Topping the blog lists!

You made Thinking Out Loud one of the top ten conservative blogs on "Top Political Blog" site (on April 28, 2012) with an international audience. On February 18, 2013, we hit in the top 50 of ALL political blogs. (This changes all the time, so keep reading.) Thank you.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Disappearing Cowboy Poets??

“The mean-spirited bill, H.R. 1, eliminates National Public Broadcasting,” said Reid in a floor speech. “It eliminates the National Endowment of the Humanities, National Endowment of the Arts. These programs create jobs. The National Endowment of the Humanities is the reason we have in northern Nevada every January a cowboy poetry festival. Had that program not been around, the tens of thousands of people who come there every year would not exist.”

Harry Reid actually said that. A Senator, the leading member of the United States Senate actually said that. A man many people in his state (the majority of voters who re-elected him) actually said that.

How freaking insane is this??!?

First of all, Cowboy Poetry? Really? I, as a writer, am a firm believer in expressive forms of literature being an important aspect for a society. I do not believe in censorship and I do believe our kids should be exposed to art in most forms. (I do not believe the particular form of denigrating and demeaning Rap is art in any way, shape or form. But some people do, which is why I said "most here.) But Cowboy Poetry specifically as an art form of note?

But to then assert that without the National Endowment for the Arts and their sponsorship of a festival in Nevada would actually cause people to cease to exist is absurd to the Nth degree.

I would certainly think that Sen. Harry Reid may have shown his true capacity as an effective member of the government with this statement. In other words, I think the poor lad has started losing his mind and should no longer be allowed to serve the people of the state of nevada in any official capacity.

I really think this should be a litmus test for all politicians as they begin to age beyond the upepr end of the average age of the state residents they serve. When they start making ridiculous and absurd statements like this one, the people of the state should be allowed a recall and a new election.

But of course, if we had term limits to place a limitation on the corruptibility of our politicians, we wouldn't need such litmus tests. Since we can hardly expect those in office to limit their own terms, this is one way we can see if the air in DC as addled their brains with age and ego.

I am sure Sen. Reid could have found a better way to express his argument for funding in this severely down economy. But since he did not, and his staff actually allowed him to say this statement in public and on the record, I think not only Reid but his entire staff need to be replaced.

You can agree or disagree with my assertions here. It makes no real difference to me. But if I got you thinking about the decrepit age of some of our politicians in a job where they need to be sharp and in touch with their constituents, then I did my job. Either way, this is just me . . . Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day. (And, as Tamara Hillman wrote in 2005's "Cowboy Poetry,"

"Whether you’re young or gettin’ old
there’s ‘cowboy poetry’ to be told
. . .
as poets tell of the cowboys' plight,
hopin’ they got the stories right."

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