Hijacked!

It saddened me that Alex Sink was defeated today. She was clearly the most intelligent and ethical candidate for the job. No one actually asked for or would pay attention to an intelligent conversation about the Affordable Care Act or the candidates' take on climate change, or the environment here in Florida or same sex marriage, or abortion rights, or our incredibly important issue of immigration. When Sink made a few (true) comments about immigrants in Florida, she was pilloried, and what she said was made into sound bites for the mindless. It's all about money. I have no idea about what Jolly was thinking.

We are in a new climate these days, and you'd better gird your loins for more to come. Let's be honest. Public office can be bought from the next presidency on down. Our own governorship was bought! Big money from the various billionaire individuals (the Koch brothers for one) can very definitely ensure outcomes. It boils down to who has the most money to put up t.v. ads geared for the stupid masses who cannot think of anything past the latest sound bite or tweet. Big money has got us!

I would love to see Paul Sauros or Bill Gates or Warren Buffet put up non partisan ads about telling the truth. We need folks to cry out that the emperor, indeed, has no clothes on!
Alas, the Supreme Court did this nation a HUGE disservice in the Citizens United decision. I hope all nine of them do not sleep well. This was a disaster for our country.

As a resident of Florida, I am aware that the travesty of a governor we now have was elected because of all the money he has (ill gotten gains from an empire of hospitals). I believe that this governor is one of the worst  and most mean-spirited leaders we have had. You will not hear about this.

But you have seen nothing yet! In the next campaign he will use his own money and other money will flow in. It's all about influence. Do not doubt that there will be a zillion t.v. ads extolling his business expertise. You will not hear about the endangered Florida environment, you will not hear about the plight of undocumented Mexicans, you will not hear about climate change as it affects our state, you will not hear about preschool education, and all you'll hear about in education there is a fudging of finance. (Just talk to some teachers!) And you will not hear anything believably heartfelt.

But, I am saddened that so many of you, mostly the youth, don't care! Some of you don't vote! You should care to examine the issues and be picky. If you deeply care about something that is happening in our state. go to Tallahassee and tell them. You roll your eyes knowing that these politicians lie. You are right. You have no trust in public institutions or health care or much of anything else. You are right not to trust - but you have the obligation to examine the truth and then stand up for what you believe is the truth.

If you don't, you'll quickly find yourselves as mere cogs in the wheels of potato chips. You'll be a mere tweet.

So discouraging! What is this world going to be for my grandchildren?? Certainly, it will be useless to vote. Just lie back an let the digital world and let big money dictate your lives. Unless..