The title above reflects the rule of Roman Emperor Commodus, who, in order to distract the people, gave them “bread and circuses.” So it is today in our America where we are facing high inflation. Yes, 7.1 percent is still high when it was 1.4 percent. We are no longer energy-independent. Opening up drilling in Venezuela is really dumb. We just traded a WNBA basketball player for an international arms dealer and terrorist known as the “Merchant of Death.” Our military capacity and capability are being decimated. China is buying up mass tracts of land, some near our military installations. We are about to end the Title 42 COVID restrictions, and fully open up our borders to more illegal immigrants . . . All while we are telling Americans to mask up again.

The new “bread and circuses” rhetoric emanating from the Biden administration is a focus on ideological rights, instead of constitutional rights, and government duties and responsibilities. Just recently Biden signed a same-sex marriage bill into law. Do we really think that America, right now, needs a same-sex marriage law, from the federal government? First of all, show me where, in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, it lists marriage as a duty and enumerated power of the federal government. We have young people in America who believe that Joe Biden can just wave his hand and make their college student loan debt go away. Way wrong, and unconstitutional. Heck, it was Obamacare that nationalized college student loans, as a means to pay for Obamacare, and control interest rates. Much the same as Frederic Bastiat articulated in his essay “The Law,” the government is the window repairman who goes about the town at night breaking windows.

All of a sudden, individuals suffering from a mental condition called gender dysphoria are entitled to rights. Hmm, if you are confused about being a guy or gal, sure, go ahead and play make-believe, if you are an adult. However, that does not obligate or result in some new ideological right.

This is all happening at a time when our real constitutional rights are under assault. The fact that no one in the progressive socialist media outlets are discussing censorship and government undermining of First Amendment rights has to be disturbing. Or how about the story of Michael Cargill in Austin, Texas, owner of Central Texas Gun Works. He is having to sue the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) because they are attempting to revoke his Federal Firearms License over clerical errors. Like misreading “country” instead of “county” and putting down “USA,” instead of the county of your birth. That is not a willful and intentional act, according to the language of the 1968 Gun Control Act. Or how about the ATF changing the background check form 4473 without any prior dissemination or comment, and making it effective immediately nor has Mr. Cargill been able to download it.

But hey, we got that same-sex marriage law!

I guess that is more important to Americans than a government that can unconstitutionally order businesses to close.

We are being utterly distracted by the modern-day bread and circuses all the while our constitutional rights are being undermined. Sadly, this happens because we have become conditioned to seek out the sound bite, and not be critical thinkers. And the progressive socialist left, by way of the teacher’s unions, are well on their way to dumbing down a new generation. Who cares about math and reading scores being at an abysmal level? These abusers of our children will continue to push for more draconian actions, including forcing gender mutilation surgeries upon them.

If we continue down the path of seeking a government to entertain us and appeal to our whims, we will collapse. Then we get to the point where a basketball player, who believed that the national anthem should not be played, becomes more important than a former US Marine.

We here at the American Constitutional Rights Union remain resolved to focus not on panem et circenses, but rather your constitutional rights. It is time we as a nation start paying attention to the man behind the curtain, and not be bedazzled by the ominous wizard of distraction.

Steadfast and Loyal.