Old Will Rogers punchline.
"I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat."
I hear ya, buddy. And respectfully offer the following addendum.
I know absolutely nothing about professional politics. I'm an American.
That said, I've obviously shown no hesitation in offering up a couple thousand bucks worth of two cents, most especially in the last three years or so, on the subject of American politics and those either knee, or neck, deep in it. And I've made no secret about who I like, respect and admire in American politics, a considerable list, many names that would take up far too much time to rattle off one by one.
Then, of course, there's the list of those who I think need to be voted off the island as fast as humanly possible.
Donald.
As I write this piece, California Democratic Senator Kamala Harris has just this morning announced that she is running for President in 2020.
Harris joins an already "the truth is out there somewhere" bunch that includes former San Antonio Mayor and former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, as well as NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Both of whom have also officially announced their intention to try and send Donald back to planning the grand opening of Trump Tower Moscow where he belongs.
By my count, meanwhile, that's two pot shots at Donald and we're only ten paragraphs or so in, here.
And that's the core of the point this entire piece is about.
Years ago, Mick Jagger took some interview shots at The Beatles and their, then, current state of breaking up is hard to do. John Lennon, asked about it, took Mick to major task. When it was pointed out to Lennon that he, himself, had been doing a pretty good job blistering his band mates, he responded "it's my band, I can say what I want about them...Mick needs to STFU.."
That's what's happening here right now, too.
And the rock center core of the unsolicited advice I'm about to offer Secretary Castro, Senators Gillibrand and Harris and any, and every one, we have yet to see throw their hats into the Make America Trumpless Again ring. (Potshot three, I know, I'm keeping track....hasn't changed a thing about the advice I'm about to give).
I'm not running for anything. So I can say what I want about Donald.
But you folks ARE running for President. So, when it comes to taking potshots at Donald, when it comes to talking about Donald, in fact, wherever and whenever practical and possible, when it comes to even mentioning Donald's name, you all need to listen to me very carefully right this very second.
STFU.
There are any number of reasons why that's the best advice you're going to get when it comes to the campaign of 2020. Not the least of which is the fun we'll all have watching Donald doing Twitter cartwheels because he cannot function without spotlight perpetually bathing him.
And while that might be a mildly amusing pot shot, it is a flawed and very likely fatal campaign strategy.
Here's why.
People are tired of Donald Trump.
People are tired of hearing about Donald Trump.
People are especially tired of hearing what a complete failure Donald Trump is, as a president, as a deal maker, as a human being.
And any, and every, candidate that runs as the "I'm Not Donald Trump" candidate is going to be back in the locker room and out of contention faster than you can say "..who dat....wait....what? no pass interference call? what the fuck???"
And it's not because the vast majority of people aren't in unhesitating agreement that Donald is a complete failure as a president, as a deal maker, as a human being.....
It's because they're tired of hearing about it.
I'm tired of hearing about it. I'm tired of writing about it.
And I freely admit that I'm guilty of not having taken my foot off that gas pedal months ago.
In fact, that admission is the preamble to an announcement I will be making at the end of this piece.
Don't touch that dial.
Speaking of people are tired, earlier this week, I was catching up on my DVR'd programming... I watched Kirsten Gillibrand announce on Colbert that she's running. She seems sincere and committed. But, to these ears, she answered his questions in platitudes.
If the last three years, and the election of Trump, have taught us anything, it's that:
People are tired of platitudes
People don't like platitudes
People don't trust platitudes.
The candidate who will end Donald Trump will be the candidate who answers the question "how are you going to build a better America?" by whipping out a blueprint and explaining it brick by brick.
Not... by answering "I'm going to bring people together"
2016 proved that too many people shopping for leadership... given only the choice between a vision and a plan... will always buy the plan.. no matter how outrageous, ridiculous or even dangerous it is.
People like catchy slogans. People like simple answers. People don't have time, patience or even brain matter, much, anymore for long winded or abstract insights into the American experience, it's hopes, it's dreams, the John Williams scored, one more same old yammering about bringing us all together.
People like to chant.
And "Increased Border Security" just doesn't get the veins a poppin' and the joint a rockin' like "Build That Wall".
You know. "Determine Any Wrongdoing And Prosecute Any Transgressions To The Fullest Extent of the Law!"
Uh, no. Not so much.
"Lock Her Up!" There you go.
Even though increased border security is the most efficient, intelligent and practical solution to the issue of immigration....and a wall is just a big speed bump that the always resourceful, resilient human being will find a way through, over, under or around.
I know. BORED.
But my caution flag waving at candidates in the next go round isn't about attention spans as much as it is practicality and efficiency....and a couple of words that have been in dry dock since the day Donald showed America that it damn sure is time to get serious about turning the Electoral College into a Starbucks.
Inspiration. And excitement.
And, what the hell, let's throw in optimism, as a little sprinkle on the latte', wanna?
But, hold on there little buckaroos and buckareenies, I'm not talking about your Hallmark Card variety inspiration and optimism and excitement.
Because history and experience have taught us all what that leads to.
Platitudes.
And how do we feel about platitudes?
Right.
I'm talking about not only "can do" but, here's what we're going to do.
Almost sixty years ago, JFK committed America to being first in space. And there was a platitude, here and there, in the oratory. Of course, that was a long time ago, when vision and imagination and inspiration were still in the lineup and not on the injured reserve list.
But along with the vision, there was a plan.
"....I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth...."
Mic drop.
How's that for a plan, baby?
In my experience as a broadcaster, I've said, on many occasions, that I've learned there are two things that listeners cannot resist.
Puzzles. And free stuff.
Recent years of experience being immersed in the world of observing and analyzing American politics have taught me that there's two, for sure, things that voters can't resist.
A plan of action. And action.
Trump won in 2016 because he convinced enough people that he was the man with the plan and the only man with the plan who would take action on the plan.
And it didn't matter that the plan was bluster, blowing hard and bullshit.
It was a plan, man.
Not another libtard, snoflake pile of platitudes.
Two years and two months later, he's STILL got, literally, millions of people enthralled and enraptured by the plan to put that wall into place, come hell, high water or Nancy Pelosi.
And there are two kinds of people in this nation these days.
Those who chant "Build That Wall!" and believe it's going to happen.
Those who know that the wall is just a pathetically stupid campaign promise that Donald Trump never dreamed for a micro-second he would ever have to make good.
But both kinds of people, in their own ways, have something in common.
They're tired of hearing about it.
And those who want that wall want to know "what's the plan" to put that plan into action, man?
And those who know Trump's whole saga is a scam want to know what's the plan to actually make America a better and safer place to raise a family and live out a better, safer life.
Neither of those questions can be answered by continuing to sing the one note of the one note song entitled "Donald is a complete failure as a president, as a deal maker, as a human being".
And no candidate asking to be given the chance to lead this nation to that better, safer place is going to get an inch of traction out of basing their campaign on the pillar labeled "Donald Trump is a complete failure as a president, as a deal maker, as a human being".
I come before you a convert. Or, at least, attudinally adjusted.
And I'm officially announcing, today, that from here on out, what will be offered on these pages will be alternatives, ideas, suggestions, recommendations...yes, say it with me, brothers and sisters across these great United States of America....a plan.
Because I'm very confident that many of us have one thing in clear cut common.
We are tired of hearing about Donald Trump.
And we want to raise our families in a better, safer nation and live out a better, safer life.
At the end of the day, Donald Trump doesn't really even factor in to that kind of America.
The candidate who gets that will go all the way in 652 days.
In the meantime, let's talk blueprints.
And let's talk about them brick...by brick.
Sound like a plan?
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