Democrats Make Gains Nationally and In Oklahoma

There was a time when the GOP referred to the Democratic Party as the "Tax and Spend Party."  To the average voter, it looks like the GOP was jealous of such branding and have taken it on for themselves.  This is evident by the increase of taxes including; fuel tax, gross production tax, tax on tobacco, and finally (of course) increased taxes on booze.  As this happens, we see this mass exodus of Republican "lawmakers" taking better paying jobs with the Feds and other government teats.  

This is the same party that once said that welfare was a bad thing, but corporate welfare is okay and being a perpetual burden on the taxpayers as long as you're elected and not terribly poor.  

Back in the days of WKY, I remember talking frequently about the reality that for most elected officials, it is the best job they will ever have and that holds true today.  The concept of being a "citizen legislature" has given way to the disturbing influx of Political Science majors who are beginning to show their lack of "real world" experience.  

But I digress.

Virginia, New Jersey, and even already liberal Washington State have seen a growth spurt in the number of Democratic elected officials and no one should really be surprised.  As Cal Thomas once said, "If Republicans are going to act like Democrats, you might as well vote for Democrats because at least then you know what you're getting."  There is a great deal of truth to that, you know.  

Many will blame President Trump for the increase of elected Democrats, but in Oklahoma, the increase in taxes and the amount of fraud that is being uncovered by State Auditor Gary Jones leaves no one to blame but the Republican leadership.  There was even questions about departments that were/are run by Lt. Governor Todd Lamb in terms of financial mismanagement.  But yet, there are more and more career Republican politicians who are looking for more opportunities to suckle from the taxpayer teat by either running for higher office or finding a taxpayer-funded bureaucratic job.

And we used to think lobbyists were bad.

Sure, there has been a lot of propaganda spewed about from both sides of the aisle regarding just how horrendous our budget situation is/was/will continue to be, but in the aggregate, our elected officials aren't losing any services.  They are still getting their medical coverage, their retirement funds, their salaries (highest paid part-time legislators in the country, by the way), and in some cases, the opportunity to pocket some taxpayer funds until they are caught.

Neither party is perfect and the way they are acting does nothing but underscore the reality that third party candidates are becoming increasingly appealing to the disenfranchised voters as it is.  But, there is still hope, my fellow Oklahomians.  We simply have to be diligent and call a pig a pig.  Ask hard questions of our elected officials and of those who desire to be elected officials and if they give us some bovine feces answer, call them out on social media and within your sphere of influence.  We can change the direction of Oklahoma government.  We just have to care enough to do so.

Of course, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Ron "Gorilla" Black

Catching Up, Throwing Down

For a "Christian nation," there sure are a whole lot of really angry people running around.  We are seeing that the folks who beg for tolerance are less tolerant than they desire others to be and we are seeing that folks who are supposed to be all about grace and mercy are really all about their perception of justice and retribution.  Perhaps this is just how things go after an election but I have a very distinct feeling that there is something special in the air (or maybe in the water) and there will be some major changes soon.  The storm clouds are forming on the horizon and a shift is about to take place…

I suppose I still find it tough to believe that Donald Trump is our POTUS.  I say this not for or against the man, but rather with curiosity as to how we got to this place in our history where we would have to choose between the two previous candidates.  President Trump has already stirred the pot in Washington and without a doubt, he'll continue to do so until it's a murky, muddy mess.  It's also amazing how many people absolutely hate the man and would rather turn violent and destroy property to show their disdain for him than they would to accept the fact that sometimes candidates we don't like much win races.  Reasoned dialog is out the window, the tolerant ones have become immeasurably intolerant.  And what really pisses people off is that Trump is actually keeping his promises that he made on the campaign trail.  

Fascinating.

On a local level, Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel has resigned after his November victory over Mike Christian.  Christian has vowed to run again during the special election and unless another candidate steps up, he will probably win in a walk.  Whetsel submitted his resignation letter and is ready to ride off into the sunset regardless of what kind of ghosts will follow him; the ghosts of fiscal mismanagement.  This makes everyone wonder just why it was that Whetsel again wasted taxpayer dollars by causing this upcoming special election.   It's just bloody weird.

