Dynasty: It's not just a TV show

Let’s talk about Election Day.

Of course, Election Day 2014 is just two days away, and I do encourage everyone to get out and vote since the future of your family, your state and your country is at stake — but that’s old news!

The crucial day I want to talk to you about is still two years away — Election Day 2016.

If you were a betting person, at this point you would be piling money on Hillary Clinton to win it all, or certainly the Democratic nomination at least. And if you wanted to go for the Daily Double, you might well be inclined to bet on another Clinton-Bush matchup, this time featuring former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush against former President Clinton’s first lady.

But does the country really want to see a dynastic succession of shared power between these two prominent political families?

This should go beyond simple partisan politics. Of course, Democrats don’t want to see another Bush presidency, and Republicans naturally cringe at the thought of Bill Clinton returning to the White House — even in the form of the nation’s first “first husband.”

Yes, I think everyone should have a chance to run, and I don’t propose a law that children or spouses of former presidents should be banned from eligibility for the office, but let’s face it — enough is enough. The voters ought to be smart enough to put a stop to royal families without a constitutional amendment.

I mean, do the math.

Go back to 1988 and count forward over the past 26 years. So far, we have had 12 years of Bush presidencies, and eight years of Clinton. Now, let’s imagine Hillary Clinton wins in 2016 and is re-elected in 2020, serving eight full years. Under that scenario, we would have had 28 years of either a Bush or Clinton presidency out of 36 years. The same goes for a Jeb Bush presidency, except if Hillary doesn’t get elected, we probably only have to be afraid of a Bush dynasty, and the Clintons are off the hook.

Does anyone really think there is no one more qualified than either Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush to run the country? I can probably think of 100 people from both parties (or no party) I would rather see as president before either one of them.

Everyone says they want change, but then when they have the chance to make it, they run scared. Better the devil you know, I suppose.

But get one thing straight. If Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush gets elected as president, it won’t be because the American people want them. It will be because the moneyed establishment wants them.

You can call Hillary and Jeb fresh faces all you want, but I’ve been around long enough to know tired old vegetables when I see them. I say it’s spinach, and I say the hell with it.