"So, Tell Me A Little About Yourself....You Know, Something I Might Actually Believe..."

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

So, here's a seemingly desperate measure for you.

Limit the process of nominating the major party candidates for President strictly to those individuals who have a minimum of five years experience as personnel managers.

Here's the madness behind the method.

Seasoned personnel managers, by training, experience, even instinct, have a grasp on something that those outside their profession do not.

The awareness that those who excel at the interview don't necessarily bring that excellence to the performance of the job itself.

Political campaigns, by their nature, are really nothing more, or less, than job interviews.

And if you take away the glam, glitter, frenzy and fracas that goes along with any major political campaign, what you are left with, at its essence, is nothing more than candidates who are trying to convince you that you should hire them for the gig.

Unless you were born into a wealthy family (and if you were, the odds on you being a reader of my work are fantastically infinitesimal or are under the age of, say, fourteen, then you have, at one time or another, been interviewed for a job.

And, let's cut the crap while cutting to the chase, we both (all) know that we have all conducted ourselves pretty much the same in that situation.

We have done our very best to portray ourselves in the very best light, done our best to convince ourselves that we answering every question honestly, regardless of consequence, while, if only subconsciously, inevitably telling the interviewer what we think the interviewer wants to hear and done our best to deal with any possible exposure of our weaknesses or lack of abilities by pivoting to the aforementioned best light and/or what the interviewer wants to hear.

And there are many people who are absolute masters when it comes to the "selling" part of selling oneself to others.

Whether or not they turn out to be abject failures once they make the sale.

Think about it.

If the ability to sell somebody on our virtues matched our ability to deliver on those virtues, one business would disappear overnight.

Divorce courts.

One, obviously, does not, in fact, guarantee the other.

So every four years, we find a line of applicants waving resumes' and posters at us and doing their best, via media interviews, town hall meetings, televised debates, et al to put themselves in the best light while convincing themselves that they are answering every question honestly, regardless of consequence, while, in fact, if only subconsciously, inevitably telling the interviewer what they think the interviewer wants to hear, at the same time doing their best to deal with any possible exposure of their weaknesses or lack of abilities by pivoting to the aforementioned best light and/or what the interviewer wants to hear.

Or as we have come to call it more commonly...

A presidential campaign.

Personnel managers are, by the aforementioned training, experience and/or instinct, are much better prepared to see through the interview razzle dazzle/bullshit and determine whether there is genuine potential for superior job performance.

So why not take advantage of those skills and let them weed out the weasels before putting a couple of names in front of us in the voting booth in November?

Depending, of course, on how the personnel managers themselves got their gigs.

There's that pesky "say what you gotta" thing again.

"Push.....Push.....Cleansing Breath....Push.....Vote.....Push......"

Today's offering from the "no shit, Sherlock" folder.

A new poll says that the number of American voters who want to, essentially, "clean house" of all the politicians is at a twenty year high.

Here's a link to the minutiae of the moment.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/poll-suggests-2012-change-power-washington-131541841.html

Even those in our ranks who pay little or no attention to the day in/day out trials and tribulations of the body politic would have to bury their heads in some pretty deep sand to not be feeling the overwhelming sense that enough may, in fact, be enough.

Don't count on it, kids.

Do "the American people" have every right to be pissed off at being forced to watch the same episode of "Benny Hill Goes To Washington" ad nauseumm?

Ya, you betcha.

Is is inevitable that the instinctive response to said slapstickery is an urge to re-do the entire cast list of the aforementioned sitcom?

Fer sure.

And is it just as inevitable that it's gonna happen?

Fuggetaboudit.

Because regardless of the obvious merits of a house(and senate)cleaning, there is no getting past one inescapable quality inherent in human beings.

The pain of being betrayed, misused, abused and/or mistreated by our elected officials is similar, in one critical way, to the pain of giving birth.

It is soon forgotten.

Otherwise, it would be one kid per customer and mama would adopt a permanent "not tonight, I've got a headache" headache.

And we might actually remember to hold the offending slapstickers accountable when the curtain on the voting booth shuts behind us.

"You Can Call Me Ray...You Can Call Me Jay....."

Red state, blue state.

Schmed state, schblue state.

The idea of a divided nation, at least in terms of "them vs. us" is a myth.

We are all, as human beings, as different as we are alike.

And vice versa.

In that spirit, when it comes to supporting or disavowing any one political philosophy, candidate or office holder, I don't think of myself or any opinion/perspective I might offer as adhering to one side or the other merely for the sake of adhering to one side or the other.

All of the preceding is provided as preamble to the point of the moment.

Barack Obama is, with each passing day, proving to be more of a disappointment as a leader, national, political, or other wise.

But let's be very clear about something.

His failure is not due to the fact that he is some kind of Muslim terrorist in disguse meets Damien from The Omen with a plan to bring us to the end of days in accordance with some dark Koran inspired apocalypse.

