The Devil is Celebrity

Americans can barely read and write, so it seems like the best employment option is celebrity, especially if one has really messed up.

Take Bristol Palin, the unwed daughter of Sarah Palin, and a mother herself. With her infant on her lap and her telegenic father seated next to her, she espoused "abstinence only" on morning talk shows this week, just months after she told Fox News that abstinence doesn't work. Quite obviously, with a child in hand, and inarticulately, I might add.

At the same time, Levi Johnston, the estranged father of Bristol's child, was admitting on Larry King Live that abstinence doesn't work. Duh!

Who wants to listen to them? They are high school drop outs who didn't use birth control, and are now fighting on separate flat screen televisions. But there is the lure of celebrity.

Yesterday Joe the Plumber decided to leave the Republican Party in another inarticulate explanation. Although he said that he was leaving because he couldn't take all of the spending, he added that he didn't support spending cuts in "defense, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid -- which, along with debt payments, would put more than two-thirds of the budget off limits."

He was a featured guest with Congressional staffers as a political strategist. He is an unlicensed plumber, let's not forget that! But he was a celebrity!

Elizabeth Edwards can't get out of the spotlight either. She has written a book and is on the humiliating book tour speaking about the betrayal of her husband, John Edwards, who had an affair, one that lasted longer than a one-night-stand, while running for president and she was ailing from breast cancer. And is that baby his? Ah, the lure of the microphone, the attention, the clothes, the narcissism!

And finally there is Dick Cheney. The guy hid out during the eight years he was vice president and now everyplace you turn on the conservative spectrum of radio and television, there he is, Darth Vader himself, defending his administration and criticizing Obama for cleaning up the mess. Can't come out of the limelight, eh, Dick?

How did this happen! At least Molly, the wayward cow who ran away from the slaughter house got the real reprieve: a quiet life on an organic farm in New Jersey with a steer who loves her. And hopefully, we will never hear about her again.

Bring in the Clowns

With Joe the Plumber advising the Republican members of Congress, no, I'm not kidding, and Sarah Palin arriving at the Alfalfa Club this weekend to hobnob with serious politicians (Robin Williams aptly called Palin "a contestant in Project Candidate."), one must muse about the state of the Republican Party.

I have my doubts about the efficacy of the stimulus package, because of its lack of discipline and failure to keep the pork to a minimum.

I have my doubts about anything, because, frankly, no one has ever seen anything like this before, and no one knows what they are doing.

But to merely say NO isn't political policy, it's political suicide.

To me, we need to revamp the bankruptcy laws which when amended in 2005, made it very difficult to rid oneself of credit card debt. And the next crisis staring down at us comes in the form of massive defaults, failure to even pay the monthly minimum on credit card debt. So, forget about tax relief for middle class people who will just try to save that money and not spend it, although where can anyone save anything now? With CD rates hovering within the 1.5% to 3.5% rate today, where does one put her money?

It's all too hard for any of us, so why does anyone think Joe the Plumber or Sarah Palin has the smarts to make this all go away?

I Wish It Wasn't True: Joe the Plumber is Now a Pundit

According to Keith Olbermann, Joe the Plumber has become a pundit! He is looking for a publicist, and today announced that Barack Obama hates Israel.

Reality tv has destroyed America, I swear.

Update: Joe the Plumber has a publicist, is negotiating a music contract, looking for a book deal, and thinking about running for public office. And even more alarming, he is traveling with the McCain "Straight Talk" bus tour through swing states.