POLITICS

POLITICS

First a little background on the word itself.  It definitely comes from the Greek.  It is related to Greek words referring to government and city.  Look at the root of this word 'poli'.  You find it also in metropolis (large city area) and police (protectors of the city).  Here is where I find a problem with the etymology:  it is also in the word polite.  There is almost nothing polite about politics.  If you doubt me, tune in tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night the CPD  (not the Cincinnati Police Department but the Commission on Presidential Debates) will stage the first of three scheduled 'debates' to take place between now and the presidential election. Here are some things you should know about the event.

1) The debates will begin at 9 pm. They delayed the start of the debates so as not to conflict with Dancing With The Stars.  I would guess the candidates had better get their best punches in early because the audience will may dwindle after the first half hour if the Falcons and Saints game on Monday Night Football is close.

 2)  The nine o-clock start time on a school night is to protect our young children from hearing the nonsense gushing from supposedly educated people.   It is also meant to limit the kids from observing what real bullying is all about.

3)  All major channels will carry the debate except ESPN.  DOH!  Monday Night Football!

4)  This debate can also be seen on-line.   This is especially good for millennials.  Ever since their parents began buying larger and larger flat screen smart TV sets, they have chosen to watch everything on their iPhones.  Also, college students will be able to do homework while monitoring the contest.

5)  The debate will last 90 minutes.  There will be no time-outs or potty breaks during the debates.  Afterwards you may hear the winner congratulate Kimberly Clark for a huge assist (maker of Depends).

6)  The debate will take place at Hofstra University in New York.  It was originally going to take place at Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio but that school backed out because it wanted to maintain a sense of decorum and honesty on their grounds.

7)  Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News will be the moderator.  He will ask the questions and the candidates will answer whatever suits them even if it has nothing to do with the question.
 
8)  Immediately after the debates, each side will claim they clearly won unless Hillary has a coughing jag or the Donald uses a word that the FCC considers inappropriate for network television.

9)  On follow-up news shows, each side will maintain that the moderator was unfair to them or that the whole process was rigged.

10)  If you learn anything new about either candidate or their philosophy of governing, I will be shocked.  If you do, let me know.
o) o)  [in honor of our candidates, these represent two boobs]