Four Square

Many of the kids on our playground prefer to mix their activities during recess. They like to play four square and argue. This provides some measure of aerobic exercise for a game that isn't too physically exerting. It also gives the people in line something to do while the person in A square complains bitterly to anyone willing to listen to the defense of the ball never actually hitting the line, or bouncing twice, or whatever picayune detail catches their fancy. All that lung power is being expended in the service of determining how next to proceed. Since grownups know that the agreed upon dispute ender is Rock, Paper, Scissors, it is up to one of those authority types to wander by and remind the children playing that in order to move the game along, they need to stop arguing and "Ro Sham Bo."

This is essentially what Bernie Sanders did the other day when the results came in for the Missouri primary. After a fairly narrow margin of one thousand five hundred ballots was announced in Hillary Clinton's favor, Mr. Sanders said that it was unlikely the results of any recount would affect the awarding of delegates in the state and that he would “prefer to save the taxpayers of Missouri some money.”Ms. Clinton would be the Rock in this model, Sanders the Scissors. Bernie understands that over time he might be the Paper, but more importantly there are people waiting in line to get into that vacant square, and that ultimately he would rather be allowed to continue playing the game instead of sitting on the bench because he couldn't settle his conflict amicably. 

Across the way, the Republicans continue to stand around hollering at one another, while one bully in A square holds on to the ball and seems completely at ease at doing anything but play by the established rules. Skipping debates, Predicting riots if things don't go his way. He seems more than content to play out the string while others are sent to the bench, crying foul and insisting that something must be done. Say what you like about the clowns who have since left the car and are now sitting there fuming, wondering who will come along and unseat the bully, but the line forming to stand around and not exactly play the game but stand in the orange glow of that bully continues to grow. 

Some of them punching anyone who shows up with a dissenting opinion. Or worse. Some of them sporting White Power tattoos. Meanwhile, nobody's playing four square on the Republican side. But they are exercising their lungs.