I have always loved the study of history, especially the history of medicine. I also enjoy the history of the U.S. and approached this subject through learning about the Presidents. The health and causes of death of the Presidents fascinates me. I might have enjoyed teaching history in high school, but could never have done this because you also have to be a coach to have this job. If I had been a coach, my record would have been worse than the current football coach for Temple and that is as bad as it gets.

It’s interesting that all of the US Presidents have had fierce political opponents. You get the impression that they don’t even represent the same country. This dates all the way back to Washington. From the earliest time there were those who supported a strong central federal government and their opponents who were for states rights and for little government intervention in our lives. This was a major cause of the Civil War. This was also an issue that made Adams and Jefferson bitter political enemies, yet in the end they were the best of friends through their correspondence.

Political bickering continues to this day and it’s like the Democrat and Republicans Parties aren’t even from the same country. They don’t agree on anything. All this is very distasteful to me. I hate the time for elections when candidates flood the airways with negative ads. All the ads are a character assassination of the opponent and they hardly ever say what the candidate stands for. It’s enough to make you want to throw up.

I am a political independent and agree with many of the issues from both sides but disagree with most. There is just nobody who represents my point of view. I don’t care for the Tea Party or any of the offbeat groups. So, I have just about decided not to vote at all this year. I want much of the bunch in Washington to be purged, but they will only be replaced by those who are equally bad.

I guess the reason I have come to admire Eisenhower so much is that he was apolitical even though he was a Republican. He was really neither Republican or Democrat. A few other Presidents have had the courage to stand on their own but this has usually been on isolated issues.

As I sit on the porch with the TV tuned to the Rangers and Yankees, I will just mute the political ads to avoid getting sick. If I do decide to vote, I will just take my list of write in candidates. The problem is that I can’t even think of anybody to write in.