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Ralph gabs with the folks at Google. Level-headed, clear-eyed observations of the American political scene.
You know, my grandfather, Papa, was a real pro wrestling fan way back when. Killer Kowalski, Mad Dog Vachon, Gorgeous George. Crusher. Haystacks Calhoun.
He was totally rapt with the action bristling from that little black ‘n white picture tube.
By ten years old, I suspected that what was taking place was something other than a pure athletic competition. To Papa, it was real. I couldn’t tell him otherwise.
It was stage play. Sure people got hurt – two bruisers going at it in tights, somebody was bound to get banged up. Andy Kaufman found that out.
But win or lose, each wrestler got paid because they both worked for the same company. Whichever grappler got the champion’s belt depended on what back-room deals were made.
It’s the same today; the owners of the ‘league’ market muscle-bound goons as entertainment.
Is it sport? No. The outcome of a sporting contest is not known beforehand. If the outcome is pre-determined, it’s called a ‘fix’. The fix is in and the sport is out.
There have been more than a dozen US presidential campaigns during my life-time. Several, I have actually paid some attention to. Some I’ve even voted in.
The US presidential race, to me, is just a more wordy, less physical form of the Sunday afternoon wrestling shows that kept my Papa on the edge of his chair.
More stage craft than states craft. More showmanship than statesmanship. More PR than policy.
And when the ‘pin’ is made and the votes are counted will the results have already been determined?
Well, you figure it out. Presidential campaigners go begging for upwards of $500,000,000US to get a job that pays $200,000.
$500 million bucks comes with strings attached and those purse strings lead straight back to the fixers.
The fix is not for which of two representatives of big business gets to live in the White House for a few years. Whichever one will be awarded the temp job in the Oval Office, the new administration's policies have been determined in advance by the fixers. And, dollars to donuts, they will have little to do in the long run with what was promised on 'Meet the Press' except those that would further sweeten the pot for the moneyed elite.
Is it politics? Sure, down and dirty.
Is it democracy? Not even close.
