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!

Me, Myself And I

This will be my last post until after the first of April.  It's time to recharge before spring gets here in full force.

I thought I'd just sum up my feelings about the candidates knowing full well an awful lot can happen in  a couple of weeks.

A quick look at Obama.  He's doing everything in his power to enhance his ratings. Things that go against his grain, things he doesn't want but knows the voters do.  So he's ever so grudgingly doing what he must to keep those ratings from falling further.  Of course if he really cared about the country he'd have been doing these things over the past three years in the first place.

But it isn't all about Obama wanting his way is it?  It's about what all the candidates want versus what we want.  Paul is easiest to deal with.  He's just out there doing his thing what ever that may be.  The press has declared him inconsequential so we hear nothing.

Next comes Newt.  He isn't used to rejection and isn't taking it well.  He doesn't seem to understand that he's not going to get the nomination under any circumstance.  Being able to out debate Obama isn't the way to get there. Besides, debating ability doesn't equate with the ability to govern and too many who know him well and have worked with him agree. If he cared for the country more than he hates Mitt Romney, he'd drop out.  Whether he'll be able to live off the land after Sheldon Adelson, his PAC's super benefactor, quits dropping $5million chunks into it remains to be seen.  My guess is Callista won't let him bankrupt them.  If FOX quits giving him air time he's done.

Rick Santorum.  It hasn't yet dawned on him that there are a lot of Republicans who don't necessarily want a "real conservative" for President.  A moderate Republican would be just fine.  Unlike Gingrich and Romney he's not a wealthy man plus he has a large family with special needs.  The lack of money flowing into his campaign is one sign that the necessary support just isn't there.  Ditto for Gingrich.

The fact that neither of these men has been able to put together an efficient campaign organization nor stockpile money makes me question their leadership ability. Some conservatives, oh what an illusive term, are beginning to grumble about Santorum been too conservative for their taste,  after all we're not electing the Pope.

In some respects Santorum is as guilty as the Democrats when it comes to promoting how he thinks we all should live our lives.  I expect he'll win in Louisiana but maybe not by the margins he expects.  People are tired of the name calling and whining and party in fighting. As Romney said in his victory speech last night for an entirely different reason, "Enough!"

Romney just keeps rolling along.  Mr. Excitement he isn't.  He still needs to learn how to articulate a vision for the country with some passion.  Never-the-less, doubters are beginning to lean his way because he's the most likely to get the nomination anyway.  I'd hope he'd be a better President than he is a campaigner.

I don't know if the Republicans could have mucked up this primary season more than they already have or not. It's hard to imagine.  They've already nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!

I'd like to think the intrigue will be over by the time I return, but with the April primaries looming I doubt that will be the case.  For now I'll just wait to see if my analysis pans out and that sanity and unselfishness will prevail.

Right. And that's why I'm taking some time off!

Romney/Paul Paul ~ Brilliant!

It started with Gingrich I think.  When he accused Romney and Paul of ganging up on him.  Not so according to Paul.  He just doesn't like him.  You can't get more clear than that!

Then there were rumblings about the possibility of Rand being the number two on the ticket.  Now it's Ron himself.  Wow.  The Republicans have been looking for something to spice up the race.  I can't think of anything better!

Paul has money.  He has thousands of loyal followers. He has positions that are popular with an awful lot of people.  It's those few that are at odds with mainstream thinking that keep voters away from him.  And maybe his age.  But as VP?  Hey!

We don't need him to be a shadow President like Cheney was.  We certainly we don't need him to be the foot in the mouth Vice President that Biden is.  He could be given the responsibility of riding herd on a couple of his pet peeves like getting rid of the Fed or eliminating the Department of Homeland Security. He would certainly add some personality to a team which is incurably boring. He's family oriented.  And squeaky clean.  What's not to like?

If Ron is a step too far, take another look at Rand.  He is a younger version of his Dad which may be more appealing to those who worry about age though as Vice President it isn't nearly as important as President.  He'd still bring with him the Paulites and the men would temper each other.

There could still be a place for Ron in the administration.  With his views on financial responsibility he'd make a great treasury secretary.

The more I think about it the more I like it. Why should the Vice Presidency go to one of the hot shots that didn't have the guts to step forward and run when they were sorely needed?

