So often in troubled times one has nowhere to turn for wry humor in the news. A divided house has approved more than $800 billion in bailouts without a single Republican vote, raising questions about the dangers of absolute power.
???Businesses are floundering and firing left and right. Global situations mirror our own, with Iceland in a semi-anarchic state, Somalia reminding us that high sea pirating still exists, and Iraq and Afghanistan continuing business as usual.
???It's good to know that Gov. Rod Blagojevich is around to pick up the slack and make us laugh. It's hard to think of a political figure in recent history with more gall, to say nothing of the man's brash confidence, which must be bred as much from denial as personal strength.
???Blagojevich has been a constant figure in headlines for a month now for basically attempting to sell the Illinois senate position vacated by Barack Obama like it was a piece of property to be auctioned to the highest bidder. For the past week he has been engaged in the constant duty of not showing up for his own impeachment trial.
???Blagojevich can be viewed as a figure of the blackest humor, the necessary by-product of our fascination with celebrity self-destruction coupled with political idiocy. ???
There is no question of the direction his fate will take in the end, and so we are able to watch his descent into madness without feeling the pinch of anxiety that he might get away with what he has done.
???And oh, what he's done. He's been taped over the phone discussing how exactly he plans to milk his gubernatorial responsibilities for the most cash. He's refused to perform other duties unless being paid for the effort, even though he's already a salaried government employee.
???Through it all, even after being arrested at his home, he has maintained his innocence, as if the police would arrest a United States governor at his private residence for the heck of it.
???Blagojevich will face a criminal trial later this year, so we can be sure of far more grandstanding and asinine comparisons to Pearl Harbor at that point. But for now we can take some solace in watching an untouchable politician pay the Pied Pipper without even realizing it.
???And anticipation is oh, so sweet.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
