It's The Pits

I've gone and done it.  I've totally lost my sense of humor.  I define more and more of what I hear as tasteless.  Jokes included.  Take for instance Obama's crack at the White House Correspondents Dinner regarding Sarah Palin. Was it about Sarah? Or something else?

"What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull?  A pit bull  is delicious."

I guess there are some things of which I find hard to let go.  One is the horror story of football's Michael Vick and his dog fighting ring of pit bulls. I'm still reading progress reports on those rescued by Best Friend's Animal Society.  I've crossed paths with a lot of pit bulls during my years and have yet to meet one that deserves the reputation they have as a breed.  Oh sure.  They can turn and do but it's not a trait exclusive to them.  Even my beloved Saints can be nasty and believe me a nasty Saint is no Saint!  I guess that's why the President's joke left me cold.

I usually weigh how men treat their wives in public when forming an opinion.  Maybe I should pay more attention as to how they joke, or even just talk, about their dogs!  Neither Mitt Romney nor Obama rate very high on the Arf Scale!

Sure, Obama was referring to his previous comment about having eaten dog as a youth.  I know it's considered a perfectly legitimate food in some societies.  But not ours.  It's the connotation in the form of a joke.  Animal lovers in this country fight so hard to give our voiceless companions the best lives possible.  They fight the idea that an animal is no more then a possession and can be treated anyway you please.  They aren't inanimate objects.  They are living, breathing, feeling creatures. Does how you treat your possessions carry over to how you treat your animals?  Does it carry over to family too?  Some would say yes.  I'm not sure.  I've never experienced the circumstance.  Our dogs have always been treated  like the most revered of people.

It just hit my hot button.  I've been saturated with mean spirited and truth challenged commentary over the months since political season began in earnest.  It's going to get worse before it gets better, I know.  Go ahead,  tear one another apart.  Lie about one another.  Leave it to the bewildered brain power of the voters to sort it out.  But leave our dogs out of it.  Don't joke about eating them while legalizing the trapping of wolves.  Keep your attacks aimed at those on equal footing who are equipped to fight back - other politicians.

As words and phrases are being banned on what seems nearly a daily basis, maybe we should do away with "It's a dog eat dog world."  More appropriately it should be " It's a politician eats politician world." After all they are the ones cannibalizing our way of life.

Veep Sweeps

I don't remember this much attention ever being given to a potential Vice President, but since John McCain chose Sarah Palin I guess I understand why.

Usually chosen to counter balance a weakness in the Presidential candidate, the only thing Palin did for McCain's ticket was to be a female.

I haven't the worry I had with McCain.  Romney doesn't appear senile nor tempting the grim reaper.  Well, McCain is still with us so that was a worry I needn't have had.  For all my other thoughts about him, however, I have no apologies.

Now it's time to look at the choices being floated for Romney.  Have you noticed how many seem to share his lack of personality?  Maybe the theory is sleeping through his administration might be the preferable way to survive it.  Forget that many have already said they aren't interested, let's have a look.  If you follow politics you will know some of the names, but probably not all of them.  If you don't, you aren't likely to know any.  McDowell? Portman?  Martinez? Haley?  Not a lot of name recognition there.  Going into their weaknesses isn't necessary at this point.  The name or lack thereof is enough.

Who might you know?  Marco Rubio?  He says no, but never say never.  I will suggest he hasn't yet enough experience.  Condoleezza Rice?  Once a part of the inner circle was probably enough to last her a life time.  I could think of worse things than being a dean at Stanford.  Being Vice President is one of them.

Paul Ryan?  Too controversial.  Chris Christie?  Too abrasive and his weight/health might be cause for concern.  Jeb Bush said he'd 'consider' it if asked.  That's big of him.  He wouldn't run for President when asked.  And he's still a Bush and Obama might have too much fun with that.

So who's left?  I conjured up the spirit of ole Bacchus of Dogwalk fame and he sniffed out the answer in no time.  Mike Huckabee.  Perfect.  He's chunky, but not quite like Christy.  His personality runs rings around most of the others.  He has experience governing.  He's not Mormon. Wait for it.  He's an evangelical!  Talk about balancing the ticket!  Rick Santorum, eat your heart out!  You too Newt.  This guy is the real thing.  A true Christian conservative.

