Three Tribes
It’s an old story. In the Bible. Tribes battling in the Holy Land.
Today, in our Holy Land, in Washington, three tribes rule: Democratic Politicians, their cousins Republican Politicians, and Showmen. Joe Biden’s the face of the first tribe; Kevin McCarthy’s the face of the second; Trump’s the face of the third.
The first two tribes’ primal lust is for power. Lobbyists, bowing, ask Washington Politicians for favors; politicians nod, in the next breath ask lobbyists for money, spend millions to win elections. The two tribes have become so powerful last election not one incumbent Senator, Democrat or Republican, lost.
The third tribe – Showmen – suffer a different lust: They crave adulation.
Back in 2016 a legion of blue collar workers, after watching the rich get richer as their bank accounts dwindled, upended Washington Politician Hillary, elected Showman Trump.
Strutting, in the White House, Trump lied, boasted, bragged – until Covid undid him. Biden beat Trump. Washington Politicians were back in power.
That’s politics: Two tribes lusting for power. One for fame.
Meantime, look around – on one side you see China, enigmatic, jockeying for power; on the other you see Putin, fangs bared; you see political correctness run amok and the news media’s a stew pot with blondes purring on Fox, Anderson Cooper lips pursed on CNN, and people watching, sighing, shaking their heads.
Eight decades ago it took Japanese bombs sinking American battleships in Pearl Harbor for Americans to wake up, see ‘isolationism’ was a mistake. It took Russian tanks rolling into Saigon for Americans to see we were losing the Cold War – and wake up. Brutal shocks are a fruit of broken politics: Let’s pray our next President’s neither a Washington Politician nor Showman – so we avoid another shock.
Three Tribes
It’s an old story. In the Bible. Tribes battling in the Holy Land.
Today, in our Holy Land, in Washington, three tribes rule: Democratic Politicians, their cousins Republican Politicians, and Showmen. Joe Biden’s the face of the first tribe; Kevin McCarthy’s the face of the second; Trump’s the face of the third.
The first two tribes’ primal lust is for power. Lobbyists, bowing, ask Washington Politicians for favors; politicians nod, in the next breath ask lobbyists for money, spend millions to win elections. The two tribes have become so powerful last election not one incumbent Senator, Democrat or Republican, lost.
The third tribe – Showmen – suffer a different lust: They crave adulation.
Back in 2016 a legion of blue collar workers, after watching the rich get richer as their bank accounts dwindled, upended Washington Politician Hillary, elected Showman Trump.
Strutting, in the White House, Trump lied, boasted, bragged – until Covid undid him. Biden beat Trump. Washington Politicians were back in power.
That’s politics: Two tribes lusting for power. One for fame.
Meantime, look around – on one side you see China, enigmatic, jockeying for power; on the other you see Putin, fangs bared; you see political correctness run amok and the news media’s a stew pot with blondes purring on Fox, Anderson Cooper lips pursed on CNN, and people watching, sighing, shaking their heads.
Eight decades ago it took Japanese bombs sinking American battleships in Pearl Harbor for Americans to wake up, see ‘isolationism’ was a mistake. It took Russian tanks rolling into Saigon for Americans to see we were losing the Cold War – and wake up. Brutal shocks are a fruit of broken politics: Let’s pray our next President’s neither a Washington Politician nor Showman – so we avoid another shock.