Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Frightful!

The weather here has been ... well ... frightful! Especially frightful for me since Downtown Dad and Bear were supposed to fly home yesterday evening just as our bitter cold temps started to drop, from a summer-like 40 degrees in the afternoon, to a bone chilling 20 below. Here in the frozen tundra we know that this 60 degree change in temperature is what creates our signature winds, adding wind chill to the already numbing cold. After circling for quite a while, and an attempted landing, at just 800 feet from the ground the pilot of their plane pulled back up and returned to Minneapolis. The winds were THAT strong. Anyway, they were able to fly home this afternoon, and we were all very glad to see each other.

But with Downtown Dad home, the TV viewing changes. It goes from Oprah and old movies to All Campaign, All The Time. I don't know how he watches that stuff. To me, it's as painful as the soon to be rejected contestants singing on American Idol. And I'm not really talking about the candidates themselves. Lord love 'em, they are practicing their speeches and they do keep the non-union writers busy. Some, more convincingly than others, but no, what I'm talking about is the... well ... the talking. Endless hours of speculating, and spinning and arguing, by the news readers. People who, while obviously well known, at the heart of it all are really just entertainers. Actors who, for one reason or another took "a desk job." Maybe because they look better from the waist up than they do in an action shot. Maybe the live theatre of stand up comedy was too personal for them and it was easier to deliver their sparkling repartee and rhetoric to a camera. Why do we let them tell us what to think?

And here's another question. Have you noticed how freaking much money is spent on campaigns? Millions and millions of dollars. I suppose I can justify the spending, since it does go back into our American economy. And I understand that the candidates are, in addition to being a presidential hopeful, full time fundraisers. I go back to my first sentence for the word that best describes the amount of money that is spent ... Frightful!

Here's my question to you my invisible friends: Doesn't it seem wrong that only RICH people can afford to run for President?

6 comments:

PJ said...

The weather outside is frightful....(here too) Shouldn't I be SINGING that????

And...yes, it is wrong that only the RICH run for office. Especially since the founding fathers intended that Billy Businessman and Frank Farmer would serve 4 or 8 years and go back to business or farm. They never envisioned the "lifers" we have today!!! It is not as it was intended!

Jill said...

keep on preaching!

Patience-please said...

I shudder every time I hear the massive sums being spent on campaigns. Think of the good that money could do.

Patience

Barrie said...

I do think it's wrong. And how interesting that Mitt spent a fortune in Florida, but didn't take it.

Nora said...

Yes, it is a shocking industry, the campaign thing. Abraham Lincoln wouldn't have a hope if he tried to run now, reading his books by candle light...

AliBlahBlah said...

Yes! I completely agree. I think it's so funny from a country with a mantra that anyone can grow up to become president, (provided they make a shed load of money beforehand). I'm not saying the British system is any better though, we've had our fair share of chumps in office.

Thanks for visiting my blog. SB is now nice and sunny and dry as usual - and GREEN, truly beautiful.