Just Wondering

I've pretty much retired from political commentary but on occasion I just have to chime in.  All those who have demanded "change" from the status quo of government should have been more careful about what they wished for.

I agree changes need to be made in both parties but gee whiz folks, this?  We're either going to get Hillary who's credentials are slight and character even more so. Or Trump.  Who has no credentials nor character.  At least not the kind I'd like to see in our president.

So what happens now?  The Republicans never took Trump seriously and now are running scared he might upset their cushy apple cart.  But the people want him.  But do they?  Only 10% of eligible voters even voted in the primaries; divide that among all the candidates  proportionally and he got far less than that.  Yet those votes have given us Trump as the nominee.  It's unsettling.

It's hard to believe any one could have worse negatives than Hillary but Trump does.  In spades. So I'm wondering what he's going to do when he realizes he's likely to lose and lose big.  He doesn't like to lose.  Will he drop out citing the unfairness of it all?  Then what will the Republicans do for a candidate?  I've heard no viable names put forward,  nor can I think of one I would suggest.

So I'm bracing myself for a Hillary presidency.  She doesn't deserve it but the Democrats have no one else either.  The whole mess says a lot about us; how much we haven't cared nor paid attention. We'll pay dearly for it.

Except for a few ramblings like this  on occasion I'm divorcing politics.  Now I have to decide where to go with my blog or if I should just close it down.  Decisions, decisions.

The Cream Of The Presidential Crop Is Sour

I cannot recall ever seeing two more disagreeable people vying to be our President.  Hillary has always skated on ethically thin ice and is still doing so.  She is, however, a known quantity and if enough people think she is worthy of the job she will get it.

Mr. Trump is another case all together.  He is certainly being helped along by FOX news who unabashedly support him and the Republican Party which seems unable to keep from tripping over their own feet in trying to oust him.

I have a theory for them to consider.  Let him alone and he will implode all on his own.  If the Republicans persist in their quest for a brokered or contested convention Trump will have someone to blame.  If they keep their mouths closed they have the chance to regain some sense of dignity.  Not that I expect it from the current crop of Republican leadership.  I use that term loosely.

Something every one need consider with Mr. Trump is that he is not a known quantity.  If he can't act with decorum during the campaign what is he likely to do when a foreign leader disagrees with him or even tries just to get a straight answer? Generalities bound in bluster isn't governing.

I may be mistaken, but Trump is on overload with me and hopefully a lot of other voters.  He is rude. He is crude. Worst of all he seems to be addicted to Twitter and that I think will be his downfall.

Surely he must realize that all of his opposition follow his Tweets religiously and are johnny on the spot to broadcast any thing and every thing that can make him look bad.  Well, maybe not, he's making himself look bad.

Actually it's who and what he is.  He says he can act presidential but he has yet to show it.  Not even a smidge.  I think somewhere in the deep reaches of his ego he thinks he has a perfect right to spew whatever venom that comes to mind in any particular moment. Frankly I'm tired of it and embarrassed by him.

I'm also tired of Ted Cruz taking every opportunity that presents itself to perpetuate Trump's childish behavior and thus his own.   I guess he doesn't think he is damaged by doing so but at least with me he has diminished himself as candidate.  Not that I particularly liked him in the first place.  He still reminds me of  the self rightous and totally insincere Elmer Gantry.

Hillary the Shrill and The Donald. Wow.  And in second place Bernie and Cruz. What a choice!

Who's Left?

I've had it with the presidential candidates.  Really, out of a nation of some 30 milling people is this really the best we can do?  That's an old cliche if ever there was one.

I am beyond disgusted with all of them.  In fact they've become an embarrassment.  This bit about the wives is so pre-adolescent I can't believe either Trump or Cruz would go there.  But both have.  At this point I don't give a hoot if Cruz has had affairs.  We already know Trump has. Just look at past candidates and presidents and for that matter Congress.  There are so many that are morally challenged I can't begin to name them.

The only one tending to the business of running for president is Bernie Sanders.  I can't vote for him because I just don't agree with what he wants to do and how he wants to do it. But as far as having a moral compass, he seems to be it.

What about Kasich?  I had wanted him to get in the race but he has lost me.  He brags about what he did decades ago and he didn't accomplish anything strictly by himself.  I don't believe, either, that the mess the world finds itself in can be cured with "love".  Love is a two way street.  What we're facing is a dead end road and hopefully it will be ISIS and their ilk rather than us.

So on it goes.  I will be interested in seeing if Obama learns how to dance and if Hillary learns how to tell the truth.

I'm not holding my breath.

The Political Siren's Song Nabs Two More

My upcoming trip to Yellowstone to photograph wolves and bears can't get here too soon.  For me, whether we actually see any or not, it will be pure, blissful escapism!

