Sunday, September 13, 2015

Strange Times

I have struggled to keep from commenting on politics and other things as some of my dear readers do not seem interested in hearing my drivel. However, the state of affairs in every day life these days almost compels me to comment.

If nothing else convinces you of the need for a viable third party, the 2016 (it is 2016, right?) election should. Instead of unifying and solidifying the Republican Party, the Tea Party Movement has produced a schism in the party. Now we have a dozen or more candidates flailing about with very few of them capable of winning the nomination. Talk about smoky backroom politics, Clinton and her bunch are so sure of the Republicans ineptitude, that she runs unopposed. I understand that I am just one ignorant voice, but do you really think any of these candidates are the answer to America's problems? It has gotten to the point with Clinton that her innocence or guilt is not in question in my mind; its that she has so much turmoil and baggage to carry that it has to be a distraction. I am truly dismayed that our welfare society may indeed propel someone as corrupt as Clinton into office. And Bubba as first gentleman? Didn't he already soil the White House and Presidency enough? Again, we truly need a viable third party and some term limits. I fear that we are going to elect someone just for changes sake. Didn't we already try that? Buy the way; as I like to say, somewhere the Mullahs are rejoicing.

Without going into details, suffice it to say that the police have not always been my favorite people. As I have aged and mellowed I have begun to appreciate the need for some sort of law enforcement. The wholesale slaughter, especially of kids, in our cities has helped convince me of that. Isn't it odd that, if you do some research, the folks that run the worst of these cities are all part of the political machine that runs this country. For one thing Rob Emanuel and his cronies in Chicago are a prime example. They'll probably welcome Obama back to Chicago with open arms. (If you've been under a rock, they've been killing people by the hundreds in Chicago)  Despair runs rampant in our inner cities and the youth of today have generations behind them that have grown up in a gang culture. We're talking grandfathers and sons both rioting and on some sort of government subsistence. We (our tax dollars) have given a hand up to so many that the recipients feel no need to find other means of income. Add to this our appalling treatment; or the lack thereof, of the mentally ill. It seems as if every other horrific act is perpetrated by either someone mentally ill or having an extensive prior record; or both. This has produced a powder keg of emotions, making effective policing an almost impossible challenge. Now we are second guessing law enforcements every action and a disturbing trend of cop killings seem to be on the rise. It is going to take strong leadership and a resolute electorate to bring this under control.

Finally; I wasn't a fan of political correctness, or PC, when it started. However, lot of Americans needed to come out of the chauvinistic, male dominated thinking of the past. Some bucked up and resisted, spawning women's lib and minority movements, like Equal Opportunity, and adding them to the mix. Now, some thirty years or so down the road, gay folks are marrying and getting benefits and women have somewhat broken the glass ceiling. Minorities continue to struggle, even after having been given every kind of opportunity imaginable, and racism is as strong as ever. It's an uneven and ugly track record. People are afraid to speak their mind and there is a wholesale assault on just about anything someone finds offensive. From God in the Pledge of Allegiance, the Ten Commandments, Nativity scenes along with Menorahs and now; surreally; the Confederate battle flag-which has morphed into a movement to eradicate all things Confederate. It seems that this will never end and, to me, the bad part is a lot of it has to do with our heritage. No civilizations history is unblemished, they all have their flaws. To deny that is wasteful and ludicrous.

It is obvious that we lack a common goal. To be what has been traditionally defined as an American has become diluted. Unfortunately, we have let the genie out of the bottle and there is no going back. We need strong leadership and a groundswell of pride to get us headed in the right direction. To do the proper thing and find the right path is rarely easy. Unfortunately, these are strange times and we are faced with that very dilemma now. Let's hope we, as a society, can pull this off.

1 comment:

  1. September 14, 2015

    We have been down that third party road in 1992, and who got elected with less than 50% of the vote yes Bill Clinton. I admit I was suckered into that then and voted for the “Little Texan”. But this year if we go into the third party thing again who would end up being president? Well Hillary Clinton. No I think any of the front running other party candidates would be better. I really like any candidate that has no been elected before and would be a better choice.
    George

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