In other weird and wacky news, a state senator is apparently filing legislation to shut down the will of the voters on a couple state questions in the last election cycle.  As I have said before and will again; we must never forget that for some elected officials, it is by far the best job they will ever have and their new-found power will corrupt their minds absolutely.  They begin to think that they know what's better for their constituents than do the constituents who elected them.  More Nanny State manure will certainly be coming our way, so wear your political waders.

In my humble opinion, everyone needs to just calm down for a little while and try real hard to find logic in action.  If we do, maybe there is still hope for us.

Of course, those are just my opinions and I could be wrong…but I seriously doubt it.


Ron "Gorilla" Black

And Yet, Here We Stand

The land was laid bare and the bodies of the dead littered the streets; streets that were covered in blood.  In the distance, the screams and lamentations of women and children pierced the air and threatened to shatter eardrums.  The smell of death and destruction permeated the air and created a weight and denseness to every breath.  The fear and sadness surrounded every living thing that remained; it was as though any hope of life and joy had been sucked from the human existence and left in its wake was nothing but despair.  The skies were permanently darkened, buildings and institutions that had stood the test of time were decimated, and survivors were fearful to even consider a future. 

Okay, not really, but reading some of the post on social media after the election, one would think that the end of the world had come and stripped all Americans of their humanity and dignity.  Hillary Clinton lost in her bid to be the country's first female president, defeated by one of the most disliked men in all of politics, Donald Trump, and far too many people are taking it personally.  Trump was called every name in the book by the elitists on either side of the aisle and yet he triumphed and that really pisses people off.  Even today, there are people who have lost their damned minds and are protesting in the streets!  What in the hell is wrong with us?

This country will survive.  We survived Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton.  The country will survive Donald Trump and perhaps it will awaken the establishment douchebags to see their douchebaggery.  Maybe, just maybe, terrorists will take us a little more seriously now as well.

On a local level, there were some serious surprises.

SQ779:   While I believed that our teachers and children deserved better than this proposal, I really figured that it would pass.  After all, they had Toby Keith in the ads...but I digress.  It was believed that the initiative would pass, teachers would receive a pay raise and administrators would have s slush fund to play with, but no.  It didn't happen.  Teachers still need a pay raise and we need to do something better to fund education because the lottery wasn't the magic bullet, was it?  Hopefully, the legislature can do something honest to address the issue and make sure that the administrators keep their filthy paws off of the money that will be for the classrooms and for teachers.

SQ790:  I really thought that Oklahoma would pass this measure and not because it was the right thing to do, but because of our desire to mix God and government at every turn.  Perhaps Pastor Paul Blair's loss in the primary was a harbinger of things to come that Oklahomans understand that we need to be careful what we ask for, because we might just get it.  First, it would be spending money on the 10 Commandments (the ones we couldn't keep and so Christ had to die for us), then it would mean that Islam would get a monument, then Hinduism, and so on so forth.  Tax dollars spent on one religious institution would mean, by necessity, an entitlement from all religious expressions.  Kudos to the voters for shooting this one down.

Oklahoma County Sheriff:  Whetsel got another four years, defeating an aggressive and determined Republican Mike Christian.  Whetsel will now face the County Commissioners about financial wrongdoing.  This was a surprise.  Even though Whetsel was a recognized name, he spent money on television and frankly, that was a big plus for his campaign because Christian was pretty much nowhere to be found.  Maybe he spent too much on his consultants...but again, I digress.

Yet, amid all this madness, here we stand.  We still live in the greatest country on the planet to say or believe anything different is just silliness.

We can do this. 

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla

What A World

It's been a little while, so I thought I'd better catch up and provide a little color commentary to the already jaded political and social landscape.  It's what you expect from me, so I choose not to disappoint.  Let's get after it, shall we?

POTUS:  What a train wreck.  How in the world we ended up with these two candidates is something that OU Political Science Professor Keith Gaddie will be writing about long into the future, but it befuddles the rest of us.  The Trump Train exists, in my opinion, as a rebellion move against the establishment of the GOP that has been virtually indistinguishable from the mainstream of the Democratic Party over the last decade.  Fortunately, we have three branches of government so two out of three will have to get us through the next four years.  I truly have no pony in this race at all and it looks like I may have to vote for the Libertarian just so I can preserve what is left of my tattered soul. 