I need the break from the political soap opera that is now taking place.  It goes to show that even the "outsiders" will succumb to the siren song of politics.

It also shows that I'm a pretty poor judge of character.  I thought Carly Fiorina would be a great candidate for president but her campaign never caught on.  Mostly because the press is liberal, I think, and Hillary is their female of choice thus little coverage of Carly.

As for Ben Carson, his low key personality couldn't make any inroads against his more flamboyant competitors.

Carly disappeared for a time.  Carson stayed in until last week when he finally admitted the handwriting was on the wall and it didn't favor him.

Now it seems they both want to be players if not viable candidates.  How do they do that?  Apparently the easiest way is to endorse a candidate and become a surrogate campaigner.  Oh my.  Who to support and what was their price?

Carly chose Cruz.  Does she have any idea who this man is?  To me he's more frightening than Trump.  Now I understand her rational.  After what Trump insinuated about her I wouldn't expect her to jump on his circus train, but still, Cruz? Maybe she's vying for that V.P. slot after all. She denied that as a goal as long as she was an active candidate, but now who knows?  She'd be powerful at keeping the negatives about Hillary front and center.

Now, what about Carson?  He endorsed Trump.  Two more opposites would be hard to find.  What was his price?  Health and Human Services would be a good fit.  Is that the deal?  When asked how he could endorse Trump after what was said about him he brushed it off as it just being politics.

Well, there you have it.  Two candidates  of whom I thought highly were lured by a siren song only politicians can hear.  It seems this time around the more incomprehensible you are the better you do. The lust for power and the lure of the adoring crowds is as much of an opiate as opium itself.

Now what?  I've lost my optimism.  I may be spending more and more time in Yellowstone or photographing petroglyphs in the southwest.  Thinking about them, as a sort of newspaper of the ancients, I wonder if being able to decipher the markings would be great or not. We might learn that back hundreds of years ago people had the same disillusionment with their leaders as we have today.

Maybe it's better we not know.  We'd not have leared from it anyway. People are people and we continue to make the same mistakes over and over.  It is probably one of our greatest shortcomings.

Boys Behaving Badly

I have never been so disgusted in all my life.  The campaigns, both of them, are a pretty sorry example of what this country is supposed to be about.  It's down right embarrassing.

Trump is one thing.  He seems to relish having his foot in his mouth.  But now, in desperation according to some sources, both Rubio the boy wonder and Cruz the crusader  have stooped to his level of invective.  What happened to their campaigns?  How long has it been since they actually laid out policy instead of throwing dirt at Trump and each other hoping something will stick and save their ambitions?

To me they're not making their point.  They're whining.  And Cruz had best be careful insinuating Trump has ties to the mob.  When you think about it you have to wonder if any of them are actually running because they want to help the country or is it merely to fulfill their ambitions?  There is a huge difference.  Look at Hillary!

Last go round I really hoped Romney would win but as difficult as its been, I'm glad he didn't.  I never thought he would stoop to Cruz's or Rubio's level with insinuation without grounds. There might be a bomb shell in Trump's tax returns.

Cruz again, I could care less if Trump is actually as rich as he says he is.  Trump, I could care less how much Rubio sweats.  Rubio strikes me as a kid swinging madly at a much larger opponent who is holding him off with a hand on his head yet unable to strike a damaging blow.

The media doesn't get a pass either.  You'd think the debate moderators could aim some questions at Carson and Kasich and elicit something useful for those listening rather than feeding the verbal brawl.

I can't even begin to go after the Democrats even though there is only two of them.  I do not like nor trust Hillary and think there is yet another shoe to fall, maybe two.  Benghazi and the e-mails.  I know my Democratic friends will tell me nothing has been proven but evidence is mounting.  Does it matter?  To me it does.  It goes to character and  unwarrented privilege.

Sanders?  If you want the government involved in every aspect of your life he's your man.  I don't.

I'll be glad when Super Tuesday is over and done with.  The direction of the races will be pretty predictable at that point.

For the moment I'm in a quandary.  With the exception of Carson and Kasich, there is not one who rates my vote.  It's too bad the circus has come to town.  With the world situation such as it is I don't understand why none of the headliners have anything concrete to offer.  Does it matter?  Well, we can see now what seven plus years of disengagement has done. So will the adults in the room, assuming there are any, please stand up?

Have We Backed Ourselves Into A Corner?

Is this the best our country can do?  I've been trying to figure out why the better candidates haven't caught on and have already forfeited the game to one of these two?

