To be so important, our country’s political process can be downright humorous at times. We, as American citizens, have the task of choosing one person to lead our country for the next four years. This decision will have implications for the rest of the world because the United States is the planet’s lone superpower. And we have to make this decision in November.

So, with all this pressure on we, the voters, to make a well-informed decision, we’re all in a rush to find out as much significant information as possible, right? Hardly.

Instead, the news is all about Paris Hilton and Wal-Mart. Images of Hilton, along with some of Britney Spears, were used in a John McCain TV ad as a way to portray Barack Obama as a mere celebrity with none of the qualifications necessary to lead a country.

But on Sunday, Paris’ mother, Kathy, said she was upset.

“It is a complete waste of the country’s time and attention at the very moment when millions of people are losing their homes and their jobs,” Kathy said. “And it is a completely frivolous way to choose the next president of the United States.”

Well said, Ms. Hilton (never thought those words would be attached to my name).

The funny part is that Kathy Hilton and her husband donated a total of $4,600 to McCain’s campaign earlier this year.

Then there’s Wal-Mart. According to The Wall Street Journal, the retail giant has been warning some of its store supervisors that “if Democrats win power in November, they’ll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies.” Does the Wal-Mart brass just want prepared managers? I’ll bet the company is playing politics.

“Wal-Mart may be walking a fine legal line by holding meetings with its store department heads that link politics with a strong antiunion message,” the Journal reports.

Wal-Mart inciting panic about the possibility of an Obama presidency and Kathy Hilton railing against McCain for his use of her daughter’s image. For a reason I just can’t seem to put my finger on, I doubt this was what our Founding Fathers had in mind.

Note: Stephen Dawkins is the sports editor of The Clanton Advertiser. His column appears every Tuesday.