The presidential campaign seems to be at a crossroad, and it is in New Hampshire. Will the status quo survive? That is the question. Will Jeb Bush beat expectations and revive? Will Hillary Clinton overcome? The establishment has served us all so poorly that I hope the answer to both questions is a resounding NO. But if not, this too shall pass and we will certainly survive.
Debate Rut
At least tonight’s Republican debate, airing just before Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, could be pivotal, but these last few days, with two Democratic showdowns, are getting a bit tiresome even for the most addicted political junkies. Still, get out the popcorn, here’s your latest debate thread (on ABC 8pm ET).
‘I Got The Fever For Some Ham Hocks’
— Goodie Mob (Soul Food Remix)
By Blue Bronc, Trail Mix Contributor
Can I call the Bern to go find where my ham hock went? How about Hillary coming to town and making me a big bowl of ham hock, beans and greens? No need to bother with the Republicans. To them, anyone who would eat a ham hock is not one of their voters (this is guessing they even know what a ham hock is).
All day I had been dreaming of a smoked ham hock in a pot meeting with a pound of split green peas, on onion, a few carrots and celery and some chicken stock. Okay, some thoughts for hot dogs. Not hot dogs in a plastic package which have a shelf life longer than my truck. Hot dogs and a smoked ham hock from the local Dutch/Amish Market (some confusion as both labels are used interchangeably). Hot dogs with a crunch, a smoked ham hock that is big and meaty.
While I was getting a turkey leg to smoke and a pile of chicken leg quarters, someone moved my grocery buggy. Little did I know that, when I took my cart and rolled over to buy a pack of hot dog buns. Hot dog buns that you do need to eat or freeze today. My cart with my hot dogs, smoked ham hock and two pork chops was not where I tossed my chicken and turkey parts. I got home and had two pork chops and a pound of bacon.
There is something about being in the midst of a couple dozen Amish men, women and children that I enjoy. I have been lucky enough to have grown up visiting their villages and towns since I was a young child. Their lives are very enticing. Oh the lack of anything beyond 1890 is something well known. The other parts of their lives are what I like.
Why would anyone not like a utopian socialist religious society like the Amish? Plenty of fun things to do. Milk cows. Muck the horse barn. Sew your own clothes. Sounds good so far, eh?
Republicans are fervently not Amish. The whole share and work together to make a better day causes them to freak out and stain their drawers.
How about Democrats? Amish? No. Some parts sound good, but being nice to each other every day and sewing your own clothes seem a bit much.
Bernie? How about Bernie in the old Amish community? Nah. He is a socialist, not a utopian socialist, which includes religion. Not that not being religious is a problem for a good share of Americans. His foreign events policy would be interesting to them.
Can you imagine living in a world where the pace is the speed of a horse and you have to do a lot of wood splitting to stay warm in the winter? A place where there is no television, radio or internet.
A place where you do not have to hear or see politicians like the group we have today.
Potatoes On Mars
Just like in the movie, NASA scientists are on the move working on how to grow potatoes in Mars-like conditions for future explorers to the Red Planet. Sure puts the New Hampshire primary in perspective.
Des Moines Register Questions Dem Results
Iowa’s biggest newspaper, despite endorsing Hillary Clinton, has a serious problem with how the state party went about declaring her the winner, and today called for an immediate audit of the vote totals that party officials refuse to release (suspicions are rising that Sanders might have actually won the most votes).
Des Moines Register headline: “Editorial: Something smells in the Democratic Party.”
And on it goes: “What happened Monday night at the Democratic caucuses was a debacle, period. Democracy, particularly at the local party level, can be slow, messy and obscure. But the refusal to undergo scrutiny or allow for an appeal reeks of autocracy. … Too many accounts have arisen of inconsistent counts, untrained and overwhelmed volunteers, confused voters, cramped precinct locations, a lack of voter registration forms and other problems. Too many of us, including members of the Register editorial board who were observing caucuses, saw opportunities for error amid Monday night’s chaos.” Read More
This would seem to be something worth talking about at tonight’s Democratic debate.