Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Hillary, Trump and other stuff

I am amazed – maybe not – of the lack of conscious and ethical compass that the Democrats have. How can they reasonably support such a flawed and despicable candidate? Is it genetics? Is it just the convoluted logic of the left? The dishonesty question is a slam dunk as a pattern has been well established by the Clintons.
The Clintons do manage to walk a very thin line – one that borders legal issues. The recent FBI investigation sums that up with the scathing report on Clinton’s questionable actions. Prosecute? That was a DOJ call and they obviously felt “reasonable doubt” could make it unwinnable – certainly worth the effort.
The Republicans faced with the same dilemma actually displayed some backbone by distancing themselves from Trump. A candidate whose persona is so vile even Mother Theresa would wish him to hell. Charlie Baker avoided Trump as have many others and some are not even in the election cycle.
The Democrats do have a history of looking the other way when the prize is in view. Gerry Studds should have been sent to the cornfield back in the early 1980s, yet was embraced and supported by the party. That is just one local example and you could make it two with Barney Frank, so there exists a historical precedent for accepting and supporting Clinton.
The other fallback for the left is simply to say – as Lady Macbeth has repeatedly stated - “ Right Wing Conspiracy!.” If the lemmings on the left wish to adopt that mantra then fools they be. A tiring refrain for a politician that continues to navigate an ethics tightrope which more and more evidence surfaces about what can best be termed errors in judgement. I will let the wingnuts use lies – although it appears appropriate.
Again – for those who are totally appalled by both the options do exist. Jill Stein, Gary Johnson and the ever popular “neither” are viable alternatives. That – of course – would require a bit of ethics and that seems to be quite vacant in both parties and especially the Democrats.
I recently went through two communities in Massachusetts – Palmer and Belchertown – and witnessed a strange sight. What I noticed has not been seen for decades in Massachusetts and that is in both communities extensive road work was taking place and flaggers were being used.
I counted a total of eight on two extensive construction sites and none was spending time on cell phones, looking in a hole, consulting with their coffee cup and were in reasonable physical shape. No $50 or so an hour with minimum hours required. No glossy contract incentives tossed in by brain dead Selectmen during contract negotiations.
In Middleboro school is about to open and route 28 is in a state of continued construction. What gives? Why was such a project started at such a late summer date? My assumption is this is a state issue since I believe that portion of the roadway is in their jurisdiction. Bad planning – no surprise.
The vaunted South East rail extension is in the multibillion-dollar range and to cut costs the latest proposal is to have an exchange in Middleboro to simply the process. Why? This is more billions wasted away on a project that has no appreciable gains. In fact, no gains.
The Obama administration certainly has some clueless folks operating the tiller. Hostages return home and a boatload of curacy is conveniently placed on a private jet and brought to Iran. Iran – the same nation that has been given a virtual green light by a feckless administration to continue nuclear weapons development. I am staggered by the coincidence of hostages-money-nukes.
The Democrats playbook on Trump is quite logical as they just mine an almost endless bounty of questionable comments that seem to waffle continuously. The playbook says mention Trump as often as possible since that will certainly deflect the reams of mischief from Clinton. In a battle of one upsmanship the candidates apparent switch daily on who represents the absolute bottom of the political barrell.
The ballot question I find most illuminating is charter schools. The evidence regarding performance is rather mixed, but one thing is absolutely certain – parents want them. The public school setting is enough to cash in bottles and cans in hopes of funding a private school placement. The issue is the teachers unions and their influence with a predominantly Democratic legislature.
However, a positive is there is substantial reluctance on the part of many within the party to follow the lockstep decree of their union masters – some quite obviously pay attention to public demands. The addition of 12 new schools is just a small drop in the student bucket, but even that is treated as the end of days by a union – I was a member for years – whose most singular goal is enrichment of the membership.
Speaking of schools as in new Middleboro high school – I most certainly expect a pricey new school to be the final outcome of deliberations. A spiffy new building will certainly vault Middleboro into the upper echelon of achievement. OK – sarcasm switch is now turned off. I have wandered enough.