Kick Off

I don't want to be too cynical but it seems to me that somebody needs to be. Tuning into the memorial service for the victims of last weeks mass shooting in Arizona, yesterday, was a big surprise. I have never seen a memorial service for the victims of this kind of event that was anything like it. I'm not going to go into what went on there. If you've seen it, you know. If you haven't seen it, you need to watch it. Make up your own mind what you think about it.

It was not a traditional memorial service in any sense. It may not really have been a memorial service at all. What I think it might have been, was the kick off, by President Obama and his campaign staff, of the 2012 Presidential campaign. We should know more about this after the President's State of the Union address to Congress in a couple of weeks.

I think that the coming election campaign will not be about concrete issues. Both parties are going to be saying the same kind of things about the issues and more than usually, both parties will be saying one thing and doing another.

The next Presidential campaign and perhaps for legislative and State executive offices as well, may be about feelings. About what kind of people and what kind of a nation we want to be.

Republicans will still try to brand Democrats as tax and spend, entitlement bearing liberals who are soft on crime and immigration, anti military and Godless atheists. Both sides will charge that the other wants to steer a course toward fascist, totalitarianism. I don't think anybody is going to listen to any of that.

I think it's going to come down to would you rather hang out with one posse or another. Rebs and Yanks, relativist or fundamentalist, Lions or Rotary, Crips or Bloods. Style not substance. Don't let anybody kid you, style is real important.

I'm going to be left out, probably. I don't have those kinds of sensibilities. More of a Geek than a Mod or Rocker. Still, it should be interesting to watch as they battle it out.

Who do I think will come out on top? The Republicans are going to have to nominate somebody really special to beat Barry O, unless he really blows it.