His failure is due to the fact that he's simply not very good at the job he was hired to do.

And no matter the supposed color of the state that you and/or I live in, we can all relate to, if not be all thrilled about, that very human failing.

Let the criticism that is justified be freely expressed by one and all, red and blue.

But, seriously, let's take our best shot at being grown ups and try to keep in mind.

He's not the Anti-Christ.

He's Jimmy Carter.

"...Actually, Two Words and A Conjunction.. But Who's Counting?...."

Before we agree to disagree, let's agree to avoid the 3.

Agreed.

Okay.

Now, let the games begin...

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas Governor Rick Perry, expected to enter the Republican race for the White House within weeks, offered a prayer for America on Saturday at a controversial religious rally that put the spotlight on his Christian faith.

Perry, who has made his religious beliefs a big part of his public image, urged an enthusiastic crowd at the seven-hour gathering to pray for President Barack Obama and other U.S. leaders.

"Father, our heart breaks for America," said Perry, who hatched the idea for the rally and brushed off heavy criticism for participating.

"We see discord at home, we see fear in the marketplace, we see anger in the halls of government. As a nation, we have forgotten who made us," Perry said in a prayer offered to a crowd estimated by organizers at more than 30,000 people.

The event was named "The Response" and billed as a day of prayer for a nation in crisis. It also gave Perry a national platform to sharpen his appeal to religious conservatives who play a big role in the Republican nominating race and have been unhappy with the current crop of contenders.

Sponsors of the rally included the American Family Association, whose leaders have condemned gays and Muslims, and the International House of Prayer, founded by an evangelist who warns celebrity Oprah Winfrey is a pastor in a Satan-inspired religion.

It also drew prominent religious conservative leaders such as Focus on the Family head James Dobson and Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.

Critics condemned the event for excluding non-Christian faiths and blurring the boundary between church and state, as well as affiliating with controversial fringe religious groups and leaders.

"Governor Perry achieved his goal today -- he drove almost every religious right leader and group into his corral," said Reverend Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Perry is poised to enter the 2012 Republican presidential race in the next few weeks. He already has shot into the top tier of contenders in opinion polls.

At the rally in Houston's cavernous 70,000-seat Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans professional football team, Perry discussed his faith, read scripture and said a prayer.

"We know the greatest darkness comes just before the morning," he said in a 12-minute appearance, adding God was wise enough to avoid affiliation with any political party.

"His agenda is not a political agenda. His agenda is a salvation agenda," said Perry, who was criticized for blending politics and religion in launching the prayer rally.

'A CAMPAIGN PROP'

"This isn't the first time we have seen Governor Perry use a religious gathering or house of worship as a campaign prop," said Kathy Miller, executive director of the Texas Freedom Network, a nonpartisan watchdog on far-right religious groups.

Perry closed the event by saying he hoped it would begin a national renewal and "our willingness to stand in the public square" would inspire others to seek God.

The rally had a mix of Christian rock, testimonials and scripture from pastors and children, as well as numerous calls to end abortion but little other overtly political rhetoric.

Participants said they were praying to heal a troubled nation and politics was not their concern. Many in attendance, who came in church buses from throughout the region, praised Perry for leading the effort.

"He was brave enough to stand up and say, 'Hey, we've got to pray for the nation.' He's the governor but he's a Christian man," said Lonnie Lavender, a pastor at the War Cry Prayer Ministry in Venus, Texas.

Eddie Ellis, a delivery service owner in Conroe, Texas, who bused to the event with about 50 parishioners from his church, said Americans needed to "wake up."

"Perry is a politician but he says we've got to pray. He hits the right keys," Ellis said.

Perry invited all of the nation's governors but Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas was the only one to attend. Florida Governor Rick Scott, also a Republican, sent a video message.

The event was broadcast on the Internet to more than 1,000 churches around the country, sponsors said. Organizers draped black curtains behind the stage to hide empty seats, although the crowd was larger than predicted earlier in the week.

Perry's emphasis on his Christian faith could be a drawback in a general election when it could turn off moderates and independents, along with those of non-Christian faiths.

The aforementioned, previously agreed upon to be avoided 3 notwithstanding, there is, I think, an honest middle ground here that deserves some thoughtful conversation.

Because a knee jerk recitation of the 3 oversimplifies the matter.

And dismisses a reasonable question.

What's wrong with bringing God into the process?

After all, there's not a human being, possessed of any amount of common sense and/or intelligence who could convincingly dispute that we mere mortals have made a pretty marvelous muckety muck of it all.

And the whole notion that we must blindly and, without exception, adhere to the strictest letter of the law intended by the 3 has a few cracks in its metaphorical mortar, given that we are a society based on the freedom to express our religious beliefs, not to mention that "In God We Trust" is posted on everything from our currency to the walls of legislative chambers from Denver to Dakota to DC.

