American Idolatry

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
--Franklin D. Roosevelt
Don’t you just love a world in turmoil?
Japanese news sources report this morning that North Korea is developing a longer-range missile capable of reaching the US Territory of Guam.

Here we go again…

Meanwhile, Former US Ambassador to the UN, Michael Bolton, believes the United States should attack Iran sooner than later, as that country continues with its nuclear program. It is now estimated Iran could have nuclear bomb making capabilities within one year.

Bolton compares Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s statements about annihilating Israel, coupled with his nuclear agenda, as similar to Hitler’s march into the Rhineland: "If we don't stop it, then the future is in his hands, not in your hands, just as the future decisions on their nuclear program would be in Iran's hands, not ours."

In Massachusetts, a company is being sued for docking its workers 30-minutes pay for clocking in late by as little as one-minute, even when lines for clocking-in were long because of a limited number of time clocks. That's a fairly common problem…except the lawsuit is being brought by illegal immigrant workers, who were cheated out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime pay.

The ultimate irony: The company manufactures equipment and apparel for the US Military.

Abortion, gun control, and tax cuts were the headline topics in last night’s GOP Presidential Wannabe debate in South Carolina. Lightning-rod topics, but still fairly shallow furrows plowed into the political acreage that is dotted with landmines on immigration, national security, global trade and domestic economic challenges that the next leader of the Free World will need to address.

Curiously, a Forbes on-line poll indicates the trustworthiness of a presidential candidate is the most important trait mentioned by respondents, followed by being articulate enough to communicate with the public.

Last night's American Country Music Awards were a celebration of the old and the new talent in Nashivlle. George Strait and Brooks & Dunn were honored for their long time achievements, as well as Carrie Underwood, who has had an unprecedented rise to stardom, launched by a little talent show over on the Fox network you may have heard about.

I am not a big fan of Country Music, per se, but I am a large admirer of the spirit of the genre, and some of the personalities that make it come alive.

Actually, Underwood's achievements simply underscore the fact that American Idol is more than a talent show--it is a phenomenal talent factory, driven by public opinion, on what the public wants to see and hear, and a real-time referendum on the kind of entertainment for which we're willing to pay money.

Perhaps the ultimate reality show would combine live talent searches with political debate. Could a future President be the result of an “American Candidate” competition show?
Idea Copyright 2007 Brent Clanton. Back-off, Simon!