What were you expecting - grass roots?

Bridgethought of the Day: If anything was more important than a good PR campaign, it's the heavens and the earth and everything in them.

Including, of course, grass roots.

As for the Republican Simulated Duel-in-a-Reagan-box, there really is only one candidate who stands out and we all know who he is:

DR. RON PAUL!

No, he's not a frontrunner. No, none of the manic/depressive commentators seemed at all impressed. No, he doesn't have that way of being all things to all people. No, he just speaks his mind.

"Always be ready to speak your mind, and a base man will avoid you." (William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven & Hell.) Of course, the field is full of men ready to speak what they want you to think is in their mind, or what they think will make you think good thoughts about them. Does that mean their supporters are base? "We report - you decide."

So there are two kinds of grassroots: one is the people, the ostensible "employers" of this entire U.S. government (and where else does the boss get to be the pawn and the forced subsidizer of others' agendas?); and the other is principles. Yes, I believe principles exist. Those who have them also have a certain integrity. And principles should never be confused with dogma.

Ron Paul is clearly outstanding as a candidate with principles who is ready to speak his mind. Ah, and one more important distinction. You can tell from his words that he actually uses his mind.

This means he is probably one of the best men suited to an actual Presidency over an actual nation called the United States of America.

But unfortunately, we're not voting in such an election - yet. There's an aura of falsehood and betrayal that hangs over the political process these days. If instead of voting for an image, i.e., figurehead (top question in post-debate mediamonster mash: who looks most presidential? as if this was, hands-down, The Clincher), why don't we vote for the man who has the highest principles, most honesty and integrity, and most intelligent and experienced use of the tool we'll all need most - his mind???

Now I know the answer to that haunting question that has dogged me for years: why do we keep getting, usually, uninspiring and compromised candidates? Because the really qualified people don't stand a chance. It's all about the sales pitch.

Sell a President, sell a war.

So some dolts thought McCain looked most Presidential. Everything he said was meaningless drivel with frightening undertones of not knowing what the hell he's doing mixed with no objection to show off his macho side by invading another nation or two, hey. Who said we're not the greatest thing in the world?

"Define 'thing', Senator McCain."

"(Laughing, as usual) Come on, you know what I mean (more laughing)... it means what the American people say it means, and the American people know that when I say something, I mean it."

"Mitt Romney, how do you think your religion would affect your judgment as commander-in-chief?"

"The same way religion would affect any commander-in-chief's judgment - it would become more acute and focused on what matters: family, taxpayers, and national security - and working on both sides of the aisle."

"Mr. Giuliani, why don't you work on both sides of the aisle?"

"Who said I don't work on both sides of the aisle? I work for those who create fear, and those who fear, or should be afraid. Very afraid. Because I mean to unite the country again behind a vision - of terminating all Islamofascists NOW! And tightening security, because we can never be too secure, only too liberal!"

Dear Dr. Paul, Please deliver us from this posturing, pompous verbiage, and that weirdly vague Dream of suspiciously unrealistic Success, which is continuously lit by the floodlights of Ronnie, who saved Republicans from being a dreadfully boring, obnoxious cadre of old WASPS planning wars and gutting economies on a Grand Old Scale.

Dear Republican Voter, Please send these Spinning Salesmen home to the lot, and pick someone who has the guts to stand against the Mr. America contest.

Better yet, let's put a Democrat in office and see what happens. And put Ron Paul in charge of Homeland Security, only add the word "Constitution" in the middle.