To answer the first question: "What kind of a circus... is being paraded in front of... "

It's a Republican clown special. They no longer breed candidates who understand issues and diplomacy... they pick wannabes who can spout the slogan-of-the-day without totally tripping over their own tongues and changing the line to suit the supposed situation. In the meantime, they take pot-shots at each other in a sort of disorganized circular firing squad.

Why? Because the demographics are shifting so that they no longer have safe majorities in many places without voter suppression and Gerrymandering districts. They are pinning their 'hopes' on riding guns, abortions, religion (and anti- Islam) and the idea of not allowing Obama to pass anything, then accusing him of 'failure' while they lie about what he HAS done.

What is going on is pure desperation to get ONE Republican elected so they can pack the court(s) and pass extreme legislation to allow keeping power, even with a minority of the popular vote. IF they don't win, each wants all the publicity they can get to get them cushy 'jobs' in the private sector, or as lobbyists. None of them seem to care about anything except trashing each other and any Democrat who looks halfway competent.

Somewhere there are a few old-style Repubs who are shaking their head sadly and laying low... hoping that the circular firing squad hits a few.......