America - The Election and the Jokers in the Deck

I have been reconsidering my belief that this election will come down to Hillary and The Donald, with Hillary winning. It seems that the other candidates just refuse to roll over and play dead and that makes this farce that is playing out even more fascinating. When I say fascinating, I mean in the way a train wreck is fascinating. As much as you do not want to look, you have to.

Trump cannot seem to keep his foot out of his mouth and Hillary is looking a tad zombie like, except in the occasional moments she lets her considerable temper fly. Ted Cruz is making inroads and might have a chance if he was not so unlikeable and Kasich, while certainly to be congratulated for taking the moral high ground, is being mostly ignored because he simply cannot compete with the surrounding lunacy. On the Democratic front, Bernie will not go away and with the amazing amount of money he is raising, he has no reason to get out.

Donald may not get the first ballot nomination and, if that happens, all hell will break lose in the Republican Party. It does seem unfair for the Party to be ganging up on him but I cannot blame them because all polls show that the American people do not like him and either Clinton or Sanders will beat him. However, he has enough backing to kill the Party if he does not support the eventual nominee. If, in their insanity, the Party holds its collective nose and names Cruz, polls show him losing also. The polls show that Kasich, the forgotten man, would beat any Democrat but how can they nominate a guy who has barely shown in any of the primaries?

It is still a fairly safe bet that Hillary will win the Democratic nomination but, poll after poll shows that people do not like or trust her and that most of her supporters are none to excited by her campaign. Sanders, if beaten can cause her a world of grief if he tells his near rabid followers not to support her. Even if he gives her lukewarm support, it is unlikely his fans will turn out for her. But, the Party big shots, the 'super delegates,' will likely see to her nomination. That would be a poor move if she had any competition, but, she will probably eke out a win over either Trump or Cruz.

However, this deck has a couple of wild cards. If Trump does not win the nomination, he is very likely to be so outraged that he will either deny support to the Republican nominee or run a third party campaign, which would effectively both destroy the Republican Party and insure a Clinton win, except for the other Joker, Bernie.

It is easy to forget that Sanders is not a Democrat. He is an Independent Socialist who, in Congress, caucuses with the Democrats, and thus has no Party loyalty. Suppose he decides to run as an Independent. Why not? He has shown that he can raise the needed money, his supporters are almost sure to turn out and vote, and he might just do it. That would about destroy the Democratic Party.

So, we have the possibility of the devastation of the 2 Party system that has paralyzed National politics for far too long. There is nothing in the Constitution that limits us to 2 parties and it is about time the American people are given some new choices. The big money backers who fund the PACs must  be horrified at the thought of their cozy little arrangement being upset.

I urge every one reading this to urge every one they know to pay attention for the next few weeks. If there is a snowball's chance in hell that a 3rd or 4th Party can step in and derail the coronation of yet another shill of the Powers that Be being seated in the White House, jump on it and do every thing you can to see to it that we finally have a voice in our own Government again. We may not get the another chance any time soon. Win or lose, it would be fun to rock the boat a little.

America - Thoughts at Easter

I will continue my series America on the Edge of Survival on Monday. This is Easter weekend and I do not think it is the right time for that. Besides, I was depressing myself. Easter is a time for celebration.

But, before I get to that, I have a couple of things I need to say. To Donald Trump: I thought this election could not get any lower, but you have proven me wrong. To Ted Cruz: As a self professed Christian, you have no business diving into the muck with Trump at this, the Holiest season in the Christian calendar. The 2 of you should be ashamed. You have turned the election process into something from a bad tabloid. Maybe we should just elect one of the Kardashians and admit that this whole process has become a low farce.

To Hillary Clinton: What is wrong with you? After the horrific Brussels bombing, you dared to come on and, in essence, say that we just need to keep on with the Obama policies. The economy is constipated and the chaotic Middle East has spread to Europe and is headed here. In case you have not noticed, you twit, Western Civilization, something I and many others have grown fond of, is under attack and very likely will lose, unless we change our tactics radically. You have the gall to stand their and sanctimoniously lecture us, telling us that we have to allow immigration by the same kind of folks who immigrated to Europe and are now blowing up big chunks of the Continent. You tell us that we cannot place Islamic neighborhoods under surveillance. Who should we watch? 90 year old Irish-Catholic women? 12 year old Baptist kids? If there is a riot in the inner city, do you send police to the suburbs?

Okay, with that out of my system, I want to wish all of you a Happy Easter. Celebrate the Holiday. Relax and have some fun. But, come Monday, get up ready to get busy, because this Nation has a lot to do.

America on Super Tuesday 3

I confess. I am addicted, addicted to watching this stupid campaign drivel. I keep swearing I will stop but I cannot help myself. It is the funniest programming I have seen since The Simpsons were in their prime.

