“THIS ELECTION WON’T BE CLOSE!”
By: Armani Scott aka Mr. MAJESTIC
I recently stopped by “8 to 8 Barbershop” on the way in to New York and caught some of the election news coverage. Romney had just shot himself in the foot again and folk were talking about how clueless he seemed. It was after he had insulted the British during the Olympics and before he embarrassed himself on the Libya tragedy. I could sense the worry in some voices; the polls still had the race close, and President Obama was vulnerable.
I wondered why anyone would be surprised at how out of touch Romney was and how polls that are supposed to measure the common sense leanings of the common man could be so out of touch. What has my take on this election been for over a year now?
THIS ELECTION WON’T BE CLOSE!
I remember waking up the day after Jimmy Carter lost to Ronald Reagan and thinking, at the tender age of six, “the adults really blew it.” America voted with their heart back then, treated the election like it was for class president in high school or worse yet Homecoming King, and twelve years of Reagan / Bush had the country exploding debt, hemorrhaging jobs and on a crash course to the bottom in public school education.
Some might try to debate me on that, but when I tell them that one of the lasting legacies of the Reagan Administration was the gutting of the research and development budget for the Department of Energy and the removal of the solar panels President Carter had installed in the White House, they grow silent and wince. Think about it. Think about where America would be if we had maintained a consistent, intense focus on solar and other forms of clean renewable energy development, since 1979!
Think about how far ahead of China and Germany we would be in the clean energy industry.
Think about how totally independent we would be from the Middle East oil cartel and their related strife.
Think of all the innovations that would have made it to the consumer market over the years, continually improving the lives of all mankind, leveling the playing field, lifting the tide of humanity to a new Golden Era.
Oh yea, think of all the good American jobs, (career jobs in science and technology, jobs were trying to catch up and generate for the next generation) that would be here, with all respect to China and India.
Adults back then wanted to vote for the tough talking, race baiting, studio gangster “Gipper”, whatever.
Spoiler alert: I am voting for President Obama. That does not make my premise any less valid. America is not approaching this election like we’re in high school. The stakes are entirely too high and the old playbooks of ethnic and class division have less effect on good Americans.
When your life savings gets swindled in a massive Wall Street ponzi scheme (someone explain what a “derivative” is); and veterans risk their lives and limbs only to come home to less than they deserve; and our children can’t do trigonometry or name the state capital in the state they live in; and the economy is coming out of a ditch that the last good old boy drove us into; the last thing you want to hear about is the good old days or taking America back or who someone else marries or why some buffoon running for U.S. Senate in Missouri actually believes there is a difference between “legitimate rape” and… whatever.
Sidebar: Does anyone think that cutting Pell Grants for education, Head Start for children, and infrastructure investments to get more Americans working are bad ideas? How is that whole “saving the auto industry thing working out?”
Even if it is just naked self-preservation kicking in, the instincts of Americans to not just survive but thrive will spur a tide of votes for the President. He is focused on the direction that will lead to opportunity and prosperity for more of US. Get it, U.S. – US?
This nation is growing up, moving towards a more perfect union every day. The hard lessons of the last forty years starting with Watergate and culminating with the Bush recession of 2008 have forced the electorate to grow up. In 2008 we elected the smartest guy in the room, period. It did not matter to most of us what the history and legacy of slavery said. We moved forward immediately and elected the smart guy, now. We didn’t wait another twenty years for the fourth or fifth really good African-American candidate to get it right.
Peace to Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, et al.
The shifting demographics have also aided in accelerating our maturity by forcing ever more complex dynamics into domestic political calculations.
It ain’t just black and white any more is it? It is a buenos dias in America for real!
This election is between an incumbent who has literally spent his entire professional life in the service of his fellow man (community organizer to President) and a challenger whose claim to fame is his ability to enrich himself and his small cadre of friends (a cross between Alex P. Keaton and Gordon Gekko).
Who are you voting for, the cool, thoughtful guy with a precise trigger finger who has shown a commitment to helping others or the clumsy, plastic guy with no discernible conviction who seems to be pretty good at helping himself?
Never mind that the challenger has already told us exactly what he thinks of most American’s. A friend coined Romney’s new campaign slogan after the video of him bashing hard working citizens, including veterans and seniors, went viral.
ROMNEY: F@#! You, Vote for Me!
I have faith in the American people. We will not go backward and elect a throwback candidate just because he looks like he could play the President in a movie... from the 1950’s. We need to now and always vote for the smartest, and most thoughtful candidates. The problems of this nation (education, energy, jobs) require vision, complex reasoning, and strength of character. Is there really any doubt between the two candidates who is better suited for such a time as this?
We took a major setback in November 1979. And like the awesome people we are, we have righted the ship and are better equipped and positioned to lead this brave new world order into the future. Our diversity is our strength. Our drive inspires all nations. Our choice this November will affirm our commitment to a course for the planet that while rocky and filled with uncertainty is hopeful and leads our children upwards.
This election won’t be close because we are a good people and inevitably we do what is right.
What else can we do but point the planet in a direction towards better days?
And as always, stay sharp.
