AS THE CATTLE CALL BEGINS

A word or two about practical political news reporting to you readers and my journalist colleagues.

Amazing.  That’s all I can say.  GOP hopefuls are coming out of the woodwork  to run for President. People you probably never heard of (George Pataki for example.) People who the Grand Old Party rejected last time.  Rick Santorum.  People who should rejected . Sarah Palin for example. People in another field who probably shouldn’t be in this field. I.E. Ben Carson

But as the cattle call increases,---probably because of the nearly BILLION dollar kitty the Koch Brothers have come up with to support their brand of  conservative Republicanism, more candidates may yet announce. Having covered 14 national party conventions, and presidential politics since 1948, a word or two to the hopefuls..but even more to my readers.

1—NO poll this far ahead of time has any validity.

2—There is no such thing, at this point, as a “front runner.”  (some political reporters will weasel a bit, and talk about a “presumptive front runner” but that’s not much more accurate either.)

3—There are no dynasties, in either party. Each well known candidate is subject to the vote of the American people.

4—all this wisdom of mine applies to BOTH major parties. HRC is neither “front runner” nor “shoo-in.” Truly, I’ve seen political reports recently that make me wonder if the writer was born after 2008, or remember how a little known Illinois junior senator could possibly win against  the Clinton dynasty/machine/etc.

5—There will be an election in 2016..and we still have that outdated, UNdemocratic Electoral college to contend with, voting machines that are unreliable (chads or not) far from tamper-proof, bad local voting laws, parties and candidates determined to hold down voting instead of increasing it, gerrymandering in many, if not all states, Kentucky being no exception, etcetcetc—it’s a wonder “the world’s greatest Democracy” gets an election done. We have much to do to live up to that phrase.

Let us begin…but in the meantime, let’s have some honest, accurate political reporting and analysis.

I'm just sayin'....