A tale of two candidates. Or Fear of Flying.

For several years there was a program about a poor man, with little education, who had been a petty criminal trying to turn his life around. He was obsessed by a belief in Karma, and felt the need to make amends for all the bad things he had done. "My Name Is Earl," was about a man and his brother living in a cheap hotel and working on repairing the path they had laid to waste.

On one episode they were flying to Mexico. Being poor, and unsophisticated they had never been on a plane before. When the flight attendant went through the pre-flight instructions (about emergency evacuations, water landings, all of the wonderful things) to the passengers Earl became increasingly agitated. Finally, he jumped up and ran off the plane, stopping just long enough to tell the Flight Attendant "here's a little tip for you, next time tell some stories about what to do if the plane doesn't crash."

This may be why Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are enjoying such unexpected success. They are espousing ideas that involve moving forward. Taking steps to improve things, make life better for people. What they are going to do to keep the plane flying.

Too many politicians are saying things about their first day in office they are going to rescind this order, denounce a treaty, undo an official act. In essence telling the constituents, the plane is already on doomed, put your tray table up, and be grateful you have a little time to make amends.

Or, they may rely on the old tactic of pointing out how their opponent has made a mess of things, and could only be expected to do worse with more power. Sort of the Peter Principle Political Variety. Elected to their level of incompetence, and down goes the plane, please put your head on your lap and weep softly.

Sanders and Trump maybe promising things that make little sense, or have any chance of succeeding, but they are proclaiming their commitment to action. Even if you think "there is no way that guy is qualified to fly this plane" it is nice to hear someone say they have ideas about keeping the heavier than air, coffin like projectile in the air.

Hold On, it's going to get rough!

They probably have no chance at all of being elected, high hopes and popularity will only take you so far. Particularly when the political parties are marshaling their forces to encircle and crush the wayward candidates. There is a lot of power in the major party forces and they will have no problem wielding their might.

But, it has been fun hearing stories about what to do when the plane doesn't crash.