Bread and Circuses

As young actresses go, paparazzi magnet Lindsay Lohan isn’t a world-class beauty like Emily Rossum, and she’s not getting the scripts sent to Scarlett Johansson, but she has done good work in films such as “Mean Girls” and “Freaky Friday.”

But Lohan takes a giant step back in the dopey “Herbie: Fully Loaded.

What, that’s not what you expected me to write about today? Why not? Hell more people care about Lindsey Lohan than they do about Lindsey Graham these days. We have become a society of complacent drones, easily distracted by our digital bread and circuses. Think about it, more people can probably tell you how many runs the Yankees scored in the 8th inning last night than they can what Congressional district they live in. It’s pathetic.

So I may as well talk about the Herbie remake, I loved that movie as a kid and it’s not like most people want me to talk about the real issues. Real issues are messy. Who wants to hear about the additional 45 Billion dollar bridge loan Congress approved for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? What good would it do to point out that that these wars now costs more than the entire Korean conflict? None. Not that we have any choice whether to spend that money now, we have to do what we can for the troops (though you know not getting them killed is a fucking better plan!). Consider it our penance for endorsing the war to begin with. But that’s not the point - no one cares.

If we were more interested in the state of the Union rather than the possible union of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, we would be livid about the recent outburst  by Representative John Hoesstetler. Did you hear about the outburst on the news? The one that went:

“The long war on Christianity in America continues today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives.”
Like a moth to a flame, Democrats can’t help themselves when it comes to denigrating and demonizing Christians,”

And why did Mr. “We Own God” have such a hisyfit anyhow? Because Representative David Obey (D-Wis) wanted to put the House on record against “coercive and abusive religious proselytizing” at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

If that doesn’t piss you off, nothing will. Protecting religious liberty becomes demonizing Christians. Well you know what assbag - if certain Christians can’t practice their faith without forcing cadets to pray before their exam - fuck them, too bad. Your right to religion is personal and CAN NOT infringe upon my rights.

But go take a straw poll of your office and see if ANYONE other than a fellow news junkie has a clue what the hell you’re talking about. I’m betting you’ll be met with blank stares. Now ask them who won American Idol. Sad. Pathetic and sad.

If people were really interested in the issues, they would be up in arms over the health care crisis in this country. Did you see the good news this week - Health Care costs didn’t grow at a faster rate this year, but held steady at 8.2%. That would be awesome except that its nearly triple the inflation rate and more than twice the rate of income growth in this country. The costs are skyrocketing at a time when less people have coverage. Americans (both individuals and companies) had to pay over One TRILLION dollars for private health care last year. That’s in addition to what the U.S. Government spent. And no, we do not have the best health care in the world. Sorry. It’d be nice to think so, but we don’t. For a trillion dollars a year we should have, but someone has to pay those drugs reps to take Doctors golfing.

Yes I’m frustrated because tackling real issues means more than casting a vote every 4 years. Tackling real issues is more than bitching about gays wanting to marry or telling a 16 year old to just say no to sex. It requires seeing through the bullshit and getting off your ass. It’s about demanding accountability in our “leaders” and responsibility in ourselves. We’ve let the people in charge abuse our trust for to long and it has cost us dearly. Politics isn’t a game or contest (though if it were more people would pay attention - that’s probably why we like the elections) but a commitment to improving the country.

Currently, paying attention and asking questions is equated with being a traitor to America. You have to ask yourself why? When the government design is “by the people”, why are the people shamed into non-participation, dumbed down by inane representation and press, and encouraged to disengage? More important, why are people willing to cash in their stake in America for a fix of pop-culture? America is not self renewing. We the people own it. Without our active participation, she dies. Will we trade America for a self-gratification society? Will the average Joe notice or care?

In a country where more people know about the Jackson verdict than the Patriot Act, I don’t have a lot of faith this gets better.

And for the record - USA Today gave Herbie 2 stars. But, I bet you already knew that, didn’t you?