FROM MY CORNER  (10/18)

A Piece of Cake!

In less than 24 hours as a U.S. presidential candidate, I’ve had three women email me they like my ideas for the country. Why, this is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. And since I’m a lifelong bachelor, the idea of having women as my main political support base suits me just fine!

Only two of them can vote, however, because one is a German lady I met when she and her husband visited America a few years back on their sailboat. That’s good having a German supporter. That’ll help me in international relations if I get elected.

I have to tell all you ladies, though, that if elected I’m not going to live in the White House. No, I’m going to direct the military Chief of Staff to erect a giant tent on the grounds for me to work and live in, and I’m going to change the place into a Half Way House for homeless Veterans.

I figure the military/industrial complex (those fellows who build all our weapons of mass destruction) needs to learn how to take care of the homeless Veterans their many wars create. And I want the White House to serve as an example to them of what they should already be doing to keep faith with Veterans.

By the way, I notice in announcing my candidacy that I forgot to mention the issue of Terrorists. It’s just simply a foregone conclusion that Terrorists remain a high priority problem. Using fake religion, as many Terrorists do, to outright murder innocent people and capture women and children, is utterly indefensible.

It is the one instance where counter violence may prove to be the main short-term way to deal with them. They seem so outlandish in their thinking, that trying to reason with them is impossible. I have some ideas to come about this problem.

The real issue of Terrorism, of course, is the common condition of the people who support them. They are often poor and uneducated and unable to pull themselves out of their poverty. They can see Terrorists often as their only hope. A misguided view, but often prevalent in their thinking.

This is a case where economically developed countries and their profit-obsessed corporations abdicate responsibility to all of the peoples of the world. If you only fanatically pursue money without acknowledging the consequences of your behavior  – well, rest assured I’ll be getting deeply into that subject too in my campaign.

As full disclosure about my campaign, let me now briefly address the issue of Religion. Thomas Jefferson in his first law of religious freedom in Virginia made the point clearly that an American candidate’s validity does not depend on expressing any required specific religious preference.

Religion, Tom noted, is a complex subject and we are all allowed to believe whatever we wish as long as our beliefs do not harm others and their beliefs. My position on this is firm: If it’s good enough for Tom Jefferson, it’s good enough for me.

Finally, to conclude today’s campaigning, let me address the issue of the Free Press. I do not believe that America’s Press is “fake.” Our Free Press constantly questioning and criticizing all public figures is a bedrock of our Democracy.

Does the Press make mistakes? Of course. Don’t we all? Do journalists want to make a name for themselves, and sometimes get carried away? Of course. Don’t we all? But it is my firm belief that most reporters and columnists hold serious convictions about their profession.

Do they have biases? Of course. Don’t we all? It is their job, as it is ours, to attempt to cast off their and our own prejudices as best we are able as we pass through this complicated process of being alive.

That’s it for today. I’m taking a lead from Mr. Trump. As he continues to profit from his real estate, I am going to continue to write. That’s what I do every day. I’m working on a satirical espionage/mystery novel that makes fun of our political system and, I admit, of our present president.

I find it’s a good way to maintain my sense of humor while commenting seriously on many of our current problems. It also helps me think through new ideas of how America could begin to obliterate the harsh Left and Right chasm that seems to divide us these days.

Keep your Head Up.

Until Tomorrow,

Hal