On a musician's forum I participate in, there is a rather sad discussion going on right now about what has happened to the once revered Gibson guitar company – on the verge of total bankruptcy.  How did that come about?

The answer is broadly understood and is closely related to what has happened to the Democratic Party.

Basically, they both forgot their original customer base.  In Gibson's case, that was working musicians.  In the Dems' case, that was working people.

Both entities tried to force people to buy stuff they didn't want – and tried to make them pay prices that continually got higher and higher and higher.

When that was no longer working, they – both entities – tried fancy, glossy ads and slogans to build "brand consciousness" and "consumer loyalty."  But the ads and slogans were phony, and people, being people, sensed that in their gut and tuned it all out.

Quality control at both started to noticeably drop.  What people saw was poor finishes, rough fret ends, and the like for Gibson.  It was Nancy Pelosi, Chucky Schumer, and the like for those others.

Meanwhile, their once-customer base saw that other "companies" were selling some really, really good stuff – and they quietly went there and found that they liked what they were getting, that it lived up to its promise.  And they liked how much money going there was saving them.

Interesting parallels, eh?

I love my old Gibson guitars.  And I have some nice memories about what and whom Democrats once supported too.  Years and years ago.  But the current stuff?  Nah.

Sadly bankrupt, both of them.