Blog News

I did an internet search for this site, which I had not done in a long time since nothing ever turned up when I did so, and there was not much on this occasion either, though I discovered that the page has been added, without any explanation, and for no obvious reason, to someone's blogroll (in which I fall under the category of Purgatory). I don't have any idea who it is. As the sight appears to be devoted to earnest meditations on Christianity, I cannot think but that it might be some error.

Primary Wrap-up

The Primary is over, the candidates and their staffers have left us behind, and most of the well-informed people who really understand what is going on on the national and global scenes remain in their permanent states of dismay or bemusement. This said, the final days before the event were, as they always are, pretty exciting in these parts. I still didn't meet any celebrities myself, but I have many firsthand reports to give of such encounters. My wife met Sheila Jackson-Lee, the representative from Texas who according to her website was named as one of the 100 most fascinating black women of the 20th century (one certainly does not meet such a person as this every day), in front of the State House doing something to arouse support for Hillary Clinton. This lady was reported to be tall and charming, and she complimented my wife on the beauty of our children. The famous television and radio personality Bill O'Reilly was observed by numerous locals in the audience at one of the Hillary rallies doing some light bullying and glowering at the assembly of teachers and secretaries and putting such people in their places by forcefully confronting them on what they think ought to be done about Pakistan (appallingly, it seems, they by and large had no idea). Another person I know met Hillary and Chelsea Clinton at Dunkin' Donuts, and several others were at the aforementioned Hillary rally at the local high school and upon beholding her in person reported extremely positive impressions of the senator (much higher than they had of Bill O'Reilly, anyway), who is often presented (frequently not unconvincingly) as not much less than the Antichrist incarnate. Indeed, her campaigning over the last three days before the voting was very impressive--lest the intellectuals get riled up to dispute, I am not talking about ideological rigor, but in doing the necessary tasks to secure the most votes in a popular election. Whatever one may say about the Clintons, they know how to work, and they give the appearance that they like to work. Since I cannot make any claim to either, and have gradually come to recognize it as a real hindrance to my advancement in life, I confess I do admire this quality when it is so thoroughly and relentlessly possessed. They made the other candidates look as if they weren't trying to compete, though I recognize that this illusion was made possible in great part by the money Mrs Clinton was able to raise, but, as with top private schools, art collections, libraries, etc, that have overwhelming financial resources, it made no less of an impression for that. What was most impressive was that she--Mrs Clinton--seemed to have found just the right persona to put on to connect with the audience she was going after, and needed, at least in New Hampshire. I really think that most of the people who went for her in the heat of the voting booth moment were not merely being calculating or reacting against rival candidates as people often are but were pretty strongly for her. A lot of this too of course is that many middle class people now look back on the Bill Clinton years as a better time, certainly an economically easier one in any case, and that if Hillary can get in she and the people she will bring with her will be able to restore conditions that are more favorable to them than what they perceive as existing now. I think that, as far as the many go, the majority of the population that makes less than $50,000 a year in actual cash income, this is in fact true. Many will scream for data (or would, if anyone read this blog) to back up this assertion, but I do not have the time nor the interest to dig around for such, and I am not sure that data, even if it appears to support the case, would prove much as far as what I am thinking of. I will attempt to briefly explain my meaning below.

You know what. I will post this much and finish the rest in a couple of days. I have too much more to put here.