To the Left to the Left to the Left...To the Right to the Right to the Right!

 To tell the truth, I don't know where I am on the political field anymore. I thought I knew.

I still think I am a Republicn at heart, but this needs explaining and by that I mean beliefs.

I believe in a system where I am minimally taxed on my income.

I believe in a small central government.

I believe in a STRONG national defense (strong but not overarching).

I believe in personal responsibility and personal freedom and the freedom to succeed in a profitable enterprise...provided that enterprise doesn't hurt others other than competition.

I believe states should handle healthcare and education.

I believe our Constitution is law and is required to be followed.

Is that pretty simply and easy to understand? Yeah, I don't really ask for too much. 

Yet, I have come to learn many things in my life, one of which is: personal freedom is highly judged by others who do not think you should be free to be or do anything that does not line up with their idea of personal freedom...or often what others have TOLD THEM what personal freedom really is.

This is where many church leaders have corrupted souls. Or radio talk show hosts or Fox News or anyone who deems themselves an "infleuncer".

We see these people more and more in modern times. When I was first driving 35 years ago, the closest thing to influencer was Rush Limbaugh and MTV, and both were considered entertainment only.

I really don't care if you are a man who considers yourself to be a woman (or vice versa), I don't care of you're homo or hetero, I don't care if you consider yourself to be a "furry", I don't care if you howl at the moon. NONE OF THOSE THINGS AFFECT ME OR HURT ME!

As for my approval, I keep it to myself. I might stare if you are doing or wearing something that draws my attention, but that goes for the general population. 

With all that said, I am not sure my vision of being Republican connects with other Republicans. I am definitely not MAGA.

Why?

MAGA has no meaning, particularly the AGAIN part.

At which point is the clock being turned back to? When was America last great before it supposedly went to hell?

It could be before Watergate, before George W., before Bill Clinton, before Vietnam, or even before Abraham Lincoln.

But there's a dark truth that nobody is discussing, but I've seen it since Trump part 1.

Here it is...

THIS NATION HAS NOT FORGIVEN ITSELF FOR HAVING A BLACK PRESIDENT FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE TERMS!

There, I said it! 

It's like we defiled ourselves as a nation. We really didn't. However, when you have 220 years of white guys as President, and usually older ones at that, and then you get a 40-something Black man who is quite intelligent and maintains good international relations, it belies a perception held by many.

In media terms, Barack Obama was not George Jefferson or Lamont Sanford or Shaft. He was a well-spoken educated man. And he was likeable.

Query: Would Barack have been more appealing to the public if he had been a Republican with conservative views?

Like the Tootsie pop, the world may never know.

I doubt it, though. The Republicans had a go with Ben Carson 11 years ago but he didn't even get close. Once Trump came in, it was pretty much over.

And that one thing Barack Obama gave us that still gives a bitter taste was the Affordable Care Act. I know it raised my premiums when it was rolled out.  Ever since then, the GOP has tried to get rid of it with no replacement in mind ("concepts of a plan", remember that crap in 2024?)

Right now I see a sad Republican party that is not seeing a viable escape. Sure, some are distancing themselves from the executive time bomb, but too little too late, I fear. It became the party of personality when Trump came in. They let him in because they thought once he was in, they could control him to enact their vision, which up to then was pretty much the Newt Gingrich vision.

There was no controlling Donald Trump, though. He commanded loyalty and chose those who would obey him. The only hitch was, one had to come through time and time again with the bar being raised higher and higher. 

Then came COVID. Until then, I truly believed Trump would automatically have a second term, but he botched it with weird suggestions and constant flip-flopping....and to that I have to defend him a little because we were all swimming blind, especially when those damn masks slid over our eyes, even Trump!

But he lost (YES HE LOST IN 2020!) and the efforts that led up to January 6,2021 trying to reverse those election results ranks right up with the 1972 efforts of CREEP to re-elect Richard Nixon, a ton of dirty tricks and lies and a mob wreaking havoc on our nation's Capitol.

Trump lost, he lied about losing (not to mention having loyalists around him telling him he really won and they had a plan to keep him in), and he Kool-Aided a mob into violently trying to force Congress to reject the electoral ballots.