First I look at Trump.  He says he can be presidential if necessary.  I'd like to see a bit of that decorum before hand.  He isn't a " true conservative" by any stretch of the imagination and to my way of thinking thats a plus.  It comes with being a moderate or a centrist or whatever you want to call it.

There are issues near and dear to the Democrats with which I agree; the same goes with the Republicans.  A leader, a true leader, should bring those sides together even if it means each loses a bit.  It's called negotiating and Trump should be a master of it.  What's a mystery however is whether or not he can actually govern.  There is too much at stake for another amateur in the job.

Hillary is another story.  Let's leave all the pending and past scandles aside.  Other than holding the office of Secretary of State what are her accomplishments? Being strident is not an accomplishment.
I ask, too, whether she has the ability to govern.  I see no indication she'd be willing to compromise on anything. Just besmirch those who don't agree with her.

One more thing about her worries me.  If the reports are true her health needs to be thouroughly vetted, to borrow a political term. The headaches, the falls, the cough and the glasses.   She looks her age and she looks tired and this is only the campaign.  Does she have the stamina to actually hold the office?

Neither of these candidates bring youth and vitality to the fore though Trump wins on that score by the power of his personality.

Those who did bring that youth and vitality have already moved on.  Rubio and Cruz are the same age but Cruz is an unknown element thanks to some serious goof ups already.  Rubio looks young and stiff as a board.  He is so scripted I wonder who will be writing it for him if he's elected.  Some would tell you it would be the Business Roundtable, the Chamber of Commercee and all the other monied suspects.

I probably pay more attention to foreign policy than a lot of people because as goes the world so go we.  For some reason the cream hasn't risen to the top, it's been filtered out and what we have left is sour.  Just look at them.

Talk About Inequality

South Carolina for the Republicans and Nevada for the Democrats has come and gone.  I'm guessing Hillary is taking the stance that a win is a win and Bernie probably feels that collecting delegates will get him something at the convention if not the nomination.

The Republican field has been winnowed but still has a way to go.  Other candidates either not having the funds or the following to go further bow out as it becomes necessary.  How long Carson and Kasich will remain for awhile though I think the window of opportunity for them has been closed.

Jeb Bush threw in the towel last night after not having gained ground in a state where he should have done well.  I almost felt sorry for him - but not quite.  I never thought he wanted to enter the race in the first place and those who poured millions into his campaign chest must be in mourning.

Let's take a look at that campaign chest.  According to an article in the New Yorker his acolytes had raised one hundred million dollars!  That's a lot of money for a losing cause!

I get on this kick every election cycle.  Think of how many student loans that could pay off, or repair infrastructure, or hire teachers, policemen and fire fighters.  Think of many of we seniors could get a Social Security raise.  Then take Bush's purse and add to it the war chests of all the other candidates.

Wow. How many of we folks have dropped out of the work force because there are no jobs.  The economy has yet to rebound unless you believe the skewed figures the government puts out every month. If Hillary and Bernie want to give us everything from universal health care to free education then let the candidates put all their surplus funds into government hands to be distributed equally among we poor folk who watch every cent we spend on life's necessities.

As for where I stand at the moment on those left in the race, I haven't a clue.  I'm not comfortable enough with any of them to lend support. I'm waiting to hear how they propose to institute their grand plans if they have a Congress that opposes them.  Don't tell me executive orders. But I wouldn't doubt some of them would use the device should they feel the need.  Obama has set the precedent.

The next shoe to drop (or not) will be what the FBI decides to do about Hillary and e-mails.  This campaign has become my addiction of choice.  I can't stay away from it.  It's soap opera at it's best.  Too bad it isn't fiction.

Incoming! Duck!

Where does political dysfunction begin? In the campaign.  At least this time around.

Candidates play a fantastic game of bait and switch and will do every thing in their power to succeed. It is said they have no say over what the PACs do on their behalf but I seriously doubt it's true. If it is true then they are doing the candidates they support no favor.

Yeah, I know, negative advertising works.  That doesn't make we voters look good does it?  But them, like our politicians, we believe what we want to believe no matter how far from truth the issue may be.

Even Sanders and Clinton are getting nasty.  Bernie has such a treasure trove of baggage claims on Hillary he could win the battle nasties on the Democrats side.

Then there are the Republicans.  Can any one honestly say they've heard more than generalities from any of them?  Perhaps they have their policies laid out on their web pages.  If that be so then do away with the debates.   We who vote can read.  At least enough to negotiate a ballot. More than that is any one's guess.

If there are those who have trouble with the written word and listen to the debates to become informed, they are getting cheated  by both the media and the and the cat fights which the debates have become.

As my husband said while listening to the "news" the other evening and upon finding out we were out of gin, "It's going to be a very long year."

