By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times
Instead of the proposed $400 million monstrosity of a gaudy, gilded ballroom overshadowing the White House, it seems we would be better served by erecting a giant circus tent instead.
That much less costly structure is normally what is used to display the clown show at the circus. And, for the last 14-plus months, I believe a clown show is what we have seen operating out of the Oval Office.
Those expensive clown cars and planes that haul the clown cabinet around the world might be better used to generate a few bucks to help defray the cost of an undeclared war and an underfunded federal government that cruelly fired many of its most seasoned employees. Perhaps worst of all, we are witnessing what likely has become the world’s most costly ego trip focused on the names and size of various national memorials.
As for the war with Iran, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, a former TV celebrity, appears more concerned about how he looks in news photographs and how often he can kiss up to his boss who obviously shares his conviction that only white men can become effective military leaders.
A Washington insider was quoted last week as saying that the very old man in charge doesn’t like his clown cabinet members to wear sneakers to White House clown meetings so he is buying them dressy leather shoes. It is believed that some of the shoes are too big but are worn to work regardless because no one has the courage to complain.
Come to think of it, don’t clowns still wear oversized, floppy shoes with their colorful costumes?
And shouldn’t we all be concerned about the other clowns in charge of various departments like the now-being-fired DHS secretary Kristi Noem who made a shambles of ICE and FEMA and damaged the Coast Guard budget with a $50 million jetliner for her personal travel. My favorite Noem gaffe was featuring herself in glamor photographs in a taxpayer-funded $200 million advertising splurge.
“Send in the Clowns” is a famous song from Stephen Sondheim’s 1973 musical, “A Little Night Music,” but surely we have realized that it clearly is not the best way to manage the federal government.
Contact Keith at keithkappes@gmail.com.
