What will the cabinets look like?

So far, we have had more of a peek into what a Clinton cabinet will look like as opposed to that of Donald Trump. Clinton has emphatically stated that fifty per cent of her cabinet will be comprised of women – qualifications be damned. You can be pretty sure given the fractious tenor of the campaign, there will be no Republicans and probably very few moderates. Trump, a business man, will probably draw from the business community which tends to tilt conservative. Doubt there will be any Silicon Valley types – probably more eastern and midwestern folks. Unlike Clinton, gender will probably not play as big a role as qualifications. We would not be surprised if Carly Fiorina is part of a Trump administration as well as Dr. Ben Carson. Advantage Trump.

The bay area, politics and stuff:

1. So, Mr. Obama, do we the American taxpayers get our money back for the days you take off to campaign for Hillary Clinton rather than doing the job we pay you to do albeit badly?

2. We don’t often agree with Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn, but his one word characterization of the Hillsborough Public Transportation Commission (dinosaur) is spot on. The TPC is a throwback to the days when palms were greased for taxi licenses and airport access. It needs to go away.

3. Just an idle thought: if Hillary Clinton is elected president, will the Clintons return the furniture they took from the White House when they left in 2001?

4. Clearwater Beach and Island Estates residents are somewhat bummed by the sign surrounding the Publix rebuild forecasting a reopening a full year from now.

5. As gas hovers above two dollars a gallon, you’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the “gas wars” of the late fifties and early sixties that often saw gas under twenty cents a gallon.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. From the world-wide leader in satire, the 5:05 Newsletter, this gem: A ballot measure in November will allow Californians to vote on whether or not to legalize recreational marijuana. Californians will have the option to vote “Yes” or “Hell Yes.”

7. Just like Colin Kaepernick, we’re not sure what soccer player Megan Rapinoe accomplished by taking a knee recently during the playing of the National Anthem – except that now perhaps more than 100 Americans know who the heck she is.

8. In a related note, it was heartwarming to see the Little League champs from Endwell, NY standing by their fellow ballplayers, the New York Yankees, during the Anthem at the Stadium on the eve of 9/11. Nary a pro or little leaguer took a knee.

9. Another Yankee note: they have called up rookie outfielder Mason Williams which, no doubt, will have every ballpark he visits scrambling around for a copy of Classical Gas to play when he steps up to the plate.

10. We apologize for being about three weeks late in noting the passing of one of the great character actors of the 70s and 80s. Jack Riley’s portrayal of the super neurotic Elliot Carlin on the Bob Newhart Show was one of the masterpieces of that era. He also appeared in Seinfeld, MASH, Saturday Night Live and a host of other comedies.

A somewhat misguided vet        

In a recent op/ed piece, a veteran of some recent conflicts made a pitch to those of us from the Vietnam era to reject Donald Trump’s candidacy. In the piece he suggests that many, if not most, of us have yet to forgive the traitorous actions of Jane Fonda during that war. He is right. That same support and comfort she gave to our enemy at the expense of American soldiers is now being lavished on Hillary Clinton by Ms. Fonda. Need we say more?

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK – CELEBRATING A GIANT OF CLEARWATER POLITICS