The Current Political Season

4 years ago I explained my feelings about the then current candidates for the U.S. Presidency.  I thought I'd celebrate my own birthday by doing the same today.

On the Republican ticket:

Donald Trump:  A business mogul that understands economics and portends to be conservative.  Mr. Trump has previously presented himself as liberal but now wants to be seen as conservative.  I like many of the things Mr. Trump is saying.  However, like everyone else, Mr. Trump has some warts.  Under Mr. Trump the nation may undergo a traumatic transformation returning from a nanny state to a thriving capitalist republic.  I imagine there will be some economic hardship during the transformation.  I don't believe that to be a bad thing, though it will be a hardship.  There may likely be many of the current welfare recipients having to actually learn how to work and maintain jobs even if they have to be given accommodations.  There is likely to be many protests formed.  I always wondered how so many people could afford to miss work to be protesters.  However, I believe many are on some kind of government support.  Perhaps more people would not have time to "protest" and would spend more time making our nation thrive again.  If Mr. Trump is willing to take up the Title of Liberty, he improves his chances.

Ted Cruz:  A political newcomer, but very conservative.  I like Mr. Cruz because of his political stance.  However, he also comes with warts.  He understands politics, but I don't think he understands the quantity of solutions needing to be made or how ingrained graft, corruption and evil are in the current government agencies.  He will be fighting a fierce "Medusa".  He will need to use the "nuclear solution" in most of those agencies, bureaus, and departments.  I like that Mr. Cruz is determined to bring worship back to America.  I like that he claims to be a God fearing Christian who will defend his faith.  For the moment, at least, Mr. Cruz is my favorite candidate.  He appears to be a defender of the Title of Liberty.

Ben Carson:  Of all the candidates on the Republican ticket, I place Mr. Carson at the top of the list of affable candidates.  I like much of what he says, but I think he lacks the capacity to be stern with our enemies both within our government and borders, and outside our borders.  He is a nice man.  But can he be a tiger when needed?  I haven't seen much to indicate that our enemies will fear him.  I doubt Mr. Carson has the economic fortitude to take care of America's morass.  We have had such a long time with such "wet noodle" leaders that we now need a strong sturdy president who will give the world the leadership it needs.  I believe he wants to defend the Title of Liberty, but I don't think he has the capacity.

The other Republican candidates are what I call "also rans" and at this point are not likely to be viable.

On the Democrat Ticket:

Hillary Clinton is an un-indicted criminal in my mind.  She needs to be tried in a court of law for her lawlessness, and she should not be permitted to run for national office.  The Title of Liberty has no place in her life.

Bernie Sanders is a self-proclaimed Socialist.  He also should not be permitted access to the ballot.  Our nation has been fighting Socialists and Communists for the past 70 years.  We don't need to invite that society into our nation.  We already have a closet socialist in the White house.  We don't need more of the same.  The Title of Liberty does not even appear to cross his mind.

Martin O'Malley:  he is against self sustaining energy emergence.  He is a proponent of the nanny state.  He is a defender of Christianity across the world.  Not a defender of our culture, language or border.

-30- for now.

A New Year - What Will We Do With It?

Today is the first day of a New Year.  What shall we do with it?  We can go merrily along like we did last year, or we can make some goals that are reasonable, sustainable, and attainable.  I have elected to make and attain two specific goals and perhaps some not-so-specific goals.



1.  I will retire at the end of January.  It is early, but I have determined, after consulting with my family and the Lord, that it is best.  I will miss my colleagues, I will miss my customers, and I will miss the company for which I work.  I will not miss the stress levels, although my stress levels have decreased over the past few months as others began to lift my scheduled duties from me and learn my position.  I have been working in the transportation industry for the past 42 years starting on this journey as a lowly switchman for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company.  I will retire as dual-hat Manager of Equipment Control and International Freight for Andrus Transportation Services (it's a trucking company).


2.  I will put my house in order.  By this statement I mean my residence, but I am also determined to improve my spiritual and physical persona.  We moved into our current home over a year ago and we still have things crated up that we haven't seen since then.  We've made do, or purchased new versions of the same thing, but now we need to put things in order.  It takes me a longer time these days, as my health deteriorates, but I am determined to take care of these things.  I have great expectations of taking care of things little by little until it is all in order. 

I believe I can mitigate some of the dangers in my life.  I am determined to come a little closer to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I will fulfill my errand a little better.  I will offer more opportunity to share my understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those whom I love and with those with whom I associate. 

I believe I can improve the relationships I have with my family.  We are pretty close knit, but improvements can be made.  We have already made some plans that will help us to fulfill this desire.

I believe we can improve our readiness for disaster, whether physical, emotional, spiritual, or natural disaster.  We have already, at Princess Bride's urging, started doing so.  Food Storage is important, but it is not everything.  There are so many everyday things for which we need to prepare, i.e. Money, sanitary supplies, temporary living quarters, and food processing/cooking supplies, among other things.  We may never need to use those tools, but we are working to be ready in the eventuality they are needed.

These are the things I will do in 2016.