THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION : SAME-OLD SAME-OLD?

Things are beginning to warm up in the GOP bid for the next Chief Executive. Looking at this field of horses, is there truly anyone out there with a full grasp of the unique circumstances facing the United States right now? The America we have today is no longer your daddy's America...this is a new thing; a nation wrapping itself in tethers while a self-interested lot stands off in the dark, orchestrating it all.

There is much to be said for affiliations. We join together with people of like mind, like concerns, like concept of solutions. We want our leaders to be able to fit into our "group", too. It's too hard to support someone's ideas who simply doesn't "think like us".

So when we see support for Romney, Paul, Cain, or Perry, we can see how many "think like them". This is the basis of election, that the majority rules. Yet, what do we do when those who stand up for election stretch and morph their characters to appease the majority, at the sake of providing true leadership? Aren't we only left with voting for dreams or the images of our ideals?

Packaging, marketing, branding, sociology, psychology, hyponotism, entertainment. This is the real competition in a Presidential election. Whoever has the biggest purse usually wins. Usually. Money can buy a lot of skill, talents, partners,supporters and votes.

Unfortunately, this election season is beginning to smell like the same-old same-old politics we've been complaining about for years. Why even wonder if it will turn out any differently? Our election system is an oft-repeating insanity -- doing the same thing over and over again, expecting somehow, there will occur a different outcome.