I am not a crook

Cletus is less than four weeks old and already he'll be on his second Prime Minister. Yes, Tony Blair leaves office today and Gordon Brown takes over.

I guess I can add to the apologias and eulogias by saying, I'll be sorta sad to see Tony go. But mostly because I hate Gordon Brown - I think he's sneaky and secretive and less interested in following the rules than even Mr Blair. He never owns up to the damage that he's done (pensions funding, Private Finance Initiatives, NHS funding). And I have to say, I'll never forget how comforting Tony Blair was on the afternoon of September 11, 2001. He said just what I wanted to hear in just the right way when George Bush was still taking secret flights or hiding in a bunker or something.

Anyway, the timing of the prime ministerial change made me think...is there an effect on the personality of those born during the reign of this or that political chief. You know, like a horoscope or the Chinese Year of the Pig? Will little Cletus born in the wane of Blair, with Gordon rising have a gift for the glib soundbite (Blair), disregard the importance of process and constitutional tradition (Blair and Brown - and Bush for that matter) and be open about his actions and ambitions to a only a small, personally loyal cabal (Brown and Bush)?

And what about myself? I was born in the midst of the Nixon era. And I have to say, I've always had a fondness for the fellow. But what about the effect on my personality? Well, I'm not a crook. Seriously. Though I do have a firm sense that rules are not quite meant for me in the same way that they're meant for other people.

And what about the Vol-in-Law? He was born during the office of Edward Heath. My knowledge of British politics pre-my-arrival is poor, but Heath strikes me as curmudgeonly and someone will take you into treaties and agreements (European Union) under less than auspicious conditions. Well, the ViL is a bit of a grumpus sometimes...but as far as I know he's not secretly gay and he did a great job negotiating the installation of our wood floors a number of years ago. So maybe this is just as reliable as the old horoscope.

On the other hand, VolBro was born during the Carter years - and sure enough, he's a left-wing cracker. A member of that very small bass-fishing, Big Orange loving, poker playing, shit-shooting, Lynyrd Skynyrd listening, Ralph Nader voting faction of the electorate.

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Cletus is not a crook either, he just looks like one.