Well, That Was Fun...

No Man's Land by Maurice Galbraith Cullen (Source)

Well, I went and did my civic duty last night after work. It reminded me greatly of one night at YHA London St Pauls. There was absolutely nothing on the evening menu which tickled my fancy. In fact, of the three choices on the menu, all were something that I would actively avoid if there was so much as a crust of stale bread readily available. Which there was not. As the meals were already paid for by our group, I soldiered on and picked the fish filet. An English chap of my acquaintance said, "Just drown it in vinegar mate, you won't taste the fish at all."

So I did. (Since that day I have learned to enjoy various fish filets. Filets mind you, I can't tolerate the bones as I live in fear of choking my life out at some public venue after dining on some poorly boned denizen of the deep.)

Anyhoo, with one exception, there was nothing no one on the menu ballot that I particularly cared for, with one exception. A female colleague of mine had decided to run for town council this year as an Independent. She's a smart lady and I know her. She also has a real job and has never run for office before (to my knowledge). So she fit the bill. It was all the rest on the ballot that I had to choke down my righteous indignation and "dammit, just pick one." Well, there was one "Choose any 5" option, I could only stomach four, so that's all I chose. Rules be damned and the devil take the hindmost.

Of the numerous ballot measures (things we get to vote on, not people), there was one I actually supported. Have to say though, that I was stunned that we needed this particular measure on the ballot. That measure was to restore the Ethics Commission and make the state legislature subject to its authority by amending the State Constitution. (When did they get rid of that? Why?) I wholeheartedly approved.

Ethics? Legislators? Not a natural match. We'll see what this Commission (if approved) will accomplish. Seeing as how this is Little Rhody, I doubt it will amount to much. But I remain ever the optimist.

All of the other measures were along the lines of "approval of a bond for a bazillion dollars to fund insert the latest cause célèbre here" - I invariably vote "Reject" on those type measures. Knowing full well that my fellow Little Rhodians will overwhelmingly approve them all, not really understanding that "most of this will be funded by Federal money" really means that everybody in the US of A will be chipping in to buy and build that fancy fire station in Bumfudge, South County that will service 50 homes. I exaggerate, but not by much. (Apparently the average Little Rhodian thinks that "Federal Funds" grow on a tree out West somewhere and that Little Rhodians don't actually have to pony up any dough. Perhaps they don't actually file a Federal return. Well, I do. And I don't want to pay for someone else's stuff. So there.)

I'd like to say, "I'm glad that's over," but in reality I'm not. It feels like we put forth the same clowns, from the same two circuses, every election and nothing ever really changes. I am giving serious consideration to forming my own political party and running for President myself next time.

Then I'll sober up and forget all about it.

The Rethuglicans and the Demo-rats are ruining the Republic, and what does the Vox Populi say?

"What's a Republic?"

Hello, hello. Is there any intelligent life left on the planet?