Author: Dick

I will probably hold my breath for quite some time to come but this is indeed quite a nation we have here.

For those of you who worry about a President of the U.S. named Barack Obama, just remember: Is it really all that much stranger than a president named Alberto Fujimori in Peru?

Several Texas House races in East and Southeast Texas I have been following don’t seem to be going well for the Democratic challengers. Incumbent GOP Rep. Wayne Christian of Center has about a 62-36 percent lead over Kenneth Franks for the Shelby-Nacogdoches county areas. That is with close to 30 percent of precincts reporting. With almost 70 percent of precincts in, Vidor attorney Larry Hunter is losing by a similar majority to incumbent Republican Rep. Mike “Tuffy” Hamilton of Mauriceville. At least the national races seem to be going well for EFD’s favored side. It looks like it might not be long before a concession speech might come from McCain if you can believe what you hear on TV.

Well, the 2008 elections are just about all over but the counting, or countin’, if you drop your ‘gs’ like Sarah Palin. It has been an interesting election, if not downright bizarre. I just hope all goes smoothly tonight and we can maintain that noble tradition in our country of having a non-violent transfer of power. If we can, and I’m thinking we can (or “Yes we can” if you are an Obama fan), then we’ve got ourselves a pretty good republic here.

Here we are (me) sitting in a place called Java Jack’s drinking iced tea.

Nonetheless, I am killing time while I wait for a clean hotel room to check into. I am just a block or so down busy North Street in Nacogdoches, Texas, from my alma mater, Stephen F. Austin State University. It is the college I affectionately know as “Steve.” Wouldn’t it be a lot easier — when asked where I graduated from college — to say “Steve?”

This Java Jack’s place is a particularly strange looking coffee house. It’s a two-story building with the top being, I suppose you could say geodesic-style. Beats me. For the life of me I can’t remember what was here in the old days, the early 80s, when I went to school here. I think there were some apartments here. I think my friend Bruce lived here once, although in an apartment and not the present shrine to Bucky Fuller. It is amazing one can live somewhere for a long period of time and not remember some of the details about the area in which he or she lived. Well, maybe it isn’t amazing. Perhaps it is just the effects of aging.

Speaking of aging, I read an interesting article today on Slate by its political writer John Dickerson. Actually, it was on yesterday’s Slate but I read it today and the reason I spoke of aging is that I was about to make a reference to John McCain but thought better of it. I guess that really blew up in my face.

Dickerson made the point that if Obama lost the election, it would result in a disaster for the media, pundits and pollsters, mainly because all have predicted Obama will win. I think he has a point although the media will get blamed if McCain loses or wins. The media, the “drive-by media” as Rush Limburger calls them, are the convenient house dogs. They are like the dog in one’s house who is to blame for everything. “The dog ate my homework.” “The dog farted.” “The dog crapped on the floor.” Well, on the last one that might be deserved.

But if McCain loses this election it will most certainly not be the media’s fault nor the metaphorical canine. It will be the fault of John McCain and, to a some extent, George Bush.

At this point in time I just want the election to be decided. I hate the thought that we might have to go through an ordeal such as in the 2000 election. Even worse would be if the election had to be solved in the House of Representative. What a nightmare that would be. We can’t trust most of Congress to legislate much less pick our executive branch. Well, I could go on but all I have to say is get out and vote. Vote early. Vote often.