Our long, national nightmare is over.
That phrase has three meanings as it applies to today's posting - the first in nearly 12 weeks. The first meaning is strictly tongue-in-cheek as I refer to my long drought in having posted anything on this sight in such a long time. There's been a number of reasons for my dropping the ball but no need to assign blame, especially since most of it would fall to me. Let me just say that my New Year's Resolution for 2007 is to try very hard to post to this sight at least once-a-week. I've been successfully e-mailing weekly updates about my radio show to a list of listeners for over 6 weeks now so there is some precedent established to help us believe I can achieve this lofty goal of once-a-week posting.
The second meaning has, of course, to do with the fact that the Christmas shopping season is over. We still have tomorrow night/New Year's Day before we can officially acknowledge the end of the holiday season but the worst is behind us. Now we must endure the after holiday sales, the Valentine's Day merchandising which began on December 26th, and the Lincoln & Washington bedding sales which are awaiting us in the very near future. This is the price we pay, I guess, for the fact that America's greatest export is Capitalism.
The third meaning has to do with the passing of our 38th President Gerald R. Ford. It was the quote for whic he is most famous. When I awoke on Wednesday morning there was a banner across the top of the "newspaper" here in Rochester, The Democrat & Chronicle, about his death at the age of 93 but just a small story on page two. I went looking for other papers and was outraged at the lack of coverage, thinking the media had snubbed this "accidental" President. I should have known better. The media, like hungry lions, are always ready and waiting for fresh meat to chew on. It seemed President Ford just died a little too late on the 26th for the news to make it onto the pages of our nation's newspapers for December 27th.
In recent days there has been much coverage, most of it good, some of it condescending, on the Presidency of Gerald R. Ford. Most of his peers, political allies and adversaries, generally agree that he always put what was best for the country above party politics. He placed his own political future in jeopardy to do what he truly felt was necessary for our nation during a time of great turmoil. All of our current polticians are praising him for these selfless qualities. If they really wanted to honor the man they're praising, they could begin by following his example and end the bitter partisan politics that have disabled our nation for the past decade or more and begin working together for what's best for the many, instead of just the few.
Gerald Ford was often the butt of jokes for his clumsiness, his occasional lack of eloquence, his supposedly poor golf game. He once said, "I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln." It was a sign of his simple. Midwestern humility but compared to the current occupant of The White House, Gerald Ford was Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, and Ben Hogan all rolled into one.
Gerald Ford was never elected President but he occupied the office with dignity and respect. History has already begun to recognize his importance to the our nation. Hopefully future politicians and statesman will also recognize his admirable qualities and try to emulate them.
