Bully Power

I suppose it's not surprising that people will do anything to get elected to higher office. And it's not surprising that folks will stoop really, really low, that they will gladly appeal to the worst instincts of others, if they think that will translate into votes. Usually it's all done with winks, nods, and code words, but it is a long-time political tactic. Not always successful, but a tried and true strategy.

The bleaker the times, the more gloom, and hardship, or uncertainty, or terror in the air, the uglier it can get. That seems to be the mood this time around. There is a real ugliness in the land. And The Short-Fingered Vulgarian is not afraid to jump right into the heart of the ugliness. Maybe this ugliness was triggered by the election of Barack Obama. Many of us hailed this as a great step forward, but it seems that many angry white folks found this a step too far.

So in one puffed up, buffoon-like entity we have all the worst aspects of our species tied up and neatly packaged in a Celebrity Hot-Dog; racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, misogony. And there is real power to be conjured in appealing to hate, resentment, fear and revenge. Power. Bully power. 

The Short-Fingered Vulgarian seemed like such a flawed vehicle, I for one thought he would flame out pretty quickly, but I underestimated the depth of hatred in the hearts of many of my fellow Americans. You must always remember the is a deep yearning for the Big Man, the Bully. The white Bully! People cried when Stalin died, when Mussolini and Milosevic breathed their last breaths.