The 2012 U.S. Presidential Election Winner Is...

...me?

Well, it sure could be IF I had a good grass roots campaign made up of people that are completely fed up with the Democrats and the Republicans, as well as those fed up with the Republicans and the Democrats. It stands to reason that right now that is the MAJORITY of Americans, and not - as both parties would claim - the minority of voters. What proof have they that more Americans would vote for their party than for someone who is not affiliated with a party? Nobody really does that poll question on a continuous basis. But they should make it a mandatory question: which non-party candidate would you support over the Democratic and Republican candidates at this point?

It's not far-fetched at all to say that I could become a favorite candidate if I --- or anyone else, for that matter of fact --- decided at the last minute to challenge the balloting procedures in every state in the union and allow a non-partisan candidate to become one of the presidential candidates on the November 2012 ballot. It's entirely possible that some courts would want to throw it out on the grounds that the electoral college rules prohibit someone from going on the ballot after a certain date before the presidential election unless...and we all know that those rules would include signature petitions, and all of the regular requirements to become President of the United States of American. Well, frankly, I believe I would qualify under the provisions necessary for age, citizenry (there's no question because I was born in Missouri), and the other eligibility requirements. Well, perhaps save the petitions and the challenges by the major parties that they should be allowed to disqualify a candidate because he or she is not in one of the to major parties. See, they've done this type of runaround on Libertarians, Green Party candidates, and other non-party candidates in the past 40 years.

IF I were to find a way to build a party within the next 60 or so days, I may qualify under the guidelines that seem patently unfair to the American voter. Indeed, that's a charge I am willing to stick with, too. American voters find the two-party system to be unfair and are fed up with how each side is bickering about the same issues --- both parties, meanwhile, are causing the same problems decade after decade.

And while the two parties continue their gridlock in Congress, the failures of American businesses to recover during an economic recession and depression continue. This gridlock is not really to blame for the lack of employment opportunities at this very moment. No, that's more as a result of bad legislation passed by Congress during the past 16 years and bad policies of the 21st Century presidential administrations - plural.

But let's all call it what it is --- an economic boondoggle because neither side wants the other side to "win", therefore causing a basket case government administration for the second consecutive chief executive. "Bailout" legislation did nothing to stimulate the economy as President George W. Bush promised. The same can be said for the administration of President Barack Obama. This money only did one thing that fails ALL American taxpayers --- gave money to companies that need to fail. Excuse me, but "too big to fail" is simply not truth, not intelligent in ANY WAY, and only adds to the misery because it allows those companies that should absolutely be bankrupt to continue to do one major thing --- steal from those that they should have been releasing from their debt rolls. Yes, that's right --- this is not redistribution of wealth, as Republicans would charge --- this is not a socialist move --- this is not a way to recoup tax dollars as the Democrats would want in order to keep a company in business. This is not something that benefits those political parties. This is the ideal situation for Americans that are not tied up in owning too many shares of stock in CitiCorp and the other conglomerate banks that got bailout money. You see, the reason to let these companies go belly up is this: if they cannot employ tactics to bully the average credit card holder (like they did by purchasing the little banks' credit card accounts in order to jack up their fees and interest rates), then those Americans suddenly have some money to save and spend once again. Wow --- stimulating the economy from the ground up. Amazing --- the idea that allowing the corporations to be bankrupt would actually stimulate the economy? That is basic economics. None of these giant corporations would be causing the unemployment rate to go up dramatically --- none of them. Why? Because the layoffs had already decimated their ranks. 4500 fewer CitiBank employees here and there --- those are more recent numbers --- over a period of the past 8 years --- well, it means these corporations had already become "lean". Therefore, it also stands to reason that laying off the rest of their workforce is only going to create another stimulating effect: new businesses will be created in the wake of the demise of such a conglomerate. This is to say that some middle to low level managers --- with direct knowledge of part of the business that operates successfully from a legal standpoint --- will open up a firm of their own and take on clients that need services to keep them open or growing.

Does Mitt or Rick or Newt or Barack have any ideas like these that will actually HELP the economy turn around?

