"....Skip The Cheese, Man...We Don't Catch The Mouse Around Here....We Listen To What It Tells Us To Do...."

Mr. Spock got it all wrong.

As he gave his life to save his crew mates at the end of "Star Trek II", he spoke eloquently and essentially.

"The needs of the many...outweigh the needs of the few."

These days, apparently not.

These days, more and more of the few are calling the shots. And more and more of the many are capitulating to the few.

Latest case in point.

This tempest in a Tea Party pot regarding an album cover.


http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upshot/steve-reich-pulls-image-9-11-wtc-attacks-192657601.html

Squeaky wheels are nothing new in this life. There are have been, and will always be, people who live to argue the point.

No matter the point.

And given that, per that classic American chestnut, "it's a free country", there's absolutely nothing wrong with allowing, even supporting, these folks having their say.

Listening to their picky picky is one thing, though.

Pandering to that picky is another.

The picture on the cover is a matter of recorded American history.

And it is not being used in any disrespectful or offensive way.

So, the bitching and moaning about it deserves to be taken as free speech.

It does not, though, deserve to be taken seriously.

The fact that it is being taken seriously is almost as scary as the image of that plane.

"...Think Huey P. Long...and Put Him In A Stetson..."

Today's insightful, prescient political perspective comes from a relatively unorthodox source.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

More on that in a moment.

In 2004, as George Bush was running for a second term with poll numbers than indicated a strong dislike of both his foreign and domestic policies, I remember making the following observation.

"The majority of voters obviously to want to replace George Bush....John Kerry ain't the guy."

History, in the form of the eventual election day results, bore me out.

Now, as the 2012 race come a rippin' out of the starting gate, I find myself, after just a few weeks of reading and following, (not to mention today's hammer wrapped in flag style rhetoric from the Texas governor... http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/16/news/economy/perry_bernanke/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2 ) ,moved to make the following observation.

The majority of voters obviously want to replace Barack Obama....Rick Perry ain't the guy.

We really do deserve better, incumbent and challenger.

And we have all been here before.

"...Bachmann Turns It Into Overdrive.....While Takin' Care of Business.......And, Yeah, Yeah, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet..."

Pop quiz.

What do ocean liners turned upside down by a tidal wave and political straw polls have in common?

Either way, there's got to be a morning after.

The news channels and websites will be gurgitating and regurgitating the who, what, when, where, why, what does it mean, what does it really mean, what does it really mean to who and when will it mean it, et al, of Bachmann's first place finish in Iowa yesterday for days without end.

Or until the next poll/primary/state fair comes along.

And since I'm only an uncredentialed civilian with a dream, a song in my heart and a blog site to my credit, I'll spare you long, run on sentences adding more gurgitation to the gurgitating and regurgitating.

And simply offer these few quick observations on the straw poll, 2012 Iowa State Fair edition....

First, credit where due, first is first. And in the first "contest" of the 2012 electoral marathon, Bachmann came in first.

Second, like any reasonably savvy politician, Bachmann is taking that state fair ribbon and waving it around like a "we're number one" foam finger.

Third, there will continue to be, as there have already been, the inevitable observations that in one of the few big league countries left in the world that has still never elected a female leader, her future journey down that road most certainly owes any success it will eventually have to, at least in part, the plowing that Hillary did four years ago.

Fourth, it looks like the state fair was a lot of fun this year for kids of all ages.

That said, here are some thoughts regarding my observations.

Regarding number one...granted, she came in first...but looking at the numbers, I'm thinking that had just a few more folks, give or take, made it from the Tilt A Whirl to the voting tent in time, today's buzz name would be Ron Paul...

Regarding number two...again, congrats on being number one, there, Bachmaa'm, but a reasonable case could be that winning the Iowa straw poll is tantamount to winning the vice presidency of the United States which was described, many years ago by someone more insightful than I, as being "no disgrace...but no distinction, either..."

Regarding number three...to paraphrase the legendary, cutting edge stand up comedy chops of Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, "we know Hillary, we're friends with Hillary....Congresswoman, you're no Hillary...."

