TBR&R is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyle and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Bloomberg, Amendment Four a farce

So the billionaire who could not buy the election for himself is now trying to buy it for Joe Biden. Michael Bloomberg’s spending spree in Florida is anything but altruistic. Let’s look at the facts – first about 5 out of 6 felons who show a party preference list Democrat – you don’t think Bloomberg’s cash is seeking out Republicans, do you? Second, we’re not quite sure paying off court fees in order to enfranchise someone is even legal. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz certainly doesn’t think so. Another, in our mind, larger problem is fines are being paid off – no mention of restitution to harmed parties. It’s just sick that felons are being portrayed as victims rather than the injured party in the crimes. It’s even sicker when rich people like Bloomberg think they can buy their way out of anything.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. The revelation that the President and First Lady have the Covid virus will no doubt have the far left screaming “unable to govern, blah, blah, blah.” Give us a feverish Don over stumbling, bumbling Joe any day.

2. The nonsense surrounding the case of a dying 87-year-old Supreme Court Justice re-emphasizes the need to put an age limit on Justice’s terms. 75 years of age seems a logical number with current Justices being exempted.

3. Number of the week – 96 as in 96 years ago. That’s the last time a Presidential candidate was successful without carrying Florida. And you wonder why Bloomberg is trying to buy the state for Biden?

4. Do we watch the Presidential debates? No, virtually everybody who does watch them is what political observers call “high information” people who already know the arguments – and who they are choosing. If we have any questions about who won the debate, “Florida’s Best Newspaper will tell us – Biden (the story having been written before the debate took place). And more importantly, the baseball playoffs are underway.

5. Prompted by the recent bad news from Stein Mart, you’ve lived in Clearwater at least a little bit of time if you remember when Stein Mart occupied the former Maas Brothers location on Clearwater’s bluff.

Sports, media and other stuff:

6. To the casual hockey fan, it seems incredible that 16 years have passed since the Lightning last won the Stanley Cup. Way to go Bolts!

7. Just a guess on our part – Dodgers over the A’s in the World Series. The two teams have a bit of a home field advantage over Central and Eastern Division teams.

8. Seen recently on a bumper sticker – When I die, please don’t let me vote Democratic (see #10 below).

9. In our misspent youth, your humble blogger spun the discs at a couple local radio stations as well as in Panama City. Two truly talented people from that era passed away last week – singer/song writer Mac Davis (Baby, Don’t Get Hooked on Me) and Helen Reddy (Delta Dawn, Angie Baby and I am Woman all topping the charts). Both were 78 years old.

10. Some Chicago notes from the latest 5:05 Newsletter: I asked Alexa what I should pack for my upcoming trip to Chicago and she said "heat." And this gem: Chicago cemeteries aren't allowed to be fenced in. It's considered voter suppression.

Some interesting first round playoffs

It was the first (and probably last) 16-team MLB playoff with a record seven teams from the Central division’s – all seven lost in the first round. First round winners in the Rhyming Bowl: Rays over Jays. And in the Cheater’s Bowl, the Garbage Can Astros beat the Twinkies whose domed stadium folks did funny things with the AC and exhaust fans in the 1987 and 1991 World Series. And in the Strikeout Bowl, the Braves advanced over the Reds. In the 13 inning opener, the two teams struck out a record 37 times. The Yanks, the Rays’ second round opponent, proved that good pitching doesn’t always beat good hitting in postseason, battering the celebrated Indians’ staff for 22 runs in two games. The Dodgers, as expected, advanced, but anything less than the World Series will be a shortfall for baseball’s best team. San Diego is coming on, taking out a Cardinal team that did not play like a typical Cardinal team with their leaky defense. The A’s, just like our Rays, do it with smoke and mirrors – winning on a small market budget and the Marlins still have never lost a post season series; we think this might be the year they do, but what an improved team! Here’s hoping Round Two will be as entertaining as Round One

UP NEXT: Mid-week special; Top groups; Keeping Keene Green

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