If so, I have not read about them. Thus far it has been about soundbites that "as president, I will end this cycle of joblessness..." ...with NO substantive reasons for it happening. Or, how about this one: "My job record shows that as (insert political office - causing immediate disinterest in the rest of the blah-blah-blah) my administration was responsible for the growth of jobs in (state or sector of the economy...again, not something that we can say was caused by that candidate, so much as timing of their being in office coincides with a business actually expanding their operations...usually with a tax break, big TIF money, and promises of jobs 25 years down the road) during my last push for job growth." If the candidate points to that, he's only trying to promise corporate lies, all but spoon fed by a company that offered a short term solution --- for its own profits --- that will not help the job picture over a long period. And he or she did nothing to accomplish the greater good for job growth, no matter how much they may try to play that "I did this" card.

What do I offer versus them? Certainly one thing that a lot of Americans want: I have not held a political office before. Translation? I'm not robbing you blind and causing your benefits to be decreased or taxes to be raised BECAUSE I AM NOT IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

Admittedly, that will get me fewer votes in the eyes of many people. But if I were running and said the right things, even those who want someone with loads of political experience but are tired of how the current set of individuals is playing politics will look at me as a viable candidate for president.

Now, the thing that stops me from becoming a viable candidate has absolutely nothing to do with politics. No, that thing is my personal life --- something that I value much more than politicians do when they are running for office. To them the family and friends are to be used as allies for soundbites and smiles. Those soundbites and smiles truly show that some of these people have started off genuine. It doesn't take long for that genuine family situation to become a power tripping avenue for the office holder. And those smiles become painted on the family and friends along with the disingenuous "everything's fine" that comes along with knowing there is a family member that needs more of them than they thought they would have to give --- be present for camera rolls or answer the home phone at 4:15 am to have them awaken the politician for comment on a story. Try being the family member that answers those calls in a friendly manner --- this is one of those things that I've had to do as a reporter (not necessarily at 4:15 am, mind you...I would rather never make one of those calls): make a tough phone call to a home number. That spotlight burns too bright for families. That's probably the biggest reason I am not considered to be a viable candidate in my own estimation.

But --- IF I were the middle-of-the-road, non-partisan political office seeker --- this would be the year to run for President of the United States (POTUS) of America because the rancor between the two main parties (D, R) has made most voters ready to throw them on their collective carcasses. That, and at this point, I don't see a good middle of the road candidate in the running. So, I'd be a better candidate than what's been MADE available to date.

There's one other thing --- I am not a millionaire, so I am not a Washington insider. That would qualify me better than most of Congress or the governors of so many of our states in the eyes of the people. And last time I checked, the country is really supposed to have a government run by the people, for the people.

Science Center Drops The Ball

(Written 4/26/2010)

So, it's a fair assessment to say that I've been in dozens of thunderstorms in the past decade. During that time, I suppose where I was directly in the path of a tornadic storm was probably fewer than ten times, despite my affection for being a weather spotter.



The Science Center has been giving St. Louisans great scientific information for generations.

The two met the other day, my love of weather/a thunderstorm and a visit to the Science Center. Unfortunately, it seems that I could have done a better job watching the weather outside the Science Center than from the inside as a patron. And to be sure --- the Science Center sent me and the other dozens/hundreds of patrons out into a thunderstorm without giving us ANY kind of warning about the pending nature of the atmosphere. It was dramatic to be in Forest Park during a TORNADO WARNING. But it didn't have to be that way --- IF ONLY the Science Center had made an announcement in the moments before they closed on Saturday afteroon. But they didn't, and the next thing I knew, we are in the middle of a severe thunderstorm which produced a tornado minutes before I was stuck in an area without shelter.

So --- how would I do things differently? I'd make sure the Science Center makes announcements about weather. This wasn't any run of the mill weather they ignored --- this was a TORNADO WARNING. As for me --- I'd not be caught unaware of a tornadic storm coming toward me again if I possibly could.

Let me show you what I mean:

4:20 pm: weather spotters observe a tornado in Des Peres. The damage is reported to the National Weather Service moments later. One of these observations is from the Des Peres Fire Department, near the end of the path of the EF0 tornado which has just done damage for a few hundred yards to homes, trees, automobiles, and possessions.

4:25 pm: the National Weather Service issues a Tornado Warning for St. Louis County and City. At 4:27: I am nearing the exit for the Science Center at the Planetarium in Forest Park. I make one more stop --- in the restroom --- before I run out into the possible rains.

