Why I Wasted My Vote on a Third Party Candidate

I recently unplugged from the matrix.  The more I study history the clearer things become.  The two party system that plagues American politics is actually a one party python which is slowly squeezing the liberty and currency out of the citizens that it falsely promises to serve.  I started making these observations through the behavior of my local elected officials.  Last year my city councilman, who lives in my neighborhood and likes to tout his being one of the neighborhood went against the wishes of the vast majority of his constituency and voted to authorize a change in zoning laws that would allow for the construction of a McDonald's.  On the surface this may not seem like a big deal, but for decades developers had been trying to get the laws changed and the residents fought them every time, because the shopping center in question cannot handle the increased traffic the drive-thru will bring.  There are also several other McDonald's within a 5-10 mile radius, so the restaurant is not needed.  A search of the councilman's campaign donors reveals that the real estate developer is far and away one of his biggest benefactors.  Corporate Donors, not voters are who the two party system serves.

Another example we had in my locality recently was the Republican runoff for a vacating seat in the House of Representatives.  Several candidates threw their hats into the ring, including my city councilman (who thankfully did not win and whined like a baby when the departing incumbent chose not to endorse him).  In the primary, I voted for a forty something business owner who had never held public office before and espoused a belief in limited government.  Sadly he finished in the middle of the pack.  The top two vote getters were men in their sixties, one who was a career county sheriff and the other a wealthy real estate developer turned state assemblyman.  The geriatric former sheriff had little understanding of current issues as displayed in his interviews and debates, and appeared to simply be interested in collecting a second government pension.  The geriatric real estate developer had been brought up on ethics charges while in the state legislature because some of his properties just happened to increase in value due to votes in the statehouse.  Why would a wealthy individual who is nearing retirement age sink seven figures into a House seat?  Because it is a good investment.  Sadly this person will probably win today, and cronyism will carry the day over constituents.

Since opening my eyes to the false dichotomy of the Team Elephant/Team Donkey "choice" I have started reading extensively about the founding fathers of our country.  I believe that the men who created this nation by revolting against tyranny and oppression would be horrified at what the republic has become.  The 18 powers enumerated to the Federal government by the Constitution have grown uncontrollably into the monstrous empire on the Potomac of today.  It seems that if something is not banned by government than a permit is required for it.  The presidency has turned into a king-like office, whose powers have exceeded its Constitutional authority through the Executive Order and the creation of countless bureaucratic departments.  The founders wanted a small central government which functioned mainly to protect the citizens from attack and maintain a sound currency.  I think the founders would be shocked at the carelessness with which our politicians treat the lives of our military servicepeople.  Our soldiers are too valuable an asset to this country to be sent around the globe searching for monsters to destroy.  I think the founders would also be terrified of the loss of civil liberties we have endured over the past decades and admonish us to grow up and become self reliant again.

Today I cast my ballot for Gary Johnson for president.  He has as much chance of winning as I do of playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys but I believe that he is the only candidate that will start to dismantle the behemoth that is the Federal government, while the other two candidates simply bicker over who can manage it best.  I also voted for independent/libertarian candidates for city council and Congress, so I anticipate not seeing my choices actually win.  Regardless of the outcome, I realize that it is time to stop supporting the zoo that facilitates hordes of elephants and donkeys crapping all over the citizens.  God Bless America.

