutshell,”  the republican “attack squad” was no match for Mrs. Clinton.  In essence they gave her free advertising!

As I’m reading Smith’s book I keep thinking back to these republican representatives on that committee and reminding myself of how our present Congress is making the “Do Nothing” Congress that Harry Truman vilified back in the late 40’s look like workaholics.  Not only are they continually exposing their lack of knowledge regarding the workings of our government (and, I’m not just talking about those on the Benghazi committee now), but they (republicans) seem to spend more time either blocking legislation initiated by those in Congress who do know how it’s “supposed” to work or actually NOT WORKING at all!  I saw a chart a while back on the number of days Congress has been in session since the republicans took over and it’s almost as if they work the number of days most people spend on vacation (OK, it’s not quite that bad – in 2014 I believe the House was in session something like 100 WHOLE days!)  Each year the republicans control the House they set a new record for the fewest pieces of legislation passed IN HISTORY!  Honestly, I think they repeal “Obamacare” (The Affordable Care Act – the legislation one of my good friends, a republican, has shared with me he’d be bankrupt without) more often each year than they pass legislation.

So, one has to wonder (at least I do) how did we get ourselves into such a MESS?  Well, there seem to be multiple explanations, but I have to believe Smith’s contention that the TV has totally turned our democracy upside down (again, my characterization) ranks right at the top.  First of all, it’s those behind the scenes of the political parties – and, as I’ve said many times on this site, that’s where the republicans put the democrats to shame –  the operatives who we never see along with the financiers with the bottomless pockets – who determine the candidates who actually run for office.  In the republican party, if you stray from the “pledge” by even one or two “votes” (in the case of an incumbent) you will get “primaried.”  This is no secret – although I’m amazed that more people in our “liberal media” don’t discuss the ramifications of what that (voting in “lock step”) does to our “democracy.”  Compromise, which is the backbone of a functioning democracy, is a “dirty word” to those behind our present day right wing republican party (which is why my main focus for the past few years is to encourage people to vote republicans out of office – en masse)

So this invisible “cabal” of the republican party has to find people who will be “acceptable” via the TV advertising which is necessary to win in today’s political climate AND they have to be willing to vote how they’re told to vote.  The idea that any of them are actually “voting their conscience” is laughable.  The representative in my own district (she’s a republican) was threatened with censure by the local republican party because she voted 5 times out of over 500 votes via her conscience.  It’s do what you’re instructed or the funds will be cut off and you’ll be “primaried.”  I’ve been using the F word (fascism) to describe the direction of the republican party for years.  Now, with people like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz leading in the polls for the republican nomination for president you’re hearing that term in more and more places.  When you have a group who openly profess “The end justifies the means” it’s time to “wake up” – that would be my message to “we the people.”

I’ve watched (as much as I can stomach of) the republican debates for the 2016 nomination for president and I haven’t heard much that relates to actual issues and how to solve America’s mounting problems.  What I’ve heard is “I’ll get rid of Obamacare.”  “When I’m elected we’ll get the Keystone XL pipeline.” “Planned Parenthood sells body parts.” “Obama is weak.”  “Issues” like that along with a plethora of comments that compete for the number of “Pinocchio’s on the fact checking websites.  I think I did hear Donald Trump claim that the minimum wage is too high and others say we should repeal the minimum wage.  I watched part of one democratic debate and felt that each of the candidates was speaking to specific issues.  While there were many generalities there as well (I guess that’s how it has to be) the candidates spent most of their time speaking toward issues and not blasting each other or their republican counterparts.  What stuck out to me was how the democratic candidates demonstrated an infinitely higher grasp on the functionality of government – and, I have to add, I’ve never understood the rationale behind electing people who HATE government to run it.  That, to me, makes no sense.

Back to my original point – our “system” has evolved to the point where the ability to attract voters via your TV personality far outweighs your knowledge of and ability to run government.  To me, that is a dangerous misnomer – and, it’s time that reality becomes part of the national dialogue.  Ronald Reagan was an actor who was completely at ease in front of the camera’s and he won one solid victory (over Carter and Anderson) and one landslide victory – despite the FACT that a majority of Americans (especially by his second term in office) disagreed with his political philosophy.  Reagan had no expertise on how the government functioned and mainly delegated responsibility to others – leading to some lasting damage to the foundation of our nation.  It was Reagan who claimed government to be the problem and not the solution.  It was Reagan who put the national debt on its course toward financial disaster – a course that got a substantial assist from GW Bush/Dick Cheney in 2002.  Reagan is the best example (I can think of) of a politician who’s expertise at winning elections via the TV allowed for his incompetence at governing to rule the day.

