The Endorsement 2012

Election year. Nothing quite says "someone please shoot me now" quite like trying to live a normal life during federal level election campaigns.

But, they are a necessary evil so I do participate. Too many men and women have spilled their lives out from Boston Common to Berchtesgaden for me to not cross the road to my polling precinct and cast my vote. I have too much respect for what has been given to me to disregard it.

And yet I see this election as particularly evil.

Barack Obama, who I do not see as a liar - he did what he said he'd do. Anyone surprised by his vision for the size and scope of Washington must have slept through the entirety of 2008. Let's face it. This man is just not a good president. There have been some good moments but he really just is not improving this nation.

Mitt Romney. Massachusetts governor. Successful businessman. Rabid socialist. Running mate from Wisconsin. What part of this appeals to a Georgian? I need something more than "not Obama". Besides, voting for the man behind the Massachusetts healthcare law because you hate Obamacare is like voting for Marx over Lenin because you hate communism.

But there's no other option. Well, not if you listen to Fox, CNN or MSNBC. But if you look on your own, there is in fact more than one person in addition to the media golden boys. You'll see them on your ballot should you choose to not dishonor a multitude of martyrs that gave you that right.

And that brings me to the point of this entry. It is time to announce that All the Biscuits in Georgia which consists of...well...me, has officially endorsed Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party for President of the United States.

This is not to say that AtBiG is in complete agreement with the candidate (incidentally, anyone in complete agreement with me needs to be committed). Rather, it is to say that he is the best available candidate. His policies best reflect the spirit of the Constitution and the original intent of the Union.

And then there is of course the worries that I am, by proxy, voting for Obama. That would be assuming that I ever considered voting for Romney. I'm not voting against Obama (or, for that matter, Romney). I'm voting for Johnson.

But to further settle your fears. What is a worse outcome? 1) Obama wins and a Republican Congress obstructs his every attempt to advance socialism because he's a) a Democrat and b) Obama OR 2) Romney wins and a Republican Congress willingly assists him in advancing socialism because he's a Republican. Think it can't happen? Ever hear of the Patriot Act? So, in reality, we are better off with Obama than we are with Romney and we'd be even better off with Johnson than Obama.

Checks and balances. You have to look at the whole picture.

In the end, this endorsement means nothing, except for me. I am not attempting to sway one single vote (although I did point someone in the direction of Jill Stein the other day). You have to weigh your own options and vote your own conscience. Regardless, please vote. Then the robo calls will cease...at least until next time.

Summer Rambling.

I first noticed it last night. I'm sure it wasn't the first night but as I stepped into the kitchen to refill my coffee mug the dogs had that look in their eyes. "Y'all need to go outside?" Amazing how two dogs can understand English better than many Americans. They headed for the door and I opened it. That's when it hit me. The "wah-unh, wah-unh, wah-unh" wafting from the trees like it does this time every year.

Dang. Summer is dying.

I have been able to keep hope alive even when my wife and kids returned to their school schedules. Football practices started and the marching band could be heard tooking around over at the school. The mornings started getting cooler and Halloween candy appeared in the stores. Still I had delusions of grandeur that summer would make a roaring comeback.

But the cicadas don't lie. When they start singing it does something to the trees. It does something to the sky. It even makes the sunshine turn in early and sleep in a little later. Life gets hectic again and...

I still don't really want to think about it.

I don't really have a right to be upset. For me, summer began in mid February. I had my bare feet on the St. Augustine grass in Orange County, Florida, working off some stress from an unusual start to a magical vacation. While my friends and coworkers were freezing their butts off in unusually cold weather, I was riding Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids.

And it continued. We hiked incredibly beautiful trails in northeast Georgia. We saluted our heroes at the U.S.S. Alabama and the old Confederate capitol. We rested our souls in the sand and sun of the Alabama coast. We talked history and geology atop Stone Mountain. And there was so many other great times. I just hate to see it go.

Don't feel too sorry for me. Football is just around the corner. There should be some good food, good games and maybe even some good hiking through the fall foliage. A slice of pumpkin bread and cup of apple cider and I'll be ok.

And then it will get cold. Football will come to an end and some guy in Atlanta will use the "s-word" and everyone will buy all the milk and bread. I'll get nostalgic for fall and...you get the picture.

Nothing to it but to get ready for next summer. Now, where did I put that Disney brochure?.