Table Rules



Dad taught me to play poker. And the rule book was Hoyle. We were a game playing family and we wore out several rule books. And with board games we constantly referred to the official rules which came with the game. They were generally printed on the inside of the top of the box.

 I learned quickly when playing any game at a friend's house to find out the house or table rules before agreeing to play because not everyone played according to Hoyle. And if the "dealer" (usually the house we played at or the owner of the game) was not willing to state the table rules and stick to them I didn't play. I have always been a stickler about the rules.

 As a citizen of the United States I consider the rules to be the Constitution with its amendments. Political parties should follow the rules. But they haven't this year. They haven't for a while.

 Watergate was a wake up call for me. Nixon calling out the National Guard to quell peaceful peace marches in Washington, DC, had shaken my faith so I left the Republican party. And ultimately I left the groups trying to make a difference in the United States. I always stayed interested and informed, I always voted regardless of where I lived. But I saw more and more evidence of the disease of the system. This year the primaries made me leave the Democratic Party.

 I truly believe neither party has the good of the people or our nation as a driving force. It is all about the Party. Sort of why I left organized religion. But I digress. There is no place in the rule book (the Constitution) which mandates a two party system. Actually our current primary system isn't in there either. The Republicans have their house rules and the Democrats have a separate set of house rules. But this year neither party followed even their own rules. Even those they made up as they went. So I choose to not play.

 I will vote my conscious, but it will not be for either of the two major parties. I do not vote for cheaters. I fully believe if the Democrats and Republicans had the good of the United States and its citizens as its core value they would not have chosen the two candidates they picked by hook and crook. And if either of those two candidates had the good of the United States and its citizens as their core objective they would step down from being the banner carrier for their party.

 And if congress had the good of the citizens and the United States as their prime directive they would step down or at the very least postpone this election. But they would also have long ago listened to their constituents about money in politics and term limits and compromise as well as infrastructure and job bills and making women full and equal citizens under the law and approving another Justice of the Supreme Court.

 NOBODY in government or politics is playing by the rules. Nor are they considering us when they make up new table rules even in the middle of the game. Time for all of us to stand up and leave the table.

 Did you get that Fox, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, BBC, etc.? You are not following the rules either. It is Freedom Speech not news per the highest bidder.

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