"Fed up"

I have been traveling these past few weeks, driving across this beautiful country and had a lot of time to think. But all I can come up with is how fed up I am with the two candidates we have running to become President of this country. Out of 320 million people is this the best we can come up with?

Why have Donald Trump and (almost) Bernie Sanders received so many votes? Because the folks are angry and fed up - they are fed up with the Washington power structure not representing their votes, they are fed up with the liberal media trying to tell them how to vote, they are fed up with the cultural decline of this country, and they are fed up with the East Coast liberals thinking they are the "intellectuals" and the rest of the population are 'hayseeds' that can't think for themselves.

Well I have news for the so-called political/media power structure concentrated in the North East (and California), the folks are throwing you under the bus. I have said many times on this Blog that I am not a Trump supporter but I am a "never Hillary" supporter. Don't forget Bernie, he has also tapped into the folks that want to throw the establishment under the bus. Unfortunately he is running in a party that has a rigged primary election that planned a 'coronation' of Hillary before the election started. 

Isn't it interesting that the experts thought the Republican Convention would be chaos and now (most) Republicans, (reluctantly) are starting to support Trump. At the same time it looks like the Democratic convention may be chaos and according to some polls as many as 20% of Bernie supporters may vote for Trump. Hillary is a joke and many on the democratic side believe that. Here is my feeling about this election - we know what Hillary will do as President, we don't know what Donald Trump would do, but it would have to be an improvement.

Sadly this is going to be an election where for the first time in my life most voters will be voting for who they are 'against' not who they are 'for'. 

"All aboard the Trump Train II"

Well readers this will be a short Blog since I am leaving on a trip. If I get time I will Blog from the road, if not see you in a few weeks.

But I had to comment on the Trump Train which seems to be going full speed since my candidate Ted Cruz has dropped out. John Kasich says he will stay in the race, but that is like a Pop Warner football team trying to beat the Green Bay Packers, so I will not give him any more words in this Blog.

But it is time for Republicans to unite and direct our fire at Hillary Clinton because I still believe in the  'anyone but Hillary' mantra. The experts say Trump cannot possibly win; for those that promise to leave the country if Trump becomes president, I repeat my earlier comments; "Make sure your passport is up to date".

This guy has tapped into an anger in this country that may cross party lines. The experts say that the Democrats have the electoral advantage...I'm not so sure. I believe the next thing you will see is the Trump campaign leaking key appointments in the Trump administration, and he has a lot of  bench talent to draw from. If you compare Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Rudy Giuliani, and so many other Conservatives that have been in the background for years while Obama and his minions have tried to destroy this country to Hillary and her potential Administration, you may be surprised at what happens in the political arena the next few months...should be fun.

Signing off for a while.  John and Bob make your comments and keep this Blog posting going :-)

"Insanity and Socialism"

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result".  Some attribute this saying to Einstein. But it certainly makes sense.

AP reported today:  "Cities across Venezuela are increasingly agitated, as government offices closed their doors for the rest of the week in the face of a worsening energy crisis that is causing daily blackouts. Looting for food and fiery protests started spreading Wednesday in Caracas, as hundreds of angry voters lined up to sign a petition beginning the process of recalling the deeply unpopular President Nicolas Maduro. The socialist administration began imposing a four-hour daily blackout around the country this week to save electricity. Then, Maduro announced that millions of officials will now work only Mondays and Tuesdays, taking the rest of the week off in a bid to save electricity". (By the way these government officials will continue to be paid for the days they do not work, another cornerstone of a government controlled socialist society).

Ah yes, as Venezuela continues to mourn its hero Hugo Chavez the folks are not too happy. No food, no electricity, an oil powerhouse that cannot even supply gasoline to the few that can afford a car. The country is in chaos as they harvest the fruits of socialism. So following Cuba's example here we have another definition of insanity....trying socialism and expecting a different result.

But there is a silver lining in this story, now that Bernie Sanders has no chance to win the primary here in the US, the potential job openings keep coming. If the people in Venezuela are successful in overthrowing their President Maduro, maybe Bernie with his large unused campaign war chest should move there and try to convince the population to "Try socialism just once more, I know how to do it right". I wouldn't bet on that insanity Bern.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html

"All Aboard the Trump Train"

For those of you that swore to leave the country if Trump becomes President, you may want to be sure your passport is updated and house ready to sell.

He has not been nominated yet, but the Trump Train is moving down the tracks toward that goal at a pretty good clip. After sweeping the Northeast, Indiana could be the deathblow for the Cruz/Kasich caboose. The so-called collusion by Cruz/Kasich is most likely a 'Hail Mary' that will have little effect. In my opinion for Cruz to team up with Kasich is like adding a proven loser to your team. Their strategy is to keep Trump from getting to 1237 delegates and then the 'establishment' can rise up and get rid of him in a contested convention...the way Trump is accumulating delegates that may be wishful thinking and the race could be over by then.

But there is still hope for you Trump haters, the experts say Hillary will destroy him in the general election, so don't put that house on the market yet. But I remind you that there were 16 Republican competitors, all the political experts, and conservative Republicans like myself that thought at the beginning Trump was just a 'flash in the pan' and doomed to extinguish quickly. Well here we are, and the 'flash' has turned into a wildfire that may burn all the way to Cleveland.

I am still not a Trump fan but he is a Phenom that has turned the political scene upside down and has the establishment wondering what the hell happened. I cannot imagine this country electing someone as disgusting as Hillary Clinton as our leader, and I am sure the Trump haters feel the same about him. How did we get here with these two people?

