In my profession of acting, one succeeds in the portrayal of a king or emperor in part, by how other actors on stage react to you. Exceptional young athletes like Reggie Bush learn early on that they are ‘different’, that the rules seem elastic and somehow not relevant to them. This becomes an enduring reality and leads to the kind of irresponsible behavior that often follows; sexual aggression, theft, hubris, amorality.

Similarly, politicians on national down to local levels seem often seduced, distorted or corrupted by opportunity and power. Some may have harbored such mercenary tendencies from the outset; others may decide “this is how we roll”, lacking the moral compass to resist temptation.

America is understandably fed up with the incompetence, amorality, elitism and greed of their elected officials. As Walt Kelly wrote in POGO many years ago, “We have met the enemy…and he is us.”

22 July 2010