He's right when it comes to our quest for knowledge.  Let's see.  What I remember so far is that Sanders is a socialist, Hillary is a felon,  everyone hates Cruz, Rubio is a robot, Carson has all but disappeared,  Kasich is who he is since having found the Lord, and Trump uses foul language, is  against eminent domain and is not a conservative.  Duh. Oh, yes, he has a very attractive wife and family.

And I'm supposed to choose a candidate from this?  C'mon boys and girls.  Grow up before I join the rotten tomato brigade!

What's Next?

A reader asked me recently where I've been and hoping all is well.  It brought home the point I haven't been posting on a regular basis for some time.  Partly because of obligations other than tapping away on a key board and partly because this year's political scenario has become foreign to me and likely to get worse.

In some ways I'm elated.  The voting public has been telling the "establishment" they don't much care for how we're being governed.  A lot of the candidates still don't get it either or don't know how to function outside the mold.  It has left an open field for the mavericks.

Take Bernie Sanders.  Though a sitting Senator he really had'nt been in the public eye until he decided to run for President.  Having lit a fire under a huge part of his Democrat/Independent/Socialist followers he has becom a threat to behold. It mazes me how popular his stands seem to be.  Maybe it isn't that at all but rather his energy and sincerity as to what he'd like to see.

Okay.  I can't vote for him.  Nor can I vote for Hillary.  For very different reasons. With Bernie it's his tax to the hilt policies and Hillary is self-explanatory, she's too self serving to be polite boyut it.

On the Republican side I'm equally disturbed. Trump has now said he can change his rude and crude ways.  That remains to be seen. I've written a lot about his appeal and that hasn't changed, but the rest of the field doesn't say much for the Republican party.  First I don't care for all the referrals to how much they pray and what good people they are.  Save it for church. Secondly no one is explaining exactly how they plan to put in place their policies if they have a Congress that is not friendly to them.  I don't know anyone who feels the new Republican dominated House and Senate have come close to delivering on their promises.  Even with a new Speaker, they as a whole remain weak.

I don't know how Trump plans to do what he says either but I think voters who form his base think he can and will.  He could use executive fiat as much as Obama has.  I cringe at the thought.  I do think you'll see a whole lot of new faces at Cabinet level positions who are not politicians.  People who actually have experience in the fields which they would manage.

Other than Trump and Carson I see more of the same cronyism as we have always had - on both sides.  Carson isn't going to get the nomination I'm sure.  I can't say the same about Trump so I'm constantly looking for the good side.  My candidate bowed out after New Hampshire because she couldn't catch on.  The same is true with Carson.  He has his base but it just isn't big enough.

Cruz , modern day Elmer Gantry that he is, Rubio the robot, and Kasich have lost me. I think Trump has really said more than any of them, but then he's getting the press.

Then there's Jeb.  You know, the other Bush.  Running as Jeb to downplay the Bush name is now bringing in older brother George and 90 year old Mom to push his case.  Sorry, I think it's pretty weak to ask your 90 year old mother to stump for you.  In Jeb's case I don't think all the money in the world can make him appealing.

Long story short this is pretty much what I've been weighing when absent from here.  Everything is still up in the air because the candidates, except Trump and in some cases Sanders,  are too scripted.  If I want adherence to a script I'll go to legitimate theater.  I don't like it in politics.

Trump - The Face Of What??

According to Pat Buchanan in an interview with  Chris Cillizza in the Washington Post Trump could well be the future of the Republican party.

I don't know whether to quiver in fear or celebrate the thought. My problem is I've never seen Mr. Trump act the way I think a President should act.  I've covered this at length in previous posts.  That being said, there is much about him I rather like. One, he's not exactly a Republican, nor a Democrat but more of a (gasp) centrist.  Could that actually become fashionable again? I really see him as the face of an entirely new party yet to be determined.

I like the fact that he plays no favorites.  True, he is his own favorite. He isn't taking some one else ideas and pretending they're his.  I like that he has brought to the fore that from which the other candidates shy away. He has brought discomfort to the campaign.  Perhaps his New Yawk brashness has allowed this.  That plus his personality.  Everyone else looks like they're no more than new faces running for old positions and the power that comes with them.  No one has any passion. Not that they're given much of a chance to show it except where they are physically, town halls, rallies and the like.

They have been given the chance to shine in the debates but no one has yet discovered how to out Trump Trump.  Jeb Bush comes across as weak and whiny.  He should have listened to his Mother.

Carly, I think, is too low key and while I still have a great deal of respect for her she just isn't catching on.  So much for those who think it's time for a woman in the Presidency. Considering the other choice for that honor is Hillary, I can't help but wonder what her supporters are thinking.