And, finally, regarding number four....I'm not sure about the genuine clout value of anything awarded to anybody by a group of people who had just spent hours riding the aforementioned Tilt A Whirl, after which enjoying a repast from what they consider to be one of the two major food groups, deep fried sticks of butter.

An arguable point to be made about their ability to think and vote responsibly with that kind of cholesterol buzz working aside, it occurs that whatever support she received won't translate into votes next year at the actual caucus because those hearty and faithful will be deader than Newt Gingrich's campaign.

Like I said, the experts will offer much more insightful perspective on all of this than I ever could.

Then again, I'm guessing Bill O'Reilly wouldn't think to use the queen of Karaoke, Karen Eng covering Maureen McGovern playing in the background of the post game analysis.

Apparently, we all have our gifts.

"....Throwing The Bums Out Effectively Requires Having Something Other Than Bums to Replace Them..."

Old saying.

Be careful not to pick up a snake to kill a stick.

More on that in a minute.

Breaking news.

Michele Bachmann wins the Iowa straw poll.

Everything I read and hear indicates that while winning something is always more fun than losing something, this "victory" is more exciting, meaningful and worthy of analyzing and re-analyzing to the news channel round table crews than it is to any group or groups that will be pulling the lever in November 2012.

Meanwhile, couple of observations from the peanut gallery:

• Bachmann, admittedly, came out on top in the poll.
• Ron Paul, though, was a close enough second to make it a real horse race
• Rick Perry who wasn't even on the ballot got a healthy chunk of write in votes

Those facts taken in account, it occurs to me...

The lion's share of voters in this country (affectionately, if borderline patronizingly, referred to , as a rule, as "the American people) are pretty much fed up with the status quo.

The economy is in the crapper, health care issues bubble at the top of the volcano, our foreign enemies continue to pose a clear and present danger to our way of life and the political parties are too busy bitch slapping each other around the Beltway to notice that Rome is burning (metaphor mixing notwithstanding).

The American people want a change...a real, clean house, no more same old shit change.

And it is just that climate, that atmosphere of frustration and anger and determination to clean that house of the tried and true that provides an opportunity for the untried to make its way to the wheelhouse.

Whether they are, ultimately, the ideal choice to steer the ship or not.

Now, back up four paragraphs and read the lay of the land again (for those unsure as to whether single sentences constitute paragraphs, its the paragraph that begins "the economy is in the crapper...")

And that, friends and neighbors, was, give or take a socio-economic, geo-political factor or two, the way things were....summer and fall....2008.

The climate that provided an opportunity for an untried to make his way to the wheelhouse.

Barack Obama.

Fast forward nigh on four years and here we are again. Pretty much the same bleak house, give or take a socio-economic, geo-political factor or two.

And the opportunity exists for an untried to make his or her way to the wheelhouse.

Whether they are, ultimately, the ideal choice to steer the ship or not.

Michele Bachmann won the Iowa straw poll today.

And the word is that she has the makings of a real crown frenzy generator.

Whether she is, ultimately, the ideal choice to steer the ship or not.

If, as his critics fervently believe, the election of Barack Obama was a mistake of catastrophic proportions, then he should, obviously be replaced.

But not with someone whose main appeal is that they are anyone but.

That would be making the same mistake made four years ago.

And picking up that snake.

"Is Flip Sweat The Same Thing As Flop Sweat..."?

The term "flip flop" should be considered the free space on the bingo card of electoral politics.

Lofty ideals aside, it is impractical and unreasonable to think that anyone can be elected to office in this, or any other, for that matter, country without trying to find a way to be, at least in some small measure, all things to all people.

In other words, it's a necessary evil.

Even superstar bands shift the set list around now and then to cater to a particular audience.

And we're being naive' if we think a candidate can find the support necessary from the right,left and middle to get to the swearing in without shifting the set list around now and them to cater to one and/or the other.

"Flip flop" is a trigger too often pulled by opponents, pundits and commentators in knee jerk response to any change in the nuance of a candidate's position.

