A U.S. political assessment for 2016-17. One more puppet regime gains power. Victors celebrate, the vanquished embroiled in bitterness and regret. Cynicism remains high, around half eligible voters stay home, muttering to themselves the system is rigged. One can rightfully say that nothing new has arisen but faces and White House interior decorating.

“Puppet regime,” you ask incredulously? Yes, puppet regime. Strings tugging and tossing about handsomely garbed political dolls in a familiar dance as cheers and heckles resound from an audience all too willing to delude themselves what is real or not. From behind the curtain, famous puppeteers with names like Wall Street, World Bank and corporate America use bribery and blackmail to create an illusion of democracy. The fee for witnessing the show — your reason and soul.

So we basically understand intentions of regimes — self survival. But how shall the vanquished or cynics among the public react — climb on stage and become stringed puppets as well? After all, it may help pay the bills. Shall the vanquished among the audience threaten to run the circus from town? Their party politics says yes but their neo-liberal greedy leanings say not so fast. Few consider a third option — strategic retreat, withdrawal of forces to regroup and re-examine tactics. Long enough to allow another incompetent regime time to implode on itself, to wreak so much havoc and misery on Main Street, especially the nonvoting cynics, as to cause their eventual alliance with reason. Little chance of the third option even being considered. History shows citizen serfs prefer a tethered lifestyle, whether to ideology, political parties or religion. 2016-17 reaffirms the illusion of free will as a guiding force. As a domesticated public stampedes towards the trough one thought only occurs — don’t slip and be trampled.

Patrick Cunningham

Twin Lakes