Gordon Gee Must Be Fired Immediately

Fire. His. Ass. Today.  Immediate termination of Ohio State president Gordon Gee is the only outcome that can begin to compensate Ohio's taxpayers for the absolute theft that Gee has perpetuated on them since 2007.  In today's Dayton Daily News it was revealed that during Gee's tenure with the university, he has "earned" $8.6 million in salary and expensed an additional $7.7 million.  Since Gee is a public sector employee, every penny of his compensation needs to be scrutinized to make sure the university and the taxpayers are receiving value for their money.  I find it extremely difficult to believe that the hardworking people of the buckeye state, and the students of Ohio State have received anywhere close to almost $17 million in value as a result of Gordon Gee's efforts.  Some of the most egregious examples of Gee's outrageous and inexcuseable spending outlined by the Daily News are:

• $64,000 in bow ties.  Sixty Four thousand dollars for fucking bow ties.  If bow ties are a bona fide necessity for Gee to do his job, then let him buy them himself.  He certainly is paid enough in salary to afford it, and besides he could buy one an get 26 free from Joseph A. Bank.
• $673,000 for artwork in the president's mansion.  Unless any OSU student, alumnus, or taxpaying citizen of Ohio is allowed to enter the mansion anytime of day or night to view the artwork, there is absolutely no legitimate reason for such an expenditure.
• $532 for a shower curtain in the guest bathroom.  Former CEO's of Tyco and Worldcom went to jail for shit like this.  So should Gee.
• $1.3 million for mansion renovations.  Gee is divorced and lives alone.  Any respectable single man would be fine with a small house, a big riding lawnmower, a 60 inch flatscreen and a pool table.

The story also outlines how Gee throws lavish parties, travels extensively and schmoozes politicians. I'm sure Ohio State will attempt to justify the expenditures by citing how Gee's efforts help with fundraising, but his mission is first and foremost to serve and educate the students of the university.  Current in-state tuition for an undergraduate education at Ohio State runs about $25,000 per year, so during the course of Gee's tenure 652 of Ohio's college students could have receive a year of their college education paid for.  652 families could have $25,000 more in their bank accounts to save for their retirements, and 652 young people would be saddled with $25,000 less in student loan debt.  I have to believe that 652 college educated Ohioans will provide more economic and social benefits to the state than a thief with $64,000 in bow ties.

Despite the accolades and titles he is known by in academia, Gordon Gee is simply a common thief. There is no excuse for a public sector to spend taxpayer and alumni donation money so recklessly and egregiously while Ohio State students are saddled with debt.  Fire his ass today.

Bold & Absurd Predictions: College Football 2012

The college football season is finally here.  Each offseason seems to pass more slowly that the one before, and this past one has felt like an eternity.  To celebrate the start of a new season I present my bold and most likely absurdly incorrect predictions for 2012.

The SEC's streak of 6 National Championships will be broken: This will be no fault of the teams in the SEC however.  With only two years remaining under the BCS system before the playoff starts, poll voters have a closing window to break the SEC's stranglehold on the national championship.  Teams like Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Arkansas will beat each other up so bad during the season that it is unlikely any of them will go undefeated.  If teams like Oklahoma, Florida State or USC run the table in their respective conferences the voters will jump at the chance to shut out the SEC.  We saw a preview of this in last year's Heisman voting.  No offense to Robert Griffin III, but the SEC backlash after the Alabama/LSU rematch was announced cost Trent Richardson the trophy.  Teams from other conferences have not been able to beat the SEC on the field, so the poll voters will have to handle the matter themselves.

At least 3 MAC teams will beat B1G teams: The upsets will start week 1, although the one I would most like to see, Miami beating Ohio State will not be one of them.  It is true that a crippled Penn State team is extremely vulnerable and maybe is not a true upset, but roughly 75% of the B1G  falls somewhere between Utterly Rancid and Acutely Mediocre.

Samantha Steele will make viewers forget about Erin Andrews: Actually there is nothing absurd about this one at all, it's a lock.  Why ESPN kept Steele buried on the Longhorn Network is a mystery, akin to storing a Michelangelo sculpture in a broom closet.

Navy will beat Notre Dame in Dublin, Ireland: The cadets will be much better acclimated to the time difference since their body clocks are more used to odd hours.  Stopping the triple option will be a tough task for Notre Dame's defense if they are not at 100% and the Irish quarterbacks (more than one is sure to play) will make mistakes.  Navy is simply a better football team than the glorified mid-major that is Notre Dame.