Does a candidate need to be held accountable for calling it "black" one day and "white" the next?

Of course.

Because a lie is a lie and a hustle is a hustle.

Those that can't tell the difference, though, between an outright reversal of position and the use of different shades on the philosophical/political canvas probably need to leave serious election day choices to the people at the grown ups table.

Then, again, those people are probably profoundly insightful.

Now, that's a flip flop.

"We'd Have....The Time of Our Lives...."

The anger and resentment is still echoing in neighborhoods and workplaces all over America.

People aren't going to forget, let alone forgive.

And the voices of protest that speak out, at first softly, but eventually loudly and proudly are going to be heard for days, even weeks or months to come.

Republicans and Democrats using the debt ceiling to play Russian Roulette while pointing the gun at us?

Nope.

Downgrade of the credit rating of the United States of America for the first time in history?

Uh-uh.

Unparalleled fluctuations in the stock market, putting major dings, dents and crumples in 401K's all over the country?

Nah.

Those are all just scrolls on the bottom of your personal favorite news channel compared to that which can only be described as unspeakable.

The pending remake of "Dirty Dancing".

Admittedly, in the great scheme of things, the news that the beloved 1987 coming of age film, starring a pretty much then unknown Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray, is about to get the "hey, we haven't had an original thought since, say, 1987" treatment doesn't, to paraphrase Bogey, "amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world."

Financial calamity, social upheaval, planetary disasters of one ilk or another really do trump any more than just a moment's dismay that the next time we see Baby having total faith that Johnny is going to catch and fly her, it won't be Gray having that faith in Swayze.

Kristin Stewart being taught to rumba by Robert Pattinson just isn't gonna make it.

Unless, of course, he rumbas her while saving her from that pesky outbreak of werewolves that Max Kellerman managed to keep in the cabana last time around.

You laugh now.

Don't put it past the Hollywood suits.

The problem with remakes is that they can really only fall into one of two categories.

Sacrilegious.

Superfluous.

If the original being remade has become iconic in the hearts and minds of the masses, then any re-do is going to be an affront to those masses, not to mention the talented people responsible for the original in the first place.

Imagine how Da Vinci would feel if somebody decided to remake the Mona Lisa with a Snooki-esque pucker and wink.

If, on the other hand, the original was mediocre, or even lame, to begin with, any re-do is going to inspire the obvious conclusion.

No matter how many times you crap it out, it's still a pile of poop.

There is, though, a third category of possibility that wanders around the edges of credibility.

What about the idea that had, and still genuinely has, the potential to be a masterpiece but just didn't quite come together the first time around?

Hmmm.

Now that brings to the table the fair argument that it might be worth taking the time and energy to revisit it, assess it, repair the flaws, remold, reshape and then re-issue it for the enjoyment and/or, dare we dream, benefit of the aforementioned masses.

Truth be told, at this moment, there's not a single movie or television series that springs immediately to mind that might fit that bill.

On the other hand, there is something else I think might benefit us all from a review, repair, remold, reshape and re-issue.

It would require a complete overhaul, though. Because a partial fix clearly never gets to the root of the problems that result in the original's failure to succeed time after time after time.

Something tells me, though, that the time might finally be right for just such a complete re-make because the latest surveys indicate that a vast majority of the viewing public think there was genuine merit in the idea while freely admitting they no longer think of the original as even close to sacred.

And the real beauty of this thing is that we don't have to wait for the Hollywood hustlers to come their senses and do this for us.

We can do it ourselves.

By replacing the entire cast of the original.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

http://youtu.be/WpmILPAcRQo

It's Horrific, Frightening...And Pretty Much Right On Schedule...:

Full scale mob violence in Britain.

The beginnings of random mob violence in Philadelphia.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/08/12/philadelphia.flash.mob.violence/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Many people under the age of forty are likely appalled and surprised at the sudden ferocity.

Many people over the age of forty are likely equally appalled.

But not necessarily surprised.

We've known that this kind of feral attack on our everyday societal life was possible for a long time.

The book was written in 1962.

The movie was made in 1971.