Un Pop Culture Rant: Politics

This post marks a new feature on the Big Grinder With Cheese blog, the Un Pop Culture Rant. This feature will be what its name suggests, a rant about a topic that is very unpopular in our culture. So without further ado, onto the debut.

Like most people my age, I am fed up with politics. What is more unpopular at the moment than politicians and all their shenanigans? The reasons for this are infinite, but I will list a few.

• The most annoying for me is the inability of a single politician to answer a question with a honest response that makes sense and actually addresses the question, followed by no one calling them out on their lame answer. Rep Mike Pence of Indiana displayed this ability beautifully on Meet the Press this past Sunday, when asked if he thought the Christmas Day Plane Bomber should have been read his Miranda Rights when he was arrested. Rather than answering with a simple yes or no, he came up with this beauty (I'm paraphrasing): My constituents are wondering why this plane bomber gets his Miranda Rights and a civilian trial while the Fort Hood Shooter, a military officer, who killed military personnel on a military base is getting a military trial? What? You're constituents are wondering why a military officer who committed murder against military personnel on a military base is getting a military trial? Notice the common word in that last sentence? MILITARY. I haven't followed the plane bomber case close enough to render an opinion of how the should be tried, but Pence's reasoning is ludicrous. He didn't even answer the question, which was what HE thought, and in the process made his constituents look dopey. And to top it all off, no one batted an eyelash or questioned the ridiculous statement.
• No politicians have balls. Dick Cheney has been running his mouth about how Barack Obama is endangering America for the last year, most recently having a showdown with Joe Biden on terrorism. Why won't anyone tell this guy he is being irresponsible and to shut the hell up. If Al Gore tried this act during the Bush presidency, he would have been crucified by the administration. Everyone pussy foots around the issue with statements like "Cheney may not have the most current information" or "I don't agree with him". How about saying "Cheney is lying and trying to scare America in order to protect his legacy and is an irresponsible piece of crap." That would be very refreshing, but sadly will never happen.
• The conventions and conferences have got to stop. What is the point of these? Gathering a few thousand maniacs in a room that will applaud anything the speakers say. Barack Obama or Dick Cheney could come out and describe their latest bowl movement and a garner a minute long standing ovation. What is the point of this? Their lemming-like applause and bizarre outfits clearly show that everyone in attendance needs next to zero convincing to convert to the cause. And any sane person watching one of these gatherings is not converted, rather they will wonder what the hell they are watching? Did someone get a hidden video of a Hare Krishna or Branch Davidian meeting? For the unfamiliar, those are cults, and these conventions and conferences can be described as cultish and just plain creepy.

Those are only a few of the reasons that I, and am sure many others, are fed up with politics. Non-answering of questions, no ball politicians, and wacky conventions and conferences are only scratching the surface, but are a good start none the less. I hope this rant has had some resonance with you and I invite you to rant a bit of your own in the comments section.

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