Oklahoma County Sheriff:  This has turned into a barn-burner of a race, hasn't it?  The State Auditor released findings that basically showed that incumbent Democrat Sheriff John Whetsel has not been so adept at handling financial issues.  Of course, most of us with any functioning brain cells whatsoever have seen the disaster that is the Oklahoma County Jail; but at least we don't have to deal with Joyce Gilchrist any longer.  But I digress...  Representative Mike Christian is the GOP hopeful for the race and I've known Mike for a long time; we used to hunt and consume adult beverages together "back in the day."  I think I may even have some film from my old TV show with Mike on a hunt with us.  He has survived the turmoil of the Randy Terrill/Debbe Leftwich disaster that sent Terrill to jail.  Now, he is gunning for the Sheriff's badge.  This will be a close nail-biter of a race to watch and it's anyone's guess as to who will win this one.  

Oklahoma County Clerk:  David Hooten surprised everyone and found himself in a runoff with Carolyn Caudill and then he defeated her in the runoff.  Embattled former Speaker of the House, Lance Cargill, helped run the campaign and it is a pretty significant one to win.  There is a lot of taxpayer dollars involved in that office and a whole lot more than one would suspect.  Garnering the endorsements of two previous governor's, David Hooten will be facing the perennial Libertarian candidate, Chris Powell.  Hooten will run away with this race and soundly defeat Powell.  What will be interesting to watch, however, will be who Hooten brings into the County Clerk's office to work with him.  Who will be his Chief Deputy?  That pick will set the stage for either reform, or more of the same.  

As far as the Congressional races go, expect the incumbents to win easily.  The Oklahoma Congressional Delegation will remain in the grasp of the GOP as will House and Senate seats in the Oklahoma Legislature.

What a world in which we live.  God help us.

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla 

A Funny Thing Happened at the GOP Convention

The entertainment level at the GOP Convention in Cleveland may take the title of "greatest show on earth" soon because the hits and misses just keep coming.  Whether it be the Colorado delegates stomping their feet and marching out of the Conventional Hall like a bunch of dope-smoking weenies, you have the doggone POTUS candidate's wife using Michelle Obama's speech!  What a bloody train wreck it has been and we've only just begun!  It is hilarious and tragically sad at the same time.  

It's insanity.  It's as thought the whole of the convention has been turned over to the children who are busy playing with their crayons and wetting their pants.

There is even a contingent who are staying away from the convention, headed up by the ever-pathetic John Kasich from Ohio who is by far the most liberal Republican to come of out the Republican Party in the last two decades.  Key Senators are avoiding the convention and it simply makes them look like petulant children who can't stand the heat and only proves that the people did the right thing by not voting for them at the polls (particularly Kasich).

And speaking of foot-stomping points of interest...

State Senator wanna-be Paul Blair, who happens to also be the pastor of one of Edmond's more active Baptist churches had a meeting/press conference where announced that his opponent had slandered him because of a photoshopped picture of the Pastor Blair.  Well, first, he's a public figure and as a result is open to be lampooned predicated on the 1st Amendment of the Constitution that he claims to have read and so vehemently supports.  Second, It is highly doubtful that his opponent has the ability to use Photoshop itself but rather an opponent of the former football player turned pastor turned candidate for State Senator.  

From the Oklahoman: 

Blair said Pugh’s supporters have also posted on social media that he has ties to Kansas’ Westboro Baptist Church.  

“These kind of baseless vile accusations can destroy a man’s reputation forever. And can destroy the reputation of a church forever,” Blair said Monday afternoon from the fourth floor press room inside the Oklahoma state Capitol. 

Pastor Blair had for himself quite the all-star lineup backing him; he had Congressman Steve Russell, term-limited House Rep Kevin Calvey, and other supporters by his side when he proclaimed that his opponent had slandered him.  The Scripture is clear about issues between brothers that they are supposed to take issues to one another in private and then if it isn't resolved, kick it up a notch.  Seems to me that Blair ignored the very Scriptures he preaches from.  

