Welcome to the Third Degree: Tough, Brief, Weekly  Interrogations on matters public and private that force thinking and response. This Sunday we  target:   Cues and Clues. 

  • In this election time, termed, by many, the most perilous in the entire history of the nation,  including  the perpetual Woodward evaluation, “worse than Watergate” and the White Sox this year, don’t youse yearn for electoral and life advice in Chicago speak, cues and clues anyway?
  • Given teacher union driven, big city, well reported, public school excellence,  there is some temptation to begin with scholastic and professorial pasquinade working with Horatian, Juvenalian and Menippean models,  but isn’t choice a lot easier and better along with  reading Mark Twain’s brief,  1882 “Advice to Youth?”
  • Do such  Twainian  cues and clues affect electoral choice?
  • Are youse persuaded to go with demonized Trump, the fascist, “the most dangerous man in America” (using toned down rhetoric of course so as not to incite riot if he’s elected or encourage more assassination attempts) accepting that  it’s hard to find reliable shooters?
  • Maybe more money to Iran will do the trick?
  • Or is it joyful Kamala wanting to turn the page on the last four years of the Biden-Harris book of domestic and international deeds now doing rewrite while shooing away always coherent, competent and energetic Joe and long held policy positions?
  • As Bernie Sanders advised: “Say anything to get elected?”
  • Should we welcome back Barack (fixed racism) and moral compass Bill, plus still pissed Hillary,  and ever important  Hollywood  types and always probing media to break trail?
  • Who needs advice, cues and clues?  Why can’t government just take over and take care of us?
  • Is there downside?  Can government by the people  always be counted on to?
  • Because of our personal and constitutional freedoms (and attendant responsibilities)  does it always seem like skin of our teeth time within and without America.
  • More cues, clues or advice needed for use?

Socrates reminds:  “The unexamined life is not worth living.”The answers and actions are yours.