What will one day bring?

Well, it won’t be long until it’s all over and I’d bet that quarter you have already figured out what this ‘cuff will be about, at least for a couple of paragraphs. In fact it’s huffin’ and puffin’ time, about what happens every two years, and we know the boxing match two years from now, hopefully, will be nicer than it has been the last several months when everybody wants to call each other … Let’s not get into that; you get enough of that kind of temperament on the tube.

So, let’s get hopeful that when the polls close the eighth of November, the temperaments will calm down, at least for a little while. There’s too much of that stuff going around, calling the other guy (or gal) bad stuff. And when the top of the heap, intent on calming the waters, gets in digs against … well, that’s not the way to build unity.

Do any of you ever think about those (good) old days when you were a youngster, and how and if you paid attention to the politics that were going around every corner? About every two years the old gray stuff digs, remembering a special time when a bunch of politickers made their rounds in what is now Eagle Observer land to get the voters out on election day. I’d bet that other quarter they made their stop in your community and talked to voters. They arrived on what was then U.S. Highway 71 and met in the park, that big shady park in Sulphur Springs where there was already a crowd gathering. (It must have been advertised.) And there were always lots of little fellers and girls running around enjoying the honking horns and flashing lights. The old ‘cuffer, make that little ‘cuffer, stood back and enjoyed what was happening.

The candidates began making their rounds, shaking hands, telling and hearing jokes with lots of laughter … and promises were being made; you could tell a second handshake meant the trip was worth it. And all this time the kids, the real young up to about 10, were trying to get close to the men and women who were handing out goodies. Goodies? Yep … there were treats such as a little piece of candy or bubble gum or a balloon to blow up, and then there would be cards with writing — something like: “Vote for _____ to be sheriff or county judge” — and sometimes there was a picture of the candidate.

There were also pencils and even sometimes those little books of matches, and the candidate would say, “Be sure and give these to your mom and dad” and, oh yes, a real good gift to the ladies would be some type of little nail file for fingernails.

The seventh or eighthgrade‘ cuffer would try to talk to one or two of the candidates. It was fun, and he added those little cards to his collection which he had until … oh, they disappeared more than fingers, toes and even a nose year ago. I also learned all the candidates were Democrats. I think a Republican very seldom held an office in Benton County … or many places in Arkansas. It was then the big bright idea came to you know who; he decided that, when he grew up, he was going to vote for that other party candidate.

That’s enough of that. I wish I still had that first twodollar poll tax receipt I got in time to vote, the first time, for Dwight Eisenhower for president. Honestly, now the vote goes to whomever I think will be the best officeholder. And even though now there are all kinds of whatevers to allow voting, that two-dollar permit disappeared many, many years ago. Most people have a driver’s license and can register … and who are citizens of the United States … can and should vote. That’s what keeps the old fireplace burning.

Just one more little political item: There are four proposed amendments to the State Constitution (which dates back to the 1800s) and, frankly, there isn’t a single one that deserves passing since most changes could cause problems that we haven’t been through. That No. 4 definitely needs a no. There are enough things and stuff already available, such as just plain smoking and vaping — the latter can lead a young person to other smoking or even something worse.

All four amendments, if approved, could cause unthought-of problems in the future, troubles that haven’t been thought of, and to reverse such a happening would require a new amendment to get back to the systems now in force.

Another thought: If you read the letters to the editor which so often say our present national senators and representatives voted against proposed laws in Arkansas, particularly farmers. What the writer doesn’t know or understand is the no vote was because most of the rest of the proposed law was bad. If you follow real news (not opinions), it seems that all of Arkansas’ national representatives have Arkansas as the most highly placed. As the proposed law is written, that part should have been presented separately, and that was refused by …

The important thing is … get out and vote on election day, or vote early at quite a number of places throughout the county … or vote absentee if you applied for a ballot before the cutoff day. Personally, from the old ‘cuffer, one of the worst problems is the monstrous national debt that is hanging over our heads now and will be … You think credit card deficits are bad? The trillions top ‘em all and could fall on all of us now and forever, unless …