No more election days for me.

I am seventy three years old and have voted regularly all my life. I have commiserated with those outs campaigning to get in, and those ins, incumbents, explaining as best they could to the electorate why their plans may not have panned out. I have tried to understand why the best of plans failed, and I have rejoiced when their plans came together. After all it is my country as well. But finally even those of us filled with vast amounts of naivete have to open our eyes sometimes and see before us 'career politicians' of the worse stripe. Politicians who talk ugly, act ugly, and run each cycle only to keep themselves in office. Remaining in office where most become little demigods who most likely don't remember why it was they wanted the job in the first place. I used to think that term limits would be a good thing figuring the less time at the trough of greed would be a good thing. That thought died also with my before mentioned naivety, it isn't going to happen.

I grieve at this late stage in my life that the days of Jimmy Stewart portraying the fictional Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith goes to Washington and going into the well of congress and filibustering until the bad eggs saw the evil of their ways and everything worked out is over, or more sadly never was.

I have gotten to the stage of life where time is uncertain, and I refuse to listen and/or read and/or watch these people anymore. More importantly and more sadly is my decision not to cast my vote that many very good people fought very hard to get me. Next election day I will stay home and like the ostrich stick my head in the sand and have another cup of coffee. My vote is not important anymore, probably never was, but I will stay home and I can guarantee you my state of mind will be better. My children hopefully will not follow my path. I believe they won't, after all it took the crooks and politicians` fifty years to convince me to throw them to the gutter where most of them belong. If they are not dwelling there now they will soon enough.

Addendum: Good wife Hazel is grieved, and hopeful that I am writing in a moment of pique and my better judgement will prevail come election day. Her opinion is paramount with me. We'll see.

An email from my old air force buddy originally from Oklahoma Argus Stilley. He says:

Hi Jim,

You and I are of the same mind about the current batch of politicians. If one votes now, it is like having a choice of Jessy James or Billy the Kid for Bank President. Alas, what's to
be done?