And let's not forget Kate Smith and/or Lee Greenwood's mass appeal.

Also, let's keep in mind that the founder's documented intent was not to prevent religion from being a part of the political process but the prevent government from interfering with religious freedom.

Ergo, the 3.

All of that said, here's where this theological work in progress thinks the wheels come off the wagon when it comes to the kind of "God Save The Republic" approach taken by Mr. Perry and his followers.

Our system of government, frustrating and flawed as it admittedly can be, is built from a template that includes checks and balances, points and counter points, a set of circuit breakers, so to speak, that while not stopping the lights from flickering frantically from time to time have, to date, prevented anyone from blowing the place up with too much power, regardless of their personal agendas and/or interpretations of the law.

Religion, as a practiced concept, on the other hand, has no such circuit breakers. What God says, goes. And that would be fine if God showed up, for example, once a week on God TV to give us an update on how we're doing, what we're doing right and what still needs a little, or a lot of, work.

If He threw in weather on the eights, we'd further laud and magnify....

Absent that, we are left with interpretations of God's wishes offered up by the aforementioned flawed mere mortal human beings who, for good or evil, right or wrong, sincere or psychotic, inevitably and unavoidably have a personal agenda.

Even the more dubious among us are willing to concede that God ultimately has our interests at heart.

Rick Perry?

Michele Bachmann?

Et al?

Maybe oui.

Maybe non.

God only knows.

And until we have a little better read on whether it's oui or non, the prudent move is to continue giving the passionate, fervent, cut no slack, take no prisoners proselytizers of God's holy word free reign behind the pulpit of the neighborhood church and/or synagogue.

And not a podium in the East Room at 1600 Pennsylvania.

The founders pondered the pitfalls and prepared powerful preventatives with just 3.

Church and state.

"Previously.....On........."

Reality shows aren't my bag, baby.

With the exception of Gene Simmons' little "Ozzie and Harriet Meets The Osbournes" offering, I've always felt like reality shows were nothing more than a quick buck for the producers and the entertainment equivalent of rice cakes.

And, seriously, here's a sure fire drinking game for you...every time you have one of those "wait a minute, that didn't just happen, that totally had to be scripted ahead of time" moments, take a shot.

Not to mention that I totally get enough reality hour after hour in my day without coming home and trying to relax by watching it on television.

That said, there's one reality show, already in "previews" that is shaping up to be a real barn burner come the first of the year.

"So You Wanna Be President?"

Week after week, we will get a glimpse behind the scenes at the plights and progress of the three main character clusters as they act towards us and interact with each other.

The Democrats...

...Barack... a guy who came out of almost nowhere as the next big thing,racial ceiling breaking Bill Clinton/JFK/Gandhi incarnate but who has, to date, pretty much made a lot of the faithful, formerly faithful and forever foes suspect that he will end up in the pages of history as Jimmy Carter portrayed by Denzel Washington.

The Republicans...

..."a guy named Mitt" wanders from primary to primary trying to find, and express, his own vision and voice, all the while saddled with the inevitable suspicion that he is just this year's version of John McCain...the guy called front runner while no one, for the life of them, can figure out why...not to mention those of us who weren't pumped about having a president named "Al" some years ago are less than pumped about having a president named after a baseball glove...

...a "handful of huck" as we watch Mike Huckabee tease and toy with us, having declared that he is not running, but never sufficiently shutting the hell up to convince us that he won't splash a little spoiler sauce in the machinery somewhere along the trail...

...Pawlenty...if there were any real comic justice in this life, he would run as a VP with somebody named Good....as in, Good and...."

...Newt...see the earlier comments about Mitt's name issues and try to envision the guy at 1600 Pennsylvania turning out to be an right wing, southern fried, slightly overstuffed version of Phil Donahue named after that tough little kid in "Aliens"...

...Rick Perry...George W. gets a makeover and is re-issued with a pretty transparent coat of Jimmy Swaggart...

And, then, last, but certainly not least...

The Tea Party...

...Ron Paul...sorry, don't mean to fixate on the name thing, but, really, can anybody ever take seriously a Ross Perot type whose name sounds like it could be either a French porn star or the company that brings us the Veg-o-Matic?...

...Sarah...one word says it all....and even a politically themed reality show has to have a Snooki, I guess...

...Michelle Bachmann...Eve Harrington to Sarah's Margo Channing (for the olders)...JWow to Sarah's Snooki (for the youngers)...from the garbled syntax to the marvelous malaprops to the already beguiling and bedazzling performance as a cross between Huey P. Long, Glenn Beck and Anita Bryant, this chick has all the makings of the break out star of the show..throw in that wacky husband, Marcus, add a little dash of their various and sundry financial and ethics issues and get ready to laugh with all of America as we watch them make that bully pulpit their own and convince the doubtful that you really can "pray the gay away...."

