CIVICS

From  the Federalist Papers, 68 (link to complete document below)-  

"These most deadly adversaries of republican government might naturally have been expected to make their approaches from more than one querter, but chiefly from the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils."

2016 Interpretation, (by Me!):

Among others, one of the purposes for the establishment of the Electoral College was/is to keep foreign governments, (like, let's say Russia, for example), from influencin' our political process and installin' surrogates, (like, uhh... Donald Trump, perhaps), who are sympathetic and/or beholding to governments other than our own.

Go on- use the link below.  Give it a really good read.  (It's a couple hundred years old, so the language might seem a bit "flowery", some of the words archaic.  And it's Hamilton.)  

Now, consult various reliable sources- cross-reference usin' things like the Dictionary, current and past essays on the subject from people with some sense, and study current events relative to our most recent presidential election. (Again: reasonable, verifiable sources.  This obviously excludes extreme partisan digital rags and Interweb propaganda mills- think garbage like Alex Jones' "Infowars".  One of the best examples of Absolute Crap out there.)

Next, in your most reasonable, thoughtful, non-paranoid, intelligent capacity, ponder the Direction of our Country, the Futures of Your Family, Your Neighbors, Your Planet.  (Always good to include your Planet.  I know: should go without sayin', but...)  Spend a moment considerin' just who profits, not only from where our Government is now, but where it's headed in our Collective Immediate Futures.  Think about what entities might have somethin' to gain by influencin' our political process....

I realize this is a lot to ask.  Hell, it'd probably take anywhere from thirty minutes to as much as an hour or two, dependin' on how much time you want to spend on that last part, the "thinkin'" part.

Oh!  And just one more thing:

When you're searchin' for facts and references, try and not get distracted.  Remember: Obama didn't ban the word "Christmas", and Trump didn't keep Ford from closin' an assembly plant in Kentucky...

Fish~

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed68.asp

NATIONAL PORK

Over the past few months, several stories have surfaced concernin' the proposed "openin' of Federal Land, much of it part of our National Parks System, to private  ventures involvin' the natural resources that may or may not happen to be located in these public, but currently protected, areas.  The goal?  To bolster the Fortunes of a Select Few, with little or no regard to the Consequences.  (Not unlike startin' a War based on Lies and Fabrications.)

 

Our National and State Parks are not there for Political Vultures to usurp, then auction off to the Highest Bidders.  They are controlled by Our Government, because that's who, like it or not, had the Collective Intelligence and Foresight to set these treasures aside for Future Generations of Americans to enjoy, and thus keep the Greedy Bastards Among Us from exploitin' and destroyin' 'em in their Vulgar Pursuit of Wealth. They belong to Us!  (Pretty sure that's also why we call 'em "National" and "State" Parks.)  Our Parks have been, up until now, protected from the Carpetbaggers and Corporate Spoilers by Our Government, Our Collective Representation.  

At least until recently, anyway...  

This latest Example of Twisted Socio-Political Capitalist Subterfuge reminds me of all the insanely dangerous Idiots' Indignation that arose when one Crooked Nutjob Millionaire Bastard refused to pay the insanely cheap lease fee for runnin' his cattle on Federal land, like all his fellow ranchers (who knew and acknowledged what a sweetheart deal they were gettin') were doin'. 

Just more Treasonous Prattle used to rile up a Certain Portion of the Population that's been manipulated and bullshat to the point that they can no longer see even the simplest of things because they're too agitated and too narrow-minded and proud to understand or admit they're bein' taken for a ride.  (Not the one they've been tricked into thinkin' they're on.)  

Sorry- that's about as nice as I can describe 'em, and it's far nicer than most of 'em deserve.

None of this has a damn thing to do with a Particular Interpretation of the Constitution or Somebody's Rights.  It is, in reality, just another example of the Manifestations of the Limitless Greed, Hubris, and Unscrupulousness of the Rich, all dressed up, disguised to appear as Proclamations of Inalienable American Privilege.  A Mask covering the Faces of Liars.  All Straight Up Bullshit.

(Gonna leap!  Stay with me...!)

So, just what do all the folks that seem to be just waitin' for their next chance to rally behind the latest Stream of Falsehood, (not all, but mostly from the Conservative Side, insistin' that the only way to create jobs and "save" this country is to continually give the Rich more and more breaks and subject "Corporate Citizens" (ugh!) to less and less regulation), what did they make of former State Representative Eric Cantor (R-VA), that Perennial Cheerleader for Freakin' Big Business, when he announced that he would bail on the remainder of his term to take a position on Wall Street for over Three Million Dollars a year?  Where's the outrage?  Where's the acknowledgin' of the fact that we've all been lied to, hard, and these sonsabitches barely even try to hide it anymore?  Are we so embarrassed when this kinda shit takes place that all we got left is to look the other way and act like it didn't happen?  Have we become that weak-willed, that apathetic?  That ignorant?

Lookin' the other way, puttin' it out of our minds.  I reckon that's what a bunch of us are fixin' to have to do when the drillin' starts in Yellowstone, the loggin' begins in the Smokies, and the minin' commences in Yosemite.  

But wait!  Perhaps Yellowstone could be spared!  Sure:  Divide the iconic gem into large residential tracts, thus allowin' for the construction of New Gated Communities, filled with golf courses and clubhouses nestled among Palatial Estates, Grand Palaces for the Über Wealthy!  After all, they're the Real Deservin' Americans.  Right? 

Now there's some Real Money waitin' to be made!  

Now that's American!

