by Robert M. Traxler

The election is near, thanks to all things holy; good folks are getting sick and tired of the attack ads. The money spent is an interesting state of affairs; past elections have seen the Republicans “the party of the rich and Wall Street” out-raising and outspending the Democrats by a good margin.

During this election cycle and the last two Presidential elections, the Democrats outspent the Republicans by a huge margin. Indeed, the Democrats have or will spend over a billion dollars on this election. As this column has stated before, the Silicon Valley billion/trillionaires are terrified of the government damaging their business model by stopping the cheap labor, and no environmental controls, gravy train from China, India and Vietnam among others, so they are sending trainloads of cash to the party of free unfettered trade, traditionally the Republicans, but now the Democrats.

A report in the media is that the billionaire donors to the Democrats are currently keeping mute and hedging their bets as President Trump may win. We need to follow the money and see just who supports whom. Those of us old enough to remember the “Reagan Revolution” remember the platform was built in part on free unfettered trade, less government control and no tariffs. President Trump has vowed to control unfair trade practice and to place tariffs on nations who place them on American products, a sea change in party politics, indeed a complete reversal from President Reagan.

The Democrats are telling us that if the Republicans are elected abortion will be banned nationally, women will be denied all rights, and all immigrants will be deported. The Republican platform states that abortion will be in line with the 10^thAmendment, and the Supreme Court ruling. It is up to the states and no national controls will be instituted. Migrants with felony records or who commit a felony will be deported, but not “all migrants.”

A huge change to our political dialog is the environment — no one is even mentioning it, pro or con? Pollution halfway around the world is acceptable to the environmentalists. It must be, as they are mute during this election. A large increase in dead whales, tens of thousands of folks dying from pollution-related diseases in the third world are all ignored?  Again, follow the money; the progressive folks are ignoring the issue as they are paid off by the rich and powerful. 

Our politics have dictated how and when the Israelis defend their nation. Why we do not allow them to destroy the cash cow that is the Iranian oil industry and their nuclear bomb program is a political decision. The current administration wants to keep fuel prices down and the Islamic voters happy. The problem is that the Iranian Republican Guard is exporting terror around the world, but who cares? It is all about Iranian oil, and the election. My opinion.

 To update the search for history around the old building foundation in our yard I found a 1903 Indian head (indigenous peoples head) penny, it was sandwiched in some old rotten wood. A search of records tells us back in the 1800s records were few and not very detailed; various maps show a store, mill or home on the lot. As of today, nothing has been found that sheds much light on the use, but it is early. It appears the structure was made of wood framing with red brick and plaster coating the inside and outside; that would have been high end in its day. The dig proceeds; if old square iron nails, nuts and bolts were worth money I would be a rich man.