So Virginia is a battleground state this time around and Paul Ryan was nearby this morning at a local high school. I decided to head up that way to get some photos knowing that I would not hear anything new but wondering about the vibe and hoping I wouldn’t have to stand in one spot for more than two hours.
Well, I was disappointed in that last hope because I stood in one spot for 2 hours and 30 minutes. It was about thirty feet from the podium in the gymnasium surrounded by media types and uplifted basketball nets. Early entrees got to sit in the bleachers but they also were confined to viewing the butt-end of various politicians (for the most part). I did see the full frontal versions and managed to take some good shots of the Republican crew.
First of all let me say that I am not a Republican or a Democrat. Or, even a Libertarian, for that matter. I have views that would find homes in each of these parties but do not have the will to fashion myself into an apparatchik. I am socially liberal but definitely worried about a 16 trillion dollar debt (and no budget plans for the past three years) and eventual (or not so eventual) hyperinflation and anarchy of various sorts.
I like order and am fond of our founding fathers, especially George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who lived in these parts and left us with a love for liberty and all the problems freedom can engender. I love Virginia. And I hope we can get our house in order so we remain free and all our savings are not wiped out. I have a sneaking suspicion that there are people out there who don’t really care about this and are just hoping and praying the whole house of cards comes tumbling down so we can start over again. It may even be the case that the current resident of the White House who has a distinctly anti-colonial upbringing harbors some unconscious wishes in this direction. I must admit that if my ancestors were subjected to slavery I might have similar thoughts. But they weren’t (either were Obama’s). They were undoubtedly persecuted by some king from wherever and so I’m not in favor of European sovereignty! Even in its present incarnation (socialism!). I want to be free, dammit! And the past is gone. Let’s live in the present and prepare for the future.
So here are some photos. The first one is of The Honorable William T. “Bill” Bolling, Lieutenant Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
This is Bill Bolling’s compassionate expression (from what I can tell). It’s slightly scary and I wouldn’t want to be subjected to it at close range.
Bill spoke for awhile and then we had a speech from the Congressman from the 1st district in Virginia, Rob Wittman. He’s a reliably conservative guy but not as handsome as the following speaker, our governor, Robert F. McDonnell or “Bob” as he is known to the general population.
Here’s another photo of Bob. I really think he has some good looks. I’m not attracted to him because I don’t swing that way but I was surprised because he doesn’t look quite as good on the tube. Hopefully this photo demonstrates his attractiveness. He speaks well too. He’s a little short. But nobody is perfect. And there’s nothing wrong with being a little person either.
At this point I had been standing in the same spot for a long time (hours) and was doing little exercises while trying not to touch the people around me. I was also thanking the Baby Jesus that I had somehow found the willpower to lose fifty pounds and wondering (I must admit with a little shame) if a tax of the general population based on weight instead of wealth might do something to whip the population into shape and feed the insatiable desire of government to spend money it has not earned.
Surprisingly, at this moment we had a little break when I would have predicted Bob ending his speech with a rousing introduction of Paul (Ryan). But he just left and there was this space (in time) when the audience (perhaps) wondered if Bob didn’t want to introduce Paul because he (Bob) had not been chosen to be VP and Paul had been chosen. I was wondering about this anyway (while doing a little exercise to loosen my lower back muscles that I hoped would not be misinterpreted by the lovely lass standing next to me). But Paul Ryan did appear after a few minutes and he gave a thoughtful talk about our current situation. He didn’t really whip people up but, maybe, that’s a good thing. We need thought at this juncture, not emotion, and one can only remember certain characters in history who were good at stirring things up but lacked the wisdom to do anything productive with the end result.
Here are some photos of Mr. Paul Ryan in action.
This is Paul looking into the future in sort of a dreamy way. Maybe he is imagining his new life as VP up there in the Observatory. I like folks who can dream.
Here is the standard Paul Ryan “look”. He’s definitely a fit guy. His hairline is almost too good (are we in Munster territory here?) and he likes to talk about fishing and hunting. I’m thinking an encounter with a bear in the woods would be awesome and probably lead to Daniel Boone references in the history books.
Here’s a closeup of Paul demonstrating how tough he can be when coming face to face with a bear or dealing with the difficult problems we face and will solve (he promises) in the coming years. Let’s face it. We face very difficult problems. Bear size problems. But it’s clear Paul is in shape and ready to go. I’m not so sure about our present VP who may be in the early stages of dementia. What happens if he is called upon to be the President! I may have to go out into the woods and live with the bears.
And here’s my last photo of Mr. Ryan vividly depicting his blue (gray?) eyes and the matching blue shirt along with an “OMG!” expression. Eyes wide open often depict surprise. This could be the moment when he first sees the bear. Or, it could be one of those moments after the election when he suddenly arrives at an understanding of the depths of the trouble we are in. The bottomless morass. I have watched a parade of candidates talking, talking, talking since 1960 and no matter what they say, or how good they appear to be, the path has continued to go from pillar to post and greater debt, greater depravity and more hopelessness in regards to the state of our great nation.
I wish you well, young man. I pray for you. And I am happy to say that I some point I will, as will we all, leave this place for a spiritual realm of greater freedom and love. If you get this job it will break your heart. Read some Shakespeare when you have a moment. And remember to go out in the woods and listen to the sounds of creatures who will be here long after we all have departed.
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