But I could be wrong.  One of the "tricks" in talk radio is to have someone known to the host call in to the show to disagree and to so with tenacity.  The aggregate result is that the loyal listeners circle the wagons and call in to support the talk show host.   Blair would never do that with his campaign, would he?  I don't think so.  

Blair doth protest too much, methinks.  You have to ask yourself why a former football player who heard the "call from God" to be in ministry now thinks the time has come to move to the realm of elected office.  From what I recall about the New Testament, Matthew 23 was pretty clear about what Jesus thought of the religious/political leaders of his day.  Thought the role of the Church was to make disciples, care for the sick, the elderly, the poor, the widows...not push for voters.  And he's talking about "slander?"  What?  He wants to be a State Senator but the pastor seems to have thinner skin than when he played football.

But what do I know?

On another local runoff front, things have been pretty quiet in the Oklahoma County Clerk race.  The embattled incumbent of about a hundred years, Carolynn Caudill, will  be facing trumpet-player and musician to the elected elite, David B. Hooten.  Hooten ran for the State Senate a couple years back and lost and now he found himself in a runoff with seasoned campaigner, Carolynn Caudill.  If Hooten thinks that she's just going to lay down and do nothing, he has a few things to learn about the incumbent County Clerk and her supporters who are already elected down at the County.  This is not going to be a walk in the park for the newcomer, but the talk is that he has former Speaker of the House Lance Cargill running his campaign.  This one has the potential to be an awesome race or fizzle and be a dud.  Wooten tends to be a bit soft-spoken, but giving credit where credit is due, the musician has gained the endorsements of former Governor Frank Keating and Governor Mary Fallin which means he must be pretty tough.  Hooten has the chance to blow Caudill out of the water, but he is going to have to start sounding his horn (see what I did there?).care 

Of course, my opinions don't really amount to much these days and I've been horribly wrong in the past.

The whole political climate right now is very sad and frightening for the GOP; or at least it should be.  The future of the party depends on its ability to be more inclusive, to recruit more women to run for office, and to have more people of color run and actually receive the support of their respective party offices.  So far, we're coming off like a bunch of xenophobic, redneck, racist dingleberries who are completely out of touch with culture.  Something has to be done and it isn't going to come from plagiarism nor will it come from pastors who are jumping the pulpit to run for public office.  

These are just my opinions and I could be wrong, but, in this case it is highly unlikely.

Ron "Gorilla" Black

What Did You Expect?

To lighten the mood a bit, I've decided to take tidbits from the news and from social media and ask one of the most profound questions in all of history:  What did you expect?  These are morsels of truth that no one really likes to swallow but are as necessary for survival as oxygen; and we need to laugh at and with ourselves once in a while.  

Journalist Who Profiled Melania Trump Files Police Report After Getting Threats:  What did this journalist expect?  She pulls no punches in a story about the wife of a bombastic and incendiary POTUS candidate and she gets threats.  This should be under the "profound grasp of the obvious" file because there is no doubt she knew (Julia Ioffe) that it was inviting trouble.  You can't jump into a pit of vipers and then bitch about the fact that your dumb little butt got bit.  I'm not saying that threats are a good thing and neither am I justifying them.  I'm just saying that when you're in the media and you stir up some poop, you have to expect to get some poop on you yourself.  

Raising Taxes to Solve Revenue Problem:  Our legislature in Oklahoma as well as the Governor herself have considered that one way to solve the "problem" of an income crisis is to raise taxes on citizens, but to leave in place countless incentives for the richest among us.  For example, the Thunder organization is not required to pay payroll taxes on their massive payroll.  This benefits the multi-million dollar players and the millionaire owners, but doesn't do a damned thing for the average working Joe in Oklahoma.  Yes, I know that the Thunder has become a sacred cow in Oklahoma City, but the truth is what it is.  They receive a ridiculous incentive that they just don't need.  Yet, it is not just limited to the Thunder, but rather extends to the rich and famous in Oklahoma.  Instead, they are planning to raise taxes on cigarettes (again) because Medicaid needs the money and they want to toss some by way of the education infrastructure.  But what did we expect when we elected this particularly raw group of narcissists?  We knew that it was fame and fortune for them and for most of them in office, it's the best job they will ever have.  What did we expect, really?

