---George Washington
I am tired! Trying to figure out who is the evilest candidate of them all is exhausting. There is something inherently wrong with a system that accentuates the bad in everyone and forces us to search for the "lesser of two evils." By the time someone is finally elected, the voters will be left with an uneasy feeling and fear for our future. We are told so many half-truths and out and out lies by one party about the opposing party, that we begin to believe in the "boogeyman" politician. I need to find an honest man/woman.
There are very few "boogeyman" in politics. The people on the side opposing yours are generally people just like you, who see things from a different perspective. Sometimes they are influenced by location (people in Texas, Florida and Arizona see immigration issues different than people in Montana); sometimes they are influenced by religion (the Old Testament, New Testament, Koran, etc. tend to sway opinions of those who follow them), and sometimes they are just influenced by bad experiences in their lives. That is where the constitution and its amendments come in. Our perspectives shouldn't matter when seen through the lens of the constitution.
We need to be able to select the people who we vote for by listening to their platforms and seeing who best represent our views. We shouldn't be distracted by the media's descriptions of insignificant events that are blown out of proportion or pictures taken at just the right angle to accentuate any bad features the candidate might have. I am a pretty by the book kind of person, and if someone tried to pick apart every decision that I made as a teacher, mother and wife, I am sure I could be made to look as sneaky and evil as the politicians who are being decimated by the media on a daily basis. I want to believe that our politicians today have a bit of George Washington in them, and will maintain the character of an honest woman/man.
I say we all act like grown-ups this election cycle and vote with our hearts as well as our consciences. Speaking of consciences, Joseph Finder's book, Power Play, has me wondering about those leaders in big business and the financial world. Protagonist Jake Landry has a mid-level job with an aerospace company in California and has no desire to climb the corporate ladder. When he is asked to join a company retreat in lieu of his boss, he reluctantly agrees. The executives are unpleasant people, at best, and most of them look down on Jake. The only person who knows his true value is his ex, Ali, who is special assistant to the CEO. What starts out as a luxury retreat soon becomes a frightening hostage situation. This is definitely a book that will keep you turning pages well into the night.
J. B. Turner's book, Dark Waters, also kept me reading into the wee hours. This is the second book I read that features Miami Herald investigative reporter, Deborah Jones. I love her ability to really get behind a story, and the characters around her are well defined and really add to the story. Her relationship with her boss, Sam, is one of mutual respect and a budding romance, and I am enjoying watching its progression. In this book, a possible source is found dead in the Everglades, and Deborah is determined to find out what he knew. She refuses to give up her research, even when she is attacked, and enlists the help of several acquaintances to solve the mystery surrounding her source's death.
As always, full reviews of both books will follow this blog.
Happy reading,
- Beverly