| I'm being silly, but indulge me here as I veer off into | | | | . . . At least Bill Clinton had the sense to make sure |
| the realm of fantasy. Not *that* kind of fantasy, but | | | | the woman was over the age of consent. Other |
| the world from a Martian's perspective. Say we're | | | | noteworthy enemies include. . . Closeted |
| explorers from Mars sent to Washington D.C., in | | | | homosexuality. This has turned out to plague a |
| human form, in the year 2007. What would be our | | | | number of people lately. There's Larry Craig and the |
| conclusions about American politics were we to come | | | | foot tapping incident ("misunderstanding"). And |
| down fresh, understanding very little of the political | | | | Democratic Governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey. |
| system? We would understand immediately that | | | | At least he's no longer in the closet. Extramarital |
| there are purported to be 'two sides' (the validity of | | | | affairs. The list is too long. And really, is this even an |
| which is up for debate), and the two sides are | | | | issue people care about anymore? Women who don't |
| represented by colors and animals--red or blue, | | | | want to be groped. (CA Gov. Terminator). There are |
| elephant or donkey. There are also a few fringe | | | | plenty of other enemies. Crack cocaine (Marion |
| sects, marginalized by the craziness of their | | | | Barry), voter fraud, blah, blah, blah. Actually, voter |
| philosophies, who angrily disagree with both the reds | | | | fraud is only a problem for the big loser, not the fake |
| and the blues. So these are the two realistic options. | | | | winner. Blue, red, elephant, donkey, they seem to |
| Third or fourth candidates are not allowed to | | | | want to make all the laws and then break them. In |
| compete, really. They have "no chance of winning" or | | | | our research as Martian anthropologists, we'd have to |
| there's the fear that the third party will take votes | | | | conclude that some form of perversion or criminal |
| away from "real" candidates. So the red and the blue | | | | record is mandatory for political candidates. We'd also |
| appear to really dislike each other, but they're two | | | | have to conclude that the non-politicians, the ones |
| sides of the same coin, always in line to keep out the | | | | who vote (or don't vote), have such a short |
| fringe and so they have some common interests. | | | | attention span that really, it doesn't much matter. It's |
| Then things start to get good. . . They have an even | | | | football season and there's a new season of "The |
| bigger common enemy: the media. The media | | | | Biggest Loser" and it's back to school time and the |
| supposedly reports the activities of both sides so | | | | kids need new backpacks. And before you know it, |
| they make more money from advertisers. 'The | | | | it's the holidays again. Jumping into this little fantasy |
| Media' claims to be unbiased, but it isn't true. They | | | | world sometimes gives us a fresh perspective. It's all |
| are loyal to whomever is in power and whomever | | | | about framing. Putting a new lens on life. Try it with |
| owns the media outlet. What's even more exciting | | | | your life and your persuasion. See how it goes. Tell |
| for us explorers to discover is that there are even | | | | others about it, tell me about it on this blog. Create a |
| more enemies these two sides have. Prostitutes. | | | | discussion, invite your friends and colleagues to join |
| Most recently Louisiana Senator David Vitters who | | | | the discussion here. Lord knows we need to step |
| gives an awful lot of lip service to abstinence only | | | | back from the craziness every once in a while and |
| sex ed, was identified by the DC madam and the | | | | talk to each other intelligently about what we |
| Canal Street Madam as being a client. Under aged | | | | observe. |
| boys. Uh oh. US Representative Mark Foley, crusader | | | | Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the |
| against child abuse and exploitation, became child | | | | business of affluent clients using persuasion. He runs |
| abuser and exploiter when it came to light that he | | | | public and private seminars and offers home study |
| had a bit of a taste for Congressional pages. Women. | | | | courses and coaching programs in persuasion |
| Specifically wanton women. There was this one time, | | | | techniques. |
| the woman was wearing a blue dress. He liked cigars. | | | | |