In today’s political “arena” you’ve got people like Charles and David Koch who are willing to spend HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars to support candidates willing to take the “pledge” (the pledge is to vote lock step according to the directions of the party “leaders”) and they (the Koch’s and their brethren) are the masters at how to use the media for their advantage.  For years the republicans have been brainwashing America’s unsuspecting public as they’ve had a slow steady push toward what Karl Rove calls the “permanent republican ‘majority'” – quote marks are mine.  They’ve had people like Rush Limbaugh brainwashing his listeners – what’s really interesting to me about him is that Limbaugh actually refers to his listening audience as “ditto heads” – and, the listeners willingly adopt that slam, they’ve got Fox “news” which is the brainchild of Roger Ailes – a “dirty trickster” republican operative sans Richard Nixon – that openly follows the “Big Lie Theory” of Joseph Goebbels, the German Nazi propagandist, with little to no actual blow-back from the “liberal media,” and they’ve got a small “army” of right wing pundits that will flood the various cable “news” outlets – all, of course focused on being “fair and balanced,” – with, what I call, the “word of the day” – as they spread the right wing’s propaganda message to all who will listen.  Honestly, you can’t get away from this barrage of propaganda.  For example, they’ve even convinced liberals that our media is “liberal.”  And, as the commercials you see on TV regarding professional golfers state – “These guys are good.”

From the standpoint of those “pulling the strings,” I’m sure the FACT that so many of those going to congress as “Tea Party” “conservatives,” or simply “conservative” republicans have no idea how the government functions or how to create legislation is  TOTALLY irrelevant.  The only thing that matters is that they vote as they’re directed.  I’m sure over the course of time, many of these people actually start to believe they are competent at what they’re supposed to be doing, but all you have to do is watch something like the Benghazi hearings to realize – “Oh my gosh” these republicans are outlandishly bad!  I’m sure this is why, during the election cycles, the campaign managers attempt to keep their candidates away from impromptu sessions with anyone associated with the media in case they might say something off of the script.  If you remember GW Bush – he had difficulty putting one comprehend-able sentence together, let alone a whole paragraph!

All of this is why I’m starting to see Donald Trump as playing a very important part in the next few years of America’s unfolding history.  One thing you can say about Trump is that he’s not one of those candidates who’s going to say what he’s told by the republican insiders.  In fact, what I’m hearing is that the republican “establishment” is staying up late at night trying to figure out how to get rid of  Mr. Trump without encouraging him to run a third party campaign.  He’s not taking orders from them – in fact, I’m sure his plan is to give the orders!  These republican insiders loved the “Tea Party” while it was working to their advantage, but Trump is more than likely giving them second thoughts.  The latest “reporting” I’ve heard is that the republican “establishment” is planning a “brokered convention” in case Trump manages to stay viable all the way until the convention begins.  Their “Tea Party” strategy seems to be backfiring!  But, make no mistake, Trump is an expert at using the TV to further his ends – and he is a classic “The end justifies the means” type of person.  He’s referred to America’s voters as being “stupid” and, in my view, the ultimate success (or failure) of his campaign will go a long way in determining to what degree he’s accurate.

And, let’s look at the alternative to Trump.  At the present time it’s looking like Ted Cruz.  I’m sure it wasn’t too long ago that there was NO ONE in the republican party who thought any candidate would make Cruz look “inviting.”  The reality:  Cruz is not much different than Trump.  We’re still looking at Fascist comparisons should the republicans end up nominating Cruz.  He’s had enough “wacky” moments in his short Senate career to fill a large roll of film for the PAC’s that will be lining up to prevent him from winning the White House.  As I predicted about 5 years ago, the logical republican nominee – from what I could foresee – was Jeb Bush!  Yikes!!!  Right now, Bush is at around 3% in the polls – so, the “establishment” is going to need a “Houdini” trick to prop him up to a level where he’s got a shot at the nomination.  I wonder what they’re thinking – that the preferred alternative to Trump is another Bush?!  Is it any wonder that the republican party finds itself in disarray?  In truth, the republicans are all about POWER.  The so-called 1% has become almost unfathomably rich since the day Reagan was elected.  There seems to be no way to satisfy their GREED!  I find it ironic that “one of their own,” Donald Trump, could be their undoing.  Trump has the TV part of politics “down,” we’ll all have to wait and see if America’s voters are as stupid as he thinks they are.

The biggest irony in all of this, to me, is that it’s people like Trump who these “Tea Party” fanatics should be angry at.  It’s the Wall Street members of the so-called “1%” who’ve been ripping them (and America) off for the past 30 years – but, they (the Tea Party) have been convinced it’s the democrats (and, “liberals”) and the “government” that is the problem.  Bernie Sanders is correct when he asserts that a significant portion of the “angry” Trump supporters would have a much better chance of seeing change that positively would affect their lives by supporting him.  Reminds me of the saying, “Can’t see the forest because of the trees.”