This past weekend at the state assemblies The Colorado Statesmen put out it’s usual double issue. This year’s edition featured a clever cover based off the popular TV series “Game of Thrones”. Now, either the illustrator doesn’t have a good grasp of the show, or he or she just really despises liberal Governor John Hickenlooper. Why else would you dare have Hickenlooper dressed up as one of the most despised villains in recent memory?
Now PeakNation™ put your spoiler-alert and geek hats on as we’re about to get a little nerdy. George R.R. Martin, the author behind the books that became “Game of Thrones” has received many accolades for creating a plot this is unpredictable, and a boy-king (Joffrey) who is universally reviled. Joffrey is a toxic mixture of a coward who over-compensates to hide his weaknesses, a petulant child who believes he can do no wrong, and a ruthless craven who takes any dissension towards his decrees as open rebellion instead of wise counsel. But, we’re sure any semblance between King Joffrey and Hickenlooper is purely coincidental.
Yet, [SPOILER ALERT!] this past weekend did not end well for Joffrey, and could be the beginning of the end for Hickenlooper. In a show known for pulling no punches, in just the second episode of the season, “Game of Thrones” didn’t bat an eye in killing off one of its greatest villains. As Joffrey sat among his “loyal” subjects during his wedding feast, one had the audacity to poison him. And as Hickenlooper stood before his “loyal” Democrats, fractivists could not resist standing up and shouting their protests before Hick was even a minute into his speech. Both are men who would like to believe they are above the game they play, but refusal (or the appearance of refusing) is just another tactic to be deployed.
While Joffrey believed he was invincible because of his family’s wealth and power, Hickenlooper believes his shi poo doesn’t stink because he opened a bar before he came into politics; each man’s condescension to those who disagree with them is palpable. The former lost his life this past weekend for refusing to play the game; will the latter lose his election in November for much the same?
As for us here at The Peak, we’ll continue to listen to what our little birds have to say, knowing the political game is only the result of five million Coloradans figuring out how to live together. This means no one is above the game. Not even boy-kings and boy-governors who’d like to believe otherwise.