Live from a white spot in a purple nation on a blue planet...

It is a wonder that, with age, comes the realization that "I have seen it all" is a complete error.  In my current line of work, I am blessed with the ability to read a great number of hours of the day above and beyond the schoolwork that I am doing.  Last night, I was again humiliated by the razor-sharp wit of the Plato of antebellum 19th & 20th century journalism, the late, great G. K. Chesterton.

It appears that, once upon a time, being suspicious of one's government was a thing which one could undertake with zest, pride, and zeal, with little fear of being called a nutball or a kook.  Woe to us, that we cannot hold a candle to our fathers in this regard.  Enjoy this clip, then go read the whole thing:

But does any one believe that the brewer throws bags of gold into the party funds without any particular reason? This theory of the secrecy of political money must also be regretfully abandoned; and with it the two other possible excuses as well. This secrecy is one which cannot be justified as a sensational joke nor as a common human freemasonry, nor as an indescribable personal whim. Strangely enough, indeed, it violates all three conditions and classes at once. It is not hidden in order to be revealed: it is hidden in order to be hidden. It is not kept secret because it is a common secret of mankind, but because mankind must not get hold of it. And it is not kept secret because it is too unimportant to be told, but because it is much too important to bear telling. In short, the thing we have is the real and perhaps rare political phenomenon of an occult government. We have an exoteric and an esoteric doctrine. England is really ruled by priestcraft, but not by priests. We have in this country all that has ever been alleged against the evil side of religion; the peculiar class with privileges, the sacred words that are unpronounceable; the important things known only to the few. In fact we lack nothing except the religion.

Alas!  Where have such men gone?