Get up in the morning, get on the bus.....

The Guess Who recorded those lyrics in a song titled Bus Rider sometime in the 1970's. Given the fact I was just a young child I never realized they were giving political advice. Sarah Palin, President Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton all have had grand bus tours across the country. Maybe I'm the odd duck here but riding a Greyhound doesn't inspire me. I'm not knocking traveling by bus but I don't really see the common man connection they are shooting for. How does riding a bus denote being in touch with the people of America?













Most of us at one time or another have taken a bus ride. The emphasis is on "one time". It's usually enough. My personal Greyhound experience was an eight hour trip. Of all the people I met and came in contact with not one of them made me think; there's a person who should be in charge of the country. Most of the people were obviously not in charge of soap. It did not seem to be a gathering of the best and brightest among us. (Myself included) So why do Republicans and Democrats put their tokens in the slot and hit the road? Could it be the plush seating that most of us associate with a bus? I believe Jimmy Hoffa is in fact encased in a seat cushion on a Greyhound bus in New Jersey somewhere. That material is tougher than concrete. You can recline almost a full 1/4 of an inch if you push back real hard to get some sleep. Or are they demonstrating their ability to endure pain like real Americans?













Perhaps it's just me but I prefer that people trying to run the country travel well. The thought of our President (or hopefuls) eating peanut butter crackers out of a vending machine and then deciding on an economic jobs plan seems crazy. Get a nice meal and come up with a smart plan. If you want to inspire confidence develop an energy plan, not take a field trip. Quit trying to be one of us and show that can you lead us. This is a bi-partisan act of stupidity that has seemed to increase over the years. The only reason people take a bus is because they can't afford to fly. Pretty safe to say that's probably not the case with politicians. If you're that broke your campaign has issues.













This is in no way meant to denigrate most Americans who take the bus. I have had to take a bus and not too many years ago I actually lived in my car. The BMW may be the ultimate driving machine but it sucks for sleeping. It will never be mistaken for a Select Comfort mattress. But I did it because I had no other choice at the time, not because I was trying to become a man of the homeless. One night after work a co-worker asked for a ride home because her car was being repaired. I gladly said I would but when we got in the car she turned and said, "Can we just go to your place?" I spread my arms wide and said,"You are in luck, here we are." That was the last time she asked me for a ride anywhere. Maybe she took the bus?













Till next.....