The movie “Up” has one of its best running jokes in that the taking dogs can be distracted from any conversation by a squirrel. No matter what is happening, should any dog perceive a squirrel nearby they all come to attention and look in that direction while shouting “Squirrel!” Democrats have been doing the political equivalent for some time now. They point and say “discrimination,” or “inequity” and their minions quickly line up with the same cries, distracted from the topic at hand. The cartoon dogs are; however, able to return to the topic at hand while the distraction among Democrats seems to be lasting and focused.
Distraction is an old political maneuver. “Do not pay attention to that man behind the curtain.” “American troops and tanks are not entering Baghdad.” Magicians call it “misdirection.” The idea is to get you looking at something other than them moving the ball from one hand to the other. With magicians, once you see the trick it becomes impossible to ignore, but you still admire the artistry of execution. When it is employed as a last ditch effort, as when the Wizard is uncovered or Baghdad Bob, it ends up just being comical.
But when it is used to avoid an admission of error, or as cover-up to something worse, it becomes pathetic, sad and borders on insanity. If you are not old enough to have ridden dinosaurs to school you may not remember the TV show “Happy Days.” The show featured a character “Fonzie” who was a prototypical tough guy and the series began to revolve around his gradual descent into a normal humanity, much as “Big Bang Theory” saw Sheldon move from autistic savant to normal human through its decade. Later in the run of Happy Days Fonzie was placed in a position where he had to admit a mistake. The effect was quite comical as the word “wrong” seemed completely incapable of escaping from his lips. Such was the image that came to my mind yesterday as the host played this clip for former Congressman John Campbell. (about 16 minutes in, but use the prior link, it’s easier.)
When asked “Who drew the proposed new district maps for California?” California Assemblymember Gail Pellerin is pathologically incapable of answering the question. She cries “squirrel!” – She notes there is nothing up her sleeve – she tells us not to pay any attention to the man behind the curtain, but she never ever answers the question. Like Baghdad Bob, she is utterly defeated and yet thoroughly incapable of facing or admitting that defeat.
Welcome to the Trumpian era. Most Americans, save those so infected with TDS that they think of nothing else, are no longer willing to be distracted by squirrels, denials or misdirection. Those TDS suffers that cannot bring themselves to admit they were w-w-w-w-w-wron-ut-er-ACH-G have a big problem. The world is just leaving them behind, even if they comprise the majority of the state of California.
I wish it were comical, as it is in TV and movies. But it is not. Real people, a lot of them, are being stuck in an emotional and psychological state that is unhappy and unstable. And there are enough of them that they can control regions like California, wrecking a special kind of governmental havoc. (Just wait California, it will not be long and there will be a six-page form and a six-week waiting period before you can purchase a rib-eye with greater than 0.5% fat content.) These poor, pathetic souls will live in political ghettoes comprised of them in their gated and guarded communities surrounded by masses of those they have trapped with their emotional turmoil. The stratified society envisioned by the movie “Soylent Green” having become stark reality.
We know the trick and we cannot unsee it. It is time for the magician to admit defeat.
