This one's probably below the belt

This one comes to you from my youngest brother, who passed it along to me a few days ago. This Michele Bachman just keeps giving and giving.

We get the leaders we deserve. Somehow, this obscure politician who happens to speak like a complete nincompoop is attracting attention for (depending upon your views): her husband's gay-fixing counseling center; her policy stances; or her verbal gaffes.

Or, now, photographs. There's a different photo of her husband out there in which he is pretending to stick a corn dog up his nose. Let's hope it's not the exact same one.

I'm really growing to hate American politics. Well, I've never lived anywhere else so I should probably simply use the word "politics" as the object of the previous sentence. In either case, with the exception of Pres. George H.W. Bush in 1988, we've been electing demagogues to the office. In the cases of Reagan and Clinton, those demagogues were actually able to govern. Since 2004, however, I'm skeptical. I think Pres. George W. Bush's first term holds up, but his second was clearly an administration that lurched from crisis to crisis whilst sparring with a Democratic Congress. Now, Pres. Obama is in the same boat. Coalition governance is simply nonexistent, I suppose this is because neither side has any incentive to truly bridge the policy gaps.

And, why? The calendar today reads August 18, 2011. In a year, we'll be in the thick of an election where the House and Senate are up for grabs. So's the Presidency, but I shudder to think of the silliness that will be descending upon us this time next year. Ugh.

As of today, I can't vote for anyone on the Republican side with the glaring exception of - perhaps - Mitt Romney. He's not particularly flashy when compared to his competitors but he has a solid resume of executive experience coupled with a record of policy achievements in a state dominated by Democrats.

Of course, I'd have voted for McCain if he hadn't tossed another demagogue on his ticket. My guess is that Candidate Romney - if he gets that far - will put another lunatic on the ballot as well in order to try and appease the crazies.

Let's hope they don't serve corn dogs.