So the heretical candidates were gradually burned out of the public consciousness, first by ham-fisted tactics like leaving them out of group shots, removing online polls that they had won, ignoring them during the so-called debates and, when they were finally brought into the discussion, questioning them about expensive haircuts, McMansions and UFOs.
Then the more sophisticated forms of elimination kicked in as somber, veteran TV pundits, looking like philosopher kings cross-bred with hyenas, engaged in rampant character assassination, dismissed the unacceptable candidates as clowns or fools, carefully avoided their stance on the issues while focusing on irrelevant drivel, and assured viewers that they were beneath contempt because they couldn't even get elected county clerk running on these crazy platforms.
Americans sat back, took all this in and let these manipulative swine call the shots yet again, thinning the herd until the corporate choices were the only ones left standing. And none but the politically rabid even raised an eyebrow, much less their voices in howls of rage and frustration.
The November ritual validates the scam
Now all that remains is for us to troop dutifully to the polls this fall, ratify one of the pre-selected status quo stick figures -- neither of whom a sane, bright, reasonably self-interested person would ever vote for if there were any real alternatives -- and perpetuate the illusion that we live in a democratic republic where elected representatives are actually accountable to the people and work tirelessly to serve their constituents.
Does it matter if the machines are rigged? Does it matter if the usual GOP game plan goes operational this November? Does it matter whether the eventual selection has a "D" or an "R" after their name?
Well, sort of, when you're talking about federal judges or regulatory appointments. But not when you're talking about maintaining the stranglehold corporate institutions have on every single aspect of life in America today.
The corporate nouveau riche, their entitled brats, the old money elite, the world-class thieves, the exploiters and slave masters, the billion-dollar paper pushers, even the second-tier people who own the support systems that keep the top one percent obscenely wealthy and extravagantly comfortable -- all these wonderful people will continue to live stressless lives of ease and contentment no matter which of the chosen gets the electorate's nod.
All this was pre-ordained from the moment mass media eliminated the first "non-conforming" candidate and eventually force-fed us only the safe and trustworthy ones -- those with absolutely no interest in tampering with the status quo.
Same as it ever was . . .
Maintaining the status quo is also vital if our members of Congress are to remain on the lofty -- and lucrative -- pedestals we've built for them.
As Mark Twain noted on several occasions, " . . . there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." Just so, although today's beltway bandits have elevated graft and corruption to an art form rarely seen in Twain's day.
Now that the country is a de facto bribocracy rather than a constitutional republic, Congress members can be far more open about their venality. They're actually expected to gorge themselves at the vast feeding troughs corporate America sets out for them; to abstain is seen as a bit weird.
So common and overt is the practice of systematized political bribery that there are even web sites devoted to tracking the flow of corporate, PAC, lobbyist and special interest money -- who gives, who gets, how much -- and hardly anyone seems to understand that they're hearing the death rattle of representative government with every ring of the cash register.
But that's not important in the big picture. What IS important is that the constituencies that count -- politicians, their rich patrons, the major political parties, the rulers of corporate America, the rest of the campaign donor class -- can rely on the approved presidential candidates to preserve, protect and defend the status quo for at least four more years.
As long as the outcome meets that criterion, another election cycle can be counted a success -- another big victory for the oligarchy and another hearty kick in the rear for everyone else.
Then the more sophisticated forms of elimination kicked in as somber, veteran TV pundits, looking like philosopher kings cross-bred with hyenas, engaged in rampant character assassination, dismissed the unacceptable candidates as clowns or fools, carefully avoided their stance on the issues while focusing on irrelevant drivel, and assured viewers that they were beneath contempt because they couldn't even get elected county clerk running on these crazy platforms.
Americans sat back, took all this in and let these manipulative swine call the shots yet again, thinning the herd until the corporate choices were the only ones left standing. And none but the politically rabid even raised an eyebrow, much less their voices in howls of rage and frustration.
The November ritual validates the scam
Does it matter if the machines are rigged? Does it matter if the usual GOP game plan goes operational this November? Does it matter whether the eventual selection has a "D" or an "R" after their name?
Well, sort of, when you're talking about federal judges or regulatory appointments. But not when you're talking about maintaining the stranglehold corporate institutions have on every single aspect of life in America today.
The corporate nouveau riche, their entitled brats, the old money elite, the world-class thieves, the exploiters and slave masters, the billion-dollar paper pushers, even the second-tier people who own the support systems that keep the top one percent obscenely wealthy and extravagantly comfortable -- all these wonderful people will continue to live stressless lives of ease and contentment no matter which of the chosen gets the electorate's nod.
All this was pre-ordained from the moment mass media eliminated the first "non-conforming" candidate and eventually force-fed us only the safe and trustworthy ones -- those with absolutely no interest in tampering with the status quo.
Same as it ever was . . .
Maintaining the status quo is also vital if our members of Congress are to remain on the lofty -- and lucrative -- pedestals we've built for them.
As Mark Twain noted on several occasions, " . . . there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." Just so, although today's beltway bandits have elevated graft and corruption to an art form rarely seen in Twain's day.
Now that the country is a de facto bribocracy rather than a constitutional republic, Congress members can be far more open about their venality. They're actually expected to gorge themselves at the vast feeding troughs corporate America sets out for them; to abstain is seen as a bit weird.
So common and overt is the practice of systematized political bribery that there are even web sites devoted to tracking the flow of corporate, PAC, lobbyist and special interest money -- who gives, who gets, how much -- and hardly anyone seems to understand that they're hearing the death rattle of representative government with every ring of the cash register.
But that's not important in the big picture. What IS important is that the constituencies that count -- politicians, their rich patrons, the major political parties, the rulers of corporate America, the rest of the campaign donor class -- can rely on the approved presidential candidates to preserve, protect and defend the status quo for at least four more years.
As long as the outcome meets that criterion, another election cycle can be counted a success -- another big victory for the oligarchy and another hearty kick in the rear for everyone else.
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