Politics in America seems more and more like a T-Ball game

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T-Ball and the Political Butterfly
By RA Monaco, March 13, 2014

For those of you who’ve had a thigh-high slugger of your own charge onto an opening day baseball field, you might appreciate how “T-Ball” has become an appropriate metaphor to explain American politics, partisan economic theories and even the legalization of marijuana.

Picture opening day—in your mind’s eye—the color guard marches off the diamond from behind the bump—that’s the pitcher’s mound for non-baseball speakers—as your slugger,  with a new un-scuffed little mitt and clean MLB replica uniform, charges out to his or her position on the diamond.  “Play ball” the umpire shouts, with the bleachers full and parents standing along the foul lines brimming with pride, prepared to shout instructions like, “run”—as if the little people wouldn’t know.

The coach puts the ball up on the “T” for each little slugger and eventually the ball is put in play.  Now, for those little thigh-high outfielders the game doesn’t seem to require much of their involvement and as spring would have it, a few butterflies wander through the field.  To the hollering of alert parents, the coach looks up to find his entire outfield, led by his second baseman, in hot pursuit of the most fascinating of all opening day wonders, the “Monarch” butterfly.

It really doesn’t take much imagination to understand the metaphor and see how easily the “Monarch” of partisanship politics distracts Americans these days.  Yes, politics in America seems more and more like a T-Ball game—the kids get distracted and the parents start yelling.  The politicians keep putting balls on the “T” but no one really knows who’s releasing the butterflies—the Monarch of campaign cash.

The goal, it seems to me, is to keep America distracted like the T-Ball team.  None of it seems to means too much as long as kids get a slice of pizza after the game and everyone forgets what was won or lost—if anything.
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