So there you have it.  Another Dogwalk solution front and center.

Obama may think he's the rock star, but Huckabee beats him hands down.  He can actually pick that bass.  He's pretty good, too!

One Man's Delusional Love Fest

If there was ever a reason to not vote for Newt Gingrich it's because he's truly delusional!  Yes. He's still in the race, such as it is, for the Republican nomination.

He's been spending all his time of late in Delaware, according to Politico . Even with seventeen delegates at stake in the winner take all primary, taking place today, what good will it do?  Unfortunately it will boost his confidence that he can yet become the nominee even though he needs five more wins to even get on the ballot in Tampa.

If this isn't delusional than I am.  Which could be.  Remember, though,  Delaware gave us Christine O'Donnell!  That paragon of conservatism yet even she has endorsed Romney!

One thing that is worrisome in all states is the need to be wooed by candidates.  Even though logistically it isn't always possible a certain element of voter will hold out for that personal attention whether or not the candidate is actually worthy.  This is rumored to hold true in Delaware too, though I can hope not.

Why the Republicans weren't able to field a better selection of candidates puzzles me.  There isn't one of them I feel comfortable with but at least they've winnowed it down to perhaps the least offensive.  Heck, how can someone who can't articulate an idea be offensive?

Those remaining are just as puzzling.  Ron Paul, I suppose, just wants a platform for his ideals hoping at least some of them might catch on.  Recently departed Santorum wandered too far to the right and left the comfort zone of the average voter.  Then there's our Newt. The man is the poster child of self love from his opinion of his own intellect to the sound of his own voice.

Hopefully Delaware will have learned it's lesson with Ms. O'Donnell and will not give Newt the victory he craves.  Perhaps then our attention will no longer be divided with thoughts of 'what next?'

As imperfect as the choices are, at least we'll be down to two.  My apologies to Americans Elect. Of their top five declared candidates I've heard of one and he's one in which I have no interest.  One more time it looks like our choice will be for the least offensive of two who shouldn't be there in the first place.

Blood Money

The more I know the less I understand. It doesn't keep me from gettin mad though. Why are we going to pay Afghanistan (read Karzai) billions of dollars for a minimum of ten years after our withdrawal for the privilege of continuing to defend it?  Figure somewhere between four and six billion dollars per year. What am I missing here?

For one thing, it means more U.S. military casualties.  That's a given.  It means propping up a leader as corrupt as the day is long who we put in place not only once, but twice.  It means taking his abuse every time we look cross eyed and suffering his scoldings every time we sneeze. We're being made to look weak and subjective!

It means taking orders from him! It means continuing to train his security forces, the ones who with some regularity kill the very men training them.  Our men.  It means getting their permission for everything we do.  No more night raids.  No more launching drone attacks into Pakistan or any place else.

We're expected to support their economic development.  What?  Poppy production?  Education.  Women too? Not likely.  Health care and social initiatives?  What, pray tell!  Defend human rights and free speech?  Human rights?  This is Afghanistan we're talking about here.  The country the Taliban wants back.  Karzai is little more than the mayor of Kabul, by the grace of the Taliban at that.  The remainder of the country is still under the thumb of various war lords who side with us only if the money is right.

How this is supposed to insure stability in Central and South Asia is beyond me.  I'm not convinced any other country has an interest in that waste land other than us.  Our NATO allies are leaving.  We'll be there alone protecting the people against aggression from who?  They think it's us!

To make matters worse, it's being structured so the President doesn't even have to get Congressional approval.  Our only hope is they refuse funding.

I've long been weary of Mr. Karzai's abuse.  This is the last straw.  Bin Laden is dead.  He was the target from the get go and wasn't even there for the past six years or so.  Let's end it.   Really end it.  Karzai can tap the funds he has already embezzled to fund his protection.  It's not our responsibility to fund his retirement.

