The Mega Millions lottery jackpot (not to be confused with Powerball lottery) reached $1.6 billion this week.  The winner would have the option to receive almost $1 billion in a lump sum after taxes.  That’s quite a haul.  Of course, the odds of winning are utterly ridiculous.  Yet, people stand in line for quite a while in order to spend two bucks for a ticket.  As of this writing, one winning ticket was purchased in South Carolina.

A lady who had crossed the Alabama state line to buy a ticket in Tennessee said something to the effect, “It’s the hope that I might win.  I won’t win if I don’t buy a ticket.”  But that way of thinking is so far removed from reality.  Playing the lottery offers little to no hope to the vast majority of people who play.  It becomes a false hope.  Eventually, there will be a winner, with millions bowing to the altar of false hope.

“Stop Dragging My Heart Around” was the first single from Stevie Nicks’ debut album.  The song was written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell.  The song begins with the words “Baby, you’ll come knocking on my front door…Same old line you used to use before….”  On a recent trip to Illinois to attend the funeral of a dear friend, I stopped at a convenience store on the way back.  Sure enough, people were lined up giving two bucks for each ticket.  They look at the shiny board showing how much they could win and they have stars in their eyes.  “Same old line you used to use before….”  The elusive hope of the big win.

Stop dragging my heart around.

Mid-term elections happen in less than two weeks.  Donald Trump is holding at least four campaign-type rallies this week.  And all I can think is “same old line you used to use before” when I hear him speak.  I continue to be amazed at the absolute lies that our President tells with a straight face.

Just this week, he announced that congress is going to pass a 10% tax break for the middle class…NEXT WEEK.  He said that a resolution was going to be passed within the next week or so.  The main issue with these statements is that, well, Congress is not in session and so, they cannot pass legislation.  And they would not do it with a resolution, either.  When pressed, Trump said they wouldn’t vote until after the election.  I haven’t heard a legislator yet who knows anything about this bill.

President Trump, STOP DRAGGING MY HEART AROUND.

Thousands of migrants from Honduras are headed toward the United States border.  Our President claims, without any evidence, that Middle East terrorists are among the migrants.  And then, he boldly proclaims that the Democrats have orchestrated this migrant movement.  Again, an utter lie.

President Trump, STOP DRAGGING MY HEART AROUND.

I could go on.  Of course, the flat out lies from the President are nothing new.  (See my blog “Tell Me Lies…”)  I guess what worries me more is that, almost two years into his presidency, so many of his ardent followers actually believe what he says even when it is so obvious that he is lying.  I just do not understand.

So what does the Mega Millions lottery have in common with the rhetoric from Donald Trump?  “Same old line you used to use before…”  False hope.  Thousands attend Trump rallies hanging on his every word.  You can see them in the background being whipped into a frenzy.  But let me ask, what else do they get from Trump?  The answer?  Nothing.  They keep “buying tickets” but most will get nothing tangible in return.  There is only one winner in Trump’s world….

• You see, when people actually believe that Trump has a tax cut up his sleeve, Trump wins the lottery.
• When people believe the lies about Democrats being behind the marching migrants, Trump wins the lottery.
• When Trump followers buy into the ridiculous line about Democrats being an angry mob, Trump wins the lottery again.
• When Republicans in Congress who, otherwise, have good sense, remain silent, Trump wins the lottery.

It’s time to have some kind of check and balance on a President who has won the lottery too many times.

Stop dragging my heart around.