The chickens will come home to roost at Auburn: This is not a prediction about the litany of off the field issues and shady recruiting practices under Gene Chizik's watch, but a literal prediction.  Somebody will forget to lock the animal sciences building and Jordan-Hare Stadium will be overrun with livestock.  Lovestruck Auburn men will rejoice.

Texas will find a quarterback: By week 6, the Longhorn fanbase will be grumbling so loudly about the lack of production from the position that Mack Brown will take the unorthodox step of disguising Major Applewhite in a Case McCoy jersey.  The move will work and Texas will be bowl eligible.

Mark Richt will leave Georgia following the season: The years of complaining by UGA fans will finally drive Richt to his breaking point.  He will get fed up with the constant hot seat talk and take a job that opens up in the PAC-12 or Big 12.  Shortly after arriving at his new destination in an offense friendly conference, he will have his team in the 4 team playoff.

ACC Championship: Clemson over Virginia Tech

Big 12 Champion: Oklahoma

B1G Championship: Wisconsin over Michigan State

Big East Championship: It just doesn't matter

MAC Champion: Miami University

SEC Championship: Alabama over Georgia

PAC-12 Championship: USC over Oregon

National Championship: Oklahoma over USC

Heisman Trophy: Matt Barkley, USC.  Most voters already have their ballots filled out, all he has to do is not get hurt or screw up too badly.

Football and the Cult of Personality

As we have seen from the Penn State situation, the Cult of Personality is alive and well in college football.  The Paterno worship has shown us how dangerous it can be when fans fail to see successful coaches as larger than life figures instead of human beings.  Despite the refusal of many Penn State fans to admit it, there is overwhelming evidence that Joe Paterno was a power hungry monster who had the ability to stop a child molester but chose not to since it would be bad for the football program.  There is a significant faction of the PSU fan base that still sees Paterno as a saintly figure, who could do no wrong and must be innocent simply because he won a lot of football games.  Similar to when a cult leader fails to correctly predict the end of days, the followers now can do nothing but either accept reality or slide further down the rabbit hole of delusion and denial.

As an Alabama fan I found this lesson especially poignant.  Crimson Tide fans are as passionate as they come and are overwhelmingly just fantastic people.  Our fan base is definitely guilty of the Cult of Personality though.  I wasn't even of school age when Bear Bryant retired, yet I still know all about the man.  When in Tuscaloosa you can drive down Bryant Drive, attend a meeting at the Bryant Conference Center, tour the history of Alabama football at the Bryant Museum and watch a football game at Bryant Denny Stadium.  There is (at least there used to be) a bar named after Coach Bryant's hat, The Houndstooth.  Part of me is glad that The Bear came before the internet age.  I know Coach had a fondness for Chesterfield cigarettes and whiskey, and chances are there were things from his personal life that I just wouldn't care to know about.  I truly believe that if Coach Bryant ever witnessed a child being abused, he would have beaten the perpetrator to a pulp with an empty bottle of sour mash. 

Now that Alabama has the best coach in the game again in Nick Saban, we have been quick to build him up into an almost mythical figure.  I am certainly guilty of this.  During the 2010 season, I attended an Alabama game in Durham, NC and before the grill was lit and the beers were cracked, we feasted on Little Debbie snack cakes since they are a favorite of Coach Saban's.   Sometimes we Tide fans feel like Alabama could beat the New England Patriots by two touchdowns starting only 8th graders simply because Nick Saban is our coach.  Nick Saban offers many valuable lessons that can be applied to our personal and professional lives.  His disciplined, process oriented approach to his job can certainly be a valuable guide to our professional development, but we must be careful to remember that he is a great football coach but not be in a rush to deify him.  Men like Bryant, Saban, Bobby Bowden, Steve Spurrier and Bo Schembechler can definitely be fine role models in some aspects of life, but we must not make them into more than they are and fall victim to the Cult of Personality.