showbiz for ugly people

Have you ever heard "Politics is showbiz for ugly people"? Apparently, Sonny Bono said that the actors looks were the only difference between Hollywood and DC. I think he was right, except for the exceptions. Romney, Pelosi and some others are nice looking. I'm wondering if there's a limitation to how ugly you can be in the age of TV: I think Newt Gingrich and Harry Reid are testing the boundaries out for us.

News is entertainment, and entertainment is diversion. It serves as validation of your world view whether you watch CNN or Fox news. I have to say I've gotten to the point Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are my favorites, and I like behavioral economics over straight economics. The psychology behind economics is far more interesting. American politics is a circus and should be treated as such.

Here's a clip from an interview with one of the Freakanomics authors, Stephen Dubner: The President Matters Much Less than We Think regarding the economy. I think it's worth the six minutes. He's basically saying that politics aren't rational or logical when it comes to economics-- and I believe that. Politics have little to do with logic. Politics runs deeper; it's as deep as how you see the world. I read a study that Americans are more passionate about politics than about religion, and that sounds about right.

As I am being bombarded with political mumbo-jumbo from all sides, I'm realize that politics really is entertainment... diversion. The economy is tough right now; international politics are rocky. Uncertainty wreaks havoc on the human psyche. And, I guess, aligning yourself with a side gives a sense of certainty. At least you know who the good guys and bad guys are.

The Veritas article arguing cogently that our bipartisan system is two sides of the same coin convinced me that our politics are silly. We presented two options: big government or big business. Clearly, the answer lies in neither choice. We need a new framework for questions in order to provide real answers. The useful answers will probably be small, local, common sense, low budget options that center on individuals caring about their neighbors and taking action.

All the shenanigans taking place in the races of elections that take 9 months from now are convincing me that I should get less caught up in the marketing campaigns of federal politicians and get more involved in local politics. Should one even vote when it feels like voting for the most popular movie star in Hollywood?