The Parable of the Political Son

    Most of us are familiar with the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It tells the story of the younger son who squanders his inheritance only to be sumptuously welcomed back by his father to the dismay of his obedient and responsible elder son.

     Few of us, however, have read the Parable of the Political Son that reportedly appears in the apocryphal volume the Book of Bush:

     “There was a man who had two sons. The older one wasted his youth on wine, women and song and disappointed his father greatly. The younger son, however, was conscientious in all respects and did everything to make his father proud.

     “One day, the younger son asked for his father’s blessing to seek the Oval Office, the highest honor in the land. The father had once briefly achieved that honor himself and sorely wished it for his younger son.

     “So it came to pass that the father gave his blessing to the younger son to seek the Oval Office. His mother, too, wished for nothing else.

     “This angered the older son who, despite his profligate ways, felt that he was entitled to first receive his father’s blessing. The older son then left for the state of Texas where he governed adequately if not wisely and was able to secure the assistance of his father’s former advisors in his quest for the ultimate prize.

     “Much to the father’s surprise and the younger brother’s disappointment, the older brother reached the Oval Office not once but twice despite a disastrous reign. His father and brother were reluctantly forced to accept and celebrate the older brother’s achievement.

     “For eight long years, no one from the family sought the Oval Office although the father was old and dearly wished that his younger son could achieve it while he was still alive. So the younger brother announced that he was seeking the ultimate honor.

     “The father urged the younger son to pursue the Oval Office saying ‘I always dreamed that you and not your brother would achieve that fame and now it is your turn.’

     “‘But father,’ said the younger one. ‘How can I win when I must face what my older brother has done? He caused a lengthy war and debt and destruction and the people of the land will lay the blame for that at my feet.’

     “‘I know that does not seem fair,’ said the father. ‘But you are the smart one, the brave one, the rational one. I have great faith in you.

     “So it came to pass that the father and his advisors urged the younger son to run but to avoid any mention of his family name in order to distance himself from the shameful record of his older brother.

     “All seemed to proceed with good fortune and the younger brother appeared to have the Oval Office in his grasp. Even the entry of the new challenger from the tribe of Clinton did not appear to be an insurmountable obstacle.

     “But then it came to pass that one called Trump appeared on the scene and brazenly stole the limelight from the younger brother.

     “The younger brother returned home and rent his clothing before his father and cried and declaimed that he had been unfairly deprived of his birthright.

     “The father chastised him and reminded him that he was given a chance but could not succeed. ‘Do not blame your older brother. Although he was lucky, reckless and foolish, he succeeded where you did not. The fault, my son, is yours. You must remember the lesson to be learned: It is almost impossible to succeed a two-term son of a bush.’”