Stupid is as stupid does

I’ve long maintained that electing morons isn’t necessarily an impediment to good governance.  I can cite numerous examples in rural Saskatchewan where drunken fools populate the municipal council yet the local governance is superior to what we get on a national scale.  Sometimes morons are really practical.  They’re used to getting by in a complicated world and they understand that the job of government is to get things done expeditiously at a low cost.  That’s a good attitude for politicians, smart ones or stupid ones.

I was therefore not immediately concerned when Herman  Cain appeared on the US political scene and appeared to be sweeping the Republican campaign.  The man is obviously an ill-educated fool.  But to keep it all in perspective you need to remember that there is a well-educated fool in the White House right now so clearly stupidity is no barrier to success.  My bigger concern was that the American public could be so easily duped, twice.  So it has been something of a relief this week to see Cain brought low by his apparent inability to keep his hands off his help.  He appears to have a kind of “me first, I’m entitled” attitude which is exactly the kind of personality that likes to abuse other members of society.  I’m still disappointed that the public couldn’t see through Cain’s façade but I’m relieved that he isn’t going to waltz unchallenged all the way to Washington.

On the negative side of the ledger Cain’s campaign contributions appear to be continuing unabated and his polling numbers appear to be holding up.  A good friend of mine once told me “people get the government they deserve.”