US Elections

I probably would feel a lot better about the USA if there wasn't a presidential race going on right now. Whatever is ugly, cruel, and faulty with the not-so united United States is being showcased as I write. The Democratic Party hopefuls, namely, Pillory Clinton and Barrack Obama, have taken politics to an all-new low.

(Note: I can spell. “Pillory” [verb form] means to attack or ridicule publicly and “barrack” [verb form] means to jeer loudly. This technique is what we punsters call a play on words.)

Americans need to ask themselves whether either one of these characters is morally or ethically fit to run the country. (“I” often gets in the way, and that could mean they would ruin the country, not just run it – pun absolutely intended.)

I love the States -- honestly, I do – but I can't stand its political machination. My own politics lies a little more to the right of the Republicans (Canadian equivalent of a hybrid between the Wild Rose Rose Alliance and the [federal] Progressive Conservatives). I don't know whether you care or not, but my all-time favourite president is Mr. Ronald Reagan.

Where the USA excels, however, in putting all other countries to shame, is what they are doing presently in Myanmar and China. I know they are in Iraq and Afghanistan, too, but not under these conditions. When I say “these conditions,” of course, I am referring to the horrific death and destruction caused by cyclone and earthquake, respectively.

Each time I turn on my radio or computer (read: my main news source), the numbers of those dead, dying, and displaced is mounting daily. By the time it is all settled – if that is even feasible – the overall impact will easily be in the millions of regular, normal human souls like you and me.

And that is where the USA comes in. Everytime. Everywhere. The sacrifical largesse of the States is, quite frankly, overwhelming. I would suggest to you that whenever and wherever there is a global or local calamity, the Americans are always there – and usually the first ones at it.

Funny, I never see a Pakistan or North Korea or Iran or Mexico or Sudan – among others – present at these tragedies. They are the takers within the global community. It is either the good, bad, or ugly (and imperialistic) Americans that show up. I have no idea exactly where the dry goods, water, bedding, and tents are stored on a regular basis. Nor do I have any idea how they can mobilize these humanitarian “troops” so quickly. All I do know is that when there is a catastrophe, the Americans show up immediately.

Not only do they do it, they have done it for decades, and unless Pillory or Barrack change things, it will continue for decades. They may mess with what Mr. Bush has done, both domestically and internationally (and I admit he has done some dumb things), but humanitarian aid is one thing thing they shouldn't touch.

It is just too bad that so much effort, energy, time, and money is being thrown around by merely two people, so they can run arguably the greatest country in the world. If they could get their priorities straightened out, they could then start applying all that effort, energy, time, and money to much greater causes.

You see, this strange juxtaposition, that is, bad times domestically but goodwill internationally, is the stuff history books are made of; a few paragraphs here just doesn't cut it, I'll admit.

So let me state it another way: When things are going well at home and petty politics reigns, the USA is in deplorable shape; however, when things are going poorly abroad and destruction reigns, there is no country like America.

One compromise would be that Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama take their show on the road (to, say, Kenya). No, that wouldn't work: They already have their own version of jungle politics.