As I said, there is much I don't understand.  I do understand it's un-American for our military to have to pay lip service to a 'hostile' ally. Isn't it about time we put Mr. Karzai in his place?  We have a lot better use for four to six billion dollars a year in this country!  I can think of a lot better use for our young men and women's lives too!

If This Isn't Who We Are, Who Are We?

Not long ago photos appeared on the web of our service men urinating on dead Afghans and the cry went out.  "This isn't who we are!" It has happened again, an older incident, but one just published.  The same cry has gone out.

It seems to me we're doing a whole lot of denying and very little defining these days.

We're insensitive to our enemies during a war that has been waging for far too long.  We're racist when a white feels it necessary to defend himself. We're not God fearing enough if we're pro choice or neutral on Gay relationships. We're against the poor and the elderly if we think Obamacare is bad legislation.  We're selfish if we're wealthy. This isn't who we are either.  At least I hope not.

On the other hand who are we?  Are we the public servants working for the GSA who mock we tax payers as they party hardy on our money?  Are we the military and Secret Service personnel who partook of the ladies of the night in Colombia?

We're either very confused or just not very nice people any more.  Self indulgent.  Defensive.  Entitled?

Of course there is good out there.  Tons of it.  Kind,  caring,  giving people who do enormous good daily.  They just don't make good enough copy to sell papers or get a discussion going on Facebook or Twitter.  They don't raise your blood pressure.   They don't generate your rage.

I'd like to think they are the silent majority.  Once I would have argued that point.  However, when I read about the continuing abuses by Americans against Americans, like the actions of the TSA for instance, I find it impossible. Maybe it's not us, maybe it's those who we've elected to lead us. If so then shame on us.  We do seem willing to follow their lead however.

The military takes a lot of the abuse but I can't help but wonder from whence it comes.  The Coast Guard, for example, uses live animals for 'live tissue' training. It has been revealed that they will anesthetize a goat and cut off it's legs for the purpose.  Sometimes with nothing more sophisticated than a tree trimmer.

Well, that raises my blood pressure and generates my rage.  I ask you, what kind of people would sanction such  actions?  I cannot imagine.  Does it start at the top?  Is this really who we are?

There's Nothing Wrong With An Old Fashioned Man

Like many women today, I was incensed by Hilary Rosen's put down of Ann Romney and her husband.

Any woman who raises five children knows what "work" is.  Especially while battling MS among other ills over the years.  And just because a woman hasn't held a job that draws a paycheck doesn't mean she isn't keenly aware of the economics of living.  Even if wealthy.

By the same token, when a man defers to his wife as his source of knowledge about what women want it's pretty normal.  Men are from Mars.  Remember?  They don't fully understand women any better than we fully understand them.  We think differently.  It also doesn't mean he doesn't think of women as equals.

I'm married to an old fashioned guy.  One who doesn't wear his hat in the house, will still open a door for me, says please and thank you on a regular basis and remembers my birthday and our anniversary.

I remember him telling me, before we were married, about his accomplishments and what he wanted in the future.  The main thing was to be able to take care of his family.  That family has turned out to be just me and a passel of dogs over the years.

I didn't have to work, but having done so for a long time before marrying, I found myself missing the challenges and interactions with those "out there".  He never denied me when I went back to my work on various occasions, but I knew his feelings were hurt.  You see, in his generation, it was something expected of men - to provide, and a source of great pride when they were successful.  Mitt Romney is only five years younger than we are and I would guess his upbringing was much the same.

All that being said, my husband was as non-chauvinistic a man as you could find.  Women didn't work for him, they worked with him.  If they had the ability to do the job and did it they were treated no differently than their male counterparts.  The same truth applied if they failed.

The President has allegedly said they didn't have the luxury of Michelle not working.  He had a law degree from Harvard but chose to be a community organizer.  Her $300,000+ salary far outweighed his, obviously.  His priorities were different from Hubs; he could bask in his wife's earnings.  But I'd hardly say they were denied the luxury.

