I first got interested in politics when I was 16. After a couple of elections I came to the conclusion that politics were like a circus. There was the same repetitive and dumb act performed by different clowns every election. There were the magicians that made things disappeared and made you believe things that weren’t real and there were the animals that made you go WOW!

After a while I got bored and tired of politics and didn’t care for them as much as I once did. But things changed and the circus came back to town with a new shinny act. The act is not really that new, but it is shinier than ever. It is loud and enticing, but most importantly, it is more than what appears to be.

Because I love history I have read great speeches given by great U.S. presidents of the past like Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, F.D.R. and Kennedy. Maybe I became aware of that new circus act when I compared those speeches with the ones given by the current president. Is it only me, or there is something amiss in U.S. politics?

The title of this post is the threat of populism, but when I wrote it I wasn’t thinking about the populism born at the end the of the 19th century that focused on improving the conditions of the working class and farmers. I was thinking about a movement that has grown in various American countries (Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico) and that is manifesting itself in a very peculiar way in U.S. politics.

What do Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia, Andres Manuel Lopez of Mexico (he claims he won Mexico’s last elections and has formed his own alternative government) and president Bush have in common? Their qualifications as heads of state are dubious. They don’t seem to have a sense of diplomacy and tactfulness. Their decision taking process is left to their guts and they all rose to power by courting the fears and desires of the common voter (maybe I should mention their speeches here?)

But, isn’t that what all politicians do? Yes, every politician capitalizes on the fears and desires of the common voter, but these populist politicians are a step farther. They are the common voter and are not afraid (or ashamed) of it. They looked at the electorate and said: “Hey, I am just like you. I am from a small town (and have a small town mentality). I don’t read much, if at all. I drink beer. I don’t know much about politics, diplomacy, the world or other cultures, just like you. If you elect me, my gut tells me we are going to make an awesome team.”

I can just imagine what an interviewer would tell somebody applying for any position at a company if they said: “I am hardly qualified for this position, but my gut tells me I am going to do a heckuva job”. Why running for president, the highest office, has to be any different? Shouldn’t our president be better than us, more articulate and intelligent?

I wonder what people who accuse Obama of being “professorial and an elitist” want in their next president? Do they even realize (or understand) the challenges our country faces? China, India and Brazil have created vibrating economies that grow at a quick pace. Many countries like Finland and South Korea have a better education system than ours. The rate of dropout high school students is almost as bad as that of Mexico. The economy needs a makeover. Global warming is a world threat and new technologies have change the way the world thinks.

Would Hockey Mom have the education and qualifications necessary to face these, among many other, challenges? Unfortunately, it seems to me that common sense is not so common among many people these days. They rather have a president with whom they feel comfortable drinking a beer or have Joe Six-pack small town “values”.

Don’t misunderstand me. Hard working people from any part of the country are what makes this nation strong no matter how big the paycheck or what their level of education is. Therefore they all should have a voice in their government. However, the greatest thing about this country is the opportunity we all have to learn, educate and better ourselves proving to other nations that the U.S. is still worthy of leading the free world.

I hope, for the sake of the nation and the world, that this cheap and dumb populism is not what America has become. I hope that reason and common sense are still well and alive in small town, main street and big city, U.S.A. Because that is the only way we’ll be able to tackle today’s (not tomorrow’s anymore) challenges. I still hope.