I refuse to live in a country like this, and I’m not leaving. Michael Moore, Capitalism: A Love Story
Funambulism and Politicians – The first we know as tightrope walking (we can pretend we knew what it meant) and the latter as…apply your own descriptive terms for most politicians…
We remember times at the circus. Ringmaster, 18th century gentleman’s riding habit like garb, top hat in hand, topcoat with flowing tails, barking, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, look up and see the death defying tightrope walker.” Momentarily holding our breath, as the attention grabbing, ornately dressed, show person seemed certain to fall from that thin rope. And when those near slips happened, silence instantly gave way to unison of gasps. Our eyes couldn’t divert long enough to make certain the safety net was still below. Some of us dreamed of being up on that rope…fast-forward to today…many of us are there.
We’re where we dreamed of, though not in a circus setting. Welcome to 2011 day-to-day living. Help…that was a childhood dream and I actually have a fear of heights! Why are we here? Where in hell is the safety net? There it is, being used in a vicious game of tug-o-war by…our politicians!
That’s right. We seem to be precariously teetering on the tightrope of day-to-day American life…not the American dream…at least not any longer. Meanwhile, our elected, our safety net tenders, ignore us as they play a vicious game of tug-o-war with our safety net. We are no more than the fools, high up on the tightrope. Their objects of amusement…and of course, votes. Votes so they can squabble over which corporate entities will be allowed to dominate, and of course, pad their pockets towards the next round of elections.
Get me down. Let me go home. I don’t want to be part of the circus anymore. I fear heights, or more accurately the sudden stop after the fall. Moreover, I do not appreciate being used as a circus clown for the amusement of the corporations now controlling nearly every minute of our lives. Thank you politicians…you have soured my memories of circus funambulism forever.
As Rep. Dennis Kucinich stated, “Is this the United States Congress, or the board of directors of Goldman Sachs?” I guess time will tell…after the circus ends.
Retired from property tax assessing and Real Estate appraising, I have become a crusader and advocate of the property taxpayer. I enjoy digital photography, flower gardens, 4-legged family members, cooking/eating. Family cohesiveness, with regular communication, is very important to me. I am a people-person and would drop whatever I am doing to help anyone in need.
Great analogy. We really don’t have any more power than an audience at the circus. I say, feed ‘em all to the lions!