Flat Broke and Burned Out

Instead of watching the first presidential debate, I opted to hop into bed with a copy of Yukio Mishima’s Spring Snow, the first in his “The Sea of Fertility” cycle of four novels. It takes place in 1912 Tokyo and is basically a tale about two cultures: the traditional vs. the non-traditional. The author is on the side of the traditional, and if you’ve followed his career, he ended his life decades ago by using a traditional samurai sword. A few months ago, I purchased the DVD, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, a great film. And thus was I swept away.

Spring Snow is a bit like observing a perfect Japanese scroll painting. The language paints a watercolor scene, lusciously so, but as I read on, I kept thinking how the main character (militant and steeped in tradition) reminded me of John McCain who seems positively determined to stick with the old at all costs.

I’ve had it with politics in the past week. Did I miss something by not watching the debate? No, it was reported in minute detail in all of the media outlets. The press tried to pump it up, but frankly, we’ve heard it all by now, and there was nothing to pump in Oxford, Mississippi. Today brought nothing new about Sarah Palin, just a suggestion that she “step aside.” Please God, no more theatrics. I’ve had enough for a political lifetime. I say this even though I don’t believe in God, but I’ve been driven to the wall. November 4 is beginning to seem centuries away and I smell something rotten in Denmark, to wit, the smell emanating from Bill Clinton, ostensibly a devoted Democrat, who oddly has recently been heaping praise on McCain. Is Bill plotting Hillary’s comeback? Or hedging his career bets just in case McCain wins? The more Clinton chatters, the longer and rounder his nose gets.

Do any of you readers really believe the average American will ever see any of the monies they’ve lost during the ongoing financial debacle? The United States is allegedly flat broke. Who’s going to pay for all of the campaign promises? Print more money, print more money, print more money.