Only if you hadn't said all those things. Darn!

So Mit, what’s happening? Your lead is evaporating. Polls show Santorum is gaining on you. And, in some cases going ahead. So what is this? How do you explained this? A fluke? Bad luck? Your big mouth? Who knows?

Certainly it has nothing to do with you being out of touch does it? Maybe a little bit aloof and riding in first class too often perhaps. Maybe you should trade in your limo for a Pickup. Put on your sweats and sneakers and go walking out among them. Get your hands dirty. Go eat a little chicken-fry with the Bubbas.

Actually, nothing will help at this point. It’s too late. Your Ivy League Bizman image is cast and dyed. Too late to flip flop now. Too many media types are watching and listening. You’ve got the sound bite microphone. Reporters are reporting. Journalist are journalizing. Cable news is cabling. The nightly news is newsing. You, my friend, are on the hot seat. And, obviously you have said too much. Maybe you should just shut-up!

Mom come get me! This can't be real.

What would it really be like to just ride in on a load of pumpkins? Then stop on Main Street America and hop off. Just arrived out of nowhere. Not knowing anything. Or anybody. Green and uninitiated. A freshman from the cornfields. Possibly ignorant of current events.

Then, to be confronted by TV, radio, and cable news. Broadcasting and bloviating the political events of the day. Haranguing rhetoric, shouting, fist banging, accusations, sound bites, red faced grimaces, narrowed eyes, and barking bla-bla-bla. Carrying on like you’ve never seen before. How scary that would be.

You look around taking in sights and sounds you’ve never witnessed before. Thinking you got off at the wrong bus stop. Possibly in a dangerous neighborhood. A neighborhood filled with troubled people. Possibly inhabitants not taking their prescribed ADD meds. Just a bunch of Hypertensive ridalin popping misfits. “Holy moly! When’s the next bus going back home?”

Then you might think, maybe this is where carnival Sideshows “Carny people” train. Yes, of course, this is Circus City. Sure that’s it. P T Barnum once lived here. That’s it. I’m lost and need to leave right away.

Get me out of here. These politicians people are nuts. They scare me. They almost look cannibal like. Mom come get me! Help!

So you guys, what went wrong?

One could only surmise that the Rick Santorum’s wins in Colorado, Missouri, and Minnesota were really a vote against Mit Romney. Republican voters are just yet not warmed up to Romney. Pointing towards the conspicuous divide in the Republican Party. Unquestionably indicating there is yet more compromising and fixing to be done in the GOP.

The Grand Old Party just isn’t all that Grand any more. More like splintered with too many extremes pulling in opposite directions. Obviously leaving a “House Divided against itself.” Leaving in its wake uncompromising, disgruntled, fractious, hotheaded, and most distracted party members derailed from a common goal. All of this craziness is of their own making. “You reap what you sew (look it up in the Bible).”

If the Republican Party weren’t so demanding of their candidates, they could easily come up with the almost ideal candidate. Maybe allowing him or her to be a little human would be a good start. Allowing a candidate to own his or her own ideas. A candidate can’t be one hundred percent pure red Republican. Give the guy or gal a little wiggle room. He or she is not flawed but only an individual and most human.

I left the Republican Party back in 2002 after 42-years in the GOP. Feeling I didn’t have much in common with the far right fundamentalist evangelical party leadership any more. It was so obvious the GOP was shifting at an alarming rate to the extreme right. And in the process ridding itself of any moderates and independents. Something like they do in China and Iran. Purging itself of any party dissidents and free thinkers. How scary!

But anyway, Rick Santorum’s win in the recent election and Caucuses was a fluke. An aberration. Most likely a statement against Romney. And as a result many Republican voters will leave the party. Most likely registering as Independents. How befitting to a Republic founded on the Declaration of Independence. God Bless America.

Why go door to door when money can talk for you instead.

So what happens with all this money raised by political candidates? All these millions and millions of dollars generated by the Super-PACs quickly goes to pollsters and political consultants. Not to mention the millions of dollars spent on TV and radio ads. The candidate, by law, is not to keep any of the funds raised. Except to fund his or her campaign. Huge amounts of money wasted. Blown. Flushed down the drain. Not really benefiting anybody except the professional image fabricators and PR organizations.