4:30 pm: We are exiting the facility along with dozens of other families from all around the world. But, there have been NO announcements about the weather inside the Science Center or Planetarium. These people, myself included, are running out into what is potentially deadly weather. A tornado had just hit the Des Peres area of west St. Louis County. Winds knocked down huge trees in Webster Groves. There is a storm with two parts --- one more northerly and one more southerly --- and a funnel cloud, tornado, and funnel cloud have been spotted by authorities and citizens.

This storm is taking aim on Forest Park.

4:34 pm: Pulling out of the parking space, I turn and proceed west toward the area near the St. Louis Mounted Police stables and toward the Jewel Box and the Zoo. I'm hoping, but not seeing much good news, as I have the radio on KMOX and hear the Tornado Warning message being repeated. They're "interrupting" regular programming to tell people of the potential of the storm. By this time, inside a car --- the worst place to be in a tornado --- I'm stuck in the driving rains.

Now it's 4:36 pm, and I cannot drive. Winds of 60 mph are pulling tree branches off trees at the edge of the parking lot where I am now stopped. The hail begins --- thank God it's very small, about the size of a pinky-nail, perhaps 1/4 inch sized pellets --- and my other half is not enjoying this moment. She, too, is a weather spotter --- like me, trained to not be out in a tornadic storm. We both know we're in a dangerous situation --- I can no longer drive west or east, it's too much to attempt to drive the car in either direction, because we're thinking the storm is east of us because of what was said on the radio --- but we really don't know. We both are praying that we're not about to become victims. I manuever the car so that rear of the car is facing the south --- not ideal, but if the trees, now behind us, fall, it'll probably be something I can see in the rear-view mirror instead of into the windshield. And it leaves me the chance to see if there's a tornado or funnel coming. I keep looking back and twisting and turning to see if there is any debris other than the hail and a few branches. I'd moved only once, slightly to the east about 40 feet in this whole time since I stopped the car. We have only one option for shelter at this point. We're in "no man's land" in this parking lot --- and the rains will soak us if we have to run the approximately 20 to 25 feet to the south wall of the parking lot --- it's a wall that is adjacent to the long soccer field located nearby. I can see if there's anything more than clouds coming at us --- I see the tree debris. But, thankfully, there was no other debris. If there had been, we'd have been running to the wall and praying the storm passes overhead and doesn't pelt us with debris, pick us up, or something similar.

The rains die down some. The winds have died down quite a lot.

Minutes later, we're in the safety zone. We're sitting in Olympia Kabob House awaiting our time for food. I'm watching the storm coverage on KMOV while chatting with the guy behind the bar. The storm was something else. It kept moving north-northeast --- and it was heading past my parents house in North County. It's scary to see that the winds were swirling and causing damage. But all of us survived. After watching the screen long enough, I'm satisfied that the only thing the storm is doing is making hail and wind damage --- it looks as if the tornadic part of the storm was rather short-lived, even though the warnings continue for the Illinois side of the river (where I now reside, by the way). My brother-in-law visited my house and said all was well. Later, more than an hour later, we're in Wood River and Roxana. There was still hail on the ground along IL Route 143 in Wood River. We saw tree damage. On Sunday, driving through Roxana, we saw more tree damage. This was the same storm, but at least it didn't have a huge funnel coming to the ground and continuing to rack up damage. Wind and rain and hail was enough.

But, what if this had been more than a storm packing a weak EF0 tornado which only touched down briefly in West County? What if this had been an EF3 or even grown into an EF4? I would have been a victim, if the same situation had unfolded. This storm should serve as a warning to management of places like the St. Louis Science Center. If they had a weather radio with a warning system in place --- and caring employees --- I would have been inside the planetarium or the Science Center riding out this storm in a sheltered area. We wouldn't have cared about the car being sucked up. We wouldn't have been in the middle of Forest Park. We would not have been in danger.

Let this be a lesson to all. There's no safe place to be where information is either withheld or non-existent in a dangerous situation.

I'm not sure whether the Science Center was negligent for gathering or distributing the important/vital storm information. But, they were negligent.

I'm calling upon them and others to ensure they have working Weather Radios in their offices. Make sure staff doesn't dismiss the storm as "it's not here, so we're okay" in such a time.

One of these days, it'll be a big tornado in this area, and someone will die because they were uninformed.