The Federal Sham: Why We Tune Out and What We’re Missing

Peace to the folk.

Folk have grown so untrusting of the federal government that it’s laughable. Think about it: they show us the scam—lay it all out in the open—and we still either act like it’s not happening or decide not to pay attention at all. You want to know how I know they're all in it together? Everyone knows that Trump’s antics are meant to distract from what’s really going on—the activities that affect generations—but it’s the media that shows it to us without fail. Are they not included in the “everyone”? Are they not the bearers of what’s underneath, ostensibly for our protection? Isn’t that how they present themselves, as the fourth estate serving our interests first? At least, that’s how it was sold, right?

Detailing the madness, I need only pick from a slew of sad behavior from the “leader of the free world” — I put that in quotes so you can pause a moment. OK, I won’t recount it here. My fingers would hurt, your energy would be sapped, and whatever attention you’ve had up to this point would surely dissipate. So, I’ll just call it circus.

Hey, media—why would I care about the circus when there’s a guy up the street who can’t eat, a woman who works tirelessly to get her kid through school, and she repays her efforts by dominating in school? Nah, Trump said this and he said that. This pundit got a good jab in on him. Huh? Meanwhile, a madman claims DEI caused a plane crash and broadcasts it to the world. Not one person doesn’t think it’s absurd—and yet it’s on repeat. Wild.

Local government? Now that’s where you should keep both eyes open because those decisions hit your everyday life: potholes, school funding, affordable housing—stuff you can taste and feel. But the federal government? Whole different story.

We’ve all seen it, especially in recent years. Trump basically broadcast his moves, poker-face be damned. He told you what he was doing, how he was doing it, and still folks acted surprised. Lobbying isn’t just allowed—it’s baked into the yellow cake with chocolate icing, please. My bad, it's my fav. CEOs and politicians sit around chatting like old pals, and we know the outcome is never going to harm those industries. The chat was about stock options. Are they going to cheat themselves? Too much money is on the line. Nobody’s biting the hand that strokes the check. Policy that actually stings big corporations? Come on now—that’s like expecting fireworks in a vacuum: no spark, no show. Lay terms: still don't nothing move but the money. Word to Rakim.

And here’s the craziest part: from birth, we get issued a code—yeah, that Social Security number isn’t just some random digit string. It’s your customer ID, courtesy of Uncle Sam. Make no mistake: we’re customers from the moment we take that first breath. They’re tracking us, taxing us, charging us to get married and divorced, to live, and to die—ensuring we’re in the system through it all. But the customer service? (TRASH!) Lacking doesn’t even begin to describe it. We’re crammed in the backseat while the government does what it wants—steering without input or even caring to ask, driving drunk...off power. And we just sit there, no seat belts, no outrage, watching the countryside blur by as they swerve from ditch to ditch, bouncing along with no suspension. Disneyland’s got the rollercoasters, and they’re safer. I prefer my government in the slow lane anyway—reactive, not proactive.

So here’s the debate: Should we even bother with the federal circus when it’s set up like a rigged card game? Or should we focus on what we can actually influence? At the local level, you can nudge the needle a bit. You can show up to meetings, get in a council member’s ear, push for something tangible. At the federal level—unless you’re cutting million-dollar checks or pulling strings behind velvet curtains—you’re just shouting into the wind.

But ignoring the federal dance altogether comes with risks, as well. Its a delicate dance, the caring and not giving a shit. Literally half the country does not vote. Are they the blissful, the happy idiots? Interesting indeed when truly pondered, but I think when we fully check out, they double down. They figure you don’t care, so why not loot the place? Why not pass legislation that benefits their cronies? Why not maintain a system of endless wars, corporate welfare, and half-hearted promises of reform that never quite materialize? Your silence is their green light. Wait, what part of that is not true now. Cynical, start to finish. Damn. Really, can you blame me? Again, damn.

On the other hand, paying attention makes you an informed critic. Maybe you can’t singlehandedly topple the castle, but you can stop being a prop in the show. Perhaps you learn the rules of their game well enough to play it on your terms—or at least call them on their bullshit. And maybe you connect with others who see it too, and collectively, you form a bloc that can’t be brushed aside so easily.

Hurry, hurry—step right up. The federal government puts it all on front street—lobbying, corporate friendships, bribery by another name—and we just shrug and move on. It’s like they’re daring us to care, and we’re folding before the flop. Meanwhile, while we passively let this circus run its course, they’re stacking chips, changing the rules, and cashing out on our future. It’s high time we stopped being mere spectators and started demanding accountability, learning the rules of their game, and playing on our own terms.

We might be just customers in their eyes, but customers can complain, boycott, and demand better. Being a passive observer only ensures that the wheels of this rusted machine keep grinding us down. At least know what you’re ignoring before you decide to ignore it. Maybe, just maybe, that knowledge sparks something—curiosity, anger, a new strategy.

Wake up, pay attention where it counts, and call out the sham for what it is. If we’re all getting hustled, the least we can do is acknowledge the hustle and figure out a way to make it hurt less—or flip the script entirely. After all, even the best illusions lose their magic once the crowd starts asking the right questions.

I appreciate your time. One Love.

-Smirk

#oldheadenergy