Reflections on elections.

Well, that was a very different experience. Politics in this part of the world is about as far away from Islington as you can get.  Walking round town yesterday, you would not have known an election was going on. The students, the ones that Roland deals with, seem to have absolutely no interest in politics. They're not interested in history either, their own or anyone else's, but that's another matter. Anyone who was fool enough to associate themselves with the Democrats round here is having a hard time! simple as that. In Missouri, out of the the nine districts, only three are now democrat. In Jefferson City, the Republicans have taken hold. There apparently is a big Tea Party movement in Callaway County, which is where we are. I'll have to investigate that further. I might have been associating with the Tea Party unawares! A lot of the campaigning was of the negative type. Some of it quite nasty.

This is Republican headquarters in Fulton.
Some of the electioneering was interesting. One Republican candidate was selling himself as 'you won't find anyone more conservative'. Round here, and it appears around the country, that's a plus point. In Britain it would kill you stone dead.
Also big in this election the rights of the middle classes. It seems most working Americans see themselves as middle class and are not prepared to pay for handouts to anyone is isn't working or trying damn hard to work. Again, you'd have to approach this much more cautiously in Britain.
 Tax rise is a really dirty word and so is central government. They don't like being told what to do. No rules, no regulations, responsibility for yourself. No relying on the State.
The attitude seems to be that Washington is a bunch of smart arse, over paid, out of touch lawyers, spending the ordinary persons hard earned cash, not so wrong there!
Some other interesting leaflets came through the door. One was equating the right to have guns with the green movement. The argument being outdoor pursuits, namely hunting, is preserving and paying for the environment. There is quite a lot of truth in this one, and frankly having been here a while, the anti gun lobby hasn't a hope in hell of ever changing anything. The democrats tried to do it by curtailing the import of bullets, which mostly come from abroad, but that was voted out very quickly.

We have to be thankful that some of the sillier candidates didn't make it and one shouldn't assume that all Tea Party candidates are of the same ilk. Some actually sound quite sane!
The people I've talked to were pleased with the result. They got what they wanted.
 Why anyone wants to go into politics is beyond me. What a thankless task. Roland asked our college president if he had ever thought of going into politics. He is ex army, served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but a Democrat. Good credentials. He said he had thought about it but frankly, he was too nice! Enough said.

There wasn't anything political to photograph, so you can have autumn colour instead.

 

This area is not known for it's autumn colour, but you get the occasional tree which is lovely.

Now all the excitement of the election is over it's Thanksgiving then Christmas. It seems to all roll into one and decorations are up already.