Anchor Struck

That the Republicans consider The Donald Trump their front-runner for next

year’s presidential campaign is a source of dismay and amusement to me.  Dismay

that so much of the GOP rank and file can yet again follow a rich man posing as a

populist, and amusement for that very same reason.

Don’t get me wrong.  I think Trump is sublime, in the most precise definition of the

word, that he can change quickly from a solid to a gaseous state.  That’s what makes

him such a superb salesman.  He sells himself, and his perfect bluster is a smoke

screen for his actual business dealings.  He’s filed for bankruptcy on four of his big

projects.

So a whole bunch of people think that this man who expertly manipulates the U.S.

house-of-cards economy will put federal financial affairs in order.  And they’re also

willing to accept Trump’s trumpeting that he “screwed” Moammar Ghadaffi on a

real estate deal as his foreign policy credential.

It ain’t gonna happen, folks, though it likely would be Obama’s wildest dream.  The

Prez would carve up The Donald in a campaign.  Trump, as he’s done before, makes

this noise to get ink and e-ink, then drops out of the race when he’s obtained what

he really wanted.  My guess is that he’s trying to drive up ratings for the slumping

“Apprentice”.  At any rate, he’ll come up with some noble reason to quit before he’s

required to reveal his finances.  You can bank on it.  America is one thing The

Donald can’t comb over.

The larger issue here is why those in the power elite think we’ll buy novelties like a

Trump candidacy.  I believe I’ve figured out why: we’ve confused them by not pro-

viding better role models to guide their lives.  When the national committees of the

Democrats and Republicans look down on us to figure out what candidates would

be most likely to be elected, they see an electorate fascinated by Royal Weddings,

ballon boys, Tonya Harding, Monica Lewinsky, O. J.’s 50-mph freeway chase and

Charlie Sheen’s meltdown.

Why should they assume that we’re interested in anyone of substance?  When a can-

didate like Ralph Nader talks to us like adults and offers specific solutions instead of

flag-waving rhetoric, he or she is immediately ridiculed and marginalized.  So we

get the government they think we want.  Crap.

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I’ve decided that, as much as I’ve enjoyed posting every day, I have to cut back.  It

takes me several hours a day to produce a string of words that I think will amuse

and/or inform you, and that won’t embarrass me.

I started this blog to share the sustainability efforts in my neighbourhood and on

the island. I’m accepting Thursday’s dump of goop as the last throe of winter. We’ve

had gorgeous weather since.  This means that it’s time for me to get away from the

keyboard and outside to a huge list of projects.  To share these with you, I actually

have to build them.

So I’ll still be around, at least a few times a week and whenever I have major scoop.

Please consider subscribing to the blog by e-mail.  Then you’ll know when I post.

Jude’s in the garden, Lee’s outside fixing the truck, Ollie’s hunting robins and

Slinkee’s overseeing all of that.  I’m off to join them.  Have a great weekend and

a happy May Day.  I’ll be in touch.