Fish~

JUST ONE MORE MAN

As I walked down the street, and you came into view

Couldn't see your face, but I knew it was you

You leaned against his car, under parking lot light

While I stood there transparent, in the grip of the night

You both spoke so softly, I could barely hear

But I could tell by your bodies, it was perfectly clear

As you stood there and kissed him, so easy to see

You now loved another, and no longer loved me

With our hearts in boxes, on rows of shelves

Sometimes we don't even know ourselves

I closed my eyes tight as my head spun 'round

I heard my heart breaking, a low, lonesome sound

You'd say you were sorry, that you'd never hurt me

But your feelings had changed, we were not meant to be

A forgotten toy on a bedroom shelf

Sometimes you don't even know yourself

With all my past pain as a brand new start

And the strength of conviction to set me apart

I thought myself special, even better than most

Emotions of lead, the heart of a ghost

I'd pretend to be strong, could care less what you did

As I ran out the back, or kept myself hid

Now you here at my door, with me still your fool

Just another lost child in the drowning pool

A man on a ledge, with a lipstick scar

Sometimes you just don't know who you are

Your grey eyes are open, though you don't speak a word

With my sayin' 'I love you', as the last thing you heard

It's clear I'm not special, not a part of some plan

Only one in a billion, just one more man

Now your heart's in a box, on a closet shelf

For sometimes I don't even know myself

~Fish

Flood

Rained eight straight days
Then it rained some more
The river ran wild
Like a cocaine whore
Earth to Mud
As the Trouble soaked in
With the bridge washed out
And our Faith stretched thin

We reckoned it'd stop
Like it done before
Got to thinkin' different
When it reached the door
Daddy said "We can't stay,
Else we'll wind up dead"
So I dragged that boat
From in back of the shed

The river was risin'
And I told her so
Said I was sorry
But we had to go
She said "You don't love me,
And you never did.
You trapped me here
With this bastard kid."

I said "It don't matter.
We all gotta go.
Wrap the Baby in a blanket,
No time for no show."
But the storm raged on
Inside a her head
"No way out.
Better off dead"

Took hold of her arm
Pulled 'em toward the door
The water comin' up
Through the cabin floor
But she kept pullin' back
Repeatin' what she'd said
"No way out.
Better off dead."

Through the back door
My heart in my throat
Mama and Daddy
At the back of the boat
She slips from my grip
As the porch gives way
Competin' with Thunder
For Noise of the Day

The water blows past
Pushin' garbage and trees
I fall back in the boat
Climb up to my knees
Liftin' my head
I'm hearin' her scream
Lightning flashin'
A Nightmare's Dream

An instant she struggles
Then they're swept outta sight
Her and the Baby
Into Hell, into Night
A bolt shoots down
Splittin' open the Black
Me shoutin' her name
Daddy holdin' me back

The river pulled back
When the storm finally eased
The crops are all ruined
The well is diseased
We searched for a week
For my Wife and my Child
The pain is all mine
A debt reconciled

Ain't got clothes
No place to sleep
What ain't washed away
Ain't fit to keep
There's a mark on the windows
From where the the water went down
The dog's run off
The cats all drown

Ain't nothin' here
But my folks and me
And this blanket I pulled
From a cypress tree
Ain't no graves
Not even a stone
Don't know where they are
Just know that they're gone

Mamma won't stop cryin'
Daddy don't say shit
Keeps scroungin' around
Can't get 'em to quit
Just more sorry livin'
Workin' in vain
Tradin' Sorry Existence
For Anguish and Pain

A life barely worth livin'
Was all I could give
This ground and this place
Weren't no way to live
But her hard times are over
No space for doubt
In the Wake of the Flood
She found a way out

Now it's my time
For a desperate turn
No chance for redemption
No dry wood to burn
Just the grief and the guilt
Ain't a glimmer of hope
But I'll find my escape
With Whiskey and Rope

Rememberin' a Friend

I remember our Senior year in high school, a bunch of us were takin' Journalism from Mrs. Petrey. Or Mrs. Goetz. Or Miss Goetz. Hell, or maybe it was Miss Petrey. It was this or Senior English with Mrs. shaw. I believe I was the only one in our Senior Class that had the distinction of takin' both classes. (Mrs. Bell flunked my school-skippin', smart-alec ass Sophomore year...)

Anyway, as I remember it, you usually copied somethin' outta the newspaper in the Library once a week, then we would all slap together the school paper. Biggest goof off class I ever had in high school. (Thanks, Violet!. One mornin' before class, early in the year, Teresa and me were feelin' particularly "inspired", and decided we would interview one of the teachers that was new to Lincoln that year. Can't remember his name, or even what classes he taught. He was a nice fella- probably wasn't more than thirty years old, as best as I can recall, but he entertained us and answered our questions: Wife? Kids? College? That kinda stuff.

Then Teresa and me sat in the Library and spun this poor guy's stuff into foolishness as funny as we thought we could get away with. We laughed our heads off, gettin' called down several times, which, of course, only served to make us worse. I remember that when we were done with it, we were extremely pleased with the product. We were really pushin' the envelope , Teresa and me.

I can't recall any of the stuff that we thought was so damn funny from that article, save for one thing. We had asked Mr. New Guy what his hobbies were, and he answered "Keeping Apis Mellifera." Boy, did our eyes light up. He went on to explain that Apis Mellifera was Latin for Honey Bees, (or, more precisely, bees that bear honey.) We used that in our article, just as he had told us, including his explanation about what Apis Mellifera meant, which we followed, in parentheses, with "but, we have our doubts..." I laughed 'till my gut ached. I kept copies of those papers for several years, but I haven't run across them in my junk in a long, long time.

A buncha runnin' around with Teresa. Me and her and other good friends. And a whole lotta just actin' silly and laughin'. Just enjoyin' bein' around each other.

Funny, the things that take up residence in your head, stayin' still, until somethin' happens that causes 'em to come floodin' back, good and bad.

Sure gonna miss that girl. Already am...