Trump (especially) and Clinton - Gawd help us!

As a child growing up – if I ever did grow up – I was fascinated by two characters that were embedded in my Saturday morning children’s television menagerie. The first character was from the Andy Devine Show, also known as “Andy’s Gang.” That character was Froggy the Gremlin.

Froggy was loud, disrespectful, obnoxious, petulant, abrasive, abusive and a nuisance of the highest order. Froggy enjoyed nothing better that to make any and all authority figures – especially those viewed as a pompous – foil to his infantile madness. This certainly resonated with any mean streak that children possessed.

Phineas T. Bluster was a character on the Howdy Doody Show and needless to say that just the last name should give some insight into the character. I do remember Bluster as being just that or a blowhard. A character that would certainly try the patience of Ms. Manners.

Donald Trump has managed to incorporate into his patter the features of both characters and managed to even bring it to another level. The personality flaws are acceptable if they was any content to the brazen shooting from the hip approach that has now defined Trump politics – if can even be classified as politics.

Trump does resonate with some just as Froggy did with me and my friends when we were children, but children do grow up and became a bit more perceptive or in tune to the world around them. Within politics that may actually mean having to put forth cognizant proposals that are based in some level of either broad based philosophical or factual information. I have seen neither.

The old “Where’s the beef?” television commercial surfaces – there is no beef. This is a campaign that is strictly a Howard Beale from the movie “Network” approach of “I’m as mad as hell and I am not going to take this anymore.” If it is anger that motivates then Trump is certainly your candidate of choice.

I examine the two candidates the political parties have presented and simple say “This is the best they can offer America?” The Republicans to their credit have in some instances attempted to deep six Trump – maybe some of it is philosophical and maybe the motivation is an attempt to present an alternative to a very flawed Democrat?

The campaign itself will certainly degenerate into the ultimate mudslinging that represented American politics for much of the 19th century. Count on it as neither candidate has a history of shying away from that aspect. Both sides certainly have an ample supply of ammunition and if TMZ type politics is your game then break out the popcorn.

Trump has nothing to offer. I could certainly buy into his wall scenario, but not to keep Mexicans out, but to keep Chihuahua’s out – I dislike those little beasts almost as much as I despise cats. Otherwise the Trump policies are a wee bit short on details.

Trump was for me easy to dislike and it goes back to sports and his New Jersey General’s football team – another Trump failure. I find Trump as obnoxious as Froggy was now that I am capable of reflection of his entire life is that of a narcissistic self-promoter who simply considers everyone within or outside his sphere as disposable.

Examining the significant issues such as foreign policy apparently Trump’s is in building resorts in exotic locations and for Clinton it is managing to make her tenure as Secretary of State make that of the inept John Kerry appear as vintage John Foster Dulles.

Education you have the formidable Trump University that is to education as the jail bird evangelist Peter Popper is to religion. For Clinton it is the mastery of creating a cottage industry out of the Clinton Foundation that is some type of personal slush fund. Remember, kids, a well-educated society could put the damper on a rerun of these two down the road.

Women’s issue will be a key ingredient and Trump certainly collects his share of eye candy as being a billionaire does have certain advantages. Trump has already spoken numerous times on just how he views females and as for Clinton? Excusing a husband that is a sexual predator shows her contempt for her gender.

The economy will be a focal point with a stagnant middle class, laughable trade agreements, a ferocious debt, a convoluted tax system and a job market that now has a glut of positions a trained seal could do. Trump has started many a business with some notable successes and notable failures. An ability to simply walk away from failure and let bankruptcy court sort things out.

Hillary Clinton claimed she and her spouse were broke despite living in a palatial home in New York. As bill would say it is all how you define the word broke.

I could go on and rattle about a multitude of other issues, but the general conclusion for anyone that is slightly above flat line is we are in a whole4 world of trouble and Teddy Roosevelt isn’t walking through that door.

Trump as president would be a disaster and the real issue for me is that a Clinton one would be the same – a political rock and hard place for the voter. Do you hold your nose and vote for one? Or do you simply leave the ballot blank since both candidates are worthless? Or do you go outside the box and look for an alternative? I will probably go for door number three and select alternatives.

For my local audience the latest misadventure in Middleboro is a flap over a healing garden at Pratt Farm. For those not familiar with Pratt Farm it will never be confused with the Arnold Arboretum or even D.W Fields Park in Brockton. As usual a curmudgeon has surfaced that question if the garden is appropriate according to the purpose described in the purchase.

Now the issue is back with the Conservation Commission based on a complaint from an idiot. Yes – an idiot of the highest order. The CC had already approved! The scope of the utter stupidity even leaves me – who certainly is a purveyor of stupidity – stunned. This is a garden about the same size as two rooms in a house! It will have a granite bench and Pratt already has those. There will be planting of trees and shrubs – this is a park! That’s it! Someone needs to step up and tell this dope to go back to some serious issues.

Speaking of dopes that goes to the Mayor of Philadelphia who has instituted a tax on sweetened products in an attempt to control obesity. Now that is just beautiful. This is a tax and a very expensive one that will sharply increase the price of the thousands of items it impacts. I am sure Mayor Kenny has a BMI that meets acceptable standards.