If you've looked at the American political scene this year and thought it looked insane - but you were worried it might just be you - we're here today to reaffirm your sanity.
Some of the actions happening on either side of the political aisle lately have been more than a bit strange. Looking deeper, we can understand some moves - for example that of former U.S. Senator from Nebraska, Bob Kerrey - as highly strategic maneuvers. However, some of the recent actions - especially by the GOP Presidential contenders - make absolutely no sense to us.
Take the words and actions of the former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum.
Heading into a five day stretch capped off by today's primaries in Arizona and Michigan, Mr. Santorum was already hammering on the culture wars, with attacks on topics like abortion and contraception.
But last Friday, Santorum seemed to kick his campaign for Mayor of political Crazytown into high gear. He called President Obama a "snob" for heavily supporting college education - including community colleges and trade schools, along with four year institutions.
Mr. Santorum - a Catholic - went further, however, when he insisted that the famous speech on the separation of church and state by America's first Catholic President, John F. Kennedy, made him "want to throw up." Santorum made it VERY clear - he believes in a partial theocracy. On Monday, he even topped his previous comments, claiming that the massive 2008 Bush recession was caused not by fraudulent dealing by banks, or even shady borrowers, but by gas prices that were too high - which he then blamed on Mr. Obama (who was only a Senator in 2008).
Not to be outdone, Mitt Romney seemed to be attempting his own crazy stunts, including scheduling a minor policy speech for 2500 attendees on Friday in the 65,000+ seat Ford Field in Detroit - where he continued to say that the auto bailout was a bad thing. Romney even insisted he remembered the fiftieth anniversary of the automobile, a landmark moment in Detroit - which he couldn't have remembered, as it happened before he was even born.
Newt Gingrich couldn't let everyone else have all the fun, so he attacked the Afghan people verbally, saying it's impossible for anyone to fix their country, as he suggested Afghan citizens should “figure out how to live your own miserable life.” All this as America continues to wrangle with a particularly touchy diplomatic situation. Meanwhile, Ron Paul sat in the metaphorical corner and never attacked the frontrunner, Romney - but pounded Romney's rivals, all while denying he's already made a deal with Romney.
Don't even talk to us about the insanity at the state level in places like Pennsylvania, Alabama, and New Hampshire.
Democrats haven't seemed one hundred percent sane either this season. Some Democrats in Michigan have vowed to wreak havoc in Michigan's open primary today - a tactic they learned from Rush Limbaugh's actions four years ago. Further, news leaked out that former Governor, and U.S. Senator from Nebraska, Bob Kerrey, may change his mind and run for the Senate seat currently occupied by Ben Nelson - which has Nebraska republicans gobsmacked and in a panic.
Of all these actions, Kerrey's are the ones we understand most. After all, as we noted at the beginning of February, sources have said internal Democratic polling confirms Kerrey could decisively win over any of the Republicans currently vying for the Nelson Senate seat. For Kerrey not to run at this point would almost be more crazy than if he ran.
If we were writing a script to produce this year's election season as a book, TV show, or movie, we'd have to admit - so far, it's been non-stop excitement, on multiple levels.
The problem is, this isn't entertainment. It's supposed to be about governing.
Somebody, please tell all the fools to return to their respective native kingdoms, from whatever planet they might have originated. Their loyal subjects are missing their idiocracy.
