Happy Primary Day!

Yes, it is primary election day in Missouri!

I am currently sitting in Springfield's Cracker Barrel restaurant while waiting on my motorcycle tire to be repaired. It's nice to have a bottomless cup of coffee less than a half mile from the shop. I'll have a light lunch and some coffee and spend time on the Chromebook while I'm waiting.

This afternoon I'll cast my vote in the MO 2016 Primary.
Missouri is one of those states that you can pick which party you want to vote in regardless of how you are registered. Republicans that don't like their candidates (or are hoping to spoil an opponents chances) can vote for Clinton or Sanders and Democrats can cross party lines to vote for Trump or one of the other GOP candidates.

It's too bad that the presidency is such a crappy job. As it is, we seldom seem to have the best qualified people wanting to take on such a challenge. We are often left with power seeking narcissists that see the presidency as an office to be attained rather than a position of great service to our country.

Most of the time, candidates have varying viewpoints on how our country should be governed. They all love our country and have very different ideas on how our country should serve its citizens and how its citizens should provide for our country. I don't know that I feel real comfortable standing by that statement this time around. I really think that there are candidates for the office that are solely seeking the rush of power that the presidency seems to offer.

Fortunately, our founding fathers saw to it that each branch of government's power is limited. Though the office does wield great influence, the President's powers are pretty limited. Even the privilege of Executive Order is limited in scope and only lasts until the next President counters with his/her own Executive Order. It is a little ironic that some of the candidates have voiced their opposition to the use of Executive Order to the point of saying that they will use an Executive Order to undo all of President Obama's Executive Orders!

My prediction is that Clinton and Cruz will take Missouri. I really don't know how the other primaries will go. I know that many are hoping for Kasich to win Ohio and to better position the GOP for a brokered convention in July. I'm pretty sure that the Dems are counting on a Clinton nomination but I expect that Sen. Sanders will have enough support to have great influence over the Democratic platform. I have my doubts that he'll get the nomination. He may not be a part of the party's establishment and may claim to be an outsider, but after serving in Washington DC for decades it is difficult to think of him as anything other than a career politician. He certainly doesn't command the anti-establishment vote the way Trump does! I'm pretty sure that Trump (if he gets the nomination) is going to take the votes of some anti-government Democrats, as well.

While I have said that Trump scares me because I don't really know what he stands for, there are other candidates that scare me more because I do know what they stand for. I think the weeks between the GOP Convention and the November election will be interesting for the Republicans. If The Donald gets the nomination, will he be able to pull the party together or will he continue to be the loudmouthed, charismatic guy that just draws people because he is not a career politician. Will disillusioned Democrats follow him the way disillusioned Republicans have? They may.

For many that I have spoken with, they find themselves in the position of trying to determine the least of the evils. They don't like any of their choices but are forced to pick one anyway. November may find many more Americans in the same place.

Be well!

John <><