THE IDEALISM OF YOUTH

After watching prerecorded programs to avoid the Democratic Convention, quite late last night my wife switched to MSNBC in time to catch Michelle Obama’s speech and Bernie’s closing.   After the closing, some of the Bernie supporters were interviewed, and there was a theme in common: they were young and they were idealist. 

It didn’t surprise me that Bernie’s young people all said they couldn’t vote for Hillary.  

We have all been there.   The world seemed so black and white and answers seemed so obvious when we were young adult.   

At that age the world is about you - it's for you.  You are in awe of how misguided older adults behave and how obtuse your parents are – and you are not going to be like them now that you’re are grown.

Young people haven’t yet realized that the world is not black and white but shades of grey.  They haven’t been knocked back by adult responsibilities. 

It is only after you find out that the thrill of relationships is short lived, that babies cry through the night, that baby shit is stinky mustard yellow, that money is required for housing, food, car payments, insurance, medical bills, clothing, and that that money doesn’t come from mom and dad - that you have to earn it.   It is only after you have been knocked back a few times that you have made your bones as an adult.

 

Don’t get me wrong; I am not decrying young adults.   The idealism of young has brought about great changes in society.  The generation of the sixties with drug, sex and rock and roll brought about positive social change, as did the young people that demonstrated and bled during the integration of the south.   If it weren’t for the idealism of youth, which makes them easily manipulated, there would be no cannon fodder for the military. 

So Bernie’s young people cried in the audience and they can’t bring themselves to vote for Hillary.   They don’t understand yet that the world does not rotate just for them, that what they want does not drive the universe.  They can't see past their own egotism that a no vote for Hilary is an own-goal for Donald Trump.   

That you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need.  

   

Not bad for seventy year old rock band musicians.

the Ol'Buzzard

THE HORROR OF HILLARY FOR 2016

Don’t get me wrong; I will probably vote for Hillary – I think she would make an outstanding President.  

The problem is that with only one viable Presidential contender on the Democratic ticket we are taking a large chance of a Republican candidate sweeping into office as the ‘only alternative.’   

The voting public is fickle.   It only takes one misstatement in front of the press (Romney’s 47%)

 or one unfortunate photo op (Howard Dean) to turn off the voting public and doom a candidate.  

If we run Hillary as the presumed winner nominee without a viable alternative and some scandal or questionable action occurs (and with Hillary she is even vulnerable if Bill is brought under the spotlight) it could sink her candidacy resulting in the voting public turning to Republicans.

Democrats need a viable alternative to Hillary running for the nomination in 2016.

the Ol'Buzzard

HILLARY’S E-MAILS: THE REPUBLICAN RIGHT IS GOING TO GO CRAZY-ER.

EVERYONE’S PRIORITY IS TO COVER THEIR OWN ASS

No one of any position and any intelligence uses e-mail for any correspondence that my effect their tenure.    

One of the most tentative employment position is superintendent (and principal) in an Alaskan Native school district: you serve at the pleasure of a school board (and like most school boards) that has no teaching background or experience, but also carry a cultural resentment for non-native administrators.    I worked for a superintendent that was absolutely paranoid about e-mail.   We carried on general correspondence via e-mail; but any situation that had a possibility of being questioned by the school board was discussed only in person or by phone. 

I can understand Hillary wanting the control of her e-mails; but with any ambition beyond Secretary of State her private server was bound to ignite a fire storm of criticism – because everything about her is and has always been a subject of criticism and paranoid scrutiny by the Republican Right. 

Like a Texas sharpshooter the Republicans will draw a target around this e-mail controversy.  

In Logic we study arguments; and the Republicans are using an Argumentum Ignorantian: the premise is true because it has not been proven it is not true.

What it all boils down to is that Republicans hate the Democrats, the Democrats disdain the Republicans and the Independents have no chance.  

So there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth; and in the end, half of the country will be dissatisfied with the results of the 2016 election regardless of who is elected  – and life will go on as usual. 

SNAFU:  Situation Normal All Fucked Up.

the Ol’Buzzard