- Cape Rolling Out Bloomfield Road Art Trail (8/21/19)1
- Donors Pledge Almost Two Grand To Replace SEMO's Possibly Sentient ‘Gum Tree' (8/16/18)
- SEMO and The Will To (Become A Consultant) – Part 2 (6/14/18)
- SEMO and The Will To Do (You Really Want To See That Legal Notice?) – Part 1 (6/4/18)
- Judge, Jury... Trashman (6/1/18)
- Diary of Cape Girardeau Road Deconstruction (5/11/18)
- Trying To Save A Tree From City “Improvements” (4/30/18)2
What Kind of 'Tats' Does The Independent Party Use?
I was a little surprised when County Commissioner Jay Purcell announced at a forum earlier this week that if he is elected as Presiding Commissioner that he will leave the Republican party and serve as an Independent.
You can do that?
I thought that joining one of the Big Two political parties was kind of like becoming a member of one of those "outlaw" motorcycle gangs they sometimes feature on the History Channel.
Once you're a Hell's Angel -- and have the required tattoos -- then you're always a Hell's Angel.
I thought that was how it was if you were a Republican or a Democrat as well.
Obviously, I don't belong to either of these political parties or I would know this. I've always considered myself an Independent, but now that Mr. Purcell is forsaking the party that he's been affiliated with for several years he's made me question my own self-assigned status.
I guess I'm not second-guessing that I'm an Independent who votes more for the candidate and their ideals rather than along strict party lines.
No, I question the fact if I am an Independent, do I have to register with someone? And who would that someone be? And do we need matching tattoos to let other Independents know that is how we roll? Perhaps Mr. Purcell knows.
It seems a little two-faced that Mr. Purcell has ridden the coattails of the dominant political party in the county to get elected over the past few years only to announce he's switching allegiance midway through the current election.
It's kind of like the fellow who won the Tour de France this year by passing the race leader at the time when he had a mechanical problem with his bike. My understanding is that in cycling circles, this is considered bad form.
Or it would be like Albert Pujols declaring that if the Cardinals make it to the World Series this October, he will proudly become a Cubbie after his contract with St. Louis is completed.
OK, maybe that's not the best analogy in the world. Mr. Purcell has not exactly been the homerun king of local politics. He's probably more comparable to Jonathan Rodriguez, first baseman for the Batavia Muckdogs, a St. Louis Cardinal's Class A Short-Season minor league affiliate. Mr. Rodriguez's batting average was .177 at the time of this writing.
But enough sports analogies.
Frankly, I'm a little concerned that since I am a member of the Independent Party -- at least whenever I figure out who I'm supposed to register with -- then what kind of tattoo do I have to get?
I'm guessing that Republicans get tats of patriotic-looking elephants or maybe Abe Lincoln while Democrats get cute little donkey tattoos. I really have no idea what the mascot is for the Independent party. Maybe it's a donkephant. Or possibly even a donkephant wearing a stove pipe hat.
I just hope that the Independent Party does not require our party tat to be one of those low-on-the-back jobs, just above the be-hind.
I can't speak for Mr. Purcell, but I don't think I'd look very good with one of those "tramp stamps."
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