Once again it's a generational difference.  We've always been a team but he carried the weight because he felt it was his responsibility.  We're equals but as he once told me our strengths are in diffrent areas.  Not one better than the other, just different.

Maybe that's the difference.  We're the last of the "we" generation. Ms. Rosen and the Obamas represent the "me" generation. I'm old fashioned, I admit.  I'm becoming less flexible in my thinking; I tend to brush off rationale unless it really makes sense.  I do know,  however,  I  don't blame Hub for my shortcomings and he doesn't blame me for his.  We're pretty, what's the word I'm looking for - equal?  The paycheck may be a measure but not the only one and not necessarily the most important.

Newt, Newt, Newt...

How can you send in a filing fee to get on a ballot and have your check bounce, need 94% of the delegates yet to be assigned and still think you have a chance to win the nomination?  Ask Newt.

It would seem a few of his supporters have encouraged him to stay in the race. Too few I fear.  He thinks he'll do better in the upcoming races now that Santorum has bowed out.  Ninety four percent better?

Wow.  Me thinks he's more delusional than anything else.  In a way I feel sorry for him.  He is over $4 million in debt and had a whole 3500 people contribute through his website Tuesday afternoon.  How much would each have had to contribute to make a dent in his debt what's more fill his coffers enough to get his campaign out of Delaware and on to the bigger states like California, Pennsylvania and New York?

Maybe he takes to heart those who don't trust Romney; those who think the Mormons are out to take over the country should Romney be elected.  We had the same fears about Catholics.  Many have the same fears about the Evangelicals.  Religion.  It is the bane of politics and in many cases common sense.  Perhaps that's why the separation of church and state is so important.

All that aside, I wish Mr. Gingrich would suspend his campaign just to save himself and the party the embarrassment. Delusion does nothing to promote confidence.   Should he really like to be a player at the convention he would do well not to appear a spoiler now.

The issue is whether the party would turn to him should something catastrophic happen to Romney.  I seriously doubt it.  If they were to go to a previous candidate, which I doubt they would, it would more likely be Santorum.  He was plugging along with better momentum.  The illness suffered by his daughter is the straw that broke the campaign's back plus weariness on the part of  the electorate.  When people lose interest it's hard to generate votes - or money.

I'd rather we had a different front runner too.  I put too much faith in Obama last go round.  I over looked obvious flaws and red flags.  In case those who fear Romney for his religious convictions are correct about his intent,  I will remain vigilant.  I find it curious, however, if it is the threat as perceived, why has the press has made no mention of it?  Still, one never knows.  The press sees only what it wants to see.

On the other hand, I have to have faith in something better than what we have now. Where  this President is taking us is far worse than an unproven assumption about the contender.  Should the assumption prove true, we lose with either.

Let The Healing Begin - Please

One is cautioned to be careful about for which you wish.  I have for some time now wished Gingrich and Santorum would exit the Presidential primary.  Newt essentially did so over the week end.  Santorum did so today.  But oh, the damage done!

I wish I could be optimistic because of the news, but frankly, it was Mr. Romney's PACs that inflicted most of the damage.  I wonder if they can be as successful when pitted against the Obama machine.  My instinct is that we haven't seen anything yet.

I always wonder to what end all the negativity serves.  It tears down good people.  It does nothing to raise up those inflicting it.  Yet we are supposed to blithely accept that it's nothing more than politics and suddenly turn the resentment into support for the last man standing.

One thing nags, however.  Most of the negatives are based on at least a glimmer of truth.  Sorting out just what that glimmer is versus the whole is difficult at best.  So we hold our breath and hope for the best.

Let's face it. The Republicans have to get their act together and decide what exactly they represent.  Obviously the conservatism of the religious right differs from fiscal conservatism and they lost.  Romney can preach about how conservative he is to his heart's content and it won't make it true.  Plus he will now move more to the center to try to make up lost ground with the independents.  Me thinks he won't have to move much to find his comfort zone.