January 6, 2021 was the day I lost any idea that Donald Trump might have a shred of decency. But that's just me, I'm sure. I'm used to being a sole political opinion.

Maybe not.

It didn't get better, though.

I was not very impressed with the Joe Biden years. Some said, "At least it isn't Trump!" 

It wasn't enough.

I watched the 2019 Democratic debates to see who they would put up against Trump. Out of all of those 20 people who decided to throw their hat in the ring...even the Democrats chose the old white guy.

And they were hoping Trump would be in so much legal trouble that he wouldn't be able to run in 2024. They were hoping the January 6 investigations would be finished and get Trump out of politics for good!

So their old white guy could have an easy shot against whoever ran against him.

Oops! They didn't count on the GOP running so many stall tactics on that 1/6/21 investigation that Trump would come to debate Biden. 

Not only did Trump debate him, he creamed him more than a can of Del Monte creamed corn is creamed.

And they brought in Kamala. Her debate with Trump was much more victorious...but it was empty in the end. She came in too late to establish herself as a real contender, and her party ran it all wrong. She was exposed in too much mainstream media and not enough independent video bloggers who are rising as a major influence with their growing audiences. Farron, David, and Brian are getting a lot bigger now in terms of audience. Granted, all 3 are quite left wing and quite opinionated (but Farron does make me laugh) but they deliver news well that tends to not get reported in mainstream anymore.

I will say that I voted for Kamala just because of that January 6 tragedy upon our nation.

But I knew deep inside that Trump was going to win anyway.

Old white guy rule triumphs again. And I suspect old white guy will win for the rest of my life.

All that said, the Democrats are no better. I learned that in 2016, the way Bernie was trampled by Team Hillary into oblivion. In a way, for a short time, I was glad Trump won.

Some have asked me (while calling me ignorant and stupid) why I don't like Donald Trump.

You mean aside from January 6? Well...let's say I've been aware of him as a public figure for over 40 years and aside from the awesomeness of Trump Tower in Manhattan (I was there once), I was never impressed with him as a human being. Watching one episode of The Apprentice really gave it all away that he just likes to be in charge of all he can be in charge of. And he likes getting richer and stamping the Trump name on anything he can find. Which is fine...except he wants everyone to think he is the greatest human being alive.

News flash:

There are richer people than Trump.

There are greater people than Trump.

There are smarter people than Trump.

And there are better people than Trump. Better to me means being kinder to the human race as a whole.

As for Jeffrey Epstein, I don't know how much Trump was involved with him and I don't care anyway, my opinion was already sealed 5 years ago, it can't get worse.

But the left so far is no better, and until they stop winning on recoil effect alone and win on their own merits including better campaigning and messaging, the GOP will be back.

I'm a registered Republican and yes I just said that...because until the Republicans start doing good for Joe Average American and do less for their rich donors, it won't get better.

Eating Out of Business

 We all know this question:

What's for dinner?

What's for lunch?

I'm hungry...what's to eat around here?

Of course, the answer to any of those questions is to see what is in the house that will satisfy my hunger if I put a few minutes of effort in...right? Right?

OF COURSE NOT!! At least not in this house, sad to say. The intended answer is to leave the house to pick something up to eat and either eat it there or bring it back home, thereby spending about 4 times the amount of moeny it would have cost to get something from the store, bring it home, cook, and hopefully enjoy...hopefully meaning it wasn't cooked by me.

Self deprecating, I know, but as a bachelor I got by ok because I had only myself to feed. When I met Vickie, the first woman to suffer my culinary shortfalls, I was finally met with criticism that has lasted 20 years this year along with our relationship.

The next question is what to eat?

If it is my daughter, the answer is easy: a McDouble meal with a Diet Coke (because she's watching those sugars, you know).

If it is just the 2 of us, there are some more options, not necessarily healthy. Hey, let's be honest, the purpose of going out to eat is convenience and hopefully a delicious or at least expected experience, not a feeling of, "Hey, where can we eat that supplies us with protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals?"

