September musings

~ So much dissonance and chaos out of DC I can't even remember it all. Each day brings a new lawsuit or pleading to the courts to bend to Trump's latest whim. He had a hissy fit with Canada (again) and renamed Lake Ontario. Of course, Google and Apple were quick to update their map apps. Only Mapquest has resisted. He is universally hated around the world. I see US citizens online apologizing for the toddler in the white House every day. The East Wing is still a mess and back and forth in court. The reflecting pool is still a mess and not relfecting much beyond someone's bad judgment. We're still at war with Iran although the entire administration refuses to call it a war. Bombs, bullets, dead people on both sides but it's not a war? ~ And Trump is out there begging his people to pretend he is running in the mid terms. In a way, he is. People, including Republicans, are fed up with the bullshit. I have hope that we can fend off any funny business from Elon or foreign interests and have a truly fair election and get rid on the GOP majorities in Congress. We need serious people in those seats, not "yes" people who are seemingly afraid of what the president will say about them. And where the hell is Mitch McConnell? Two months and no video of him - is he dead? Is he totally incapacipated? What???? ~ In Maine politics, Troy Jackson is holding his own against the Susie machine and all the dark money ads. The Governor's race may come down to Hannah v. Bennett as Chrales' own sister won't vote for him. I attended Matt Dunlap's town hall in Augusta last night and came away even more impressed with him. If LePage agrees to a debate it will show that Matt has the emotional intelligence needed for the job. Like Trump, LePage lets his emotions get the best of him and he comes off as a real jerk. ~ RAcing has concluded at Saratoga for the year. Next weekend is the debut of the new, improved(?) Belmont Park. Completely rebuilt over the past two years, it has a smaller grandstand but has added a synthetic track which will be great during the winter. The plan is to eliminate Aqueduct, leaving just the two NYRA tracks. Racing has a tough row to hoe these days. Smaller foal crops, smaller fields in races - not to mention the negative press whenever a horse is injured or dies or is found at auction. A high profile arrest in New York of the driver of a loaded truck headed for Canada last week drew anticipated comments that led one to believe there's nothing that will efectively end the inhumane practice of driving horses thousands of miles without food and water. I did my time in that fight and it comes down to enforcement. We can pass all the laws we want to but if they aren't being enforced, what's the use? These days, it seems as if everyone is in a rush to see how far they can push the envelope before they get caught - the ones speeding on the roads, the ones stealing from honor-system veggie stands, the ones leading our country while ripping us off.