The day is ending in The Berkshires.

I took this photo a little while ago.

This morning,Carl was looking at the New York Daily News, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Herald.  He enjoyed all of those papers.

Carl seemed a bit bewildered about what he was reading about this guy called Donald Trump.  Carl asked me if I knew who he was and if Trump reminded me of anyone I know.

I told Carl that we are living in some strange times.  I told Carl that any kid in my school that went around the halls casting aspersions upon others the way Trump is expected to would be sent to the office.  His parents would be called if the problem persisted.  Then if it went on, he might find himself at the alternative school for a while or we might even have to call the prosecutor.

Carl said he understood that.  That was not his question.

I went on.  The excuse I hear from some relatively smart people is that Donald Trump is not afraid to speak his mind.  Well, that is all fine and good.  The problem is…when I hear him speak he sounds kind of mindless.  He likes to talk about guns.  The more problems we have with gun violence during this election process seems like ammo…pardon me…for Trump’s mindless rhetoric.  Trump talks about keeping people out of the country.  How did we get a country in the first place?  Trump talks about making deals.  Deals are made to be broken.  What we need are great decisions…not deals.  I have also heard Trump blow off and whine about something called the political “establishment”.  Hate to inform anyone here.  But that so called establishment has long been controlled by people with a great deal of money and power and influence.  Trump fits that description. He didn’t have enough influence apparently to make his way into the National Football League like Jerry Jones did…but Trump still fits that description.   It seems that folks that go along with Trump are righteous forward thinkers and ones that don’t go along with him are part of his mythical “establishment”.

Now I have, on occasion, made mention that this website’s namesake has nothing to do with politics.  I am making that reminder here.  Know that I am not happy.  I am sad.  At the courthouse in the county I live, there is a piece of paper that says I am a Republican.  Right now that embarrasses me.  I miss the party I once felt I could relate to.  I doubt that even the stalwart that was Alex P. Keaton could embrace the GOP like we both once did.

When all this Trump circus started I told my mother-in-law to fear not.  Her guy…or gal…will win if it comes down to them or Trump.  She told me she hoped I was right.  I told her I wish there was a better answer.  I really do.  The GOP has lost its way.  It should now be referred to as the COP.  Crappy Old Party.

While Carl was impressed with my political dissertation, he pressed further.  He asked again, does Trump remind me of anyone in a political sense.  Besides Morton Downey, Jr?  He turned his head sideways.  Then I told him that once upon a time before tweeters and instragrammers and the internet and 24 hour tv news that draws lines in the sand and picks one side over another, there was a guy that kind of came out of nowhere…though that would not be possible today.

Jimmy Carter took us all by storm in 1976.  He was not the normal politician.  He was a business man.  He was peanut farmer.  He was also the governor of Georgia.  He was also a Naval Officer.  He was/is a Sunday School teacher.  He stood up for what he believed in to the very end.  He did not spend time at the podium yelling at people and calling them liars.  Today Jimmy Carter looks smarter than ever.   But I suppose 1976 does too.

Carl asked if I was sure that Jimmy Carter reminded me of Donald Trump.  I studied that answer again.  No, I told Carl.  I suppose not.  Carter would have never made it to a primary today.  He didn’t rant and rave enough to capture the attention of any of the television news lemmings that know more than the guys watching the other network…take your pick.

But I did tell Carl I still believe my gut instincts.  Trump won’t be elected President.  Folks are crazier than I can remember…but not that crazy.  And that I sure miss the days of making fun of tree huggers when we could still count on the GOP.

These are tough times indeed.

Speaking the rights.

Danny Johnson