Live! It's Last Candidate Standing: TV and political reality merge?

I found this and had to share...Perfect for today.
*Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to portray my political beliefs or push politics on any of you, my beloved readers.  I simply thought this was funny and love reality TV.*

Excerpt written by James N. Watkins

The people I cheer for on reality TV never win.  But at least it got me thinking that perhaps national elections should be staged as reality TV shows: The Amazing Political Race, Keeping Up with the Kandidates (way more interesting than the Kardashians), Conservative Eye for the Liberal Guy, Dancing with the Issues, or Survivor: Electoral College.  And the best part?  It would run only from September through November "sweeps" each election year!  And on the season finale...

"Live from the nation's capital, it's The Last Candidate Standing.  Thirteen weeks!  Ten candidates!  But tonight, just one president elect!"

Yep, let's put all the wannabe candidates for president in that Big Brother house in Hollywood - and then lock and bolt the doors until the September before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  There would be some real advantages to elections conducted as reality TV.

We'd have to listen to their political pontifications for only on hour, one night a week for 13 weeks!  Enduring the past year of constant campaigning was nearly enough to make me escape to a remote island where I would survive by eating Madagascar hissing cockroaches.

For each episode, candidates would have to successfully perform tasks to stay in the running: balancing a checkbook, finding a job for a homeless stock trader, and negotiating a win-win settlement in a messy divorce case.  If they can't perform these tasks, what business do they have with the federal budget, the job market, and keeping Iran from nuking the free world?

Candidates, of course, would have to answer the requisite trivia questions:
1. What is the capital of Libya?
     a.) Tripoli
     b.) Tripwire
     c.) Trytophan

2. The best way to stimulate the economy is:
    a.) tax cuts for the poor
    b.) tax cuts for the rich
    c.) amphetamines for everyone

3. Your stand on same-sex marriage?
     a.) I'm for it
     b.) I'm against it
     c.) I can go either way (wink)

Next would come the immunity challenges.  After living off the government payroll and enjoying political perks, maybe a dose of The Real World would be the best thing for presidential candidates.  How about giving them each a $1,500 Social Security check and make them find decent housing, medical insurance, and an affordable cell phone plan.  Let's see them live on ramen noodles and off-brand macaroni and cheese.  The possibilities are endless!

The weekly tribal council would whittle the number down to one Republican, one Democrat, and one Independent "wild card".  Those who can "out wit, out play, and out last" would go on to the two-hour finale on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  Voters at home would text REP, DEM, or IND, call 1-800-VOTE-NOW or login at lastcandidatestanding.com.

Then again, the people I want to win reality shows never do, which just goes to prove:

• TV reality shows are not really "reality."
• Political campaigns are not really "reality."

James N. Watkins is a humorist and author and contributor to 24 books and over 2,000 articles on social and spiritual issues.