Fox, CNN, MSNBC, C-Span?
Or ESPN?
Politics v. Sports.
A friend of mine — a life long political junkie — told me recently that he used to watch more politics than sports.
Now, it’s the opposite.
Now, he’s given up on politics.
“No competition in politics anymore” he said.
Instead of Fox, CNN, C-Span and MSNBC — he spends most of his time watching ESPN.
Where there are actually two sides fighting each other to come out on top.
Day in and day out.
Night in and night out.
Why is sports more interesting than politics?
Slam dunk answer.
Increasingly, Americans are starting to realize that — on hard core economic issues — both Republicans and Democrats are playing for the same owner.
Break up the six big too big to fail banks? (Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley.)
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
President Obama is reportedly now considering hiring Bill Daley as his new chief of staff.
Bill Daley — for the last seven years, a senior executive for JP Morgan Chase — one of the biggest banks in America.
And you are going to hear the White House advocate for breaking up the too big to fail banks?
No.
Get rid of the private health insurance corporations?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Tax the hyper rich?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
Cut the bloated military budget?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed.
End the war in Afghanistan?
American people in favor.
Both parties opposed. (With the Wall Street Journal reporting today that President Obama is sending 1,400 more combat troops to Afghanistan.)
So, the only competition is between the American people and the political establishment.
That’s the real contest.
But the American people have no team in the playoffs.
We’re not on ESPN.
Or Fox.
Or CNN.
Or MSNBC.
It’s a rigged game in Washington.
Both teams are playing for the same owners.
Wall Street.
The big banks.
The insurance corporations.
The wealthiest one percent that owns as much as the bottom 90 percent of the American people.
The military industrial complex.
My friend is right.
There is no competition in American politics anymore.
Why watch?
We know the outcome before the kickoff.
So, this weekend, America is going to kick back the barcolounger.
Pop open a beer.
And turn on ESPN.
Politics v. Sports?
No contest.
