Growing Weary of Lofty Rhetoric

Harry Truman said "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference".

4 days before Independence Day Preston returns from Iraq, 30 pounds lighter and decades older in experience. With his safe return (fingers crossed), a wild and crazy party will welcome he and his twin brother Jeff home. Jeff has seen some scary stuff as an E7, having made the military his career 14 years ago and served 2 tours in Iraq since 2003.

Both are my stepbrothers and both are arguably doing what comes natural, an engrained obligation or duty as a result of growing up with a father who responds best to 'Sarge.'

But with their commitments fulfilled and personal lives as dads and husbands back to normal, or as normal as possible after being in combat, what's next for Preston and Jeff?

Some would find this surprising but come Election day in November none of us are voting for McCain or at least that's what Sarge will order and hope we do.

The Obama and/or Clinton camp has our vote and frankly who's more qualified to voice an opinion on Iraq than the soldier in the trenches? So I'm taking my cue from the boys on how to make things better for the U.S. and Iraq and the Democrats have it.

Still, Truman was onto something. Regardless of who's in the hot seat next year or the year after or after that, will the war in Iraq, the environment, the economy, education, immigration or health care improve, stay the same or get worse? Lofty rhetoric by wanna-be Presidents and too many op-ed pieces by the cynics (thanks Maureen Dowd) is making me weary, jaded and suspicious. And there's still 6 months to go before November. Uggghh. Wake me up when it's over.