Ted Cruz has no chance. Even the members of his own party, his fellow Senators, find him loathsome. Even his fellow Evangelicals are spurning his advances and flocking to Trump. He has taken an interesting path. Of late, he is saying nothing of policy, nothing of ethics, nothing of any substance. He just keeps repeating one line. "Vote for me because I am the only Republican who can beat Hillary." Well, aside from the fact that no, he cannot beat her, he is now saying that he wants to take on Trump 'one on one, mano y mano. Given that neither Rubio nor Kasich have made a dent in the votes needed for the nomination, and that Trump has been beating him like a gong, I cannot grasp his logic. Then again, what does anything in this ridiculous process have to do with logic?

The we have 'Little Marco." Having failed in his attempt to mock Trump into submission, he is back to the high road. Good idea, Marco because you would fail in a career as a stand up comic. His jokes would have bombed in a Jr. High talent contest Unfortunately, he has nothing to say and is not good at saying it. Like Cruz, he has been reduced to shouting "vote for me because I am the only one who can beat Hillary. He could not be elected President of a High School class. Hopefully, blessedly, we will bid Little Marco a fond farewell after tonight's Florida Primary.

I like John Kasich, I think, and would vote for him if someone held a gun to my head and insisted I vote for someone. I have no idea what his policies are but he is likeable. In addition, he has promised that, if elected, he will reunite Pink Floyd. That alone would get my vote but he has about as much chance as former Floyd guitarist Syd Barrett and Syd has been dead for years.

That leaves The Donald who, after urging his audiences to 'knock the crap out of protestors', says that he has no responsibility for the violence that pops up at his rallies. Speaking of those protestors, I saw the disruption in Chicago and I have to say that those kids put on the worse excuse for a demonstration I have ever seen. My advice to them is 'go watch some films of the 60s demonstrations.' What you did was embarrassing. To The Donald I would say this: Be sure you want to do this election thing because it is going to get ugly. Yesterday an ad began running featuring all of the piggishly derogatory remarks you have made about women. Before this thing is over, every skeleton in your closet will be exposed. Anything anyone in your family, including your parents, any siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, anyone, will be trotted out for the World to see. If your dog ever peed on the neighbor's lawn, we will hear about it.

On to the Democrats. Bernie does seem like a nice guy but he is fighting a fool's campaign. Don Quixote had a better chance in his battle with the windmills. There is also another wee problem. If elected, he will accomplish nothing. There is a less than zero chance that any Congress will go along with his plans because they would involve raising taxes through the stratosphere. That is a no starter.

That leaves us with Hillary. I have made it clear that to say I dislike her is an extreme understatement, yet, in the last few days, I have begun to feel a bit sorry for her. I find that a bit disturbing but I cannot help it because, the more I see and hear her, the more convinced I am that she really does not want to be doing this.  I truly believe that someone or several someones are pushing her and odds are she will win. But, maybe not, because Just like Trump, she will have every skeleton in the Clinton closet drug forth. Everything she ever did will be under a microscope and, perhaps worse for her, every action, every thing her husband, the infamous Slick Willie ever did will be dissected, examined from every angle and shouted from the rooftops.

All in all, the Trump-Clinton battle figures to be great fun. It will be the dirtiest, nastiest campaign this Nation had ever seen, and if you know anything about American History, you know how low that is. This will not be name calling and mud slinging. This will be, on both sides, complete character annihilation and what they throw will not be mud.

America and the Election, The Laughs Just Keep Coming

I loathe politics but I have to say that this years campains have become a hoot. I have not laughed so hard since the last time I watched the 3 Stooges. Now, instead of Moe, Larry and Curly, we have Donald, Ted, and Marco.

The Donald is amazing, a true phenomenon. He is profane, professes ignorance of many key issues, and has no real plans, except for building that now infamous wall. He insists that Mexico will pay for it, despite some fairly explicit and colorful rejections of that plan by Mexico. He has now started ranting about restoring torture to the battlefields, which will be fascinating since Military leaders are saying that they simply will reject his orders as illegal. He is basically saying that when President he will do just what he wants. Funny, we have a President now that is doing just that and folks do not like that, yet, they continue to support Trump. His basic point seems to be that he will win because he is winning. I am sure any student of logic will find fault with that line of thought but, it is working.

Then we have 'honest Ted Cruz,' who increasingly reminds me of an especially sleazy used car salesman. He has been caught in lie after lie and still has the gall to stand up at podiums telling us what a devout Christian he is. He summons up fake humility, which must be hard for an Ivy League lawyer who's wife is a Goldman Sachs employee. Remember those nice folks? You know, one of the good American businesses who brought us the banking scandle, the housing bubble collapse and the Great Recession we still haven't really climbed out of.

Then we have Marco. I believe I have finally seen politics hit rock bottm, at least I don't think it can sink lower. Marco is now attacking Trump's tan, saying it comes from a spray can. Maybe, maybe not, but what in the name of all that is holy, does that have to do with being President. Then to make things weirder, he starts saying that Trump has small hands, adding 'and you know what that means,' a schoolyardish reference to the thought that small hands on a man means a small penis. On second thought, maybe he just hit the nail on the head, so to speak. All of this lunacy is an attempt by silly grown men to see who is The Man. So, let's eliminate the whole stupid campaign and all the ridiculous speeches and have them all gather on one stage, on Nationwide TV, and drop their pants. The guy with the biggest one wins. Good idea, Marco, best one you've had. That has the added bonus of putting Hillary out of the race.

