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Random thoughts from the open road [1]

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Date: 2022-10-22

This past week I had occasion to drive from St. Louis to Silver Spring, MD. I took this opportunity to take old US highway 40 also known as the National Road across Illinois and Indiana. This route has been in use from the dawn of civilization including the original “Americans” and this route was considered the the main route for western settlement and expansion. The highway parallels the old Pennsylvania Railroad/New York Central main line from Pittsburgh to St. Louis for most of the way. That mainline was dismembered and truncated through the 70s and 80s in one of the greatest travesties in American transportation (lack of) planning. But that’s a topic for another diary.

The trip was outstanding. Both days were picture perfect fall days and nearly at peak fall color although this year the colors were mostly flat and muted due to the extended dry spell. I’m also fascinated by the local and regional architecture. There were many Art Deco and Terra Cotta buildings along the way since they were the popular styles of that era when many of these towns came into their own. I have a couple of degrees in geography and while I never used them professionally I am still a student. I look closely at the towns, especially the downtowns, and what has happened to them through time and neglect.

Primarily I was looking at political yard signs. Overall I saw far fewer signs than I expected. In Illinois there were virtually no signs in private yards and even fewer in front of businesses. I guess in these polarized times most people do not want to expose themselves or their leanings. I did see a fair number in public rights of way. Nearly all of the signs I did see were for local elections. Starting in Southern Illinois I did not see a single Duckworth or Pritzker sign, although there were several homemade anti Pritzker ones. Curiously I only saw one sign for TFG and it was faded and likely left over from his first coronation.

In Indiana I did see more signs and there were more on private property, but still not as many as I would have expected for either the Dems or the others. Indiana does not have a gubentorial election and the Senate race seems a foregone conclusion. So that too caused me to wonder why there was more activity in Indiana than Illinois. Even though both of the Illinois races should also be foregone conclusions

Since I was on the National Road I thought long and hard about how our country had developed and prospered through the years. Also what the future portends. And I’ve got to say that I’m astounded that this election is even close. I won’t enumerate what the Dems have done for the people and the Country. That alone should make this election a slam dunk. Instead we have a party that has tried to over throw the government. Since then they have done everything that they can to deny and cover up what has happened and every R is complicit if even through their silence. We endured and mostly survived the most corrupt government in our history and yet that party is poised to make gains across the board. There is nothing that they won’t lie about and have no shame about it. And yet they claim to be righteous and the true patriots. I’ve never read the Bible (I was raised as a Unitarian) but I’m pretty sure it isn’t suppose to be used as a cudgel. Incredible.

I fear for our country and I am very apprehensive about our future as a people.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/10/22/2130628/-Random-thoughts-from-the-open-road

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