I often liken the adventures of American politics to that of a three ring circus: loud, boisterous, obnoxious and generally bad for the well-being of all involved. This was once what people referred to as common knowledge, but today is called cynical. A new kind of political animal has arisen, one who is always optimistic, always willing to compromise, and, as a result, always left out in the cold and eventually forgotten. There is, of course, no room whatsoever in politics for optimism. Once you begin to expect the best to happen, you arm the politician with a gigantic shield from all wrongdoing. At that point, they need only deflect. "Well, I would be able to pass the voting rights act if you had only protested more; but because you didn't now I must allow your right to vote to be taken from you," the congressman says as he pockets another million from Chevron or Merck. But in order for this dishonesty to continue unchallenged, the politician must employ what I like to call the art of nonsense, or political theater. If you can do something when people are in need, then you provide them with a good show, a bit of entertainment to distract from the more pressing issues that you have failed to resolve. So, apart from discussing the kangaroo court of partisan hacks, formerly known as the Supreme Court, that are currently dismantling Constitutional law, we are discussing Donald Trump's pee tape. Does it exist? Who filmed the tape? Was R. Kelly involved? How about Russia? And where was Putin during all of this? These are very pressing piss matters for sure, but perhaps we should be talking about something more serious. "No," interjects the politician, "it is all well and good to discuss things that matter, but we also must discuss alternative views of history". In a feeble counter to critical race theory, republicans have devised a scheme where they always have to teach "alternative views" of history. This is essentially their way of finally being able to teach Nazism to students. Texas teachers were recorded being instructed to teach "alternative views" of the holocaust to children because it is important for children to get started hating everyone early in life. This bit of political theater is all too common in America. It is so common that parents are now threatening to burn their children's Pokemon cars when they do not get their homework done on time. I suppose the alternative views of history are required to be turned in in a timely manner. Republican political strategist, a term that daily becomes more and more of an oxymoron and less of an actual occupation, thought it wise to take to twitter with her own piece of political theater. That being that she torches her child's Pokemon cards as a motivational tool for training the youth in the ways of the lord. I mean, there is fire in the bible after all. At least she is not taking it one step further and burning her kids at the stake for not reciting the holy words of Thomas Sowell properly. I cannot stress enough that, though many conservatives are nutty, much of this is used to distract from real issues. People are entertained by republicans and their shenanigans. I understand that you may not be and that it is horrid to imagine that there are people who actually would be, but that is the new American political animal, an animal that is so exhausted by the never ending tennis match of political debate, that anything anti-establishment will suffice. Democrats need to understand that a little of the old razzle dazzle comes in handy from time to time. Surely we all have very important goals that we are trying to accomplish, but if you want to win a chess match you have to play the game. You must mock the mocker. You must outwit the hucksters. You must own the owners. You must always out perform your opponent or you will become the sideshow. So give em the old razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle em! Give em an act with lots of flash in it and the reaction will be passionate!