Millions that could be easily spent on more teachers. More Police and fire professional. Money that could field a whole new hospital shift of nurses and medical aids. The total sum could easily build either dozens of schools or build and equip police or fire departments and or hospitals. So, scratch your head. What a waste.

You have to ask yourself, how did President Truman, with very little means, get elected? He had no sizeable income or family wealth. How did President Nixon do the same with little wealth? There were no Political Action Committees back then. But were elected nonetheless. So why does need to spend so much money just to elected a President?

The answer, greed and control. It no longer matters if a party or candidate has popular support by the voters with promised proposals. What matters, and mostly among conservatives, is control. Control control and control. A group of individual’s hell bent on doing it their way and their way only. Only for the sake of control by the few and be dammed if the democrats ever regain control. “It’s my way or the highway.” Never mind what the people want. Control is key and we will never let it go at any and all cost.

If you can't beat them, then out spend them.

I just now realize why Republicans raise so much campaign money. Since they have no constructive platform to stand on and nothing positive to bring to the voters, they then just attack any other ideology. Therefore they must raise tons of money to compensate for their void of creative constructive thinking.

They have no interest in health care. They resist a clean environment. They resist bringing jobs back to America. Republicans have no motivation to bring on more police, fire, and emergency workers. They hate teachers, nurses, and any public workers. Bottom line they have nothing constructive or positive to offer as campaign issues to the voters. They lack good ideas to help the American people.

So, they have to resort to raising money from secret and dubious sources and just attack-attack-attack. It’s all they know. Negative ads are their best campaign tool. So, if they can’t say something good about themselves, then they’ll blast away at the opposition instead. And just think, some of these uninspired partisans are our neighbors. How sick.

Is Congress filled with Choirboys?

I want to make a few remarks about religion constraining and exploiting politics. And vise-versa. First of all religion has no place in politics. And politics has no place in religion.

But before we get started, to me religion is an organization. Not a spiritual form or Holy commitment before God and man. The Bible does not talk about religion. Religion is membership and money. Not love peace and joy. More like belonging to a poor mans country club. You must follow the rules or be at risk from being shamed or ostracized.

What I see and hear on TV news and most recently from the Republican debates is more religious fervor and not Holiness. More intent on country club bylaws rather than Holy Scripture. More dogma instead promoting goodness and truth.

In today’s political world, religiosity and its member structure needs willing politicians to do its demagoguery. Do it bidding. Likewise willing politicians need organized religion to fund their campaign. Both feed on each other. Making strange bedfellows. Sort of like sleeping with the devil. However, not sure which one is the devil.

But anyway, what really provokes my sensibility is the moralist politicians claiming to be the chosen voice of the “Evangelicals.” Evangelicals? What is a Evangelical? Jesus didn’t call himself an Evangelical. So it can be surmised Evangelicals are not necessarily Christian. At least Evangelicals behavior suggests they probably are not Christian.

Christians are loving, peaceful, serving people. Not self-serving opportunistic politicians. Christians will give up much of their own worth to help others. Helping the sick. Helping the homeless. Feeding the hungry. Visiting the imprisoned. And maintaining a humble and self-denying presents. “Religion” and it rigid structure is quite the opposite of Christianity. Evangelical is just code word for “do as I say or else.”

Well, enough is enough. More about this later. God bless America and it’s errant politicians

Fly the friendly sky? You've got to be kidding.

Here’s my casual observation of the American Airline’s bankruptcy. I am certainly no expert but being around airlines for the past 40-years, it is my belief that airlines have never been profitable and nor will they ever make a profit. The basic operations and expectations are about the same as running a local tavern or a health spa. Too vulnerable to unexpected economic changes. And most of all too dependent on governmental and local subsidies.

How many airlines had built their own airport? What airline flies without the aid of the FAA and air traffic control? Who inspects the domestic airlines for airworthiness? Surely not the airlines themselves.

After nine eleven, who bailed out the airlines? Basically all the above answers to our questions are, we the taxpayer. Therefore, the airlines are a socialized entity. Operating more like a non-profit than for profit.

