An observation:

Some say politics is a process: It consists of "social relations involving authority or power;"

I think:

Politics is a disease that turns, otherwise, decent folks into scallywags; or worse.

photos; 1. Bill Rattlecane

2. Rasputin

CHANGE

Today, all the popular topics of conversation seem to revolve around the need for change. That's the case especially here in the USA, who's citizens are contemplating the election of a new president.

Case in point: last night at dinner with friends I asked them who they were going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. They both replied that they were still undecided. The ensuing discussion did bring about the consensus that the country is disgusted with the debacle that the Bush administration has wrought upon our country and thank God a president can only serve a maximum of two terms. Which of the two current candidates is capable of bringing about that change remained ~undecided.~

This morning, contemplating a post about change, I stumbled across an article written by Geoffrey Nunberg dated 1/14/08, titled "Chump Change."

Some salient, (I think), points from this article bear well on the current claims from the candidates' call for change in our government.

1. Eisenhower campaigned (after 20 years of democrats in power) on the official slogan: "It's time for change."
2. 1976: Jimmy Carter is"a leader for change."
3. 1992: Bill Clinton is "the change we need."

In 2006 the Dems took hold of the congress on the platform of change---
I don't think much has changed in the two years since they wrested control (with our help, i.e. voters) from the republicans..

The bottom line here is that we each vote for the candidate that we hope will enact policies that will make our lives better.
Well, there in lies the rub: I have a great life, a great job that I love. I have a comfortable life that I don't want to change substantially. Now if the change you want betters your circumstances without diminishing mine then I'm all for it. Otherwise I oppose your choice.
It's always about the money, and it's always personal.
If congress wanted change we'd have had it long before now. Congress, like me, likes things just the way they are just fine.

SPELLBOUND....#26

He captivated the State if not the country. Eliot Spitzer held the electorate of NYS..... SPELLBOUND. Too many saw him as a savior, a political savior to be sure, but a savior never the less. He was the knight in shinning armor who would lift NY from the stagnant depths of depravity and into the status once held by the EMPIRE State. As a man of multi-millions he would be immune to bribery from the prostitute lobbyists populating the capital. He had charisma and chutzpah. His take no prisoners, holier than thou approach to reform of both wall Street and Brothel lane Showed him to be the high stepper we needed.

Although I voted for his opponent, John Fasso, I secretly wanted, no, I knew in my heart of hearts that Eliot Spitzer was going to be elected. No one, well 70% of the voters, listened when Fasso pegged Spitzer as a low life sleaze. They shucked it off as political rhetoric of a namby-pamby hotshot wanna be. “Eliot Spitzer, he’s our man, if he can’t do it no one can!” Ta-rah-rah-rah-boom-de-aye!

As the drama of March 10^th, 2008 unfolded and the pundits, the amateur psychologists weighed in with their analyses, I was compelled to do some research into the sexual peccadilloes of American Politicians. Lordy, God A’ mighty, the list of mayors, governors, legislators, and presidents who have had their careers marred or destroyed by their sexual indiscretions was/is phenomenal. From Thomas Jefferson, to Eliot Spitzer, the list would fill an average size roll of toilet paper.

Reading along, my memory stroked and stimulated into recalling many of these events, I asked myself if I could detect any commonality in these people. This is what I came up with: First, they were all men. Not one woman was listed in the whole sordid bunch (on the perpetrator’s side). Next, because they were all elected, most of them to more than one term, they more than likely possessed some sort of hypnotic attraction, the ability to mesmerize their public, to hold the populace SPELLBOUND.

Ponder these names for but a moment, and if my essay has not held you captive then certainly do a Google search and discover for yourself the sexual scandals in their lives and careers: Thomas Jefferson, Dwight Eisenhower, FDR, Gary Hart, Marion Barry, JFK, MLK, and of course, Bill Clinton.

These pedestalized men all had/have the appeal necessary to bamboozle and captivate the public. These qualities aren’t something that are kept in some election time file for “character traits to exhibit to get elected.” No, these are the same qualities that allowed them to attract and keep beautiful, intelligent women by their sides and call them wife.

It is these same attributes that promote hero worship and demagoguery. They are seen as modern day Sir Lancelot. Yes, it’s these characteristics which allow him to dally and dance in forbidden women’s underpants.

Usually some good comes from catastrophe. I believe that Gov. David Patterson can do what Eliot Spitzer could not; bring the NYS legislature together.

On another, but related note, this debacle has given me a focus on our nation’s presidential race. Let it be known before hand that I intend to vote for Sen. John McCain ® Ariz.. We are brothers of the Vietnam War. He took my share of torture and suffering and the share of many others in that V.C. prison camp. He refused to feed their propaganda machine by rejecting early release or any leniency. I feel that I owe him.

Barack Obama has given the youth of this great nation a reason to get involved in our country’s politics. That’s a wonderful thing. He has given the black populace (he is black isn’t he? Geraldine Ferraro said as much) a hope not enjoyed since MLK. He is a handsome, soft spoken, bright, very intelligent man with a beautiful, intelligent woman at his side called his wife.

He has charisma!

He has the populace SPELLBOUND!!!!!!