To give you an idea of how that last one works, there was an eatery near us called Greens and Proteins for several years, and I hardly saw anyone eating there or ordering out. I was amazed it lasted as long as it did (the staff wasn't all that perky, which likely did not make the place a draw). Replacing it was a Handel's Ice Cream, which is busy every day, even in cooler weather. 

Baskin Robbins is also holding up well, to give you an idea.

However, those are desserts, let's go to fast food.

Here is where I am seeing some realities hit, for better or worse, usually worse.

Question: which fast food places are always crowded and have plenty of staff to keep the operation running?

3 places in Las Vegas come to mind: Chick Fil-A, In N Out, and Raising Canes.

If you look at any of these places (except for Chick Fil A on a Sunday), you will see a well oiled machine, so good that their parking lots are hell to get into or leave. 

But wait, Bryan, having a lot of staff does not mean it is good food.

How true! And yet, Raising Canes has a great main product and they don't vary from it. Same with Chick Fil A and In N Out. I also suspect that the staff of all 3 are paid nicely and that teamwork is promoted.

That to me says one thing: SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MODEL. I can definitely see where a profitable eatery is rewarded with money pumped back into the business, making it even better. Treat the staff well and be on the lookout for healthy leadership material. Also, KEEP THE PRODUCT CONSISTENT!

Sadly, I see other fast food places I grew up with that are not doing so hot, judging from the lack of consistent business at any given store.

Wendy's may have a couple of decades left, but I have seen the down-trend since the passing of Dave Thomas.

Arby's is also in trouble. I see it at every store I enter.  A few in town have been shuttered. 

Same with Carl's Jr.

Somehow, Burger King has survived, but I'm not sure how. Sure, the food is good (I always like a Whopper here and there). That said, I've seen staff arguments at one near us, and that one is always slow both in the dining room and drive thru. 

Del Taco and Taco Bell seem to breathe on their own all right no matter what.

Same with Natalie's favorite, McDonald's.

Having been a DoorDasher for 6 months now, I am starting to see a difference betwen corporate owned/operated and franchises when it comes to McDonald's. Four that I have picked up orders from have their act together. One does not, and that one almost always has either staffing or organization problems. A new one is being built two miles up the road from that operation, hopefully better. 

Or maybe the ownership isn't the difference, but rather just the management.

Besides McDonald's, I also see differences at a few Little Caesar's. OK, I know pizza is not precisely fast food, though the Hot & Ready setup makes it so for Little Caesar's.

One thing I have noticed is that no matter your own opinion on the food or how many times people complain about the wait or food quality, McDonald's and Little Caesar's have a LOT of business. I have read about the "science" of McDonald's and how they draw customers, or rather draw them back. It's a form of food hypnosis for many. I don't know, I worked at one in Sinking Spring, PA for a few months and aside from a free cheeseburger during break time, all I got form it was a uniform that reeked of grease after every shift.

As for Little Caesar's, my upper and lower GI have agreed they do not like their pizza, 'nuff said. However, Little Caesar's is always crowded with delivery drivers like me and people coming to place an order. One night while I was dashing, a Little Caesar's stopped taking orders because they were so backed up. That was a first.

On the chicken front, it is troubling. I was once a Kentucky Fried Chicken adherent. A 2-piece, mashed and slaw was my go-to for years when I desired fried chicken. I came to like Popeye's a bit better over time, but both companies seem to have some form of issue behind the counter, but there are good exceptions I have seen. 

Looking around town, I also see a plethora of Hawaiian eateries. I tried one once, and if you like rice, Spam, and macaroni salad, enjoy!

Also there is a growing chain of Mexican food  in town called Don Tortaco.Cute name, and if they stay local, they can probably make it last.

All that said, where will we eat?

Usually we will choose locality, and Raising Canes and Domino's are our two main go-to's. If we feel like a sit-down experience and we can afford it, we will share either steak or salmon at Outback.

Dessert-wise (our failing), a Hershey's pie from BK or an apple pie from McDonald's will suffice, or maybe an ice cream from that new Handel's.

At any rate (probably my heart rate after a Big Mac), the dine-out industry is changing and it will be fun to watch...and judging form my watch, some place has anearly bird special! Gotta go!