Old news is stale news and so it goes for Huckabee and Santorum.  I think Chris Christie missed his chance last go 'round. Rand Paul had best secure his Senate seat. Rubio seems like a nice young man but he doesn't exude the chops he needs to over come looking so young and in many cases indecisive.

My guess it's only a matter of time until Dr. Carson bows out. Rand Paul's Libertarian bent has run into the need for a very strong military; something that goes against his grain. Kasich seems a bit condescending.  We've one of those in the White House now.

Ted Cruz. He may claim to be an outsider but I don't buy it.  He strikes me as being very expedient in choosing where to say what.  That worries me. He seems like a another new face being an old politician.

Boy, I'm not much of a potential voter am I?  I don't expect to like everything about any one candidate but for now I'm having a difficult time finding anything inspiring about any of them.

There is still time.  I've read Biden has regretted not jumping into the frey. Wouldn't it be something if the Democrats are the ones to have a brokered convention rather than the rumor about the Republicans?

Maybe both should consider that option and each put forward a candidate that can inspire Americans as a whole.  But Sanders and Trump? It would be different. I think I can handle one or the other but, please, not both!

The War Over Washington

Our country in now in another civil war - and I'm loving it!  It's the establishment against the outsiders.

So who is who?  The establishment is comprised of all the business as usual types beholden to one another in a very intricate web.  Politicians, lobbyists, special interests and the liberal media.

The outsiders are like you and me.  Those of us who are willing to look at the whole country and those who control it with  perspective that only comes from outside the political ranks.  And those of us, yes us, who have stepped up to the plate to run for office - for President.

Both parties, I'm hoping, are beginning to realize their insular days are numbered.  The people now have people in places that will make our voices heard.  Take the debates as an example.  If it weren't for Trump and Carson, the ultimate outsiders, and a few mavericks they would continue to be the anemic productions of the past because of the  obvious bias of the moderators.

Carson and Trump said,"Enough.  No more."  Cruz flattened them.  It was deserved and far overdue.  Paul Ryan is now Speaker of the House.  A young man.  New blood.  A chance to start anew.

Yes, I know this is probably over optimistic, but there is a war going on.  Not just for the heart and soul of the Republican party but for the heart and soul of what is supposed to be America.

I'm not a fan of the Freedom caucus but I like Jim Jordan.  Maybe obstinacy is what's needed to be heard.  Hopefully he and his group will give Paul Ryan a fair chance and they can all learn the value of compromise.

The same goes for the Democrats.  Maybe they will come to see that Hillary Clinton does not deserve their lock step loyalty.  Again I'm probably whistling through the grave yard and it will probably be the independents who sway the election.

At least there is movement and while still contentious it's movement in the right direction.  I'll concede the Democratic nomination to Hillary grudgingly.  Those who I hoped to run didn't even limp.

On the Republican side it's still a huge chess game.  Many, starting with Pataki, Graham, Jindal and Santorum should bow out and save their supporters their money.  The first tier also has a few who should recognize the handwriting on the wall and follow Paul Walker's lead but then political egos are what they are and it will take some time.

Never-the-less, I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that the tone is beginning to change. And I thank the outsiders for being the much needed catalyst.  May they stay their course.

Birth Right, Squeaky Wheel Or Universal Apathy

The coronation is back on.  The only viable, though mostly invisible, challenger to Hillary has departed the race.  Jim Webb, disgusted with the way the debate was held has said to heck with it. There is no way to get a fair hearing.

Much the same can be said for the Republican debacle.  The only way for a candidate to get any press time is to be in a squabble with Trump.

This is one hell of a way to choose a President when the entire world is in turmoil and Islamist extremists, no matter to which wing they belong, are making inroads into the west with fearsome speed and effectiveness.

So what to do?  Hope that the American voter actually starts to take notice?  Not that it will do much good.  So far all you hear if you hear anything is the same old pat answers to the same old pat questions.

Hillary has moved left to contend with Sanders and between the both of them we'll end up with all our earnings going directly to the government which will then dole out our allowance depending on what we do to earn it - or not.  Equality at all costs you know.

The Republican side seems frozen in time. Little of substance is being said, even less is being heard. Will anything change this?  It doesn't look like Trump is going to fade anytime soon.  Carson is maintaining his place in the polls, such as they are, because people like him.  Not necessarily because people would vote for him. Carly is fading yet of the outsiders has the best experience to actually lead the country.  That she is a woman, though certainly not in the same vein as Hillary, doesn't seem to matter or is a negative from the Republican point of view.

Other candidates are just as capable but who would know? John Kasich is probably the most well rounded.  Rubio is great on foreign policy.  The others have their strong points but seem not to be multi-dimensional. Will the media, however, give any of them a hearing?  When?

