Politics at their low point

As 2016 approaches, we're constantly reminded that a presidential election will happen.

But by the time Pennsylvanians vote in the May primary, it's likely the candidates will have already been chosen, just like in 2012 when Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were sealed as the presidential contenders before any resident here cast a ballot.

That's because many states have primaries and caucuses in advance of the Keystone State. Iowa has an election process already on Feb. 1, and New Hampshire has its primaries on Feb. 9. Super Tuesday is March 1, when about a dozen states have primaries or caucuses.

So much for Pennsylvania being part of the government "of the people."

At present, the leading Republican candidate is Donald Trump, a real estate mogul who also earned millions in the casino industry. He is known for making flippant remarks. The national media loves covering him because of his off-the-wall comments. That makes better reading than honing in on important issues, like handling North Korea, Russia and Iran.

On the Democratic side, we have Hillary Clinton. She's the wife of a former president who had an embarrassing incident in the White House. She is being investigated for an email controversy and the handling of a military setback that occurred when she was secretary of state.

Both candidates are very wealthy, just like Mitt Romney was.

Frankly, it seems a country as great as the United States would have better choices.

One reason Trump is leading the polls possibly is because he doesn't fit the political mold. And Americans are sick of politics as usual.

Government debt keeps climbing, the salaries paid to state and federal lawmakers is ridiculously high, the people running the government don't have a clue how middle-class America lives, and the White House has even swooped down and interfered with children's school lunches.

The president managed to push through what is commonly called Obamacare, which is a disaster.

Now people without health insurance can go to a complex government website and pick out insurance plans that supposedly fit their budget.

We helped a couple select a plan recently. Because of their income, a $900 plan costs them $250 a month. The government pays the other $650 of the premium. But the plan for the lower-income couple has a $12,000 deductible, a $60 per doctor's visit copay, a $90 per specialist visit copay, etc.

Some plan! Can you see someone with a household income of just $24,000 pay a $12,000 deductible!

People covered by work-funded plans also are finding themselves with high deductibles and other costs that they didn't previously have.

Meanwhile health care costs are rising at a ridiculous pace. A doctor's office visit by one group is up to $175. Prescription drug companies are rapidly raising costs, sometimes by ridiculous amounts.

Another concern is our military. The president serves as commander in chief of our military. Would you want a chief of police without police experience?

Let's look at the state situation.

There's a budget impasse. That means school districts and other entities aren't getting their funding.

Yet, lawmakers still get their pay, their expense accounts and their free medical care.

Meanwhile, every now and then, tax reform is discussed. This week, at a meeting of the West Penn Board of Supervisors, a charter school said it is applying for tax-exempt status. The charter school is a privately owned firm which is designed to make a corporate profit.

Just like hospitals, which are also tax exempt.

Donald Trump might just get elected because people are tired of the present political status quo.