PRESIDENT--AN OUTDATED CONCEPT?

The Constitution, which seemed like such a good idea almost 238 years ago in a country with about 2.5 million people and 13 states, is really being stretched to the limit. I (and people who actually know what they are talking about) believe the Constitution is stretched beyond its limits.

We are now working with a federal Government just a few folks shy of the entire US population in 1776. We have added 37 diverse states and have tried our best to keep up by our constitutional amendments. We have added 27 amendments, the last addition was 22 year ago. I think it may be time to get the amendment train rolling.

As long as we're going to go through the trouble of amending the Constitution, let's not fool around. My amendment would be to eliminate the position of ----President.

Here's why.

I am a financial and social conservative. Most of the Liberals I know are Liberal because they are passionate over social issues, and financing potential government assistance to almost 314 million citizens, plus a few million more illegals, requires spending much in excess of what can be extracted from the citizenry without riots. Liberals tend to create programs they feel are necessary, then try to find the money some where (redistribute or print) to pay for them. Conservatives look at the money they have, which then determines what programs they can fund. That's just one of the many differences between right and left. We each believe our way is the best for the country.

Here is where I believe we run into trouble. In order for Liberals or Conservatives to get their vision implemented we believe we have to vote for President the one person our party puts up, regardless of their ability to do the job.

Barack Obama did not have the ability to do the job. We were in serious financial difficulty and we elected someone who never even ran any business, even as difficult as a kiosk in the airport. He passed no significant bills as a state legislator, spent 140 some days in the Senate, most of which were spent running for President, had a very "atypical" life as a young man and hung out with questionable characters as he got older. What he did have going for him to be elected President of the United States? He was liberal, he was a minority (I believe more people voted for him because he was black than voted against him for the same reason, which is why the Liberals' cry of racism at every criticism drives me nuts), and the main reason he was elected-- he was not Bush. His second election was won because Conservatives didn't like the guy our party put up so they stayed home. Dumb move that I doubt will happen again.

I can't believe, as the leader of the free world, we hired some one who, to my knowledge, has never even lead a Boy Scout troop. We did and the reason is, and I'll say this again because it's important, he is a Liberal. Liberals had to elect Barack Obama if they wanted the Liberal agenda for the US. During his presidency we have found out he lies, and the answer to any "scandal" is that he is "very angry and will "get to the bottom of it", and "hold people responsible." Who was held responsible for Fast & Furious, Benghazi, IRS, VA? Where is the bottom of it? We have a President who talks a good game while sitting in front of his locker.

I don't mean to come down so hard on the President and what he had, or did not have, going for him. When running for President, the voters didn't seem to care ( or more likely, to know). But this sets up why I am suggesting maybe we, as a country/organization with 313 million "employees" and a budget shortfall of $17T, can't be governed by one person, especially one unqualified person, and what one person could be all-qualified to run the US government on steroids? Sure, the Congress is supposed to provide that balance, but each new President comes up with more and more Executive Orders and the Congress with single digit approval numbers seems OK with that. President rules. He or she better be damn good.

How about this concept as an amendment? Define and vote on the Liberal and the Conservative platform. Whatever philosophy wins the registered voters of that party get to elect a committee of say nine like thinking people, those nine elect a chairman and that group governs along with Congress. (Sure, there is a wrinkle or two to iron out but humor me and let's just go with the concept.)

That procedure should eliminate the need for Liberals and Conservatives to defend to the end the undefendable action of "our person".

If we don't update the system the next election I could find myself defending the actions of President Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty.

KAA RAY Z

                                                       

I would imagine when I am finished saying what I'm about to say, most of you, who do not already think it, will think I'm nuts. (Those who do not question my sanity maybe we should get together and form a support group.) Here goes:

In our pet cemetery we have buried eleven of our animals. We have Lincoln our dog and Smokey our cat left. When they go, we will have buried, if my math is correct, thirteen animals (interesting number).

Everyday I see some reminders of the dead in and outside the house, and when I am reminded, something happens in the pit of my stomach. The more recent deaths, the bigger the happening. I do know that time helps. It doesn't heal, but it helps. I've given a lot of thought as to why, when we have given an animal a good life and a good death, should I feel as I do.

Here is where the nutty part comes in:

When you have an animal, he or she relies completely on you for pretty much everything. Being a good animal owner that is what you provide. They feel safe and protected around you. Here it comes. I believe I feel the way I do after a loss is that I worry about the animal, after death, being--SCARED. Is that nuts or what? I intellectually know they are not scared, but what are they going to do going to a strange place without Jean or me? Are they going to be OK? Do they have someplace to go for protection, on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge without us and their pack mates?

(I don't know if I'm even going to publish this, it sounds so screwy.)

I have a reason for thinking that pointing out this "unconventional" theory may have some validity. When I was younger I wasn't any more fearful of heights than the average guy. As the years went on I got less and less comfortable standing on the edge of any significant height. Trying to understand what concerned me when I was on the edge, I determined that it wasn't that I was going to slip and fall, or that somebody was going to push me, I was afraid, of all things, that I was going to jump. Doing some research on the subject I found out that was not such a whacky thought; other people felt the same way. That made me feel less demented.

Is it possible that anyone out there, when you think about it, in any way, shares my irrational thought about animals after death? Should I be seeking professional help? Should I, like Billy Bob's character in Sling Blade, go to the nervous hospital?

As long as I'm pushing this hypothesis, let me push a little, actually a lot, further. I, in no way, want to relate children with animals, but the concept, to me, seems eerily the same. Why when a child dies do the parents generally feel so much worse than when Grandma dies? Of course number one is the lost future of the child, and the loss to the parents of part of themselves, but how much of the pain of loss comes from the parents being the protector, the shielder from all harm facing the realization that they just couldn't do it? What will the child do without them? Will they be scared? Grandma can take care of herself what ever the after life is, from nothing to the very religious heavenly, heaven. Grandma can handle it, but can an innocent baby?

I believe most of us like to think of ourselves as logical people, but deep down, where the real us hides, is a Wizard Of Oz behind the curtain pulling the heart strings. These thoughts on death have helped me open my curtain just a little bit so I can get a peek and maybe recognize my "Wizard" in the future.