On Trump, #1

Yesterday, my Babes tells me about her meeting with her Russian financial adviser, and the subject of Trump comes up. The guy states to her, "Trump just has not had a fair chance yet". So I said to Babes, "that is just a stupid". We almost get into an argument over whether her friend was stupid or not. I changed the subject. 

Then last night, at our weekly gathering of Russian's, one Iranian and one Californian, the subject of Trump comes up. Someone at the table says, "Trump just has not had a fair chance yet", and my brain neurons begin colliding with each other in a pre-volcanic eruption ..... then I spot the bottle of Irish whiskey and drink fast. The neurons are calmed. 

In those seconds, my thoughts become clear, my view is firmly entrenched. I am a Trump hater. In my California liberal view, Trump is the poorest excuse for a public servant possible. He is the worst President the American public has ever elected, in my lifetime. He will lead this country into the worst civil discord since 1860. He will bring us closer to world conflict than anyone since Adolf Hitler. He needs to go and the American people need a reboot. These are my concrete views on the subject and Babes I am sorry, but I will not remain silent for domestic political correctness. 

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and in American we are all entitled to voice their opinions, and I would never dream to silence a Trump supporters opinion. Nor would I hold back my view of their Trump support. Anyone who voted for Trump, was ignorant of his divisiveness at the time, or was suffering from some Hillary hate in the voting booth, or just had a major brain fart on election day. But, someone who still supports Trump today, or makes excuses for his un-Presidential behavior, or believes he just has not been given a fair chance, is just plain stupid in the subject. 

Babe's final comment to me last night, "but my dad still supports Trump". I do love the Babes.   

Candidates 2016

I am going to confess, yes I have watched every dumb debate so far, both Democrat and Republican. At best, they have all been just bad entertainment. At worst, they are a sign of the demise and fall of the American Empire. If this is the best and the brightest willing to stand up and lead the USA and represent all that is good and great in this county, then we as the citizens of the greatest democratic republic in world history, are witnessing the decay of the dream.

We are a people divided, half to the left and half to the right. No longer is the goal to be a centrist and lead all the people of this great county, understanding that just to get along, we all need to find middle ground. Nowadays, we have candidates who want to please some of the people all the time and not all the people some of the time. We have candidates who offer to destroy all that is important to the other side.

I am a lifelong California Liberal, in diaspora. I live in the other liberal land of Chicago. Right or left, I can not support a candidate who wants to eliminate the social grounds gained over the last 100 years, like a woman's right to an abortion, or medicare, or social security. I am a firm believer in universal, single point payer, socialized medicine. These are all a part of an advancing civilization, where accumulation of wealth should not be the ultimate goal, but the betterment of society in general. But that is me, and I know for every liberal such as I, there is also a conservative who disagrees with all I have written, and that is OK. We still need a leader and a congress who engages both sides of the aisle, and governs us all, equally. We do not have one of those running this year, and that sucks.

On the left, we have Hillary. She was a great idea 8 years ago, but we chose Barack Obama and he has been a good President, not great, but good. But at soon to be 70, Hillary is just to old to be our leader for the next 8 years. Sure I would love to think that Bill Clinton, who was MY President, back in the White House even if it is just to select the next White House china, would have some influence on that Presidency. In the end, Hillary Clinton is not the best candidate to lead this country next year.

Then there is Bernie Sanders, my choice this election. Nationally, it does not appear that he can get by Hillary. He is also not the choice of the Party. He does have the ideas the country needs to evolve to the next level, the ones which we as a society are not ready for.

Sadly, Martin O'Malley is not ready for prime time. I do not think he has the message the American public wants to hear anyway.

Now for the Right. Marco Rubio is not qualified to be my President. He has done nothing. I look at him and he is not an honest man, he is a brand. The Rubio brand, like clothes from Zara, they look good, they are reasonably priced, but they are not made to last.

Ted Cruz is the candidate who if America was just 10% more white, evangelical, bible thumping, Jew mistrusting, black fearful, Hispanic enslaving, gay and lesbian hating, might just get elected. Ted is scary because he is the candidate who actually believes everything he says and what he stands for. Just like you Koch brothers. Also, I think this man is not a natural born citizen, he is Canadian. His daddy was Cuban living in Canada and his mommy was American living like a Canadian.

So we have Donald Trump. He is the 2016 candidate who America deserves. We created him, like a bad reality TV show. He is the cartoon character we all tune in to watch. The man with high ratings. The man of all soundbites but no real substance. Donald Trump is the candidate who if the majority of Americans vote for, should get as the next President. A non-lawyer, non-insider, non-beholding to anyone business man who represents most of the real values American's hold dearest. Of course I will not vote for him.

If the Republicans where really a smart, cohesive, even progressive bunch of strategists, they would convince Mitt Romney to run, now, and put a conservative centrist up who could heal the great divide.

If the Democrats were smart at the stage of the game, they would just have Hillary put Bill on her ticket as a VP and win the election in a landslide. Of course there would be court challenges to this, but hey, there is also a Canadian running here.

Me, I am voting my heart and conscience, I am voting for Bernie Sanders.  

Ahhh, Mexico!