American Ninja Warrior at the Capitol:  ANW is filming in Oklahoma and they are filming in the parking lot of the methane gas filled dome.  Seriously?  What did we expect?  It's the perfect location for horseplay such as that.

Axl Rose Singing for AC/DC:  The response has been tepid at best where the Guns-N-Roses front man heading up AC/DC is concerned and really, we shouldn't be surprised.  Live performances when Rose was in his prime were always a crap-shoot, and now that he is forced to sit on a throne because of a broken leg and screech out what we thought were AC/DC tunes, he sounds like a cat that needs to be put down with impunity.   

Hillary Targets Female Voters, Attacking Trump's Standing With Women:  Hillary has most meat-eating conservatives on the right chomping at the bit to see her in jail and most of the Hillary-haters are men so, it should not be a surprise at all when we see Hillary trying to cuddle up to the female voters in the attempt to make Trump look like a big meanie who hates girls.  Trump doesn't have the greatest family values record, to be sure, and admittedly, neither do I.  But there are a ton of Americans who have grown tired of the chest-thumping of the dominionists who want to run the country (and state) like a theocracy.  They want efficacy and a no-holds barred approach to problem solving; not a bunch of hand-wringing bed-wetters who are strong only on religious issues, but are sissies where issues of Constitutional import are concerned.  It was predicted that this would be the way she would steer her strategy.

These were just a few issues and problems that were just too funny not to mention and do so with a sense of humor.  We live in wickedly weird times, my friends and it's only going to get more strange.

Of course, these are just my not-so-humble opinions and I could be wrong.  But, no.  I'm not.

Gorilla

Make It Stop. Please.

Most everyone loves puppies.  They are cute and cuddly, and watching them grow borders on the miraculous; heck, we tolerate with great patience their "accidents" on the floor when they are little.  But there does come a time when they reach an age when they just know better.  If they have an accident as an adult dog, it is often a sign that something is terribly wrong.

The three amigos who want to be the Republican nominees for President have been pooping all over the process and We The People should recognize that something is terribly wrong.  There should have been a few indicators early on that caught our attention, but apparently we were too busy watching Netflix (at least I was) to notice.  Let's take a look at some of the warning signs that we should have noticed, and now should notice.

If a Presidential candidate has a reputation of being despised by his own party in the Senate, there's a good chance that something is terribly wrong.

If a Presidential candidate repeats himself like broken robot, there's a good chance that something is terribly wrong.

If a Presidential candidate sends out false information about an opponent "suspending his campaign," there is a good chance that something is terribly wrong.

If a Presidential candidate makes reference to his John Thomas during a debate, there is a very good chance that something is terribly wrong.

These candidates are pooping all over the place and we should know better.  Hell, they should know better but the way the process works is that you spew back to the electorate whatever tripe came out in polling.  In other words, they tell their gang what they want to hear and they don't care if the American people have to scoop the poop. 

When did We The People kiss farewell to our minds?  How in the hell did these three comedians become the Republican front runners?  I mean, really.  Is this the best we could do?  Why are so many people ga-ga over a a guy whose campaign has been anecdotal and at best, one-liners?  Trump is so NOT a legitimate candidate but here he is stirring up shite in the GOP because perhaps he really wants Hillary to win the election?  Maybe?

Trump in the race reminds me of Gary Richardson getting in the gubernatorial race because he didn't like Steve Largent which, by default, handed Brad Henry the governor's race.  

Stop for a moment and think about which of the candidates you would prefer to sit in a meeting with Vladimir Putin.  Surely, not Trump.  Ted Cruz would just want to argue with him.  Marco Rubio would be sitting in a puddle of his own pee!  Maybe it's just me but I long for the days when we had candidates on both sides of the aisle who could debate and carry on a conversation without hair-pulling and rock-throwing.  

We are so screwed.

Of course, this is just my opinion and I could be completely off-base and totally wrong; but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla

 

Trump, Cruz, and Rubio Walk Into A Bar...

