Kinder Needs Some Care

Peter Kinder starting what was once the Tour of Missouri.

Every now and then, when experiencing a bit of a writers block, I scour assorted websites for low hanging fruit, topics to write about, blogs, enews sources, whatever. If you don't read any of this stuff, its hard to find things that chap enough to pontificate. So I do a lot of web reading each morning so I can stay fresh. For me it is important to stay agitated by what I read, like yesterday and today; Peter Kinders latest dilemma. I swear, if our human condition were packed into one box with a label on the outside, it would say sheep. Now, grant you, I don't like the traditional media, jaded most of the time; right or left opinion broadcast for posturing, especially around election time. Controversy sells, and in politics, you don't have to look far.

Lets get straight to it. The story on Peter Kinder in yesterdays Post Dispatch and in the RFT recently. Yes, the stripper story and the fallout Kinder must overcome because of it. Some friends of mine started commenting on Facebook yesterday. Interesting the opinions; whether his actions were wrong or right, whether facts were reported correctly, why it was reported and whether or not it would hurt his campaign. One friend in particular commented on this type of story being the reason why he (and just about anyone else for that matter) should never run for public office. Lots of skeletons, lots of closets, we all got em.

Well hell yeah? Who would want to lower themselves to playing the political game, the political power grabbing game that keeps our country polarized and in the shitter? One might ask if running for office is even ethical, due to the nature of the way the game is played and the things that these folks do in order to stay in power.

As far as selling papers, this is the backdrop traditional media likes to feed upon; cultivate and harvest, for revenue and influence, constituency. This is what the media perceives our intellectual capacity to be; a heard of sheep who will follow the lead of stories broken that are strategically placed by political game players. The method?--to expose and push moral buttons important to maintaining an institution that is broken and, most importantly, one that they have a stake in.

Have you ever been to a political breakfast put on by (name the special interest group), or a fund raising good-ole-boy rally up in central MO? The kind of event that Kinder attended yesterday to help remedy his bad press by seeking the endorsement of the most Reverent folks he could find? Have you ever?

From the Post Dispatch:

Asked how his answers had been received, Kinder said: "I'm getting a terrific reception."

Kinder stood in the breakfast line with a group of yellow-shirted Tea Party activists from Lebanon, Mo. One of them, Sam Price, 78, said he was "an ultraconservative Republican" and pastor of a Southern Baptist church. He wore a tag that said "right-wing extremist."

Price said he wasn't bothered by Kinder's past dalliances.

"How many years back was it? In kindergarten he stole somebodies bubble gum? I'm 78 and I'm sure not like I used to be," Price said.

---a chess move, more game playing, strategic positioning, soon there will be an offensive.

It occurred to me while falling victim to trying to figure out whether or not I felt empathy for Kinder, a guy who I have worked with indirectly on a couple of projects through the years. I figure me and and all of my boys with skeletons and closets are already in office (or that which has the ability to create great influence) by having a small business and employing people, paying taxes and creating jobs. I think we, without having to manufacture a bunch of bullshit personification of a perfect candidate (because there isn't one), can create a fairly decent platform. But the game has got to change.

An amazing amount of energy will take place between now and election time. Tons of resources used with the platform of change being at the center of things. The irony is that we will all once again fall victim to the same old stuff, endorsing and voting for candidates excited to navigate a system that is in the most need of change. Time to think outside the box folks. ifyouknowhatimtalkinbout...