"So You Wanna Be President?"

Coming to your living rooms....on CNN, MSNBC and FOX, et al this fall...and this winter...and next spring...and next summer...and next fall.

Who needs islands and tribal councils?

"...At The Very Least, Let's Make Randy Secretary of HUD, or HOOD As The Case May Be..."

A TV season or so ago, I observed that it seemed like all of the competitors on that year's edition of "American Idol' had one, ultimately disappointing, thing in common.

They seemed to be less inspired to actually becoming the "American Idol" than they were merely becoming an "American Idol contestant".

And, once there, they simply put it in neutral and , week after week, offered up a predictable groove/rut combination of getting along by going along/same old same old.

I remembered that recently in the context of the next presidential race and the, to date, less than stellar list of potential candidates.

Including, but certainly not limited to, the incumbent.

Clear grasp of the historically obvious notwithstanding, I think a fair case could be made that American politics is stuck in the mud of a "the lesser of the evils runs against the very best of our most mediocre" part of the life cycle.

Admittedly, politics is, by its nature, very much like weather, as described long ago by Mark Twain.

Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it.

And while it's a natural inclination to fill blog page after blog page with the "what ails and how to fix it" of our way of life, I've reached a point in life where simplification seems to trump elucidation more often than not.

So, in that spirit, consider this.

If we have an ice cube's chance of ever turning the system away from the icebergs, we need to find some way to supplant electability with accountability.

More importantly, we need to keep asking the question until we get the answer and not settle for the sound byte/catch phrase/stump speech excerpt that rolls out of pretty much every political mouth like yet one more chorus of any given Beatles tune on Idol's "Lennon-McCartney" night.

Given current DC brouhahas, it's small wonder that the phrase "the American people are frustrated" is going to be heard more and more often in coming days/weeks.

But maybe it's time to be less distracted by the frustration itself and work a little harder at exposing the true, root cause.

At this writing (and, please, friends, foes and/or family of any and all political persuasions, feel free to take your best shot at showing me the error of my ways), every political candidate wandering across and around my radar clearly, and obviously, has an agenda.

But, like those mediocre "candidates" of that forgettable Idol season, their agenda is not so much about getting the job done...

...as it is simply getting the job.

They won't give us the answers we want and deserve until we start asking the right questions.

Or, if all else fails, put Simon, Randy, Paula, Ellen, Kara, Steven and JLo in the Electoral College.

As a rule, they seem to be better judges of potential than the voters.

God bless America, dawg....

" Run, Forrest, Run....For Office....."

Today's words of insightful political perspective come from a character much beloved by many.

Forrest Gump.

Greenbow, Alabama's favorite son will favor us with a phrase momentarily.

Meanwhile....

New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie defended his decision to nominate a Muslim judge to the state Superior Court against conservative critics who warned that the new judge will implement Sharia law. The notoriously blunt-spoken Christie calling their fears "crap" and "crazy."

The appointee, Sohail Mohammed, is an American attorney who offered legal aid to New Jersey residents who were suspected after the 9/11 terrorist attacks but were later found innocent of any crimes.

Opponents of Mohammed's nomination have issued warnings, with no evidence, that Christie's nominee, if approved, would base his rulings on Islamic law. Christie was having none of it.

"Sharia law has nothing to do with this at all. It's crazy. It's crazy," Christie said at a press conference Wednesday. "The guy's an American citizen who has been an admitted lawyer to practice in the state of New Jersey, swearing an oath to uphold the laws of New Jersey, the constitution of the state of New Jersey, and the Constitution of the United States of America . . . .This Sharia law business is crap. It's just crazy. And I'm tired of dealing with the crazies."



First, you have to be impressed with any politician who calls himself a Republican and manages to find the center line of common sense in any given situation.

Second, no reasonably intelligent person (and, admittedly, there's a categorization that's going to cut a wide swath of elimination through the masses) can possibly believe that our judicial system could be infiltrated and/or upended to the extent that we would wake up one day to find ourselves finding "In Allah We Trust" being printed on crisp, new, albeit not so much worth a dollar, dollar bills.

This kind of ignorance and/or pandering to ignorance (the former usually exhibited by those who were raised in that kind of climate, the latter usually exhibited by those soliciting the votes of the former) is the kind of acid that viciously corrodes the struts and beams of the bridges that we try to build between our more reasonable differences and, while inevitably failing to prevent cooler heads to prevail, delays the process of getting us where we all deserve to be as human beings and citizens of the free world.

That's the verbose version of it.

Here are two more basic takes.

Chris Christie.

"....this Sharia law business is crap. It's just crazy..."

And Forrest Gump.

"...stupid is as stupid does..."

"...and that's all I(we)have to say about that..."

Honest to Allah.