Trump, Cruz, and Rubio walk into a bar...

Cruz orders a diet cola because he doesn't want to offend the church-going crowd by having an adult beverage.

Rubio calls his consultants and asks which brand of beer he should drink according to polling.

Trump orders a Long Island Iced Tea and says, "I need something strong to deal with you two."

The POTUS race on the GOP side has really gotten interesting, hasn't it?  The hatred and fear of Donald Trump has caused some on the right side of the aisle to lose their bloody minds and go full-on idiot.  The arguments used against Trump are ones that have been used in the past against other GOP candidates and there was gnashing of teeth and belly-whacking back then, but it's okay now, apparently.  To see the banter back and forth should be quite revelatory to most of us; it's an indication of just how dirty many of the campaign consultants can and will be to ensure their ponies fair well.

What is absolutely hilarious is the latest blathering to be put forth about "fighting against Trump."  Here is a quote from one elected official:

"I will fight for my country against Donald Trump till I have no fight left."

Wait.  What?

This is a man who has never stood a post, who chose to go down the path of politics as a career who is admitting he would fight for his country against a fellow American but his chicken sh*t ass wouldn't stand a post in the greatest military in the world?  Surely, he is kidding, right?  But no, this dude and others like him are talking a good game when it comes time to "nut up," they are Missing In Inaction; standing a post or being a part of the military would be so beneath them.   

We shouldn't be surprised that not a single one of the presidential candidates on either side of the aisle ever stood a post.  None of them.

Forgive my language, but the audacity of some elected officials to put forth an image that they are exceptionally patriotic during a campaign year when their candidate is getting their asses kicked is nothing short of phenomenal.  

And the really sad part to this madness is that there are supporters of this cat who are congratulating him for taking a stand.  The stupid.  It burns.

Trump, Cruz, and Rubio are exactly what the GOP asked for and we're getting a heaping serving of all three.  These candidates (Trump included) are no different than the candidates we've seen before; just like we keep regurgitating the same line of political hacks and electing them to public office, the POTUS candidates, with the exception of one, are all career politicians.  There are a few differences between the three GOP front runners, but if they are elected, you can rest comfortably knowing that these fellows are going to do what previous presidents have done:  Little.

Don't think for a nanosecond that I somehow support Trump either because I don't.  There are some serious

crap coming down the tracks and I don't think any of the candidates will be able to deal with them.  There's Iran, ISIS, VA disasters, immigration, jobs, and the mess with the SCOTUS.  Which of the candidates can you see actually handling these problems?  Rubio looks like he'd piss his pants if Putin showed up for a meeting, Cruz would probably hold a prayer breakfast of Pharisees, and Trump would just launch and put us in another long and arduous war.

I don't know.  Maybe I am too harsh.  I respect everyone's right to support whomever they choose for whichever office they choose.  Maybe I don't know enough about the candidates, maybe my personal feelings about politicians has been clouding my judgement.  I just know that there was a time when we could have had a decorated Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, and dedicated man serve in Congress.  Instead, we chose a camp counselor who is now in the U.S. Senate.  

God help us.

Of course, these are just my opinions and I could very well be completely wrong, but I seriously freaking doubt it.

Gorilla

POTUS Race Halftime Entertainment

It's February and the POTUS campaigns are in full swing and already some of the candidates most of us believed shouldn't be in the race to begin with have called it quits.  There are still a couple on the GOP side of things whose resolve has been bolstered because of a good showing in New Hampshire.  John Kasich pulled it off, but good heavens; he's not even remotely electable.  Governor Christie should be dropping out or "suspending his campaign" and Carly Fiorina, well, she didn't even stand a chance going into the race.  It's kind of sad because she seemed intelligent and ready to lead.

The two GOP candidates who are still legitimately in the running are Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz.  Read that again to yourself.  Trump (net worth in the billions), Rubio (owns a half million dollar house and his net worth is $976k), and Cruz (made over a million dollars last year).  That is the best and brightest that the GOP can come up with?  Can you imagine any of them actually getting elected? And we thought the Super Bowl halftime show was bad...

On the Democratic side it is pretty much a done deal.  Hillary will be the candidate.  Sanders is an interesting cat to be sure, but just, no.

