Sleep Walking

The problem with election years is that the biggest issues facing the country are covered in the pink slime of the emotion, obfuscation, avoidance and cynicism of the competing campaigns. "Issues" are brought into the focus of the public by the media professionals hired by the campaigns. They are designed to bridge a way of avoidance around problems that hover like a sword of damocles over the vitals of the nation.

15 trillion dollars of debt, unsustainable military commitments in almost every part of the globe, and an economy only barely able to sustain a trickle of economic growth even with reckless, bordering on insane, fiscal and monetary policies promulgated by the Treasury and the Federal Reserve are the issues facing the country. This is the case if by issues you mean parts of reality that literally threaten the system of markets that facilitates the movement of goods that ensures the survival and protection from starvation of 310 million people, the very unity of the country, and its protection from its enemies.

If by issues you mean distortions of reality designed to "outrage", titillate, and tranquilize the voters just enough to turn off their minds but get their butts to the polls on election day, then we are engaged in the greatest debate in the history of the country, one that will uplift it and shower it with the honor of future generations as they contemplate our devotion to their future. Then our future well-being depends upon whether we are frightened by hooded african american males, believe that birth control for women is a threat to their eternal souls,and lights must be turned off and our cities descended into the voluntary darkness of our barbaric pre-technological past in order to "save the planet." If these are the issues then rest assured we can be sure the American People will make the right decision come November.

We wallow in the trivialities and passions of the momentary present while the near-future hurtles toward us like a brick wall.