The day after the President makes a splendid speech at the UN and polls show gains in his quest for reelection, the aged mind marvels at how degraded the American Dream has become.

Barack Obama celebrates international “voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy, and lift up the values of understanding and mutual respect,” but where are such expressions in our own politics?

In Virginia where GOP officials have to order removal of Presidential images as a witch doctor, caveman and thug?

In Paul Ryan’s campaign, steaming over Mitt Romney’s failure to use brass knuckles such as the would-be VP is brandishing?

In Romney himself, still struggling to distance his hopes from his own disdainful comments about the unworthy 47 percent?

Politics, as the saying goes, has never been beanbag but never before has it been as reflexively mindless as today.

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