Everything Seemed So Normal...

...until I turned the radio on today.

And what a day it was! The morning began like so many others, and yet, it turned out to be an extraordinary beginning to a day filled with business accomplishment. Problems were solved with relative ease, and everyone seemed happy, and contented. Even the weather cooperated, as the sky was a bright blue, and the sun was warm, but not too hot. Then, between visits to one account, and then the next, I ruined everything. I turned the car radio on.

The first thing I heard, was the voice of Paris Hilton. She was gasping that she was "hot", and that she approved this message. Of course, this was in response to the clever John McCain ad linking the fawning celebrity of Ms. Hilton, and Britney Spears to his opponent, Senator Obama. This begat the modest fury of Mr. Obama, who always seems to become angry when confronted with the truth in any form. "Why not?", I thought to myself, meaning the entry of Ms. Hilton into the presidential race. The descension into the nether regions had already begun weeks earlier, and the race desperately needed a "shot in the arm". No! Perhaps that is a bad choice of words, given whom it is we are talking about here, but let it stand.

Then, my own state's governor, Jon Corzine, emphasized that he was definitely opposed to any off shore drilling of New Jersey's coast line. I wonder if that has anything to do with his new support for Senator Obama? Senators Menendez, and Lautenberg, and most New Jersey congressional reps. agree with the same sentiment. It's enough to make one blue, but then we are "Blue", are we not?

My business day followed a normal course, but I wonder how it went for "Big Bad Oil"? Remember hurricane Katrina? Of course we do, how could we forget people like Mayor Ray Nagin, of New Orleans, the custodian of 400 unused school buses? How could we forget Governor Kathleen Blanco's spine stiff resistance to the idea of allowing the federal government to oversee the disaster with it's greater resources? both the governor and the mayor won, but it was the people of Louisiana who ultimately lost through the ineptitude of it's elected leaders.

Meanwhile, out in the gulf of Mexico, there was relatively insignificant damage to the hundreds of oil rigs as a result of Katrina's ferocious assault on that fateful day. Spillage too, was not of concern. Only the disruption of supply to the consuming public, and the concommitant rise in fuel prices, gave rise to concern. How do we suppose all this happened as it did? In the first place, people who were not fit to lead during emergencies, wrapped their political hands more tightly around their corrupt version of "local control". Oil companies, assessed the damage to their property, and put into place actionable plans to quickly, and safely restore service to the public. Theirs was not only a fiduciary responsibility to their share holders, but a shared responsibility to the United States as well. Not much has been said of those efforts, the press has been, and was, consumed with the political fallout only. The press apparently succeeded, for the mayor won his reelection bid, and meanwhile, the rigs continued to almost silently deliver the life blood of commerce to the economic engine of America. So, were there "good" and "bad" guys in all this? Let's leave that to the historians for the moment.

Simply put, Governor Corzine, and his political pals are happily united in their attempt to wean America off it's "oil addiction". God, how I hate that term! Are you addicted to air? Are you addicted to food for sustenance? Are we addicted to pursuing healthy living? Or are we simply addicted to the likes of the men and women who currently populate the halls of Congress?

Doctor Phil, where are you when America needs you most? More to the point, we need someone like Judge Judy, and her gavel of doom for the innane, and almost insane people, who stridently, and with implied impunity, want to steer America eastward into a common bond with the Eurocrats they most admire. Well, it is not going to happen on our watch, is it? As Dirty Harry used to say invitingly, "Go ahead, make my day!"

Still, it was a beautiful day. A day replete with promise, and for hope also. Lift the glasses to the sky, and let us announce that, We The People have had enough, and we are going to take back what rightfully belongs to every man, woman, and child...Freedom! Freedom from tyranny, freedom from despotism, freedom from socialist elements in our society, and above all, freedom to pursue our guaranteed RIGHT to happiness!

The children are patiently waiting, and I must go to them....children everywhere.