If you don't believe this country is toast, just consider the present and prospective candidates for the presidency on the Democratic side of the ledger. First, there is Hillary Clinton, who has been caught in a closet with her email server just like her husband was with a White House intern. Then, there is Bernie Sanders, an avowed socialist, who unlike other Democrats proudly admits it rather than denies it. There is also speculation that Joe Biden, the clown whose gaffes have at least provided us with a little comic relief during the Obama Administration's dismantling of America, is now considering exchanging his belled jester's cap for the hat of Chief Executive. And finally, there is talk that the hot air windbag who blew up global warming, Al Gore, is thinking about running again for the presidency so that he can file another lawsuit for the Oval Office. After all, with liberal judges overruling the voices and votes of Americans all over our country today, who's to say these same judicial despots wouldn't overrule the people's election of a president over a few hanging chads and dimpled ballots?

Now, when it comes to the Republican nominees for the White House, there are a few, such as Ted Cruz, that I see as principled and politically battle-tested; that is, someone willing to stand up for what they believe against all odds and opposition, even the opposition of their own political party. Yet, the frontrunner for the Republican nominee is a proven unprincipled self-promoter  whose affiliation with liberal causes and politicians is well documented by the millions and millions of dollars he has contributed to both. In addition, his unscrupulous business dealings have bankrupted companies and cost people their jobs and livelihoods, while at the same time padding his billionaire pockets with more moolah. In the face of this, one is left scratching his head over conservatives' infatuation with Donald Trump. 

One obvious reason the Right is presently taken with Trump is that our celebrity culture has been "Vannatized." Vanna White is a famous and wealthy woman whose one claim to fortune and fame is she turns blocks around on television with letters on them. I remember in a past Republican primary how Lamar Alexander, the former governor of Tennessee, was asked why rival Steve Forbes was doing so well in early primary states. Alexander chalked up the wealthy Forbes' surprising early success to his ability to buy so many campaign ads on television. According to Alexander, Tennesseans once lined up to see a mule that had played "Francis the Talking Mule" in the movies. Alexander went on to explain that seeing a mule in Tennessee is not difficult; mules are everywhere. However, Tennesseans lined up to see this mule, because it had been on TV.

Donald Trump's celebrity, thanks to things like his reality-TV show, The Apprentice, gives him a huge advantage over his rival Republicans in today's celebrity obsessed society. It doesn't matter that he has no conservative credentials and a long history of liberal ideology, conservatives are lining up to see him, because he is a television celebrity. Such is the shallow thinking of modern-day Americans on both sides of the political divide. As a result, presidential elections, much to the detriment of our country, have become little more than popularity contest. We're not looking for a true statesman, but a TV star.

The other reason Trump is trumping his Republican rivals is his excoriating of all politicians, something many Americans are in complete sympathy with, being beside themselves over being continuously betrayed by both political parties. When I was younger, I played the card game Rook. I don't remember much about it, except that the trump card was really important. I've been thinking a lot about this lately, since it serves as a good explanation for today's Donald Trump phenomenon. Having been rooked by the GOP for years, conservatives are now playing the Trump card! They're lining up for Trump out of absolute disdain for turncoat Republicans. Unfortunately, their blind rage against Republican Benedict Arnolds is blinding them to the fact that they're now supporting a candidate for the presidency who not only does not share their beliefs, but is as self-absorbed and self-promoting as any Washington politician has ever dared to be.