HILARIOUS

Newt Gingrich failed to collect the 10,000 signatures that were required for him to appear on the GOP primary ballot in Virginia.

Virginia.

The state where Gingrich lives.

 

In the words of Rick Perry, "Oops!"

In the words of Gingrich's campaign manager, Michael Krull, “Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941: We have experienced an unexpected setback, but we will re-group and re-focus with increased determination, commitment and positive action.”

The Gingrich Campaign slips up collecting signatures for a Republican primary ballot, and it's analogous to Pearl Harbor?  A “date which will live in infamy” in American history?  An assault that killed 2,500 people and wounded 1,000; damaging or destroying 18 American warships and almost 300 aircraft?

You read that right.

 

According to Newt Gingrich's campaign manager, their primary ballot blunder is equivalent to an Act of War that thrust our nation into World War II.

 

Mitt Romney views the fiasco differently. He describes the Gingrich goof as being more like an hilarious episode of I Love Lucy when Lucille Ball futilely attempts to keep up with chocolate candies that are moving too quickly down a factory conveyor belt. "I mean, you got to get it organized.” Romney told reporters.

I couldn't agree more. Note to Presidential candidates: You 'got to get it organized.' 

Better yet, you need to get a grip.

On reality.

The blur of debates and news stories featuring Presidential candidates these past many months would be hilarious- if it wasn't so alarming.

Our country desperately needs bold leadership to tackle a multitude of challenges in the New Year: job creation in a rapidly changing workplace, the unemployment crisis, the deficit, energy and environmental issues, upheaval in the Arab world,  tax and education reform, infrastructure repair and expansion, restructuring of Medicaid and Social Security, immigration-to name just a few.

While our nation's conveyor belt- replete with trials-revolves on overdrive, our assembly-line leaders chew them up and spit them out, or tuck them under Uncle Sam's overstuffed partisan hat to ignore. Just like Lucy so ineptly handling all those chocolates.

Hilarious. 

 

When Steve Jobs died in October, The Onion's satirical obituary read in part: Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple Computers and the only American in the country who had any clue what the (blankety blank) he was doing, died Wednesday at the age of 56. "We haven't just lost a great innovator, leader, and businessman, we've literally lost the only person in this country who actually .... knew what the hell was going on," a statement from President Barack Obama read in part, adding that Jobs will be remembered both for the life-changing products he created and for the fact that he was able to sit down, think clearly, and execute his ideas—attributes he shared with no other U.S. citizen."

Hilarious.

 

Fact is, lots of U.S. citizens can think clearly, execute innovative ideas, and innovative solutions to problems. They just don't seem to be working at the top levels of government.

The state of our nation's politics has stooped to the level of Keeping up with the Kardashians and The Jersey Shore. We are mired in a National TV Reality Show that could be entitled Politicians on Parade. Our leaders resemble The Mad Hatter, Goofy, Pluto, Pinocchio and Snow White traipsing down Main Street USA in a Disney Parade of Dreams- rather than leaders of vision who will inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

It's December 29, 2011.

 

I say we give ourselves two more days of the Reality TV nonsense that is our national discourse. Then we work to find patriots, innovators and leaders who are wise, tough and courageous enough to lead us back to reality.

 

Finding such leaders won't be hilarious.  But it sure will fill a nation with delight.

QUING Hereby Decrees:  It's almost the New Year. Let's count down to 'Reasonable'.