Article: The Fonzie Factor

When I see the President's support around 35% I always wonder, "Who are these people?" Actually, I ask myself "Who are these idiots", but I try to be polite. But then I realize they're (mostly) not idiots. Many of these people are like Fonzie from Happy Days who couldn't admit to being wrong. Like the President and all his men, these people cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that they made a mistake. Through their votes (and voting irregularities) they have brought an incompetent administration into power that has mortgaged our future in a myriad of ways, yet the Fonzies look the other way. Like some sad Family Circle cartoon, a broken lamp is replaced by a broken country with a broken spirit and they blame "not me".

Not all of the 35% are Fonzies of course. I'd say about a third actually believe the President is doing a good job. I honestly wish them the best of luck. I hope they enjoy their world of lollipop forests, chocolate waterfalls and gumdrop rainbows. Another third are the complete idiots. These are the people who vote Republican because their fathers did, these are the people who unquestionably accept every piece of propaganda put out by the administration (i.e. Fox News), these are the people who, when on the losing end of any argument cry, "There is nothing you can say that will change my mind." That's because there is nothing in their minds. They are totally lacking in critical thinking, introspection and the ability to look both ways when crossing traffic.

The final third are the Fonzies. They are sane enough to realize America is self destructing and they've the mental strength to question what the President and his gang that can't shoot are doing, but they refuse to put the pieces together. And it's only a two piece puzzle. An American Democracy failing her people plus a bumbling bush league administration equals a mistake by them at the voting booth. It's simple math for simple people.

Often they blame the media for causing rather than reporting the problems. At home it's usually the New York Times, which they have never read for themselves, whose shameful exposure of Constitutional violations by our fearless leader is seen as treason by those who would gladly give up a little freedom for no security and a tax cut. In Baghdad it's the gutless reporters who won't leave the Green Zone to get blown up trying to report on the positive story of a new school opening. Never mind that no parent would send their child to the school without a flak jacket and a +3 shield. (That +3 shield comment was a fantasy game reference, appropriate to the fantasy situation reports Americans are given about Iraq. Can you dig it?)

They claim our nation's problems are due to the Bush haters, which now means about 65% of the country. They say these people have such blind hatred that nothing the President does will ever be considered right by them. This argument poses a problem, since it has been so long since the President has done anything right that a baseline is impossible to establish. And the Fonzies claim, of course, that they were completely impartial in their judgment of our previous President, whose lack of horns and cloven hooves was a divine test given to us by the Creator.

I have a confession to make, a dark family secret that may shock you. My brother is a Fonzie. He's a teacher who gives the No Child Left Behind fiasco a failing grade. He's an environmentalist who shudders at the destruction of our children's birthright. He was appalled by the actions of our co-conspirator Congress during the Terry Schiavo tragedy. He's one of the smartest people I know, yet he can't see where America went wrong. And all he has to do is look in a mirror.