Washington DC, that dismal swamp of mediocrity and mendacity, approaches the hiring of its high officials with a flair unmatched in any sane business enterprise. In the sober halls of a corporation, the applicant who arrives reeking of drink, armed with a résumé bereft of accomplishment, and crowned with the dubious laurels of personal absurdity would be unceremoniously ejected. Yet in our Capitol, such a man or woman, smirking contemptuously, as they avoid answering questions or explaining past comments is not merely tolerated but fêted as a paragon of public service. A carnival of absurdity, and the joke, as always, is on us.

On January 20 at noon, the curtain rises, the stage lights dim and the horror show begins.

Behold the mighty pageant of our age: politicians, pundits, and captains of industry prostrate not before the divine, but grovel in servility before our self proclaimed Caesar, trading their spines for a pat on the head and scraps from his table.