A Heartwarming Campaign Story.

It seems that the run-up to every election day brings a raft of candidates promising everything including the kitchen sink.  People hungry?  Offer free food.  Are they poor?  Offer them a load of somebody else's money.  Are they afraid?  Offer them security.  And all they have to do to get that security is to give up some of their freedom.  Yes, freedom...

"Those who would give up essential liberty for a little safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

                                                         Benjamin Franklin, 1779

With that having been noted, I recall a little story about a middle school that was planning an election for its student government.  Three of its brightest young students were running for Class President.  They were Kenneth, Johnnie and little Suzie.  The campaign began with a speech to be given by each of the candidates to the entire student body during an assembly.  They were each to give a short address to the other pupils on why they believed they were the most qualified to fill that important position.  And here it the tale of how that fateful race was run...

     -  Kenneth stood up in front of the crowd, cleared his throat and began.  Kenneth, a fine young man with impeccable breeding and manners, started by saying he thought that their school's recess was far too short.  He said if his fellow students elected him, he would take measures to convince the Principal that recess should be extended from 10 minutes, to 15.  He said he's also try and get homework eliminated.  The crowd clapped reassuringly for Kenneth as he left the podium.

     -  Johnnie was next.  Johnnie, a fellow universally liked and admired by his classmates, took the lectern and began to speak.  He said he appreciated Kenneth's wish list, but said he'd also add in another day off at Christmas break.  The crowd applauded wildly!  He said he's also try and get the school to offer pizza at lunch break.  The other students went wild (everybody loves pizza!).

     -  Hearing Kenneth's and Johnnie's presentations, it was now little Suzie's turn.  Suzie, a canny and brash young lady who often ran afoul of her school's rules of comportment, took her turn behind the podium, took a deep breath, and began.  She said, "Fellow students, I think Kenneth and Johnnie are both fine gentlemen, whom I know wish only the very best for our school.  However, I'm taking a different approach.  I'll provide free ice cream - both vanilla and chocolate - at every recess for the entire school year!"  Needless to say, the entire auditorium with rocked with wave after wave of applause!  Little Suzie was carried out of the auditorium on her fellow students' shoulders!  

Soon thereafter the vote was taken.  Kenneth received 12 votes.  Johnnie bested Kenneth by receiving 19 votes.  Suzie, on the other hand, having gone to the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris school of politics, received 423 votes.  

And that, my fellow Patriots, is how politics works in America today; promise everything to everybody, right now, to be paid for by somebody else.  And if you just cannot wait, you can always burn everything down.  

As the old saying goes:  "Don't tax you, don't tax me.  Tax the man behind the tree."