Politics

The cat snoozing at the top of the page goes by the name of Stanlee.  He is taking a protest nap while we less cosmic humans run around in a 2010 jet powered dither wringing our hands over the upcoming mid term elections.  


I never intended to write about politics in this space because (1) I'm not qualified, (2) I find the whole process boring and (3) there is not much I can do about the outcome.  However, I can offer some observations about what I think might occur.


The smart money says the House of Representatives will be taken over by the Republicans.  The Senate will barely remain in the hands of the Democrats.  


Why?


Well, Americans are in change mode.  Things have not righted themselves quickly enough since President Obama took office.  If you really look at the problems we have faced since George Bush took office and left the fruits of poor management strewn about the American countryside and the rest of the world, you would have to wonder how anyone could have repaired the damage in such a short time.  ("Don't you love us anymore, Superman?")   However, for as much time as the electorate allowed Bush to to wreak havoc upon this great country of ours, their tolerance and patience have become exhausted.  So, after deciding they had enough, in 2008  they voted for change and brought in Obama.  Now, two years later, when things are still not so good, the folks are ready to expel almost every incumbent in sight in hopes that if they give a bunch of unknowns two years to grapple with the evil giant, the kingdom will restore itself to a healthier and happier place. 


Logic says that these wishes will not come true because as that great pundit Ringo Starr once noted, "Time takes time."  However, there is nothing Americans like more than change.  In November, they will march to the polls and vote out almost every incumbent in sight.  And, after a few months, they will awaken from their reverie and find that nothing has changed.  (Remember what Ringo said.) What to do?  What to do?


We have experience with these dilemmas.  Once, when we decided that alcohol was bad, we enacted the Volstead Act which brought us prohibition.  When that didn't work, we repealed it.  The Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that a woman's body was hers to do with as she pleased and abortions moved from the back alleys to the doctor's office where they belonged.  Now some folks are not so happy with that decision, so it appears that we're going fight about that issue again.  Let's not even talk about Korea and Vietnam.  


"Don't ask don't tell" appeared to be working  for both the military and the gay community, but now there are folks who want to fix that machine even though it does not appear to be  broken.


Face it!


We are a country of knee jerk premature ejectors!


However, I believe there is long term good news.


In two years when the smoke clears and we see what we have wrought, old predictable us will vote out the incumbents again.  And who will be left?  Hopefully it will be our  friend President Obama and the folks who were helping him and us to repair this nation before all of us were rudely interrupted.  It is just a shame that we are going to have to suffer with instability for two years while the ship of state blows the manure out of her ballasts and rights herself.  


But, not to worry, Stanlee.  We will keep the crunchies coming and will try to let you nap for the next few years until the world is a better place.  In the meantime, even though you are the biggest cat in the house, go easier on the others.  You don't want to be voted out do you?