SEND IN THE CLOWNS

Dana Prom Smith

As I was listening to Dame Cleo Laine sing Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” it brought to mind the recent Republican electoral victories. This is the same gang that brought on the present catastrophe, and, so, we’ve decided “Send in the Clowns” once again as if to say that a failure repeated will lead to a success.

Admittedly, as charming and admirable as is Barack Obama, he was no match for the old Republican pols, partly because he is a decent human being. He’s not a dirty rotten politician which makes him ill-equipped to fight dirty rotten politicians. If a person is going into a knife fight, it’s essential to know how to fight with knives.

He forgot that “It’s the economy, stupid.” People on the dole or in bread lines aren’t interested in comprehensive health insurance. Also, he never seemed to be a fighter, slugging it out with Republican sluggards. He kept going for the cranium while he should’ve gone for the guts.

And so, now, the ship of state has become a “ship of fools.” Let’s hope that the President decides to take a firm grip on the helm. Other than that, it’s time to get on our knees and pray for the Republic, bemused by the absurdity of it all.