Frozen in Time

“We just elect the next old guy in line.” –Mitt Romney

Atlanta GA, – David Blaine, the famous if slightly odd magician and illusionist who has pulled off many stunts, in November of 2000 pulled off one endurance stunt which was absolutely incredible-and so famous, it got its own section on his Wikipedia page.

In New York’s Time Square, he had himself encased in transparent blocks of ice, in what he called his “Frozen in Time” stunt. He would stay there for more than sixty hours, in ice so cold, that it was said if he touched it, he would be frost bitten almost instantly.

Recently, a slew of Republicans have shown that they may be very much frozen in time themselves. Just a couple of months ago, the political realm looked like it was shaping up to be a new era of ideas, with people like the Castro brothers for the Democrats, preparing their frontal assault on the Grand Old Party in Texas, and Republican Senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio shaping up to be the face of the new, younger, tweeting, iPad carrying, picture sharing and selfie-taking generation.

Change can be a scary thing. When organs first appeared in some churches, some preachers preached against them, saying that there should be no music in church not made by the voice. Never mind they did not really have any arguments to back up their claims, they just were afraid of something new.

And it seems now, that Republicans in the Establishment are determined to hold on to the old ways as long as they possibly can. Jeb Bush is being paraded as the man to beat in 2016-no matter there is no popular support for him. (Never mind the last time a Bush ran against a Clinton he did not do so well.)

Someone who the old guard knows would definitely make them feel more comfortable than someone new. Someone like Marco Rubio or Mike Pence, who has not been in the establishment a long time and has not had time to learn all the ins and outs of Washington’s ruling class would be too much of an unknown factor for the “good old boys.”

The old men are coming back to tell everyone that “You Like Ike.” It won’t work. Without popular support for their candidate, if they ramrod someone through, it might just finally tell the social experimenters how historically low voter turnout can really get-what a chance for science!

In closing, let us not forget what happens to those that freeze themselves in time. When David Blaine finally came out of his ice cage after more than sixty hours, he could not walk.

Freezing yourself in time, holding onto old ways even when they are deader than the proverbial horse people are always beating-will cripple you in the end.

Andrew C. Abbott