8 to 8 Barbershop is the home of “Barbershop Wit”© 2Northfield Avenue, West Orange, New Jersey 07052
By: Armani Scott aka Mr. MAJESTIC
I recently stopped by “8 to 8 Barbershop” on the way in to New York and caught some of the election news coverage. Romney had just shot himself in the foot again and folk were talking about how clueless he seemed. It was after he had insulted the British during the Olympics and before he embarrassed himself on the Libya tragedy. I could sense the worry in some voices; the polls still had the race close, and President Obama was vulnerable.
I wondered why anyone would be surprised at how out of touch Romney was and how polls that are supposed to measure the common sense leanings of the common man could be so out of touch. What has my take on this election been for over a year now?
THIS ELECTION WON’T BE CLOSE!
I remember waking up the day after Jimmy Carter lost to Ronald Reagan and thinking, at the tender age of six, “the adults really blew it.” America voted with their heart back then, treated the election like it was for class president in high school or worse yet Homecoming King, and twelve years of Reagan / Bush had the country exploding debt, hemorrhaging jobs and on a crash course to the bottom in public school education.
Some might try to debate me on that, but when I tell them that one of the lasting legacies of the Reagan Administration was the gutting of the research and development budget for the Department of Energy and the removal of the solar panels President Carter had installed in the White House, they grow silent and wince. Think about it. Think about where America would be if we had maintained a consistent, intense focus on solar and other forms of clean renewable energy development, since 1979!
Think about how far ahead of China and Germany we would be in the clean energy industry.
Think about how totally independent we would be from the Middle East oil cartel and their related strife.
Think of all the innovations that would have made it to the consumer market over the years, continually improving the lives of all mankind, leveling the playing field, lifting the tide of humanity to a new Golden Era.
Oh yea, think of all the good American jobs, (career jobs in science and technology, jobs were trying to catch up and generate for the next generation) that would be here, with all respect to China and India.
Adults back then wanted to vote for the tough talking, race baiting, studio gangster “Gipper”, whatever.
Spoiler alert: I am voting for President Obama. That does not make my premise any less valid. America is not approaching this election like we’re in high school. The stakes are entirely too high and the old playbooks of ethnic and class division have less effect on good Americans.
When your life savings gets swindled in a massive Wall Street ponzi scheme (someone explain what a “derivative” is); and veterans risk their lives and limbs only to come home to less than they deserve; and our children can’t do trigonometry or name the state capital in the state they live in; and the economy is coming out of a ditch that the last good old boy drove us into; the last thing you want to hear about is the good old days or taking America back or who someone else marries or why some buffoon running for U.S. Senate in Missouri actually believes there is a difference between “legitimate rape” and… whatever.
Sidebar: Does anyone think that cutting Pell Grants for education, Head Start for children, and infrastructure investments to get more Americans working are bad ideas? How is that whole “saving the auto industry thing working out?”
Even if it is just naked self-preservation kicking in, the instincts of Americans to not just survive but thrive will spur a tide of votes for the President. He is focused on the direction that will lead to opportunity and prosperity for more of US. Get it, U.S. – US?
This nation is growing up, moving towards a more perfect union every day. The hard lessons of the last forty years starting with Watergate and culminating with the Bush recession of 2008 have forced the electorate to grow up. In 2008 we elected the smartest guy in the room, period. It did not matter to most of us what the history and legacy of slavery said. We moved forward immediately and elected the smart guy, now. We didn’t wait another twenty years for the fourth or fifth really good African-American candidate to get it right.
Peace to Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, et al.
The shifting demographics have also aided in accelerating our maturity by forcing ever more complex dynamics into domestic political calculations.
It ain’t just black and white any more is it? It is a buenos dias in America for real!
This election is between an incumbent who has literally spent his entire professional life in the service of his fellow man (community organizer to President) and a challenger whose claim to fame is his ability to enrich himself and his small cadre of friends (a cross between Alex P. Keaton and Gordon Gekko).
Who are you voting for, the cool, thoughtful guy with a precise trigger finger who has shown a commitment to helping others or the clumsy, plastic guy with no discernible conviction who seems to be pretty good at helping himself?
Never mind that the challenger has already told us exactly what he thinks of most American’s. A friend coined Romney’s new campaign slogan after the video of him bashing hard working citizens, including veterans and seniors, went viral.
ROMNEY: F@#! You, Vote for Me!
I have faith in the American people. We will not go backward and elect a throwback candidate just because he looks like he could play the President in a movie... from the 1950’s. We need to now and always vote for the smartest, and most thoughtful candidates. The problems of this nation (education, energy, jobs) require vision, complex reasoning, and strength of character. Is there really any doubt between the two candidates who is better suited for such a time as this?
We took a major setback in November 1979. And like the awesome people we are, we have righted the ship and are better equipped and positioned to lead this brave new world order into the future. Our diversity is our strength. Our drive inspires all nations. Our choice this November will affirm our commitment to a course for the planet that while rocky and filled with uncertainty is hopeful and leads our children upwards.
This election won’t be close because we are a good people and inevitably we do what is right.
What else can we do but point the planet in a direction towards better days?
And as always, stay sharp.
8 to 8 Barbershop is the home of “Barbershop Wit”© 2Northfield Avenue, West Orange, New Jersey 07052
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