Okay.  Most probably all is lost for the remainder of the year.  Unless Hillary's testimony Thursday in front of the Benghazi committee produces some bombshell truths I expect all will go quietly into the holidays.  Thanksgiving comes fast after Halloween then Christmas for those of us who still use the word.

Maybe after the first of the year when football has wound down and the February doldrums set in, those candidates who still have money and are still in the race will begin to be heard.  One can hope.

Meanwhile I've been wracking my brain to come up with something about which to write. So far so little. Not to worry though. The horror which is the middle east will continue to worsen.  The war on police is sure to continue and of course, with political correctness running rampant, Christmas is sure to spark controversy.

All I can do is watch and wait. The political class is the gift that keeps on giving. You know, I'm not so big on gifts these days. Not even with Christmas coming.

Confusion Reigns, Not Hillary

According to Hillary women in politics are supposed to be both strong and vulnerable and it isn't easy to do.  That's nonsense.  What women are supposed to appear as, not that it's hard to do.

Thinking back on women in politics from Barbara Jordan to Ann Richards to Condi Rice to Madeline Albright to Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer and even relative newcomer Carly Fiorina, all are strong and not a one seems or seemed the least bit vulnerable.

Hillary's problem is that she isn't strong and that's what makes her vulnerable.  Forget all the scandals since she first appeared on the national scene, just look at her positions and how they shift to whatever is expedient.  That's not strength.

The aforementioned women and many others came in all shapes and sizes.  Some were sharp, others were dowdy.  Some had acid tongues, others were true intellectuals.  What they had in common was they had something to say and said it with conviction.  Hillary shouts.  Tone of voice isn't conviction.

We're going through a political upheaval in this country and I can only hope that the voters have the savvy to sort it out.  It isn't going to be easy.  At least today there is no clear path to sanity.

Hillary tops the Democratic polls because other than a bad alternative no one else has risen to the top.  Maybe the debate will begin to change that but I'm not holding my breath.

The Republicans have a similar quandary. Bluster is reigning supreme even over non-political candidates though they are beginning to give Trump a run for his money.  Change doesn't come easy over ingrained and lucrative practices.  Power is surrendered reluctantly and new power isn't always what we hope.

Change is in the wind, however, and the future of this country is at stake. A candidate who says everyone opposed to him or doesn't treat him as he feels he deserves or a candidate who insists her opposition is at war with everyone and everything shouldn't prevail.

If either does it will because we just don't get it.  Not them.  Us.  They're playing to our emotions, not the other way around.

If you think we and the country deserve more only we can make it happen. Politics is dirty and no doubt always will be but it shouldn't be a blood sport with the victor making his or her loyalists wondering what int the name of God they have done.

Too many haven't gotten to that point with Obama.  Is it too much to hope that in the interim we may have learned something?  To at least pay attention?  All I know is if it is time for a woman president that woman should not be Hillary Clinton.  We don't need vulnerable in the White House.

Biting The Hand That Feeds You

I was  listening to Lou Dobbs last evening during which time he was castigating Trump for his name calling and vagaries.  Today I see Trump isn't going to appear on FOX programs- at least for awhile. They aren't treating him nicely.

Wow.  FOX made this man! I fear the Trump and pony show is getting old.  Really old.  Yes, he has been a great cheer leader but he still hasn't come out with specifics on how he plans to fulfill his promises.

Can you imagine him going after world leaders in the same vein? Putin is really stupid.  Really Stupid.  Angela Merkel.  Look at that face.  Who would listen to her? Netanyahu. He isn't very nice to me so I won't talk to him. Sheesh!

Scott Walker had the good grace to bow out of the race when it became readily apparent he couldn't win. Good grace isn't Trump's long suit but maybe if enough people aren't nice to him or about him he'll have one final snit and bow out.

He could still be of great service.  He could get behind the actual candidate and tell everyone how great he/she is and all the wonderful things he/she will do.  Continue being cheerleader-in-chief on making the country great again.  Of course that means who ever the candidate is will have to have said nothing negative about The Donald.  Unfortunately that eliminates most of them!

There could be a consolation prize waiting in the wings for Trump, however, if he plays his cards right.  He could go back to doing what he does best - building things.  Give him a contract and have him build the wall.  He can tell us how great it will be, how easy it will be and give him all the face time he could possible want.

Building the greatest wall the world has ever seen and bowing out of the race are possibly the two greatest contributions to the country the man could make!  Maybe a lot of people, including FOX, would be nice to him again to boot!

