STEVE PIECZENIK TALKS

Within the Splendor of a Las Vegas Wynn Casino

Democrats Debate Merits of Attacking the “Casino-Rich Speculators” and Instituting “Progressive Programs”
Irony Upon Irony!

Yet the Democrats spoke overall about issues not in Ad Hominems like the Republicans. It was an interesting evening at the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The crowd was boisterous and the performers, five Democratic Candidates, were accomplished. Each played their respective roles as they were directed.  Even the CNN moderator, Anderson Cooper, switched from his inane cherubic countenance into a referee at a prize fight—tough and relentless.

The key performers, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, acted as prescribed by some ethereal Hollywood script of the 1940’s. Bernie became the reflection of a street smart kid-visionary who utters prophetic statements and goes into the boxing match with the full gusto of the Socialist actor, Johnnie Garfield. Hillary Clinton, true to form, was poised and reactive like Joan Crawford in the Academy Award movie—“Mildred Pierce”- the story of an ambitious self-driving waitress cum restaurant owner who has been denigrated for being both crass and boorish.

In the case of Hillary, she has shown time and time again that prevarication concealed within facts and figures can sound convincingly endearing, if not compelling. The ancillary actors performed as expected—on cue. Even the literary fighting Marine, Jim Webb showed some fortitude as a decorated Vietnam Warrior. Martin O’Malley, the ex-governor of Maryland, a state without tax abeyance, sparked up at certain moments of levity.

For the most part, I can say that overall the Democratic Acting Company is far more impressive than the Republican Touring Group which has morphed into caravan of clowns. I was entertained last night because my expectations were so low. In fact, I realized that after this initial performance of the Democrats and the two former so-called ‘Republican Debates’---I will tune out. There is something comical and pathetic, as our presidential candidates are paraded around in a circus of whirlwind tours across the country, in a meet’n greet pantomime that signifies very little.

In the 21 Century, an election process should be simple, press a button for those who represent your interests and be done with it. However, as the Presidency becomes increasingly irrelevant and the Federal Government becomes top-sided with ineptness and corruption, then not voting becomes a far more salient issue for me.

As we have not punished any of the previous Presidents for their inequities [well documented in my past blogs], what difference does it really make to me whether I get Hillary Clinton or Donald Duck---both quack in a somewhat disturbing way.

I ask a simple question that was brought up last night.

What happened to our civilian and military leaders who wasted Six Trillion Dollars on the useless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Where are they now? Have they lost any body parts or their lives for a crass, financial enterprise called, ‘War’? I think not. As for me, when no one pays his/her dues for their gross intentional miscreant behavior, then all bets are off as to who should ostensibly be the figurehead of this Republic.

H.L. Mencken, the American essayist, wrote the following:

“Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”