Hillary and her team are very confident and salivating at the thought that Trump will be the Republican challenger in the general election..."be careful what you wish for".  

 

"On a Wing and a Prayer"

Those in my generation remember this iconic phrase from WWII...a pilot's damaged plane with only one engine, coming in "on a wing and a prayer".

This should be Bernie Sanders' new campaign slogan. His campaign is flying on only one wing and his prayer: "Please lord let Hillary be indicted". The Bern's campaign promises of free stuff could never overcome the Clinton machine, probably because other that a few smart people I know who supported him, his base of young mush-brained millennials never stopped to ask how he would pay for his promises and what would happen to their taxes.

Bernie sadly never had a chance but he was still a Phenom especially raising money. He boasts that his average contribution from millions of people was less than $30. If someone promised you a free college education, free preschool, free medical and that he would bring those Wall Street greedy people to their knees, wouldn't you send him 30 bucks?

Bernie is no dummy; he collected almost $40 million in March and vows to stay in until the end. But I suspect he will reduce his campaign spending because he now has a massive campaign war chest.

I checked the campaign finance rules and even if Bernie were to drop out he would get to keep all those millions for future campaigns. So if he doesn't make it in this primary I pity anyone who runs against him in future Vermont elections because he will have a war chest that could destroy any political competitor at a state level until he retires. I can see it now - Bernie will have his own version of the Trump jet going back and forth to Vermont and never again having to fly with the folks. This jet will have 'The Bern' on big letters on the side and I can see him in the plane's private lounge drinking his strawberry daiquiri thinking "up yours Donald".

OK, I'm just having fun...as a person I like "The Bern" but he is so misguided; with all this money maybe after he retires from the Senate and the Castro brothers die, he should make a run for President of Cuba...well, maybe that would not be successful, those folks  already know what socialism is all about.

" And then there were two"

Big wins for the 'Trumpster' and the 'Pant Suit' last night and the experts are telling us it is all over and these will be the candidates in the general election. Even Mr. Trump in his victory speech started to speak with more civility referring to 'Senator' Cruz' (not 'lying Ted').

I cannot imagine what Kasich is doing in this race, he has never won anything but his own state and if he wants to be a 'spoiler' he is playing right into Trump's hand. This guy is a RINO (Republican in Name Only) and would probably give Hillary a run if he could get the nomination because the DC establishment does not want change. But this is a different time and no one represents the 'establishment' more than Kasich, so he doesn't have a chance and should just fold his tent and go away.

But Cruz, Kasich, and The Bern are not going away, hoping for contested conventions. First of all, Bernie has no chance unless Hillary gets indicted. But the Obama administration and the Democratic Party will not let that happen, so Bernie (as he has been all along) is history. It will be interesting to see where his voters go...they do not like Hillary or the 'establishment'.

And if Trump makes it to 1237 delegates either before or during the first convention ballot Cruz and Kasich are history also. And the Trumpster does have a lot of momentum with favorable polls in many of the remaining primary elections. Whether you support Trump or hate him, we need to acknowledge that this is an inexperienced politician that started off competing against 17 Republican experienced politicians (except for Dr. Carson), and may defeat them all. This, along with Bernie's success, tells us there are a lot of voters in this country angry with the establishment and want change.

Those that follow this Blog know that I am not a Trump supporter, but I am also an "anyone but Hillary" voter. Obama has almost destroyed this country and Hillary plans to continue his policies, Saul Alinsky would be proud.

California has had no say in any primary election for decades because of the late date of our primary. But would it not be ironic if California, the liberal bastion of the western US, and supporter of more illegal immigrants than the rest of the country combined, was the state whose voters catapulted Donald J. Trump into the general election for President?

"Battle of the Curmudgeons"

I thought the Democratic debate last night was finally an example of what these two nominees are all about. A friend once told me how 'civil' they were to each other in their debates compared to Republicans. Really! Someone pulled back the curtain and the gloves came off last night. These two curmudgeons were yelling at each other all evening. Even the ultra-liberal Wolf Blitzer had to tell them to calm down and quit talking over each other.

Hillary: "We need a $15 minimum wage!"

Bernie: "That was my offer, you were only at $12 a few weeks ago!"

Hillary: "I have always been at $15 and I might even go to $20!"

Bernie: "I'll match your $20 and throw in three weeks of paid vacation for all employees!"

Hillary: "You're full of crap Bernie and you will never be President!"

Bernie: "Look bitch you are the one getting $235 thousand for a speech to Goldman Sachs and your Super Pac gets $15 million from Wall Street. You are in Wall Street's back pocket, you voted for the Iraq war, and you don't have the judgement to be President!"

Hillary: "Look you old bastard you can't get more that $30 from each of your contributors and you shouldn't even be on the stage with me. After Obama kicked my ass in 2008 I have been promised by the DNC that it's my turn to be President and you need to get lost!"

Bernie: "Look fatso I have won 7 of the last 8 primaries and I am in this to kick your ass all the way to the Convention!"

Wolf Blitzer: "Please can't we all get along?"

OK, this is not exactly how the debate went, but it is what I believe they were both thinking. Civil...I don't think so, and I was amazed that they could yell at the top of their voices for almost two hours. But in the end it was the same old Democratic play book...offer your voters lots of free stuff even though you know you can never deliver on your promises.