That Long, Sweet Kiss

I've polished off the Seagram's 7 Crown and am now working on the Johnny Walker Red. Don't worry, I only had about an ounce of Seagram's and two tiny little airplane bottles of Johnny Walker (one of which is still unopened, but beckoning me seductively), so I'm safe. I had to drink something after listening to McCain tonight. My concern was that I felt much of what he said was good. Of course, his "smile-on-demand" demeanor held that thought in check, but I have to admit, his speech-writer is very, very good.

It's really unfortunate that what he said is so contrary to the way he behaves. But my fear is that people will believe what he says, rather than evaluate what he does.

I have friends who are on the edge of psychosis over this election. Some may have gone over the edge. I've been teetering off and on.

My biggest concern about this election is that the only two candidates in the running are, in my opinion, "unelectable." That is, they should NOT be elected. Regardless of their rhetoric, they are empty suits and have both lied repeatedly to bolster their own ratings. Once upon a time, when I wrote in a different blog, I wrote what I believed my "ideal" candidate would look like. Here's what I said:

No matter who is elected, the only way we're going to get out from under the horrendous debt that Bush & company have left us with will be for everyone to shoulder part of the responsibility. I believe we'd have an ideal candidate if we could find one who could effectively articulate and successfully promote the pursuit of these strategic issues (and by selecting the best combination of the following as appropriate):

• Increased taxes, with more burden at high income levels, but with increasingly escalated shared burdens at all levels above 2 times poverty level
  
  
• Cost cutting/efficiency measures at all levels of federal, state, and local government
  
  
• Economic stiumuli for business and consumers
  
  
• Incentives to business to spend money in the U.S.
  
  
• Disincentives to consumers to spend money on foreign goods, but not so strong as to create unreasonable barriers to imports
  
  
• Dramatic restructuring of the health care industry to reduce costs
  
  
• Threats of nationalizing the pharmaceutical industry if obscene profits are not reigned in
  
  
• Threats of nationalizing the oil and petrochemical industries if obscene profits are not reigned in
  
  
• Universal health insurance coverage for everyone
  
  
• Strong disincentives for both corporate and individual welfare, while providing a strong safety net for individuals and families who need assistance
  
  
• Very strong disincentives for exclusive reliance on personal vehicles for transportation
  
  
• Some measure of protection against the disincentives above for trucking and related industries, provided those industries step up to the plate to reduce fuel consumption, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, etc.
  
  
• A nationwide conversation to reach some degree of consensus on a clear articulation of the responsibilities of each of the following: Federal government, state government, municipal government, businesses, church and community groups, families, and individuals
  
  
• Clear articulation and institutionalization of the premise that the U.S. will never again engage in preemptive military action nor attack another nation, unprovoked
  
  
• A strong global presence and international dialogue, without the arrogance of pretending we're the biggest and best and without the selfishness of insisting that we will support nothing that is not strictly in our self-interests.

I'm an incurable romantic. I long for that long, sweet kiss. Hah! Never happen!