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national politics & policies political challengers

Reality TV 2020

Reality TV, cat,

It shocked some, surprised virtually all — save Scott Adams — when mega-​branding braggart, businessman, and reality TV star Donald “You’re Fired!” Trump slapped his way to a trifecta, winning in decades-​long bastions of blue — Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin — en route to his “landslide” Electoral College win.

How could a candidate viewed negatively by 61 percent of voters mere days before the election possibly win? 

Well, consider the alternative: Hillary Clinton’s negatives were 52 percent in that same poll. Moreover, two-​thirds of voters harbored “doubts about her trustworthiness.” 

Entering Trump Year IV, the president’s approval rating remains under water, and, following the House impeachment, he’s being tried in absentia in the Senate. Plus, the Democrats get to choose a low-​negatives/​high-​positives candidate to run against him.

What could go wrong?

Everything.

Except for promising to give away free stuff to everyone, it’s all very unsettled. Even The New York Times, “in a break with convention,” if not reality, has endorsed two candidates: Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar.

Klobuchar? She’s stuck in seventh place in New Hampshire. 

Four candidates vie for the lead two weeks before Iowa and three weeks before New Hampshire: former Vice-​President Joe Biden, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senators Sanders and Warren. “Sleepy Joe” tops the latest Iowa poll while self-​declared socialist Bernie leads in New Hampshire — and pushes ahead of Biden nationally. 

And to meet Sanders’ surge? 

Mrs. Clinton. 

Being lovable. 

As always.

Of the current Democratic front-​runner, “Nobody likes him,” Hillary sniped, channeling her inner Mean Girl. “Nobody wants to work with him, he’s got nothing done. He was a career politician. It’s all just baloney and I feel so bad that people got sucked into it.”

Cluster-​yuck 2020 is Reality TV at its best. 

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Reality TV, cat,

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folly general freedom ideological culture national politics & policies

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Our Youth

Adults have expressed disappointment in the behavior of young people since civilization began. You can read complaints about “the kids these days” on cuneiform tablets.

That being said, I have some sympathy for U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D‑W.Va.)., who has asked MTV to cancel its latest “reality TV” extravaganza, Buckwild, slated to debut in January. This West Virginia-​based show show emulates Jersey Shore, a low-​level satire on low-​life New Jersey twentysomethings that I know too much about … without ever having watched.

“As a U.S. Senator, I am repulsed at this business venture,” Manchin asserts. He seems especially troubled by the fact that “some Americans are making money off of the poor decisions of our youth. I cannot imagine that anyone who loves this country would feel proud about profiting off of” the presumably horrid show.

First, as Ed Krayewski notes on Reason’s Hit and Run, were the senator really to take pride in business, he could mind his own: “The Senate … hasn’t passed a budget in more than 1,200 days. And, unlike MTV, it’s their job.”

Second, this is “Reality TV” here, folks. Not much to see. The truth is that Americans, for reasons ranging from Schadenfreude to mirth, like watching people make fools of themselves. And the youngsters hired on to play the foul-​mouthed, inebriated, uncultured, promiscuous ninnies of Buckwild will be well paid for their efforts, and, as Americans chortle at them, they’ll chuckle all the way to the bank.

Third, they perform a useful service. Most folks watching fools don’t want to become fools themselves. They laugh. And, in so doing, begin to grow up.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.