The Clown Car Effect Requires Us To Reassume Our Roles As Leaders

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history.” Georg Hegel

It's more fun to write uplifting thoughts designed to inspire and empower. Those columns tend to flow as easily as a meandering river in the country. As accountable citizens aspiring to live up to core values, sometimes we need to touch on more difficult subjects. Today is such a day as we delve into the clown car effect.

In the next section, we'll open with the mechanics, with a definition of this vehicle which will serve as an obvious metaphor, illuminating the clown car effect. I'll note here that I'm writing this page following inspiration from a recent column from T.O. Illustratio, who as usual, cleverly shed light on an important topic.

I'm also including a first person testimonial from someone who has lived through the cause and effect of this clown car metaphor.

The Clown Car Effect

The short version of the clown car effect involves removing all the important parts, the safety guardrails, the technology that makes things run efficiently, the precautionary features that illuminate impending danger. All of this is done to stuff more clowns into this lurching jalopy.

As we watch the clown car careening out of control, we aren't certain who is actually driving the vehicle. There seems to be no clear direction, no actual purpose other than comedic chaos. The clowns roll in and out, changing places, alternating positions, and generally flittering around without a clue.

We dedicated a full page to cause and effect. The clown car effect we're writing about today is certainly caused by dubious or dishonest decisions. Or both. We also wrote about how actions have consequences, and the clown cars hurtling through America are acting in such a way as to ensure consequences we'll regret.

Going Off The Rails

In my state, we had two competent, dedicated citizens representing a particular congressional district. One followed the other in that role. They both served with integrity and transparency. Both arrived in Washington D.C. with clear purpose. They sought to serve their district and their country. They would not put political party whims ahead of service to America.

The first of these two honest statesmen spoke out against the burgeoning calamity of the riders in the clown car within his own party. The guardrails of integrity had been removed to allow more clowns to jump on board. It wasn't clear who was really driving, but it was clear there was no plan, as the misquoted version of a Lewis Carroll book describes. "If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there."

The clown car effect would wear down this noble servant and he would choose not to run again. Another honest citizen was elected to that position and brought along similar integrity. The clown car would run him over as he tried to stand between it and the values that founded our nation.

More essential safety and efficiency parts had been removed, with more willing opportunists thrilled to crowd into the clown car. This second honest legislator had the unmitigated gall, the audacity to choose integrity over party and called out the misguided direction of the clown car.

What followed would be living examples of cause and effect. The offended riders of the clown car ran him over in the primary stage of the next election, propping up a candidate with no chance of winning that district.

Actions have consequences. The other side has also designed their own opportunist hauler. The clown car effect is also dictating their agendas. Are they even worse? Maybe? Maybe not? But at what point is the lesser of two evils a responsible choice?

The consequence of running over an honest representative was election of a member of the party crammed into their own clown car. This replacement would do exactly as the party dictated, without question, whether it truly served the nation or not.

This fall, our state will elect a new governor. One of the candidates had a proven track record of success leading a major city. The fact that he was even elected to that position was a surprise, but he did such a good job that he was reelected.

He would be flattened by both competing clown cars in his desire to bring that success to our state. The political reality today is that if you aren't riding in one of the clown cars or at least cheerleading for them, you will not get elected. The guardrails have been taken out that respected integrity and ability. The switch that turns on the headlights to warn of danger has been removed to allow for another rider.

This independent, qualified candidate saw the writing on the wall. We're now left with that distasteful choice of the lesser of two dangers.

It's No Wonder Clowns Cause Nightmares For Some People

The circus is traveling around the country led by the competing clown cars. The state with 10,000 lakes is firmly in the grip of one of those competitors. When fraud, when treachery gain a foothold, it's hard to stop.

The clown car on the left side of the road, the one that spouts "tolerance" except when they can use soundbites and gossip to tear down an opponent, has suddenly gone silent or worse, embraced one of the most egregious examples of their direction or lack thereof, as something astonishing unfolds in the pine tree state.

Let's take a moment to reflect on the this link. It contains a first person account of the historical reality of socialism.

Some would shout, "This could never happen here!" Really? We're at this point in history because for too long we bought the tickets to the circus. For too long, we've watched the competing clown cars spill into our cities and towns, lowering the accountability bar every year. The slippery slope is getting steeper. It's time to close down the circus and park the clown cars. It's time to raise the bar on acceptable candidates.

The sentence begins, "We the people..." That is a call to action. We the people need to learn from history and take back the controls. We the people, the accountable citizens, the responsible adults in the room, must assume our roles as leaders of our nation.

Clowns are only scary if you give them room in your head. Take off the makeup to reveal their true character.

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