This just in:  I’m an old, white, male.  For that, I apologize.  Anyway, I got up this morning with two thoughts in my mind: (1) Rep. Collins got caught doing something wrong that is not related to his being a Republican and (2) While we all have flaws, one political party seems to have institutionalized those flaws.

Let’s get started.

I suppose we are all flawed in one way or another.  I like this idea.  If we were all perfect, I think the world would be a very boring place.  This is especially true for me as I view life to be valued as a journey rather than a destination.

Every now and then, I drive from San Francisco to Bakersfield.  I can drive as fast as I want.  The traffic is rarely a problem.  There is gas and food along the way if I need it.  But…it is the most boring trip anyone can make.  There is absolutely nothing to see along the way.  Wait, that’s not quite true.  There is a lot to see; its just that everything you see is exactly like everything that you just saw.

I’d much rather drive by some trees or a tall building or a river.  I would much rather have each scene be different from the one before.

I think you get my point.  Flaws make us interesting and thus, life is more interesting.

Still, we don’t have to accept everyone’s flaws; especially if those flaws affect us as individuals.

Our politicians, being people, have flaws.  Their flaws seem to be bigger or more impactful than say, the guy that packed your groceries.  I’m not sure if this is because they are in the public eye and the flaws are thus magnified or…did their flaws drive them to seek positions of power where they could further exploit the benefits they gain from their flaws.

Probably a bit of both.

Some flaws seem to be fairly standardized.  Men seem to be the ones most likely to have some sort of sex scandal.  I don’t think this is related to political party.  In fact, I try to avoid jumping on a “stomp him in the ground” bandwagon when a person from the opposition party gets caught in some sexual impropriety.  Both sides have this issue and neither side supports it.

Greed is another flaw that seems to be more of a man-thing.  Greed itself is not a crime but feeding this need with illegal activities is.  There are laws to stop some actions because “helping oneself hurts others.”  You can get rich by inventing an anti-gravity machine and feed your greed.  You can’t get rich by stealing from your neighbor.

As usual, I’m rambling a bit to get to my point.  I do this because my point only takes shape in my head as I write.  Thanks for the patients.

The point is…I jump on Trump and the Republican Party all the time.  I don’t do this because they are old, white, males with all of their flaws.  I do this because they have institutionalized the practice of self-enrichment at the expense of those that put them in office.

Trump has affairs.  I don’t care.  He’ll eventually pay a price for that.

Congressman Collins gets caught inside trading.  I don’t care.  He’ll eventually pay a price for that.

Congress passes a tax law that benefits those few billionaires that are funding their campaigns and thus, lower the quality of life for the rest of the country and future generations.  I have a problem with this.

Congress protects a president that is ruining the economy, our foreign relations and the environment so that he won’t turn on them and cause them to lose their jobs.  I have a problem with this.

Congress tells me that “thoughts and prayers” are the best way to solve gun violence because the NRA is paying them to say that…I have a problem with that.

Trump and the Republican Congress has institutionalized a culture of corruption.

Yes, everyone has flaws and you can go back in history and find corruption everywhere.

But never have we seen our government act as if there were no “American Public” to serve and see their positions as an opportunity to satisfy their every whim.

Just for fun…Here is a list of recent presidents with my short description…

• Trump – Mobster
• Obama – Smart but naive ( I would vote for him again)
• Second Bush – Nice but gullible
• Clinton – Shady
• First Bush – Great American (I would vote for him again)
• Reagan – Strong, resolute (I would vote for him again)
• Carter – Too nice
• Ford – no opinion
• Nixon – Fearful

Enough rambling for the day.

Time to save the world.

Up, up and away…

Jim