Having grown up in Southern California, and being part Mexican myself, there is an inherent understanding, acceptance, and even appreciation for what is Mexico. I do not always think of going there, but at home now in Chicago, I am always on the hunt for quality Baja style, cuisine. Missy wanted to go on a warm winter break trip, and Babes announces, "all the Russians are going to Cancun". So the planning began.

First discovery, "All the Russians" are going to all inclusive Cancun resorts. WTF? They are not going to Mexico, they are going to Americanized encampments on Mexican land, and hanging with almost exclusively Russian groups. That was not going to be my mission as well, we are going to Mexico.

After a few weeks of research, I decided that we are going to Playa del Carmen, and renting a condo, and a big condo, on the beach, and with a separate bedroom and bathroom for Missy and this newish boyfriend of hers. That is what we did, and I could not have been happier with a vacation, and in Mexico, ok maybe a little happier.

Night one, condo is nice, on the beach, right off of the famous 5th Street, in Playa del Carmen. We walk back and forth a little, find a great little local restaurant for first of many tacos and cervezas of the week. We find the Walmart where all the action in town really is, and buy our breakfast provisions and of course cervezas and tequila.

Late night early morning 1: There is no water in the complex. Oh boy. They had shut down the water the previous day for maintenance, but it was supposed to be back on that afternoon. Well, regardless, Sunday morning, my crew is gonna get up and find there is no water. Luckily, we have bottled drinking water in the condo, an ocean and pool to swim in, but the toilets, oh the toilets, now that will be the problem.

Sunday morning, the questions are rapid fire; when can we shower, when can we use the toilets, can we pee, and not flush, what if we need to do more, how long will the water be off, when do we start looking for another place to stay, can we get some refund ?? All, before 10AM. This is Mexico,  you all.

The day goes well, the water comes on, more tacos, more beer, late night drinking for "the kids", and Babes is still looking for some refund for that water incident, then it happens, NO WATER, again! Same panic, same pooo problems, and Babes, wants to move or get a bigger refund. We find out what the real problem is, the city is putting in a bigger pipe to the new condos in Playacar, and shutting off the water in our whole part of town. Our complex is bringing in water trucks, as is the whole town. Now THIS is Mexico.

When we landed in Cancun, we were greeted by an army of tourism sales people wanting to actually get us to sit in on a vacation club/time share sales session. We were saying NO, when the offers of freebies came up, then Babes said YES, to 90 minute presentation, free taxis, free lunch for all, and discounted Chichen Itza tour tickets. The session was 2 hours, and moderately high pressure, the lunch was good, and they delivered all which was promised, Babes looked sad that we where not staying at the fancy Hard Rock all inclusive this was all taking place in.... I was relieved. It was not Mexico.

We take a trip to Chichen Itza or is that Chicken Pizza, but it was a must see, once, to check it off. The crowd is large, and there is almost as many vendors as there was tourists, but I love historical places. We bought some overpriced items at the lunch depot, and we had some tasty buffet tourist lunch, BUT, the Aztec king/god Montezuma had his revenge over me for visiting the Mayan temple. Thank the gods the water issues where over, and thank the other gods for Imodium. Yep we were in Mexico!

We took a day trip to Cozumel. I was almost on the boat, and a guy talks me into renting a jeep on the island before we go over, he gave us a discount rate of $70. I thought, maybe I could get a better price before I got there, but he convinced me no. We get off the ferry, and the next guy offers me a jeep for $50, yep Mexico. Then it starts to really rain. I asked Babes and the kids, do we blow off the jeep ride, or take the adventure in the rain. BTW, the jeep roof is only partially covered, and you guys are going to get wet. We went jeeping, in the rain. Well, Cozumel floods, two feet of water in the city streets, but we have a jeep so no problemo. The rain is not so bad, but I am not sitting in the back seat. We drive around the coast, and all of the sudden the sun comes out and we find a beach bar. Cervezas and fish tacos in the sun on the sand. Perfect.

We get back into the jeep and the rain starts up again with a vengeance, and all the back to the port. Back the boat and it is 6:30PM, I look at the water and there are 6 foot waves, now this trip back to Playa del Carmen is gonna be fun. 2/3s of the way home, Babes is moving to be back of the boat, and looking pale. Then it happens, Missy's head goes into the bag, two beers and 3 fish tacos back up, then we land. It was a long day, for sure. Yeah, we are in the tropics and we are in Mexico!

Day of sunning and a few hours of snorkeling, that was all good. Many great tacos and some other great non-taco meals. Even a not so great meal was not that bad. Plenty of cervezas and a few pina coladas, this could be one of the perfect sun destinations to get to from Chicago, Playa del Carmen. I am not sure that it steals my heart from Hawaii, but it comes damn close. Even the ride back to the airport was pleasant, we had a couple of extra hours because of a typical United delay, and the driver gave us a tour through Cancun, which made me glad I stayed in Playa del Carmen. Cancun could have very well just been Florida, but Playa del Carmen, that is Mexco.

I would love to return to the scene of this crime, with no kids, or their semi-boyfriends or annoying girlfriends. No friends at all, just Babes and me. Same condo, same Playa del Carmen, same Mexico, and no bueno to the all inclusives, Babes, that is not Mexico!