I Like Ike, and The Buck Stops Here! Politics never change

General Murray Rider Strikes a pose with Ike

and few hours later tells Harry T to "Give'm Hell Harry"!

Good evening readers from the Effingham, Illinois Rodeway Inn .  My Faithful and Obedient Companion and I ended up in a town that yours truly had the pleasure of spending a week in back in 1986 or so (24 years ago?) on a business trip.  I remember it well because the only room available then had a heart shaped bed.  Not so lucky tonight, we have two double beds instead of the queen we were promised.  Guess we will have to snuggle up!

As I promised last night we visited two Presidential Libraries today, Eisenhower's and Truman's.  Hard to believe these back to back Presidents grew up virtually as neighbors!  It actually is three hours apart vis I 70 so they probably never faced each other in H.S football or anything!

I am a little to tired to get long winded on political commentary and I am sure many of my readers will appreciate that.  However, My Faithful and Obedient Companion and I could not help but observing that all of the "ugly name calling" and "paralysis" we hear the media commenting on, the politician's complaining about and even many of us feeling "bad about" is NOT NEW GUYS.  That is why I love presidential Libraries.  Think we worry about civil liberties versus security in an age of Islamic Terrorism, try McCarthyism and the Red Menace or which party lost China.  How about Health care and the influence of Unions or Lobbyists, how about stealing elections, etc etc.   All of it has been going on since the US political system has been a vibrant and yes necessary means of having a democracy.  So let's hear it for political discussion, political discourse and let's hear it for a system that as broken as we think it is is still the best one in the world!  There I said it.  Now for some pictures from the Eisenhower and Truman years to add a backdrop:

First from Ike's Library here are some that caught my eye!

Prophetic? Hey we have a 150 Channels of Nothing how bout you?

A pleasant surprise the Eisenhower Library had a Quilts of Valor Exhibit.  As you know Barbara is a big member of QOV'

Getting the kids ready for the Terrorism of an A Bomb attack

Now this is a real leader-no wonder he could play Golf all the time!

Can you imagine what today's press would do with this Presidential Quote.  Yet Ike left office with the highest approval  rating of any modern president.

Now maybe you think I did not make a point with the I Love Ike stuff.  Well I dare you to check out Truman's Exhibits below

Look close is this an Obama or Truman Scorecard??????  Note Health Care still has no Public Option and those tax increases?

How about Lobbying for health Care  Oh  buy the way the Author was a pharmacist, even then the Drug companies had an interest!

Let's Blame Truman or Carter,or Reagan or... Bush or Obama for......whatever is wrong!

Truman, I mean Bush, I mean Obama all have "Too Much Power" Oh but about those meat prices it's OK to use your power to fix MY PROBLEM!

OK I am going to leave you with a final one that caught my eye.  OK Phi's (and others) check out the letter from "Rusty (Lester wasn't that your nickname?) to the President.  Note his interest in obtaining a puppy from the president.....he would name it "Whitey".  Prophetic?

Until tomorrow then,

Adieu