Yeah, I know.  It's likely not to happen but if you're looking for a bold idea from someone other than Gingrich, this would be as good as any. I dare say Newt would have a hard time topping it!

Party Time!

If ever there was a need for a third party it is now.  Every election cycle brings up the topic.  Some attempts are being made like American's Elect and the Modern Whigs.  I don't think the country has time to go through the Americans Elect process and the Whigs don't seem to have the support on local levels that they need.

So why bother?  Consider the Republican field.  Actually that says it all.  They all want to be President, that's for sure, but why?

Newt has such a dislike for Romney he's staying in the race strictly to deny Romney the necessary delegates before the convention.  That's not a reason to vote for Gingrich!

Santorum insulted the Puerto Ricans today by telling them that in order to become a state they'd have to declare English their only official language.  Strange.  There is no federal law with that as mandate!   Do you think maybe a presidential contender would know that?

Watching this ludicrous primary season is getting more and more painful. As Hub often says, "Out of 300,000,000 people, is this really the best we can do?"

 I've had a thought about how to get a successful third party going.  Instead of leaving politics out of frustration as are many of the moderates, perhaps they should take a page from Michele Bachmann's playbook.  Form a moderate caucus like she did with the tea party supporters.  Look at how the movement grew.  Since many of their ideals mesh with the christian conservatives and since all the candidates are claiming to be conservative, leave the Republican party to them.

Form a coalition of moderates and become spoilers for both the far left and far right, but do it from within.  Let it trickle down from the top where the power is.  It would have a far greater chance of success than the efforts of the voters who are unknown, unorganized and without clout.  Just a thought.  Another brilliant Dogwalk solution!

Well, that's my thought for the day.  My brain is drained.  Self interest rules at all ends of the spectrum.  I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow brings.  How many more people will be slaughtered in Syria?  How long before Karzai physically removes us from his country?  Which government subsidized green company will fail next?  Between Limbaugh, Mahr, Shultz and Matthews, whose statements will be the most coarse and bazaar?

Only a week to go before some down time.  I'll make it. I think.

Where Has The Media Been?

The good news is we've finally been heard.  The question, however, is where the heck has the media been? Intimidated by the administration - again - or protecting it?

The last I recall reading anything about the TSA was when Texas tried to opt out of using federal screeners and were told no planes would be allowed to land or take off in the state.  Meanwhile the TSA's legalized molestation continued.

Today I saw a headline stating that Orlando is opting out.  What?  Are they gluttons for punishment?  Nope.  It seems last November the TSA froze the ability for airports to use their own security personnel because too many airports were opting for it. It had been there all along but conveniently ignored.  It appears this freeze happened about funding time.  If too many strayed from the realm of Pistole and Napolitano, the very funding of the TSA might be in jeoprodized.

Well, it's still an issue isn't it?  With the excessive groping for the most flimsy of reasons,  the yet to be determined safety of the scanners, discourtesy and thefts Congress finally came to the fore with legislation requiring the TSA to reconsider the applications they had rejected.

Of course none of the suspicions nor the accusations were true, mind you.  Just ask the TSA.  However, for the sake of propriety the pressure was applied by Republicans Mica of Florida, Issa of California and Chaffetz of Utah.  A huge hurrah for them!

Pressure by the TSA on the media to not cover the issue hasn't worked.  Congress, for a change, has!  Mr. Mica has written 200 airports informing them of their renewed opportunity.  West Yellowstone has already given the TSA the boot,  Butte is about to do the same.  Leave it to the rugged individualists of Montana to lead the way!  Now Orlando Sanford, one of the 30 most busy airports in the world is following suit.  I hope it will have a domino effect and every airport in the country gets on board.

Maybe Congress will keep up the scrutiny, find the TSA has outlived it's usefulness if it ever had any, and withdraw it's funding.  Maybe little old ladies and kids and the disabled will want to fly again.  Maybe tourism will pick up.  Hotels, resorts, restaurants, car rentals.  Maybe a slew of private sector jobs will be rejuvenated.  Maybe the media will regain some backbone.  All by calling one government agency on the carpet for it's hubris.

Wow.  I could think of several others to add to the effort.  Imagine.  Finally knowing we've been heard.  I hope it's not a one shot deal!