Two things I'll be watching.  The first will be whether or not Gingrich and Santorum will rally behind Romney or not.  There's a lot of bitterness to overcome.  The second and most important is whether or not Romney will find his voice and a message.  The general election should be a comparison of totally diverse philosophies of what this country should be and how to get it there.  Obama has a foot up.  He has made it abundantly clear where he wants us to go.  I for one want no part of it.

Romney has so far done little other than tout his business background and there is so much more that needs addressed.  It's more than just jobs and the economy.  It's energy policy, foreign policy, military strength and our country's place in the world.  Russia and China are nipping at our heels.  Israel is suspicious.  The Islamic countries are thumbing their noses at us. Others have dismissed us as irrelevant - a country whose time has passed.

Regaining our status will be a huge undertaking.  I know I'll get a ton of disagreement about this from many of my readers, but there is only one candidate who can make those changes.  The other has no intention of trying what's more doing so.

The Race Is All But Over ~ Now What?

With his youngest daughter in the hospital for the second time since he declared his candidacy,  perhaps this is the opportune time for Rick Santorum to bow out of the race.  Gracefully.  No one would blame him.

He has hung on longer than he should with prospects dimming. Newt has faded away yet Santorum hasn't been able to capitalize by getting the would be Gingrich voters to give him a victory.  To drag it out even longer serves no good purpose and makes a weak front runner even weaker.

The Republican ticket as a whole is going to be less than inspiring mostly because nothing has been articulated to inspire us.  The only potential Vice Presidential candidate that hasn't given a flat "no" is Marco Rubio, the first term whiz from Florida.  We have one of those in the Presidency now and it hasn't borne too well for the country.  Granted the number two spot isn't the same but there is always the possibility of the unthinkable.

I'll be watching the next few weeks with intense interest as the speculation begins to build.  Why?  Because the VP slot is all that's left to give die hard Republicans any hope.  Unless America Elects comes up with a dynamite ticket.

The Presidency has never been won on the strength of the Vice Presidential nominee but it has been lost the weakness of one.  Take McCain's choice of Sarah Palin.  She came across as a flighty, if spunky, lightweight.  That paired with a promise of hope and change moved many who wouldn't ordinarily  have gone there to the Obama camp.

I'm trying hard not to fall into the same trap twice.  This time I know what he represents and his abilities and come away thinking we must do better.  Romney would not have been my choice to be the opposition but he is going to be never-the-less.  So now what?

Putting aside his wealth and the "gaffes" he makes when talking about his life, I'll be listening to how he returns to the middle, which he will.  The general election always brings out the more moderate stances of the candidates.  There aren't enough extremists on either side of the political spectrum to get one elected.

I now understand what Obama's agenda is.  I know he's waiting to get the election behind him so he can let loose with nothing more to lose.  I have no idea exactly what Romney has in mind.  I'm not sure he does either.  I'm not sure which is more worrisome since I'm not an ideologue.

By standing aside at this point Santorum would be doing the Republicans a favor.  He'd be giving them more time to figure out just what negative advertising has bought as a candidate.  We voters sorely need that opportunity and Santorum isn't going to get the nomination under any circumstance anyway.

Maybe when all is said and done,  the parties will come to their senses and cut the primary season down to a reasonable length so the candidates and the public aren't exhausted and tuned out by the time of the general election campaign.

Maybe too, with disaster looming, those who are considered the most able will step up to the plate instead of running for cover.  One last hope that is highly unlikely, maybe the media will become responsible once again.

It's Easter in the Christian world.  A time of rising from the dead.  In my version I'd like it to be my country and those who aspire to govern it rising, being reborn as all the good that has come before.  I fear however, I'm falling down the rabbit hole!

The Making Of A President And A Country

As the Mega Millions drama has played itself out, I've found myself wondering just why Mitt Romney's wealth is such an issue.  He's not like "us" we're told.  He doesn't understand ordinary people.  How many people are building an elevator for their cars on their estates?  How many wives have one Cadillac, much less two?

What does it matter?  Especially when so many of us took a chance or two this past week to be just like him?  Six hundred fifty one million, nine hundred fifteen thousand, nine hundred and forty chances actually.  What does matter is that the man is financially astute.

