Do we really need Hollywood types and pro sports stars to dictate our politics?

At the time of the last national elections, Dave Letterman, in his opening monologue, asked his audience, "Aren't you sick and tired of all the mud-slinging, the dirty politics and name calling?"

As with one voice, the audience hollered a resounding, "YES!"

Dave said, "Me neither."

He must have been right because then as now there has been no end to the disgusting campaigning. There is also no end to the money being spent in the effort to make one politician look somewhat worse than his/her opponent.

All the while, the contestants are bemoaning the notion that there is little or no money to feed and house the poor. I would like to get by on the almost one trillion dollars being spent across the length and breadth of this fair nation on campaign accusations, defamation, insults and utter gutter talk in an effort to make someone else less palatable as a leader, when, to be brutally honest, there are at least a half million people in this country, who choose not to run, who could do a million times better job than any or all of the leading candidates for practically any job going begging right now.

The other day, a guy who is ostensibly named Joe, who soon enough became "Joe the Plumber" in the media, asked a candidate what turned out to be an embarrassing question. The next thing you know, the media did a slime-job search (they call it "vetting") of the guy and found out he wasn't really a card-carrying plumber, but they found out neither was the alleged plumber his great grandmother supposedly dated early in the Spanish-American War. The media learned more about Joe the Plumber in two days than they have learned about either candidate in this election in the past two years.

Here are some more things about Joe the Plumber the run of the mill reporters wanted us to know: Joe's name is really Sam. He doesn't actually own a plumbing business, per se. He said he works for a plumbing company but since he isn't a card carrying union plumber, he isn't really a plumber, but then, his boss isn't licensed in his state, so he isn't really the owner of a bona fide plumbing business. Neither he nor his boss earn $250,000 a year; as a matter of fact, those two guys don't even know anyone personally who makes that kind of money, and since they can't afford health insurance, their children are doomed.

They live in Ohio, but Joe has lived in Arizona, the home state of one of the candidates and he has also lived in Alaska (pardon the language), the home state of a candidate who wears a 30-year-old hair style, ergo, he really belongs in prison for life. And you sure as hell can't take his word on whom to vote into office.

There is also a rumor that the teeth on his pipe wrench are slightly worn and can slip which can scratch chrome and polished brass bathroom fixtures, a cardinal sin in the Plumber's Code of Ethics, Big City Version. That, in itself is a grounds for six months of "nanner-nanner" teasing by the late night comedians, who, by the way, have become the truly certified political consultants to Congress.

Interestingly, at one point, leaders of the various religious denominations, ethics professors, leaders in law, medicine, history, social science and religion used to be given homage and their opinions were sought out and subsequently respected by aspiring seekers of high and medium high office, but no more.

Politicians are now looking for guidance from such intellectuals as Hollywood types who have actually completed their high-school training and can memorize a 60-second accolade, such accomplished citizens as ball players who can bat as high as .220 and sevenfoot-tall basketball stars.

I don't blame you for not knowing who you are going to vote for. The true salt of the earth types aren't in the race.

Bob Bader is a chiropractor-curmudgeon who likes to write. He can be reached at bobbyo@softcom.net.

Reader Feedback

Timothy wrote on Oct 24, 2008 1:05 PM:

" Hey Bob, Joe the plumber did not ask Obama "what turned out to be an embarrassing question."

Check out the entire conversation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRPbCSSXyp0 "

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lodisafeway wrote on Oct 24, 2008 6:52 AM:

" Just imagine if any political candidate or sitting representative were to suggest to one of these athletes or "entertainers" how to improve their craft. The indignation would be fast and furious. Yet what should we really expect?

It is we (society) that have elevated our athletes and actors to a level far above "celebrity status." They're nearly godlike to many undereducated, deluded people who simply don't know what the definition of "hero" truly is. Just because someone pretends to be someone else (actors), we've given them license to counsel us on virtually every aspect of our lives - from what kind of clothes to wear to how to raise our children.

Are our memories so short that we forgot the self-destructive nature of Britney Spears to the point where she was actually honored at one of their many self-serving awards programs? "Welcome Back Britney" was the theme - but what about the damage she left in her wake (her children and so many others) while returning to "hero" status once again?

And when a true hero does emerge (McCain) he's relegated to nearly traitor status by what should be an extremely grateful nation.

Simply pathetic. "

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