The Joy of Madness

[Valin]

WSJ:

Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and the mad-as-hell American electorate.

Daniel Henninger

Sept. 16, 2015

 

Frustration, anger, despair. Allow life’s negatively charged emotions to run free long enough and they all arrive at the same place—madness. We are there.

 

Or many of us are, in the U.S. and all over a troubled world.

 

Some 30% of Republican voters want as their president the former host of “Celebrity Apprentice.” About the same percentage of Democrats prefer a 74-year-old Socialist who seems to believe federal revenue is created by pixies.

 

The British Labour Party just cast its lot with a leader whose choice for finance minister includes among his interests “fomenting the overthrow of capitalism.” A torrent of Syrian refugees has unhinged European liberalism. Islamic State is drowning history itself in blood, while the pope is giving speeches on climate change.

 

(Snip)

 

Madness is joy because it releases one from the burden of responsibility. The saving grace of the American system is that long-term escape from political responsibility is difficult. After taking a long wallow in the politics of whatever, American voters will face the reality of the U.S.’s 50-state political primary system from February through June. For Republicans, this could mean more than 20 million primary votes cast across five months.

 

After the revels of 2015, individual thought should displace the madness of crowds. If it doesn’t, keep the gas tank full.