Politics

I enjoy politics...sorta.  This season, though, it's been more of a love-hate relationship.  Sometimes when a public figure stands on the grandstand and decides to stump for the highest position in the country, it can make for an interesting news watch.  Other times, it only causes aggravation.  I speak, of course, about Donald Trump.

My personal opinion is that he doesn't actually want to be president.  Not just because he isn't playing by the rules, but because he is so bent on spouting off opinions to rile folks up, it's easy to see he's on his own ego trip and enjoying the ride immensely.  The more offensive he can be, the more press he gets -- and that's the bottom line with The Donald.

That's not to say that politicians need to be nice and free of sin.  We all know politicians get their hands dirty and that's been going on since forever.  I think what I object to the most regarding Trump is his success at roping in the news media to provide him with more and more air time.  I've been none too happy for many years with the way our news media has manipulated the masses.  They can
influence votes because they have the inside track and no how to present the news "that is not really the news."

I looked forward to the presidential campaigns and speeches and I'm very curious to see who the top two contenders are going to be.  I've liked Hillary for years and I still do.  This hoo haw about private email servers is so politically motivated, I don't understand how the public can't see through it.  In this electronic world we live in today, I think everyone understands that our private lives are always in danger of being hacked into one way or another.  No matter what spin is put on it and what round table discussions are served up for us to digest -- this email server issue is a NON ISSUE with me!

I don't have blinders on when it comes to Hillary, however. I'm still looking over the other folks and I haven't made up my mind yet. There are a few republican candidates that I kind of like -- Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Rand Paul -- in that order -- at least for now.
On the democratic side, I'm also listening to what Bernie Sanders has to say.

I haven't researched each of these candidates and I don't claim to know their records but I've still got time to Google everything that I want to know.  And believe me..... doing your own research is more productive than letting the people with TV microphones in front of them helping you make up your mind.  Except for PBS, all the television folks present slanted opinions -- AND I'M HAVING NONE OF IT!

Okay. I'm done ranting on that subject for now.  It's early (7:30 a.m.) and heaven knows why I felt compelled to write about this.  Maybe something was going on in my dreams.

Got an appointment with the optometrist today and will be picking Maddie up at high school to take her for her physical at the doctor's office.  Otherwise, it's sewing, reading, and surfin' the net.  Oh, and cookies to bake.  I made up the batter yesterday (banana chocolate chip)  but was too tired to do the oven part so I stuck the bowl in the fridge.  No Labor Day weekend plans to speak of, and I don't recall going on one single picnic this summer.  There was a time when picnics were commonplace on my list of activities. How'd that change?