I Call Bullwinkle!

What a day for American politics!

On the Conservative Right side of the equation we had the cynical announcement by professional huckster Donald Trump that he is running for President of the United States. He will likely stop running sooner than later, and he will never become president, but for a few glorious days he will be the center of attention in a world in which he imagines he deserves to be the center of attention.

His campaign is a con job pure and simple, a ruse to raise his profile yet higher and make a little scratch or scratch his ego or both. Those who take him seriously (or pretend to) are participating in the obvious ruse, and are likewise helping to point up the sham which politics in this country have become in many respects.

Likewise on the Progressive Left side of the political equation we had the noxious display of Rachel Dolezal, the woman who for several years now has pretended to be African-American and had become president of the Spokane, Washington chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). We have listened to all manner of claptrap from mopes on the left trying to parse out the deep-seated reasons a white woman might pretend to be black in America and coming up with a wide array of complex pseudo-psychological and quasi-sociological explanations.

Interviews with Dolezal likewise seem to want to understand her plight rather than expose her readily apparent con. The fact that she once upon a time sued Brown University because they discriminated against her because she was white blatantly points up the lie that she now imagines herself to be black and has done since she was five years old (she says). She's bogus, it's not difficult to understand, and should be pretty easy to say.

The twisting and turning on both sides of the political spectrum yesterday was weirdly entertaining as hucksters of all stripes tried to make both these abominable displays work for their immediate political interests. Whether one is giving credence to the proven flim-flam man Trump, or trying to evolve alongside the demonstrated con artist Dolezal, a lot of "news" vendors sold their credibility yesterday for pennies on the dollar. But perhaps I overestimate the value of their stock.

In both cases there are folks all too willing to be hoodwinked, whether the confidence artist is a rabble-rousing tycoon looking to move a bit more snake oil before the sun sets forever on his sideshow, or a pernicious and proven liar who is seeking fame and glory and admiration in the ranks of the professional grievance community.

Hokey Smoke!

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