This might be one of the hottest summers in recent memory, and I\u2019m not talking about global warming. Last time I saw a summer this hot was \u201867. I happened to be in Michigan when the Detroit riots broke out. Everyone was appalled at the wanton violence and destruction on the nightly news. We took the word of Walter Cronkite & company.
\n It\u2019s now pretty easy to sit there eating supper and watch the news on some cable channel that is bought to you by one side or the other, but claims to be unbiased. I watch them interview various politicians, and, if nothing else, I\u2019ve learned one thing that candidates do. They NEVER answer the question. The highly skilled, glib leaders of our society answer a different question that highlights whatever balderdash they\u2019re pushing. If the candidate happens to get pinned down, and have to actually answer a question then the tactic is to SPIN. This means; never lie outright, just color the story in the best light. Or, as we might say at home in Texas, \u201cPut a little extra jam on the bread.\u201d
\n There is an old story that has been used to illustrate this for years. I first saw it in debate class in the \u201860s, and it been coming around the internet for a while now. I don\u2019t know who wrote it, so don\u2019t accuse me of plagiarism, or, even worse, copyin\u2019 someone else\u2019s words, \u2018cause I didn\u2019t, I\u2019m just using the story to make a point.
\n A politician was asked about one of their famous ancestors, a well known figure in history, and the answer went something like this:<\/p>\n
\u201cMy great-uncle, (grandfather, cousin, who-ever) was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, he passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform on which he was standing collapsed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sounds pretty good right? Ol\u2019 Uncle so-and-so was a fine, upstanding citizen capable of producing decedents qualified to lead us.
\n Not so fast; My debate teacher, Mr. O\u2019Brien, taught me to analyze everything some-one says, and figure out what they mean. Here\u2019s my take on this one: Let\u2019s take this one sentence at a time and see if we can figure out what really happened.
\n \u201cMy great-uncle, was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad.\u201d
\n This translates to: He was a horse thief and train robber.
\n \u201cBeginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to service at a government facility.\u201d
\n He went to prison.
\n \u201cFinally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.\u201d
\n He escaped from prison and went back to robbing trains.
\n \u201cIn 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency.\u201d
\n The Pinkertons chased him down.
\n \u201cIn 1889, he passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform on which he was standing collapsed.\u201d
\n He was hanged.<\/p>\n
Sounds a little different when you scrape off the \u2018extra jam on the bread\u2019, doesn\u2019t it?
\n My point is, don\u2019t believe a thing these people tell you unless you, personally know it to be true, or, can check the facts independently.
\n I know that we\u2019ve all got a few skeletons in our closets, but it seems to me that if these people claim to really be able to figure out what to do next better than we can, they better have their ducks in a row. Think about it; these are the people that claim they can;
\nSpend your money better than you can,
\nPlan your retirement better than you can,
\nEducate your children better than you can,
\nProtect your home better than you can,
\nPick your doctor better than you can,
\nDecide what kind of house to build better than you can,
\nDecide what kind of car you are going to drive better than you can.
\n I could go on, but you get the idea.
\n I guess I\u2019m dating myself a little here, but the last presidential candidate I really liked was Barry Goldwater. Ever since then I\u2019ve had to make a choice between two candidates that I probably wouldn\u2019t trust to wash my truck. They all talk so fast that\u2019s it\u2019s like trying to read Playboy with your wife turning the pages\u2026 The current choices seem to be between hemlock and cyanide. One is quicker than the other, but they both lead to the same end.
\n Senator Goldwater said when he was running for president against JFK:
\n \u201cI have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution or that have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is “needed” before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents “interests,” I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.\u201d
\n Do you think, in your wildest imagination, you\u2019ll ever hear one of our current candidates saying such a thing?
\n Point is: Don\u2019t believe everything you hear at the coffee house, at work, or from some internet \u2018expert\u2019. ( Including me.) Check it out for yourself. I\u2019ve gotten to the point that I don\u2019t even need to know the party of the politician glad-handing me and promising to make someone else pay for whatever I think is to my personal benefit. There isn\u2019t much difference. Lately, I just ask one question; \u201cAre you currently in office?\u201d
\n I remember when I was in basic training in the Army. We tried to do our best, but invariable, one guy would screw up. Guess who got punished? Everybody in the platoon. After about the second time that some ignorant \u2018know-it-all\u2019 earned us all a few hours of push-up\/marching\/close order drill, we devised a solution. It was called a \u2018blanket party\u2019 It involved, 1 slow learner, 1 blanket, 1 bar of soap in a sock in the latrine with about 20 of his closest friends\u2026 Bruises were earned and lessons were quickly learned and life went on.
\n It is considered politically incorrect to throw blanket parties for our present crop of so called leaders, but it is perfectly proper to vote them out of office. Everyone agrees that there are congressmen and senators that need to be sent home, but it is always in some other district. Their particular guy is just great because he got somebody a long ways away to pay for a new bridge (with another crooks name on it). Let me tell you something: There isn\u2019t a frog-hairs worth of difference between one party and the other, in most cases. Even if you vote out the current hero of whatever party you belong to and replace him with someone from \u2018the dreaded opposition\u2019, at least the new guy will go into office knowing that his job depends on following the constitution. If he doesn\u2019t, the voters can impose a term limit whenever they feel like it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This might be one of the hottest summers in recent memory, and I\u2019m not talking about global warming. Last time I saw a summer this hot was \u201867. I happened to be in Michigan when the Detroit riots broke out. … Continue reading