Not a fishing post and I'm not a fan of politicians or politics but do have an opinion, I know who cares, after day 3 of the Republican Convention. I'm an independent. That means I'd vote on either side of aisle or even for a third party candidate if I so chose. Voting is something we should all do as American citizens to keep democracy on the up and up. It is our duty.
Politics has become downright ugly. Yes if you look way back there were jabs here and there from both sides but the current vitriol and character assassinations have turned me off from just about everyone in politics and in the news media that covers them. It's no longer news reporting it's just an endless cycle of opinion pieces presented by skewed and biased networks. It's unbearable to watch. From Madlow to Hannity I bypass them all and haven't found that straight reporting without opinion newspaper, show, or post that interests me. But that's my choice.
I am done with the old guard politics we have today. Luckily some of the dinosaurs have filtered out as of late but there are still plenty roaming the earth, well Washington. In this great country I can't believe that there isn't a group of young politicians, true students of the game from both sides, that are working towards becoming President of the United States. Isn't there a developmental league or minor league system like they have in professional sports? Oh yeah I'm out on them as well, having just become a casual observer depending on the time of year.
Right now our political system is a mess. It continues to be a lesser-than-two-evils game every election cycle. Forever certain groups leaned more heavily one one party than another, white Christians seem to gravitate to the Right, while women, minorities, and the Unions stayed Left. That is no more. What remains are hard extremists on both sides that are becoming the face of each party. One of the things I liked about the 55 and over place, Latitude Margaritaville in Hilton Head, a few weeks back was the HOA rule that you can't fly political or social issue flags. I like that. I like that because todays flags and banners state things that are disrespectful to the Office Of the President of the United States and other candidates. Have we forgotten that children can read? I think years ago it was "Go Kennedy" or "Reagan 1984". Look around these days and see what's hanging off of peoples porches and from the beds of their pickups. To me, I'm good without flags. I don't care what candidate you like, what party you're with, what team you like, where you went to school, and what social issue you need every person that drives by to know like your house is protected by political correctness.
But back to conventions. I don't watch them, well I do, only when the Vice President and President or Presidential candidate speak. Before them there is an endless barrage of ass-kissing, knife throwing, basically liars, trying to get the audience all juiced up into a frenzy. I wouldn't have a problem with it if they stood up there and said, "Here's why X is my guy or girl", and spoke somewhat of the truth when doing it. Last night the Vice Presidential nominee for the Republicans, J.D. Vance was scheduled to speak. Unfortunately I came to early to that party. I had to be tortured by speaker after speaker and video after video and song after song before he spoke at about 1045 pm. Trump Jr. and his fiancé Kim Guilfoyle spoke and to me it was like listening to someone drag their nails down a chalkboard. Who I really enjoyed hearing from was Trump's granddaughter Kai, and Vance's wife Usha. Luckily I was able to hang on for Vance's introduction after his wife's speech.
And one of the biggest problems with all this political name calling and character assassinations is you never know where and when it's gonna come full circle. I have little to no respect for people who attacked others in the past only to reverse their position in the future, just about when that serves them well. Seeing Nicki Hailey, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio speak in anyway positive about Trump gives them little or credibility in my book. How can you go from a "Never Trumper" to "We all have differences"? And it's the same way on the Democratic side as well. Before they all switch you can see their true colors at any of the debates. My belief is, if you confident in your ideology and yourself, then there is no need to knock someone down. If they belong there they will find that out by public opinion and their votes. And before he spoke that was a knock for me on Vance. Didn't he once say Trump was a "Moral disaster" and "America's Hitler"? How do walk back from that?
When Vance came onto the stage I was impressed and relieved. Why? Because I didn't know the guy. Yes he's a Republican but I would have felt the same way if he were a woman and a Democrat. It was nice to just see a fresh, and young, face walking onto the stage. Why is young nice? Because if he (or if it were a she), got my or a listeners ear you could possibly see that they could be your person and someone you could actually have a political future with. Vance is 39. To me he has an impressive life resume. If I was fancied enough by him he and Trump might get my vote, and then in four years he would be the Presidential candidate, and then be President for say eight years. That's 12 years. I'm 56, that'll put me at 68 before I have to do all this lesser evil choosing like I've done in most elections. Remember I'm an independent so this scenario could include a candidate with an elephant or a donkey on their collar. During the last election that "lesser" had me casting my vote for then Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. I liked her a lot, and still do.
Now I'm no great knower of politics and campaigns, but I do have some thoughts. Vance did good last night. He might just be enough of a buffer between the non-extreme Trump fans and the rest of the Republicans and the non-decided. He may be enough of a bright light for the future. Now it's early and I'm sure the "journalists" out there are busy digging up dirt to show that in grammar school he used to burn ants with a magnifying glass on the sidewalk. Oops, I used to do that as well. If I were a Democrat I'd be concerned and if non-decided really hesitant to throw my name into the Left. Forget all of the "stuff" that you should consider when voting, things like, safety, economy, and the future, it's more about the who's than the what's. President Biden is having a hard time these days. Depending on what you think and see and who you listen to he might have just aged out of this position. Couple that with how he handles his new Covid diagnosis and the decision if he is the Democratic candidate might be out of his hands. Vice President Harris, well I don't think she's a big fan favorite. I also think she'd get destroyed by Vance in a debate. Adding to your own opinion of the two, is the recent backlash from Democratic politicians, rock stars, and his constituency to bow out and let someone else take the reins a strong enough message for Biden to step down?
And who could step in this late in the game?
If not President Biden and Vice President Harris who is in the developmental league on that side? I think Michelle Obama could be a crowd favorite ands really make the Right sweat. If the Democrats are worried about age, and Vance being 39, would they rush Corey Booker up to the major leagues? He's become the anti-Menendez as of late and his name is again in the news for that. Gavin Newsome's, the California Governor, name has been mentioned a lot. Remember Don Jr's fiancé Kim Guilfoyle was once married to Newsome. That'll be interesting.
