Politics took the bizarre up a notch this week as Pat Buchanan and Donald Trump joined the ranks of Ross Perot and Jesse Ventura as Reform Party front men.

It is difficult to know which is a more frightening prospect for president: a bigoted demagogue who thinks Hitler has been under-appreciated by historians or a wealthy, land-grabbing, casino jockey whose only qualifications are name recognition and of course, huge quantities of cash.

While America has been long overdue for a third party, it is still disappointing that the Reform Party has simply become an outlet for the loose screws who don’t fit comfortably into the ideologically constrictive mold of the Republican Party.

Trump hasn’t got one thing to his credit besides his wealth. He’s never even been a mayor, let alone a governor or congressman.

What makes rich men such as Trump think they have what it takes to run a country?

A country is nothing like a business.

Sure a country has a budget, and it operates certain financial aspects like a business.

A country can take out loans and give loans and default on them.

A country can go into debt and acquire new properties.

But besides these minor similarities, a country is nothing like a business.

It is the greatest mistake many Americans make in thinking that what this country needs is a successful businessman to run things.

You can’t just fire a portion of your population if it isn’t producing.

You can’t downsize a country or lay off an entire state.

Countries are not and should not be about generating a profit.

They need to know how to spend available resources and operate with enormous debts.

They need to focus on improving the lives of its down-trodden citizens.

A corporation is not the least bit concerned with the lives of the individual members that make up its body.

A country has to at least be concerned with the many different sections that make up its society.

Trump is a joke, and the only bright point of his candidacy is that it should be good for a few belly laughs.

No one in his or her right mind could ever seriously think of voting for this guy.

It’s sad to think that in an election as messed up as this one is turning out to be, the best America can hope for is that the best rich man will win.