So, why bankruptcy? Why big bonuses at the top? Why do the workers at the bottom get shafted while the corporate money mongers get rich regardless of the airline financial condition?

If American Airlines had filed bankruptcy in Europe, it would be required of them to shut down. Go out of business. Sell off all assets and pay off creditors. Just that simple.

However, here in America we do things differently. We protect the interests of the corporate owners and shareholders while dumping the bottom tier workers. Thus adding to the job-killing craze. That why they call it Chapter Eleven Protection. Protecting the financial interests whiles sacrificing the lower paid, lower grunt worker and their pension and benefits.

If America Airlines wishes to continue operation, they should take on the Southwest Airline model. Trim to the bare bone. Fly smaller fuel-efficient aircraft. Cut routes. Perhaps cut either or both European and Asian routes. Maybe even shut down South American routes as well. Then raise prices only the business and the very rich can afford. No more running an airline with the deep discount mass marketing pack’em in Walmart model.

And then there is the airline shell game of assessing dozens of hidden fees. What a Con game. Bate and switch. An airline ran by carnival workers. Well, lets not get started on the airline’s horrible customer service reputation just yet.

Nonetheless, to believe airlines can make money is a fairy tale notion. Play the Superball lottery instead. You have better chances of increasing the bottom line. I’ll take two tickets thank you.

All in all, we would be better off if we had only one airline. Let them charge what they want and let the rest of us drive or take the train. Maybe even take a cruise ship to Europe. How about just stay home. Just Skype your sales prospect.

After all, who wants to wait in those torture chambers known as security lines at the airport? Take off your shoes! Take off your belt! Take off that silly smile! Put all your earthly belongings in this plastic tub! Extend your arms out like this. I’ll touch you. You don’t touch me. Stay in line! Look smart and don’t cross your eyes! And bla bla bla…

From my weekly journal, Okie Without Borders

Growing up Okie in East L A,

It was February 1964. Hundreds of barbershops suddenly go out of business. Shut down almost over night. My goodness why? Did they run out of ‘Butch wax?’ Holy cow, or did the barbering schools shut down leaving no available recruits to replace the aging and retiring barbers? Well then, what?
Pleas, please tell me why!

Just hold on! I will cover that important point in just a moment. But, let me mention this first. As an Okie child growing up in Los Angeles, I go way back to the first time I could possibly remember anything. Back to the first time My Okie dad started cutting my brother’s scruffy Okie hair and mine. I had never visited a real barbershop up until I was age 12. Yes, I had not witnessed the insides of an authentic men’s hair cutting salon up until that time. And, that time was 1956 back in Wilson Oklahoma north of the Red River.

My hair was professionally cut for the first time during a whirlwind summer trip back to Wilson. My mom and dad’s Okie hometown and birthplace. But anyway my dad took me to a local barber on Main Street.

So after all was said and done, my haircut and neck shave back then cost “six-bits.” Yes, the white frocked, mustachioed, and tobacco chewing barber asked me for six-bits as payment in full. Six bits? Having never done business with a real Okie barber, I looked to my dad for clarification. Son, here, give the man seventy-five cents,” my dad advisedly grumbled. Certainly was a big important lesson in barbershop protocol. After all, my only hair cutting experiences had been limited to conscripted backyards clippings and salad bowl over the head trimming. Certainly an event I never volunteered for. “Son, let’s do this now while I have these clippers in my hand. Sit now!” Kerr-plunk!

However, as time slowly passed, once I had ventured through the horrific initiation of home barbering, I graduated to a new level of “Hair styling.” I gladly went on to our nearby East L A hair cutting shop. I began to appreciate the touch of a professionally trained hair-cutting guy. So, after that point in my barbering experience, it was all over but the clipping. I was hooked on real barbershops. It was a magical, mystical passage in to a new world of reality. So, what brought me back again and again to the barbershop? Well, besides paying closer attention to teen girls, it was definitely the curious looking and alluring barbershop magazines. Colorful, slick back publications of anatomical and scientific intrigue. I read magazines of adventure and mystery. Such as Argosy, Field and Stream, Popular Mechanics, and some other magazines I wish not to discuss here. Well, My goodness, why else risk skin puncture or razor cut if typical barber shop magazines were not on site. Nonetheless, It was a veritable library of boys would be boy’s fellowship and secrecy. No girls were allowed. It was an all male cave.