About the Super Bowl...

As a Seattle Seahawk fan, I found it difficult to cheer for former division rival, Denver Broncos, but I abhor the Carolina Panthers even more. I thought it to be an interesting and entertaining game and then there was the halftime show.  

Perhaps it's my old age and my desire for simplicity is the driving force in my life, but I didn't get any of the halftime show.  Bruno Mars was good, I think.  Coldplay is Coldplay and you know what you're going to get with them, but it wasn't a good show at all.  Beyonce, once again, wore a skimpy outfit and showed off her hindquarters and her ability to rumble that backside.  The whole Black Panther thing?  It was silliness and the aggregate result is that she is getting plenty of attention as a result.  Her mission was accomplished on many levels.

Who would make an entertaining halftime show?  Bruce Springsteen?  Zakk Wylde and BLS?  U2?  Aerosmith?  Lady Gaga?  There really has to be someone or some group that would be better than a bunch of butt-shaking jibber jabber.  Or maybe not.

Of course, it's just my opinion and I could be wrong; but I seriously doubt it.  

"Gorilla"

And the TRUMPet Sounded

I had an interesting conversation with my son today.  It was really nice to catch up, discuss some of the happenings in our lives and even a little politics.  He asked me what I thought of Donald Trump as a ladder climbing POTUS candidate for the GOP.  My initial thought was that Trump was little more than a blowhard voice screeching in the wind and will get creamed by the Bush money.  But watching some of the news stories and the comics about Trump have made me think a little more seriously at the whole mess.

First, let's consider some irrefutable facts:

• GOP is scandal-ridden.  Just look at Oklahoma and the party pissing contests that have gone on of late.  Former State Senator, former Gubernatorial candidate, former U.S. Senate candidate and present chairman of the state GOP, Randy Brogdon was elected and it wasn't a week before he was stirring the feces and now, the party reeks from the stench of it.  
• The GOP doesn't like its choices.  They wanted a hardcore, line in the sand cat for leadership, and now they are whining about his leadership?  A leopard cannot change his spots and Brogdon is a special breed of leopard who couldn't give a rats ass what anyone thinks of him.  That's what he was elected for, remember?
• Donald Trump is a very wealthy man, and though he has filed bankruptcy more than once, he always lands on his feet.  It's hypocritical for anyone to chastise him for that (particularly in the GOP) because when you think about it, under the GOP leadership, we have spent trillions of dollars on a never-ending war on whatever the hell is over on the other side of the pond.
• Trump is saying out loud what the GOP used to have as a bloody platform.  The GOP used to be the party of legal immigration and hatred of illegal immigration.  Suddenly, the GOP wants to court the ILLEGAL immigrant vote?  Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican. 
• If the GOP puts up another Bush against Hillary Clinton, he will get his ass kicked like a Klansman at a Black Panther rally.  And justifiably so.  With the GOP abandoning its roots of reasoned approaches to issues of immigration (an 80 percentile issue, by the way) and surrendering to big oil and gas producers whose subcontractors hire illegals.  But that's another topic altogether.  

The Trump whom we all wish would run for POTUS.

But Donald Trump is a target.  Stupid, stupid move on the part of the GOP.  It's so ridiculous for the GOP to cut off its nose to spite its face in this manner.  But let me tell you some insider information:  The hits most likely are not coming from the candidates themselves, but rather their slime-slinging consultants who become intoxicated with the nectar of their own vitriol.  It's mess at that level and if you think otherwise, you're a damned fool.  The GOP will eat their wounded faster than any other critter on the planet.  Greed, avarice, and the hunger for power is transcendent at the POTUS level.  Sad, but true.

To truly answer my son's inquiry, my summation is that Trump is good for the GOP.  He is separating the Shiite Republicans from the Neo-Cons and taking advantage of the bump in the poll numbers even though he's under enemy fire.  If he can keep himself in a positive light in the media, maintain a cool head, and get an image consultant, he very well could be the one to take on Hillary.  But then again, none of the choices right now are very appealing.  

They all look like monkeys trying to make love to a football.

This is my opinion and I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt it.

Gorilla