What does it say about our democracy that we have come so very close to the possibility of saying, in a few months that the last four presidents could be listed as follows: Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton? Imagine Hillary gets the nod, wins the election. Even if not, we have come alarmingly close. Think about it. If she were to become President, and win reelection, we will have had 36 unbroken years of either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House. FUN FACT: George H.W. Bush was a prominent member of Ronald Reagan’s White House cabinet! Who’s to blame for such limited choice in American politics? Us! That is: the citizens. Before we start jumping all over poor John Quincy Adams, we should remember that this sort of familial succession has been a part of governance for time immemorial. We like it like that. FUN FACT (again): James Madison and Zachary Taylor were Presidents of the United States. It’s true! They were also second cousins (with each other) ewww. Using a magic marker, see if you can match these political figures with their relatives… (Check your answers here or continue reading.)

• 1) Henry V was the choice of his father (Henry IV) to take up the English crown, skipping ahead of his older brother Henry IV½. In fact, this type of direct father/son succession has often been the custom in royal families. This turned out to be a great boon to both Kenneth Branagh and lovers of senseless butchery.
• 2) D.D.R., the namesake of a popular video game for less popular high school students in sweatpants, was the President of the United States and dictator perpetuus during WWII. He was also a distant cousin (and nephew-in-law) of former President Teddy Roosevelt. We’re not really sure whether or not this is incest, but we feel kind of icky about it.
• 3) Despite astounding incompetence, the Bush family have had many and prominent roles in modern American government. George H.W. Bush (former Congressman, head of the C.I.A., two-term V.P., and one-term President) is the son of dead Senator Prescott Bush and father of Jeb Bush (former Governor of Florida), and George W. Bush (current President, former Governor of Texas, and former and current fuck-up).
• 4) Around the turn of the 0^st  century, God stopped talking (in his formerly literal way, anyhow) to any non-crazy, turned over the reigns of this ghastly slaughterhouse of a world to his only begotten son, Jesus H.W. Christ, who promptly died. However, as son of God, this has not been an impediment to his rule. Jesus’ chosen successors, the meek (Matthew 5:6), still await their inheritance.
• 5) John Adams was a major figure in the founding of this nation (America). He was also the nation’s second President and father of sixth President John Quincy Adams. The Wikipedia page on Quince (as we call him around the office) was too boring to sift through, but we did see Amistad. It sucked.
• 6) J.F.K., aside from being a shitty Oliver Stone movie, was the 35^th President of the United States. He made the ballsy decision, before he died, to appoint his brother, R.F.K. as Attorney General, before he died. His other brother is a senior member of the Senate. His nephew is a Congressman. The family also has a former Lieutenant Governor various Ambassadorships and so on, and so on…
• 7) William Henry Harrison was President for thirty days, then died of pneumonia. His grandson was President Benjamin Harrison. Neither are significant in any other way.

          This is by no means an exhaustive list of the familially connected members of the ruling classes of history. Rather, it lists leaders from various eras and extended on until it got boring. The Harrisons are where it got boring.

          Are the American people morons? Actually, no. They're lazy. The amount of time it takes to get oneself up to date with politics is daunting, and people are willing to give rubber-stamp approval to political dynasties because they see a last name as a sort of short-hand. You have to seek out questions of policy and record, because all you're going to get from the media is whatever dumb-ass faux pas they are currently exploiting. And you know what? It's entertaining. Which is fine for the politically savvy, but most people are in for mind-numbing repetition of these absurd sound-clips and will likely take them to heart. Still, no one is blameless, responsibility must be taken. "Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve."  -George Bernard Shaw