In spite of my late introduction to store bought barberism, my dad still insisted he must cut my hair. But, I resisted. I didn’t like his military chair side manner. “Stop wiggling. Look down. Hold your head up straight son! The same unyielding treatment I experienced even when I wasn’t even getting a haircut. Pretty much the same handling administered to our backyard chickens. Chop and pluck.

I certainly preferred instead, the licensed and professional barber and his easy-going chair side manner. Most barbers would just gently push and tilt your head down or up as if adjusting a rear view mirror. Just point and clip. As easy as that.

None the less, as I continued my visits to our local barber shop in L. A. It quickly became apparent to me, I needed to drum up some work to pay for my expensive hair cut habit. A haircut in my little hometown back in southern California was more than six-bits. Wow! Instead, it was two times six-bits. As I suddenly discovered the four white-frocked barbershop quartette were union shop barbers. Yes, a whopping buck and a half for a cut. I’m sure that was one of the main reasons barbers went out of business in February 1964. It was too darn expensive! Well, maybe.

But not really, here is the real reason barbers closed their shops in 1964. One word. Beatles. The Fab Four. For sure the music and hair trend setting Liverpool quartet who came to America without the benefit of a decent and proper haircut. Moppy, floppy hairstyles. A hair-do that swept the nation like hair on fire. A hair presentation lacking in moral rectitude. Just a shameful display of too many tresses on the noggin and not much good judgment.

Yup. That was the reason for sure. Long disgraceful flyaway hair. Need I say more? Barbering has never been the same since. Now a days, it is most hard for me to find a good barber. Few and far between. Super cuts just doesn’t cut it. Please bring back my magical, mystical Barber Salon. But, on second thought, I now have very few follicles for a reasonable barber to trim or arrange.

Attack ads should be seen not heard.

Continuing with my thoughts on TV political attack ads. See previous posting for a sample “Attack Ad” designed specifically for and against Mit Romney. LOL.

The person I really like to disparage is Newt Gingrich. He has a cloud covered personality begging to be besmirched. Almost like wearing a target on his forehead. “Attack me. Make my day!”

As mentioned in the previous posting, I prefer to give an image characterization of a candidate rather than a full frontal verbal attack to the political enemy. Economizing the verbiage and dramatizing the image characterization. And as they say a political cartoon is worth a thousand words. Oh really? So, here is for dear old Newt.

In the foreground Newt is standing up on a second story balcony overlooking a multitude of loyal supporters out on a vast open plaza. The camera is at Newt’s back looking towards the audience. Then the camera pans around to his side showing straight locks of black hair angled down over his forehead and a Charlie Chaplin mustache. Newt is wearing a red armband that says, “Erase.” Newt is holding in one hand a stack of papers that says Obama’s Executive orders. And in the other hand is an electric eraser.

The only verbiage that is heard is, “Bla bla bla bla bla…” Finally and scrolling across the bottom of the screen is a brief disclaimer: “Any character likeness of an old European dictator would be purely coincidental. Have a nice day.

Pretty cool huh?

Attack ads are not very nice. I prefer cartoons.

I really don’t like negative ads. Sometimes called attack ads. However, I would instead use image ads. Ads depicting a not so enhancing but truthful image. Something likes image distortion. Well, maybe not that bad. More like a political cartoon. Very little verbiage but big on image characterization.

Nonetheless, here is what I would do to besmirch Mit Romney. In the background of our scenario you would hear Romney rallying the troops. Cheers, applause, and Romney wildly waving his arms. Yelling something indistinguishable to the TV audience. In the foreground and at the bottom half of the screen would be a “Flip-O-meter.” A digital sensing device reading Romney’s Flip-flops on his talking points. A meter pegging well into the Red. Indicating Romney has flipped again.

Scrolling across the screen at the very bottom would be a brief statement. “Romney: If you don’t like what he says today, come back tomorrow.”

Now, later today, I’ll have an image ad for newt. Stay tuned. This is kind of fun. Don’t ya think?