Time To Dump The Sacred Cow

No, I don't mean Donald Trump.  Though I must say he's taking care of it all by himself.  I think it's time to divorce ourselves from the notion the President has to come from the ranks of the previously elected.  Why not a solid business executive?

Why?

Most have no managerial experience what-so-ever.  What about governors?  It's all within the realm of politics thus stifling the creativity and innovation needed in the private sector to succeed.

Let's face it, corporate leaders are far more likely to know world leaders or their representatives than the average member of Congress or most governors. They know how to delegate, negotiate, make decisions and reason in a non-partisan manner.  Their obligation is to their stock holders, not themselves.

While I like Ben Carson; he is a good and brilliant man but I've yet to see he can manage.  Trump?  What does he do well other than bully, deprecate his opponents and speak in generalities touting how great he would be?  But nothing yet about how.

Carly. Look beyond HP. What happened to her there is not uncommon and we need to understand that. What we also need to consider is she is bright, quick, assured, informed and unafraid. She is woman, hear her roar.  She has substance based on experience, homework and tenacity.

Can she handle Congress?  I'd rather ask if they really think they can roll her.  I doubt it. World leaders?  She's no shrinking violet.  Manage?  Heads and tails above anyone who shared that debate stage including Trump.

She may not win.  We may listen too much to the negativity that is beginning to ramp up but she deserves our consideration.  If you're willing to consider Hillary you should be willing to consider Carly. It's no longer about petty party politics but rather the very substance of our nation.  Who we are and what we want to be.  Are we content with the things as they are?  Trump's rise would indicate we are not.

Let's get serious about who can best serve the country as a whole; who has the skill, the temperament and the background.

If there were other top tier business executives in the race I'd be giving the same pep talk about any of them. What we don't need is another untried, manipulated and beholden politician.

Enough Already!

I had just settled down to watch some before dinner TV last night when all programming on the cable channels turned to New Hampshire and Trump.  Please.  Is he the only one running for President?

I listened to his aggrandizing opening one more time then a bit longer when he announced he was going to something different - take questions.  Really!  He did.  But he never answers them.  Not one while I was listening and some were indeed quite specific.  Just the same old "I guarantee you when I'm President that won't happen..."

What he did do is savagely attack Carly Fiorina.  He must be worried about her burgeoning popularity.

Neither of them are perfect by any manner.  Both have had business successes and failures but I see the beginnings of the "Romneying" of Carly. She's to blame for everything that went wrong with HP and Lucent and now everyone who lost their job in shake ups is coming out of the woodwork. Oh, she ruined my life!  And how long  ago was was that?  Haven't you done anything since?  Stuff happens.  Hub lost more than one job due to corporate turmoil. We didn't like it but we didn't wallow in it.  We moved on.

Okay.  That's a prejudiced paragraph because I like Carly Fiorina. That being said, to date other than Ben Carson, she and Trump are getting all the press.  And Carson darn little at that other than poll results.

Frankly, I would like to hear about other candidate rallies and speeches.  From both parties.  I don't care about network ratings, I care about information and I'm not getting it. Where is Jim Webb?  Where is Martin O'Malley and Lincoln Chaffey and what issues are they campaigning on?  I haven't a clue.  Do you?

The same holds true for Rick Santorum and George Pataki.  They certainly aren't sitting at home twiddling their thumbs waiting for Trump to topple.

The media has an obligation to cover all the candidates, not be the determining factor of who has the right to move up and who doesn't. It's no wonder politicians have a love/hate relationship with the media.  They have the power to make you or break you depending on their own personal ideology.  That's wrong.  They're supposed to be objective but with the lines blurred between punditry, reporting and entertainment, we the public are being ill served.

I shouldn't have to watch FOX to hear about the Republicans nor MSNBC to hear about Democrats.  I should be able to listen to either and get the same perspective.  Objectivity.

We rightfully put a pox on both political parties; the media deserves the same.

An Aha! Moment

I watched the beginning of the Trump rally in Dallas until dinner was ready and found, to no surprise, a certain sameness to it.  That's okay.  All candidates have their stump speeches and if you don't follow politics to the extent I do they will be new to a certain percentage of rally attendees.

That being said, Trump's rarely contain substance.  That too is okay at this point. Whether or not he succeeds in the long run, though, will depend on substance in certain forums. Because certain forums haven't yet died.  The political pundits.

In that vein I also listen to the Washington insiders discussing the Trump phenomenon and their seeming inability to "get it".  I think I've figured out what they're missing.

People are so disgusted with Washington they want an outsider.  That's been the consensus and probably the correct one.  More than that I think they no longer care who fixes it - Democrat or Republican.  Just fix it!  This is where Trump is the master.  He preaches nothing but the positive.  We will be great again.  He'll do it. People love it.  Some of his ideas are more to the left, some more to the right and all likely to change as will the circumstances.  The people get it.  The politicians and pundits don't.

