Mark Sanford, former governor of South Carolina, made the statement: “Romney is a message in search of a personality and Obama is a personality in search of a message”. The guy just may have something there.

The messages directed to the electorate are mixed and at best, muddled. Liberal politicians are quoting conservative presidents such as Lincoln, and Reagan. Conservatives are touting their allegedly conservative stances while shoveling kitty litter on their past moderation and some would say apologist efforts to woo liberal powerhouse families to get their “progressive” legislation passed. This will soon bite these “nouveau conservatives” in the butt.

The problem with American politics today is too many people either incline to believe what they see is fact when they decline to admit it’s all play-acting. The candidates employ public relations experts to create illusion. Why David Copperfield (Master Illusionist and performer) hasn’t used his talents to tap this unrealized gold mine of potential income is a mystery to me. Maybe it’s because he sees the gold mine but is loath to give us the shaft as others are so adept at.

Obama understands he needs to do something because the whole “hopey-changey” thing isn’t going to work this time around. His record of accomplishment is dismal and diminishing with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) sitting in concerted and terminal analysis and judgment of his Affordable Health Care Act (ObamaCare). Obama has resorted to Executive Edict/Order to accomplish his goals.

People are tired of Obama issuing edicts like Fidel Castro did in Cuba or as King George III did before the American Revolution. Obama’s refusal to recognize he sits in office and not on a throne is becoming very much egregious and offensive to those having watched governmental despotism creep into this formerly democratic/republic nation.

Obama has the personality to stand in the center ring of this circus; but he’s ignorant of how the introduced acts coming into the arena operate, so he can’t direct the show. His incompetence level approaches that of the idiot sticking his hand in a shark’s mouth to retrieve a 50 cent hook. Nothing goes well from the point you introduce the offending digits into the offended shark’s mouth.

Romney is a message without a personality. He’s wooden and stammers a lot when speaking off-the- cuff. His ability to offer gaffe after gaffe in spontaneity rivals the all-time master of the unceremonious verbal flux-up; Joe Biden. These verbal wonders (?) include referencing his wife driving a couple of Cadillacs while addressing people suffering unemployment near 9% and, telling such stirring stories about how he likes “firing people”. Then while priming this comedic pump he anecdotally chuckles at a story of his father closing a factory during his dad’s incumbency as CEO of American Motors. In representing himself as understanding the “common man’s” plight and love for NASCAR, Romney proudly proclaimed his having friends who “own NASCAR teams” (a multi-million dollar hobby for most). Great fun don’t you think?

Unfortunately Romney has a track record of doing what’s expedient and best for him. One only needs to look at: “An Act Providing Access to Affordable, Quality, Accountable Health Care” or “RomneyCare” as it’s come back to slap Romney in Massachusetts. His movement from mooning moderate to dominant conservative is rather like watching sludge cover a white sheet: you still have a sheet but it isn’t what you expected. People remember these things.

This column will be challenged by people I consider friends and valued acquaintances. One will ask: “Sarge! Would you rather have Obama in office again?” The answer’s obvious and goes without saying-NOMOBAMA, thank-you.

But this all reminds me of Frank Stockton’s story: The Lady or the tiger. It’s an allegorical tale where the test of life or death is measured out in a simple 50/50 proposition with major, hidden repercussions possible. Choose door “A”-you get the lady. Choose door “B” and you get a tiger that devours you.

In this modern, political case you have a choice between an Idiot and a Fool. Now if that’s not an indictment of the political two-party system; I don’t know what is.

Thanks for listening.