So here we are. Just a few months ago I wrote about the clown car carrying the Republican primary candidates. We've been watching the rolling demolition derby with a mixture of wonder and disgust, but we've watched.
As of this writing, the vehicle is down to a lone rider, the biggest clown of the bunch.
It has come to this. According to someone claiming to be the Republican Party chairman, so embarrassed he adopted the moniker Rance D. Preebus to shield his identity, the Republican presidential nominee is Donald Trump.
Expect Rance to be fired forthwith.
It's pretty odd to be on the precipice of a Simpson's episode that aired 20 years ago. A Trump presidency would complete the takeover of America by television media. It's quite possible in six months we'll enter a never-ending episode of the Twilight Zone.
How does this happen? By plan when the plan isn't a very good one. It's been coming since the day Ronald Reagan gave Rupert Murdoch a license to create a conservative brain washing service also known as Fox News.
Since the total deregulation of media ownership markets and the killing of the fairness doctrine, the American people have been sold a monumental pile of elephant droppings that has covered us up. It's pretty hard to see what's going on when there's poop in your eyes.
For 30 years, there has been a 24/7 roar over-zealous fat white guys who are mad at everything because they're paid to be. For flavor they add a mad blonde female to the mix whose job is to smile at the camera and agree with the rants. It goes something like this:
"If I see one more lazy gang banger buying Mountain Dew down at Walmart with food stamps, I"m going to knock him up side the head!"
"That's right Rush, and your righteous indignation is really turning me on."
"Of course it is Ann, blind self-righteousness is a true aphrodisiac."
You get the idea. Everyone knows a ticked-off electorate is easier to manipulate. Dictators know it! How else does the biggest jerk in the room win people's loyalty? By convincing them their problems are all due to someone else.
Like the Muslim woman. Or the Mexican guy. Or the gay couple. Or the scientist and teacher. Or the African-American president.
So the problem with the plan is eventually ticked-off people get tired of waiting for delivery on what was never going to be delivered. They start looking for someone who talks big, who makes huge promises, who "tells it like it is".
Here comes Trump. A reality-tv star, a running punchline from a long-running cartoon. Everything about him is fake. Which matches everything the Republican party has been selling since the days of Newt.
He started with a silver spoon in his mouth, learned and perfected self-promotion, and has never done anything for anyone but Donald. Real businessmen make fun of him, as well they should.
If the three strike rule, which conservatives love, was followed in real estate, Donald Trump would have been locked out a decade ago. He's killed more jobs than the continuous miner and giant excavator.