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With this being an election year, I thought I would have an easier go of writing a political column on a regular basis. But I guess I just don't get as worked up about perceived offenses as my conservative counterparts do.
I don't feel the need to chime in about the current controversy in New York City. That issue is something New Yorkers will figure out eventually.
Free Press readers don't need to read my opinion about the situation in Arizona. I don't live there, haven't been there in years. I really can't comment on all the complexities of what's going on there like a resident of Phoenix would be able to do.
So obviously it would be better if I wrote about local politics in this election year. But the more I studied on it, the more this political season doesn't seem much different than any other mid-term election year.
It came to light that some of Colorado's gubernatorial candidates were ethically challenged. One is gone and the other carries on with many in this state wondering why Mr. Maes has so much trouble handling money.
Tommy Tancredo has thrown his hat in the ring for the governor's race and I thought this wacky guy would provide some comical antics to work off of, but so far the guy has been a great big zero. Maybe that's telling. And Hickenlooper is smart enough to keep his mouth shut, already clearly the best candidate.
Congressional candidate Bob McConnell found Sarah Palin's endorsement to be the kiss of death. John McCain could have warned him about that. The winner of that primary race is providing Coloradoans with campaign signs that are great fun to alter ... thank you Mr. Buck, and I think that's about all he's qualified to do for residents of this state.
Of course the Tea Party folks (I didn't say Tea Baggers) continue to provide a little bit of entertainment. But I think the majority of Americans no longer find their obnoxious rallies much of a novelty anymore, and thus have grown bored with them and their incessant whining. Although I myself find wealthy white folks gathering together to be angry quite amusing, if not downright comical. But that's not enough for an entire column if most readers are tired of the subject.
Some have suggested that I write about how nasty and ugly American politics have gotten over the past few years. There's a perception that the “us versus them” mentality has gotten out of control. I think upon consideration the political atmosphere in this country has been much worse at various times.
The years leading up to the Civil War were the darkest in our political history, and those who lived through the turbulence of the late '60s and early '70s can tell you how tense the political atmosphere in this country was.
I haven't heard of two political opponents stepping outside to settle things with dueling pistols lately. There hasn't even been any fisticuffs around the halls of our nation's capital for a while. The bunch working for us in Washington may be lacking in civility, but they're not beating each other with their canes.
Politics has always been a dirty business, sometimes downright nasty in an election year. But there hasn't been anything out of the ordinary this year that's worthy of an interesting column.
I could write about how intelligent voters should vote for the best qualified candidate and not just the party line. Conscientious citizens should spend just a little bit of time getting properly informed about every candidate on this year's ballot. What the heck, you're surfing the Internet anyway. Might as well put that time to some good use.
Nobody with a lick of sense should rely on cable television's talking heads to determine how to vote. The TV commentator's agenda is their personal bank account, and not the well-being of you, the viewer.
And that's all I have to say about that. I guess I just don't have much to write about this time. And maybe that's a good thing, if you really stop to think about it.
J.C. is a U.S. citizen, a Colorado native and resident of Grand Junction.
I don't feel the need to chime in about the current controversy in New York City. That issue is something New Yorkers will figure out eventually.
Free Press readers don't need to read my opinion about the situation in Arizona. I don't live there, haven't been there in years. I really can't comment on all the complexities of what's going on there like a resident of Phoenix would be able to do.
So obviously it would be better if I wrote about local politics in this election year. But the more I studied on it, the more this political season doesn't seem much different than any other mid-term election year.
It came to light that some of Colorado's gubernatorial candidates were ethically challenged. One is gone and the other carries on with many in this state wondering why Mr. Maes has so much trouble handling money.
Tommy Tancredo has thrown his hat in the ring for the governor's race and I thought this wacky guy would provide some comical antics to work off of, but so far the guy has been a great big zero. Maybe that's telling. And Hickenlooper is smart enough to keep his mouth shut, already clearly the best candidate.
Congressional candidate Bob McConnell found Sarah Palin's endorsement to be the kiss of death. John McCain could have warned him about that. The winner of that primary race is providing Coloradoans with campaign signs that are great fun to alter ... thank you Mr. Buck, and I think that's about all he's qualified to do for residents of this state.
Of course the Tea Party folks (I didn't say Tea Baggers) continue to provide a little bit of entertainment. But I think the majority of Americans no longer find their obnoxious rallies much of a novelty anymore, and thus have grown bored with them and their incessant whining. Although I myself find wealthy white folks gathering together to be angry quite amusing, if not downright comical. But that's not enough for an entire column if most readers are tired of the subject.
Some have suggested that I write about how nasty and ugly American politics have gotten over the past few years. There's a perception that the “us versus them” mentality has gotten out of control. I think upon consideration the political atmosphere in this country has been much worse at various times.
The years leading up to the Civil War were the darkest in our political history, and those who lived through the turbulence of the late '60s and early '70s can tell you how tense the political atmosphere in this country was.
I haven't heard of two political opponents stepping outside to settle things with dueling pistols lately. There hasn't even been any fisticuffs around the halls of our nation's capital for a while. The bunch working for us in Washington may be lacking in civility, but they're not beating each other with their canes.
Politics has always been a dirty business, sometimes downright nasty in an election year. But there hasn't been anything out of the ordinary this year that's worthy of an interesting column.
I could write about how intelligent voters should vote for the best qualified candidate and not just the party line. Conscientious citizens should spend just a little bit of time getting properly informed about every candidate on this year's ballot. What the heck, you're surfing the Internet anyway. Might as well put that time to some good use.
Nobody with a lick of sense should rely on cable television's talking heads to determine how to vote. The TV commentator's agenda is their personal bank account, and not the well-being of you, the viewer.
And that's all I have to say about that. I guess I just don't have much to write about this time. And maybe that's a good thing, if you really stop to think about it.
J.C. is a U.S. citizen, a Colorado native and resident of Grand Junction.
