Poignantly perfect, our first skewering political commentator was America’s beloved humorist: Mark Twain. It takes a guy with a great sense of humor, wit and intelligence to slice through the massaged message to reveal the truth and still elicit guffaws of laughter from his adoring audience.
Photo: State Historical Society of Missouri
He was befriended by presidents, artists, industrialists and European royalty and was the first American writer given a cultural status as lofty as a president or a general. Mark Twain was the most widely known pen name to Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835 – 1910. He was so popular he was constantly photographed, enjoying the attention.
“The rule is perfect: In all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” – Mark Twain
A hundred years later both political parties of the Republicans and the Democrats continue to adhere to Twain’s observation. How many times have we witnessed both parties accusing their adversary as crazy, insane, stupid, and on an idiot’s mission? Of course, it is usually prefaced with, “My good friend” and in the silent underlying subtext: “who is an idiot and doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
Appealing to the emotional hot button of denigration works every time to manipulate the masses, sidelining them to ignore facts and reason as their emotions have been heartily massaged so they now feel superior to whomever they just stripped of their humanity.
“Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.” - Mark Twain
Do you ever wonder what a voice from America’s past would have to say about the present condition of our politics in 2008? How would Mark Twain comment regarding how both parties’ nominees have cheated their way through caucuses and primaries? They have pushed aside the honest leaders in their parties. They and their handlers slap themselves in congratulations for choosing the practice of “the ends justify the means.” They think they have the public hoodwinked into believing they are delivering messages from heaven on high (Republican) or from the highest moral ground (Democrat).
“In religion and politics, people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination.” – Mark Twain
Mark Twain on the porch at Quarry Farm, Elmira, New York.
Photo: Elmira College Center for Mark Twain Studies
Long before today’s digital technology or the analog of our recent past, it was Mark Twain who wryly observed human nature. Like an ancient Grecian Oracle of Delphi he prophesied our millennium elections of 2000, 2004 and now 2008:
“Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.” – Mark Twain
Eight years ago a virulent strain of Republicanism reared its ugly head and plagiarized the CIA playbook of how to topple a government. For 50 years, by their own admission, the Republicans have plotted and planned to dismantle the American government, behaving as anarchists while claiming to be patriots. Primarily, they are a group who does not believe in government for they do not wish to be fettered by it. It took this new millennium to realize their dream and, now, their dream has become a harsh reality, especially for the middle class.
The Republicans are befuddled as how to spin the blame for the careening financial markets’ current rapid downward spiral since it is causing a widening global depression. Political and business market corruptors create these economic firestorms when, like a manipulative lover delivering the cold shoulder, they stiff-arm accountability.
“You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” - Mark Twain
The Republican belief system doesn’t hold room in its heart for government regulation or enforcement to prevent economic crashes. It continues to hold dear the philosophy that “the markets will correct themselves.” Of course the markets will correct themselves over time, a whole lot of time.
Without a strong hand at the wheel of America’s presidency - a person who is experienced, knowledgeable, and a good student of government - the reality is that we are looking at as long as twenty years of corrections for change comes slowly, constantly resisted by greedy human nature. It will be a long tug of war.
“Education: that which reveals to the wise, and conceals from the stupid, the vast limits of their knowledge.” – Mark Twain
A case in point is the insanely proposed legislation introduced by big business for the taxpayers to take over all the liabilities of the brokerage houses and banks, abandoning taxpayers to the unlikely prospect of recouping their unwise investment. Now overseas banks want to feed voraciously at the American treasury trough – even while our treasury is drained by years of excessive war expenses. To the old boys’ network I say: “Money doesn’t grow on trees. The American middle class is tapped out. Look elsewhere.”