Then we have the Democrats. Bye-bye, Bernie.  You see, Bernie was banking on young, white voters and they came in droves to his Campaign Rallies. However, they seemed to confuse Campaign Rallies with Pep Rallies and never seemed to understand that, after the party, they had to go to the yucky old polls, stand in line, and actually vote. You built your house on sand, so, by Bernie.

That brings us to Hillary, aka the Wicked Witch of the West. Hillary seems a shoo in to take the big prize, the White House. In fact, she is so sure that, like Pavlov's dogs when they heard the dinner bell, she seems about to salivate at the mere mention of the word, President. Actually, she has stopped givinng speeches, and has started almost growling them, I truly would be little surprised if, while campaigning under a full moon, she morphed into a werewolf, which would be really cool. I am quite sure that if she thought that might gain her votes, she would arrange it. Ah well, at least I can be amused at the thought of Slick Willie having to function as the First Lady, or First Man, or First Whatever, what does it really matter anymore?

This parade of idiocy at long last has a scattering of Democrats and Republicans mutterring about a 3rd Party ticket, to which I say, 'what the hell are you waiting for?' In the country, they have an old saying, 'root, hog, or die.' Well, if you folks are serious about this election, or any other damn thing in this Country, then you best get to it, or just shut up, crawl into your little holes and admit that every one of you are as spineless as a sponge. By the way, I am writing  in SpongeBob Squarepants on my ballot and I urge you to do the same. Our slogan can be, 'We've tried humans, and they've failed miserably, so why not an invertebrate?' 

 

 

American Gullibility _ Part 3

American are gullible simply because they believe these upcoming elections will change the path the Country is on. I will explain in a minute, but first a word about the major candidates.

Much is being made at the moment about Bernie Sanders' surge in the polls. He is surging in Iowa and New Hampshire, 2 tiny states. Clinton is beating him silly in the rest of the Nation so, bye-bye Bernie. Clinton is amazing. a phenomenon, simply because she is leading. How this woman, who has been implicated in so many sleazy doings is not in jail is amazing, but there she is, about to be nominated for President. At least Bill Clinton, if you overlook his disbarment and impeachment among many the other blemishes on his history, has a certain sleazy kind of charm. Hillary is about as charming as a rabid hyena. Yet, there she is, on top of the polls and with an excellent chance of being our next President. God help us all.

The Republicans are down to 4 possibilities. Rubio has an outside chance. However, he suffers from John Kerry syndrome in that he seems determined to take all sides of every issue.  That likely will not work, but who knows?

Jeb Bush is actually the most experienced candidate. I lived in Florida where he got that experience as Governor. You do not want this man as President. His major accomplishment as governor was signing a whole bunch of death warrants. He did, most of the time, sort of stay out of the way, which was a good thing, but at this point we need an actual President. I addition, he is a Bush, and call me biased if you will, but I refuse to, under any circumstance vote for a Bush. On top of that, hearing him speak is about as interesting as watching a toad.

Ted Cruz is a great Populist, a Tea Partier, a Man of the People, friend of the Average Citizen, or so he portrays himself. Nonsense. He is an Ivy League educated attorney, in the pocket of big business, and his wife works for Goldman-Sachs. Remember them from the bank scandals that led us into the last great recession? If you do, wave so long to Ted.

That leaves the Donald. Trump can give a speech and he darn sure has charisma. He says a lot of the right things, but I just don't trust him. He reeks of demagoguery and that is what we definitely do not need. Besides, I have a question. When elected, a President is supposed to put his assets in a blind trust, so his investments do not influence his policies. Does anyone really believe Trump will actually do that? Maybe, but I have serious doubts.

There was a candidate I found interesting, Virginia's Jim Webb. Webb is a conservative to moderate Democrat, ex-Marine, Viet Nam vet, former Secretary of the Navy, former Assistant Secretary of Defense, historian, and 2 term Senator. In other words, qualified and sane. However, he quit the campaign in disgust after seeing how things really work. He has hinted at a third party run. I hope so, and would vote for him, but he has less chance of winning than I do, and my odds are not good.

But, as things stand, none of this matters. it costs incredible sums of money to run for office. This money comes, obviously, from people with a lot of money, and they give to both sides. As a result, they own both Parties. When Republicans and Democrats fuss and fight, when the President and Congress quarrel and quibble, it is all just a dog and pony show. In the long run, everyone will do what they are told, what they are paid to do. Your vote is of little, if any, importance. Yet still, every few years we go through this charade, pretending that we are doing something important.

Is there an answer? Yes, but it a real long shot. If s third party could come up with a full slate of candidates, not just for President, but also for House and Senate, good people with real ideas and at least some charisma, and if that excited the average American enough to get some decent funding, then maybe things might start to change. Will that happen? No. Not this time around.

So, if you believe that this election is vital, that your vote is important, I have an announcement. I have just signed a deal with Newt Gingrich to handle those Moon Condos he's been wanting to build and I can get you a great deal.