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.

Bull!

I've picked up the bad habit of watching FOX News in the late afternoon.  Bret Baier I like.  Then comes either Greta or Lou Dobbs on their financial channel.  I usually surf between them until I can no longer stand either.  Greta's voice drives me up the wall as does Dobb's pomposity.  I do however like some of their guests. A few.  Very few.

What really gets me, though, is how supposedly intelligent people can say, day in and day out,  how brilliant Donald Trump is, how every mean spirited gaff he makes is strategically planned.  He's brilliant I say, brilliant!

Bull.  I don't often agree with Hillary but when she said he has extremely thin skin she's so right. I am so tired of his attacks on others being justified because they didn't treat him fairly.  Poor dear.

So he made it big in commercial real estate in rough and tumble New York.  Good for him.  That doesn't give him liscense to behave like a spoiled child then expect everyone within shouting distance to tell him how great he is.  We already have a narcissist in the White House.  Do we really want another?  Actually we haven't much choice because Hillary is one too.  But Trump. Heaven help us.

There is nothing wrong with Republicans expecting him to act with some degree of decorum.  Maybe the rank and file love him but the world outside our borders don't find him amusing.  Nor do adults of any ilk who are expected to act like adults and could neve get away with his shenanigans.  Or maybe it's just expected that a presidential nominee would act within the realm of maturity and have some manners.

Times they are a changin'.  Too bad it isn't for the better. 

Who'd Have Thunk It?

Well, he'd not be my first choice but since I cannot bring myself to vote for Hillary I guess I either do vote for him or don't vote.

Just to make it clear I can't bring myself to vote for Bernie either or especially for Joe Biden if he's parachuted in if Hillary has to bow out.  Which may well happen.

I keep hearing everyone of FOX shill for this guy to the point it's nauseating.  Well, they've got him.  Now what?

I know most of us want something other than the norm.  I've long thought a business approach would be the way to govern this day and age.  Trump is a business man to be sure.  And a very successful one.  He'll bring those skills to the job. I can only hope, if he's elected, he brings in people who are experts in the fields which they are to oversee.

I worry about rumors.  Like Sarah Palin for Vice President.  hat I should think would blow it for him and the Republicans.  He has good advisers.  I wonder how their livers are holding out after a day of offering him advice?  I have trouble just listening to him.

So there are still  a few things to watch until this season has its finale.  Will Hillary prevail?  Will Bernie's supporters rebel?  Will Trump finally begin to act "presidential"?  Will his choices for VP and cabinet positions be what the country needs?

It's an interesting trip.  If it weren't so filled with angst I'd be posting a whole lot more!

Time Flies Yet Stands Still

Most of the time I've been away you could have found me, along with Hub, any where from New Mexico to Colorado tramping around and photographing rock art sites.

There is a lot about this pursuit we enjoy along with the ancient symbolism.  It's the serenity of the sites, the quiet disturbed by little more than the birds and the wind. As you look at the images you can't help but feel the presence of those who pecked them into the the rock.  What were they saying?  One can only imagine because there is no definitive "dictionary" though even among the many peoples who pass a certain point there is always a similarity to the marks they left behind.

I wonder if in some context future generations, far future, will be as puzzled at what we leave behind. Heaven knows we can't even define what we have today compared to a generation or two ago.  Revisionist history and political correctness has made sure of that.

It tightens even more as we look at the current political situation.  What seems perfectly clear to me isn't to the powers that be.  The Conservative movement believes it owns the Republican brand.  It doesn't and they can't see it.

The Conservatives believe every one must think as they do and when a candidate dares to run under their banner and speaks to the people in terms they understand he is to be shunned because he is not a purist.  It never occurs to them that the people don't want a purist.  They want a leader who they think can and will get things done to make their lives better.  Is it a sham on the part of the candidate?  Perhaps, but no more so than promising time after time and never delivering because it might upset political apple carts.

I won't get into the Democrats but the story is much the same. Perhaps the lack of a "Rosetta Stone" is a blessing.  It might show that our earliest ancestors were as dysfunctional as we are today.  I personally believe they were too busy just trying to survive the rigors of primitive life.  They didn't have the time to rewrite their history to change facts nor isolate their children from responsibility.  If we did today what they did to put a roof over their heads and food on their tables perhaps we'd appreciate history rather than trying to repel it.

Political Chaos

I'm sure many of you feel the same as I when watching this election year unfold. List your own adjective.  I have too many.

That being said, I'm wondering about the obvious disconnect between voter frustration and establishment frustration.  Voters want something different than what we now have.  The "establishment" doesn't seem to understand that;  they definitely want something different but it's also different from what we want.

Flawed as they may be, we want one of the candidates for whom we voted.  The establishment wants one of their own. Neither side has come up with anything even close acceptable.  Name calling, insults and out right lies seem to be in vogue so how can any of us believe anything they tell us.  any of them.

The Dems have Hillary and Bernie.  The Republicans have Ted and Trump and a taste of Kasich.  Obviously Kasich isn't going down too well.  We Independents don't have any one.  Do we stay home?  I'm beginning to think so.

I think, too, our political leadership from the local level on up are is of two things.  Mindlessly corrupt or Peter Principled out. Most likely a little of each.

After all, just as it doesn't buy class, money doesn't buy smarts either.  Consider some of the messes politicians get themself into thinking they are above the law. Just look at Hillary.  Being out of office doesn't necessarily protect you either.  Look at Denny Hastert.  Look also at the salaries they draw and the perks they get.  Talk about income inequality!

For how things get skewed just look at state salaries at the state university level.  The Football coach at Washington State makes $2.75 million plus. The newly appointed President makes a mere $625 thousand.  Does he get bonuses?  I doubt it.  He doesn't have his own radio show, or games to win or bowls for which to become eligible.  Nope.  He only has to see that the students he is responsible for get an education and don't get killed by monsters roaming the campus or stupid frat party hijinks.  Which is more important?  If those goals were actually accomplished I'd vote for number 2 but in today's educational climate I'd question it considering the students across the country seem to be running the asylums.

I remind myself of my dearly departed Mother who knew she couldn't change things but always wanted to know what was going on.  On the other hand maybe ignorance is bliss.