Golf As Political Subtext

By Cernig

Here's an interesting report from Reuters: the South Korean President has told his offcials to stop playing golf while his country weathers a turbulent economic period - because it's an elitist smack in the face to the common people who can't afford exorbitant golf fees and their mortgage payments.

"Golf is not bad but ... as prices are unstable and the economic situation is not getting better, President Lee thinks they need to consider public sentiment," Yonhap news agency quoted a presidential Blue House official as saying.

President Bush, of course, also gave up golf for a while - probably because of a dodgy knee but he said it was as a means of sharing the sacrifice of troops at war (no, really!).

How about John "Eight Houses" McCain?Well, he promotes golf gear with his name on it from his campaign website instead.

The man who told people they should miss a vaction or tighten their budget to make their house payments has no conception of their struggles. He and his wife have private planes, seven car garages on their McMansions and a $273,000 a year domestic servant wageroll so that someone other than he or his wife will find his ties for him. He pays more for housekeeping than the average house is worth ($218,000). McCain spent over five times as much on servants as the typical household earns in an entire year. And since Arizona is a joint-property State, his excuse that it all belongs to his wife is just spin.

McCain even managed to get Bush to go back on his golf embargo and thus disrespect the troops - at a golfing fundraiser for the McCain campaign.

What a difference between McCain and the South Korean leader President Lee Myung-bak. One understands the common people, the other doesn't.

Which brings me to the music running through my head today. Pulp: Common People.

Comments

[Earl]

Unfortunately, you have now placed the William Shatner/Ben Folds version of Common People in my head.

Dang it.