"I used to say that politics was the second-oldest profession. I have come to know that it bears a gross similarity to the first." -Ronald Reagan

The old wives tale goes as such, that prostitution is the worlds oldest profession. This is a wives tale simply because through simple logic and rational, without money or goods, there is no profit. So the oldest professions had to be farmers, followed by bartering market men, and then maybe prostitution. Then unfortunately someone had to muck it all up by becoming a politician.

Now I'm not gonna beat Ronnie by up here, the man is obviously being poetic. He is placing the concept of politics on par with prostitution, it's quite an astute summation if I do say so myself. What else are politicians than men and women who sell themselves? Men and women who put themselves on the auction block, hoping for top bid. And boy is America buying.

In the past twenty years the electoral process for President has become a circus. Mostly brought on by the media clammering for a story, and a little brought on by politicians trying desperately to get America to care. Many times I've heard the statement that Politicians are becoming more and more celebrities as the coverage of politics becomes more outlandish, and it's completely true.

Look no further than our current Commander in Chief Barack Obama. Moments after his election to office there were already commemorative coins, plates, and DVDs. T-Shirts with his face and slogans can be found anywhere, there is even a Barack Obama action figure. All of his success can be lead to the fact that he sold himself to us so well. A powerful campaign filled with extremely articulate speeches, charm, slogans, and having the knowledge to use media to his advantage.

His objectors hoot and holler about how this is all a sham, acting as if this whole parade of politics is somehow new, it's not. The 1960s held the first Presidential Debate ever broadcast over television, Nixon vs. Kennedy. Those who watched in person felt that Nixon had won the debate hands down, but those watching over television had a different opinion, they felt the charismatic and charming Kennedy had dominated the debate. This is not a new phenomena, the only difference is with the advancement of technology, it's just bigger, louder. The internet and twenty four hour news station allows us to watch the auction block all the time, as opposed to just once every four years.

It's not necessarily bad either, the fact that these men and women know how to sell themselves does not mean their disingenuous, it doesn't mean their issues are lacking. These men and women aren't liars, they aren't cheats, they aren't thieves... They have the issues that all politicians have, they have the same drive and need as the others, they just know how to sell it to us along with themselves. So, they're really prostitutes and barter merchants...

Still amazes me that a quote like that would come from an actor of all people.