That he has acquired wealth and lives the life he does isn't reason to disqualify him as a Presidential candidate.  Consider how we elevated Warren Buffet to near sainthood as he calls for more taxes on the rich yet hides his wealth in ways that makes his "taxable" income minuscule compared to his actual income.  Semantics?  Or a tax code the government created?

We're told Romney is a flip flopper.  Yep.  He has been.  But then there isn't a candidate currently running who hasn't been.  Is it because he isn't a great speaker, doesn't articulate his ideas well?  Take away Obama's teleprompters and his speech becomes full of hesitations and ums and ahs.  Hillary is a terrible public speaker.  So, should that count?

Sometimes I think we come down on our candidates for all the wrong reasons.  They are all going to tell us what their advisers tell them we want to hear.  Some advisers are better than others.

Picking good people has gotten to be nearly impossible.  I don't like self-piety any more than I like self-aggrandizement.  I do admire accomplishment and competence. We assumed it of Obama.  Assumptions are dangerous because they are often wrong.  Especially that one.

The more I see how the current office holder continues to avoid the responsibilities of his job when it comes to leadership, the more I worry the Koreas and the Middle East are going to become the bane of our existence.  Along with the Russians and the Chinese.  "More flexibility after the election" as told to Mr. Medvedev, should be a red flag to all of us.

Trying to intimidate the Supreme Court before a decision has even been announced on the health care mandate is arrogance beyond words.  Suggesting that to vote against his legislation is judicial activism is beyond intimidation.  He should know though, he has put two such justices on that court.

The most important aspect of the upcoming election is in what direction the country will be taken.  Do we want what we've had by virtue of staying true to our Constitution or do we want to have Chevy Volts and algae forced upon us before the technology is anywhere near ready?

Just look at those acres and acres of wind turbines covering the countryside along with the scores of dead birds at their bases and ask yourselves if we're really moving ahead or have we only been intimidated into thinking so. 

Brain Damage

What news I got while away was on the car radio when we could get a station.  The first  news I heard was non-political of sorts.  It was of the NFL hammering the managing forces of the New Orleans Saints for the practice of offering bonuses to players who would maim opposing players to varying degrees of disablement.

Oh, the hue and cry!  Someone was actually  being held accountable for blatantly unsportsmanlike conduct,  not to mention the potential of being  life threatening.

I found the excuses offered by the Saints infantile. "Everyone does it." This after league officials ordered the practice of offering and paying bounties be stopped.  Not suggested, mind you, but stopped.  As with so much in privileged segments of our population,  like professional sports,  I guess the Saints figured the NFL was just being politic, not really meaning it.

How could they think this with all the recent focus on the number of debilitating concussions players are suffering?  How could they even think it?

While the Saints whine about the severity of their punishment, and it hasn't even hit the players yet, a group of former players are suing the NFL for not sharing with the players the information they feel the league has had over the years regarding concussions and the possible debilitating consequences if not treated properly.  Big names.  Super Bowl quarterbacks among others.  The type of player for which the bounties were paid if  knocked out of the game.

The results of concussions don't necessarily appear right away.  One local high school, Washington State and NFL star talks of having to record conversations to remember what he has said.  He's morphed into a depression ridden, irritable version of his former mellow self.

As word gets out about the pending suit more and more former players are joining in.  They have no idea if they have a chance of winning or if their supposition that information was withheld is true.  I would suspect it is considering the emphasis on winning at all costs.

What they do hope to gain is recognition of how wide spread the problem has become, how many have really been damaged by inadequate protection or unnecessarily rough hits.  To make it know to coaches and parents involved with youth sports and high school and college level players.  If it starts at that level it's no wonder their brains are scrambled by the end of a pro career.

So to Coach Peyton and the others involved in New Orleans and those yet to be found out, one has to wonder who really is suffering brain damage.  It's too late for players past but not for those yet to come.  Unless the non-players who are directing the action are also brain damaged.  No, they'd have to be brain dead.

Now there is the perfect segue to my usual political commentary.  Brain dead indeed!