I imagine that every newly elected member of the House or Senate must get a special tour on their first day. They probably get to see the secret meeting rooms and the “members only” bathrooms and dining halls. At some point they must be taken to the Pentagon or the Dept of Homeland Security where they are shown some of the toys that blow people up and listen in on their phone calls. I’m sure every security agency is very proud of their technology and every new politician is thrilled by the power of all the gadgets (and bombs).

Later as they sit, deliberating about such issues as the legality of recording phone calls or the messy logistics of invading Syria, they cannot help but be biased in favor of employing the extraordinary power and sophistication of high tech drones and surveillance software. They are intoxicated by the technology the way we all were when we got our first smart phone. It’s just begging to be used.

By comparison protecting civil liberties and privacy is boring. Who cares what percentage of the people are against invading Syria. Politicians want to look like powerful people and being responsible for a cruise missile attack makes them look like men of action. Senators like John McCain have come to believe it is their (our?) divine right to  occupy any and every foreign country they choose. And it’s not just Republicans. The Senate Armed Services Committee behaves like Schwarzenegger pumped up on defense department steroids. Drone insanity has taken over Obama and I don’t exactly see him paying attention to polls that show that no one other than him really cares that President Assad is using chemical weapons.

The best part is that, just like with the gun issue, if you don’t like government policy you really have absolutely no choice to make at the ballot box. Obama has utterly failed to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay so next time you can choose a Republican and … As with guns you can’t throw out the Democrats who didn’t vote the party line and approve background checks because if you do, a Republican will win and they’ll start a free gun give away program. Come one come all.

Obama wants to energize voters by calling on them to be stronger citizens: “America needs more than taxpayers, spectators, and occasional voters. America needs full-time citizens.” (OSU Graduation Speech May 5th). But there are no real choices, they all get the same tour and drink the same Kool Aid – yes, even you Mr. President.

Poll Question: What is the number one issue on the minds of the citizenry? Answer – employment and wages.

On April 24, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar scheduled a hearing. This hearing was notable for both its subject and its attendance. It was a meeting about the most important economic crisis facing America today: long-term unemployment.  At 10:30am, the hearing began. She was the only attendant… (The Atlantic)

It wasn’t just Republicans that boycotted the hearing. In the end the desperate need for money drives all politicians to vote for the same things. The same lobbyists work both sides of the aisle. The parties are merging but retain different publicity firms. The noisy polemics tell us that their policies are diverging but if that were true then why have they all agreed not to break up mega-banks, fight back against unfair trade, and reform elections to reduce the need for campaign cash. Bickering about the Benghazi fiasco doesn’t change anyone’s life. It will not reduce the long term unemployment rate.

On election day, why must it come down to a decision between Ms. Mediocre and Mr. Scary?