I think political ideology is shrinking into the walls of establishment enclaves be they in the media or the halls of Congress.  The people aren't so particular.  Gay marriage is now legal.  Okay. No big deal except for a few on whom the media choose to focus. Cops are under fire because of the lack of balance of those they target.  We get that the field isn't level because those committing the crimes aren't equally dispersed among ethnic backgrounds.  We get it.  The pols and pundits don't seem to.

We don't care if it's Republican policies or Democrat policies that are causing our financial woes. Both are to blame.  We get it.  The pols and pundits don't.

So aha! That's the deal.  We want someone who cares for the country and we who call it home and tells us in no uncertain terms he can fix it. We don't care who he or she is. But Trump has the track record of success.  Who wouldn't want to follow his lead on that basis?

Forget what the party says, listen to us and to borrow from Nike, just do it!

As The Establishment Squirms

One thing about traveling during the political silly season, you miss little if you miss a day or two of getting fresh news.  Nothing other than politics is covered and so far this season it has been pretty steady.

Hillary is dipping in the polls and Trump continues to dominate the Republicans. Upon catching up two things have caught my interest. Why in the love of country does anyone stick with Hillary? And why don't the Republicans and media get what Trump, Carson and Fiorina are all about?

I can't answer the first.  The second?  I think they are scared to death that one the three will actually get the nomination and politics will never again be the same.  Well, duh.  That's what the people want.  Someone who recognizes we exist and have needs that exceed their hunger for power and the benefits that come with it.

I would like to see a non-politician take on Congress.  If you thought Obama went wild with executive actions, can you imagine what a Trump would do?  And if it's with the consensus of the people rather than against it there will be such a ground swell of support Congress won't know which way to turn. Not that they do as is.

Politics as usual is on the brink and I couldn't be more happy. It's about time some people are stepping forward and saying damn the torpedoes - full speed ahead.  My ideal ticket is in flux but I like the way things are - and are not- progressing.

One question for the Dems and Hillary.  I heard it from a caller on Limbaugh while wiling away hours in the car - if she never sent nor received classified e-mails on her private server how did she get her briefings, intel, etc?  Was it only when she was in her office which was infrequent at best?
Eh?

Ask it, main stream media.  Ask it.

Trump Playing The Crowd

I was out running errands yesterday and listening to Trump in a press conference then a rally in New Hampshire.  I'm beginning to see why people so like him.  Other than giving kids rides in the Trump chopper.

He's so real and unscripted and he calls people stupid that the crowds also think are stupid.  Let's face it, not one candidate running, with the exception of Fiorina, have a clue how big business works.  Trump is explaining it to his audiences. Corporate big wigs are always playing both sides.  Trump admits he has because that's how the game is played.

Have you heard one other candidate admitting that they solicit campaign funds from those who they know aren't on their side?  And often get it just in case they win?

Trump may excoriate his competition but he sure knows how to play the crowd.  He came across as warm and approachable.  Seriously.  He did.  Not at all like he does with the talking heads - on any network.

One thing to consider before dismissing him as a flash in the pan is that he knows the players who actually run governments.  He's one of them.  Those are the people whose throats will be at his knife point, because they are the ones who dictate to their "leaders".  He can negotiate with them because he has the clout.  As President, boy would he have the clout.

He's not my first choice - yet, but I get the sense that he's beginning to take this quest seriously.  Small differences in his demeanor are becoming apparent.  Even his hair style is changing.  This is one interesting candidate!

Huff and Puff All You Want, Trump!

Trump can huff and puff and deny all he wants his implication about Megan Kelly.  I figure he protests too much and that once again, Carly Fiorina's assessment of what was said was spot on.

Crude men, and Trump is crude, often think women, during their time of the month, makes them irrational and thus can and should be dismissed.  Up yours, Donald.

Of course Trump immediately dismissed her. Like her losing the top job at Hewlett Packard was reason to dismiss her.  Any one who knows how the business world works at the executive level knows CEOs are often dismissed by petulant boards.

If you were a CEO and Trump an employee, how long would you keep him?

Fiorina also questioned whether Trump has the temperament to be President.  I think not.  That he tells it like it is in his opinion is great.  It's why people love him.  They love his candor.  He doesn't temper anything, however, and I think that will be his downfall.

Every time someone disagrees with him he tries to bluster his way out of it and if that fails he starts name calling and insults.  Somehow I don't imagine other world leaders will have any of it.

Mr. Trump is a narcissist much like Obama.  It's all about him.  We have one in the White House now.  We don't need another.