If you think Zelenski was a good thing for Ukraine, then David Mitchell could be a good thing for the United Kingdom. In his book Dishonesty is the Second-best Policy he makes a huge number of sensible comments about dodgy business practices, and proffers a great many suggestions that ought to constrain the lobbyists and rampant businesses that earn money without producing anything, and many of whom subsequently collapse leaving rich managers. Why are their Russian equivalents derogatorily called oligarchs, but not these guys? (My question, not his.)

The Ukrainians are onto something here. Imagine how much better off the USA would be if they had elected George Carlin or Robin Williams instead of Donald Trump? OK, those two are dead and Trump not quite so much, which must give rise to conspiracy theories, but the point is made. There is even a Wikipedia page listing United States stand-up comedians. Perhaps I am not the first to contenplate this option. Imagine the savings, in both dollars and lives, from universal healthcare and gun restrictions (no-brainers in the absence of lobbying and legal corruptions).

Let's face it, you don't need a whole lot of brains to run a country. Places like Australia and New Zealand have spent huge periods doing nothing more than what some other country recently did in the same situation. Australia was good at copying Maggie Thatcher when it ran out of original ideas, look at all the pseudo-universities made out of recycled tech colleges. Plus, there are actual clever people at some of the universities if you need to consult a wise person. All the leader needs to have is the ability to know when you should consult someone wiser than yourself, and a decent sense of who is full of bullshit and bravado and who is genuinely smart and honest, to choose your wise man or woman. Even Tom Lehrer, Woody Allen or Tina Fey might pull it off, though I'd rather have Robin or George. I think I would rank them in order of deadness, which is unfortunate. In Australia, Wil Anderson or Tim Minchin could do it. New Zealand might have to settle for Rhys Darby (whoops) or Te Radar (whoa), unless Taika Waititi wants the job.

If ever you want proof that the system is broken, simply look at all the actions sought by a clear majority of the population that are not on the to-do list of either major party. The American declaration of independence notes "...all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." It goes on to say that it is the right and duty of the people to "throw off" such government. The authors refer to the treatment of the "colonies" by Great Britain, but they might as easily have been looking at the injustice of present-day governments that are swayed and manipulated by companies and lobby groups.

It is time for a new declaration of independence, from oligarchy.