Dennis Hamill wrote in the Daily News, “Mister Mayor, tear down this mall! Hizzoner should heed the call of Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. to level the Times Square pedestrian mall.” Humbug! What a terrible idea, essentially said Tim Tompkins, President of the Times Square Alliance, who has built Times Square with vision to become a mecca for major happenings and a regular stop for tourists. A magical New York place. We await the news of how the Mickeys, the Batmen, the Naked Cowboy and Painted Women of Times Square will sensibly be dealt with, short of tearing up the Plaza and reintroducing traffic. Stay tuned.

This recent election was so significant, I am devoting all this month’s items to my reaction to it, as we move towards the most important 2016 Election Cycle.

1. As a Country, We Can Do Better

I am not particularly different than so many other Americans, I have no doubt that we can do better as a country, and I turn to our elected officials to meet the challenge in this next two years.  They are there to govern and legislate, not just raise money and win for themselves and their party, and serve special interests.  I did my fair share of supporting Democratic national candidates in the 2014 Election Cycle, and I am disappointed and angry.

2. Time to Have Term Limits in Congress

Too many in Washington DC now just go with the flow.  It’s more of a monotone in the Democratic Party, one voice led by consultant’s opinion polls rather than a newly energized team making a difference for America.  Term limits would help, and I call for them now, and I would recommend twelve years for both the House and the Senate. In 2016, I would like to see this implemented voluntarily if not passed, or by challenge of all those having served more than twelve years.

3. The Democratic Party Must Be New Again

To the largest degree, President Obama’s policies have been rejected by America, and that’s clear from this election.  The Democrats looking to 2016 must develop a new optimism for America, not just based on equity and helping the poor, but also a grand message of lifting everyone to be a participant in this amazing experiment called America.  The economy has made quite an amazing recovery, and yet has left too many hard-working people behind.

4. I’ve Been a Clinton Person, But….

For the good of the Democratic Party and the country, we need to have fresh, new visions for America.  I have been a Clinton person since 1991, and supporting the President in his ’92 and ’96 runs, as well as supporting Hillary in ’08.  I still fully admire Hillary, and do not think it best for the Party nor America that our new policies be just her new policies.  I would suggest we launch National Party Debates/Forums of new Democratic leaders for 2016 and beyond, whether candidates for President or not.  We need to hear those new voices for a New America.

Cannot believe this will be my first blog., my first bit of HT “wisdom.”  It’s a little story, just happened last Saturday night on a day-trip to Baltimore.

Train scheduled to leave at 10:46 PM (I actually thought it was 10:30 PM until…  well, you’ll see until when).  And I don’t want to miss it, so I leave the Convention Center, from a gathering I am at, in plenty of time, at 9:20 PM.

It was with so much time that I decided to take the Light Rail instead of the taxi.  It was convenient, literally door-to-door (except this time), certain to arrive (as the last time I took a taxi from there to Penn Station we ran into terrible traffic, it took forever), and infinitely less expensive (nothing like saving $10).

Here’s the thing.  I hopped on the Light Rail going the wrong way (Southbound rather than Northbound, never considering asking, as I had absolute certainty).  By the time I asked, and then immediately got off, it was next to the last stop (the wrong way), and it was 9:45 PM, and in the middle of nowhere with only the choice of a Northbound Light Rail (as there were now no taxis where I was).

As I looked at the posted timetable, the next Rail was 10:02 PM, arriving at Penn Station, Baltimore at 10:30 PM.  It now became a matter of a wish and a hope, wishing the Rail would be on time, and hoping that my Train to New York would be delayed two minutes so I could run from one to another.

An aside, as if the entire story is not one.  So, I am waiting for the Rail in the middle of nowhere, and after a few minutes, approached by a clearly drunk man wanting something, what I didn’t know but not willing to find out.  So, I went first, ranting, “Just went the wrong way on the Rail, about to miss my Train, waiting out here, you really don’t want to bother me,” in a tone you can imagine, and with an attitude you can also imagine.  This man immediately walked away, and didn’t come close to bothering me again.

Back to the story.  Rail arrives right on time, at 10:02 PM, I get on, and now smarten up (or so I thought at the time).  Looked at my Train ticket, and to my delight, it was scheduled to depart at 10:46 PM, not 10:30 PM.  Got it wrapped now.  Then asked this wonderful older African-American man, first whether I am on the Rail heading to Penn Station, then where do I get off.

He shows me a chart, hung on the wall of the Rail, of all the stops, and I had about eight left to Penn Station (so I thought).  Didn’t notice that Penn Station was listed up there, and not a stop, until I push the yellow strip signaling that I wanted to get out at the next stop, and it stops one stop after Penn Station.( you see, as it turned out, you had to get out one stop before Penn Station, and walk from there).

So, here I am, one stop away, about two minutes to go, and determined still that I would make it.  I asked some young people there on the street, how can I get to Penn Station by hoofing it, so I was given directions that it’s about eight blocks, through Downtown, and off I start running (figured that if I could three NY Marathons, I could do eight blocks and make a Train)..  You got to see this, nearly 10:40, running in downtown Baltimore

Areas that I realize that I shouldn’t be doing this in..  Solicited only a couple of times as I am running, nearly out of breath, four blocks to go, 10:45 PM, and  a taxi waiting at the red light just ahead of me, with it just about to turn green.

This is my best effort at what clearly was a lost cause, so I reach it just as it’s about to go, hop in, tell the Driver “Penn Station,” and see it’s clear sailing.  Fare was $2.10, give him a $5 bill (and can you believe I take the time to get $2 change).  Out I jump at Penn Station, dash exactly in the wrong direction, ask a man where the NY Train would be, he points over to the Counter Information Desk.  I dash, ask the Information Man, see on the clock it’s 10:50 PM (yes, 10 minutes before 11 PM for a Train that was to leave 14 minutes before 11 PM), and he says Gate 6.

Incredibly, I take the time to say, “you mean it hasn’t left”, and off I run, across the waiting room, down the stairs, and amazingly, with time to spare (nothing like a Train that’s late on its schedule, I hop on.

So, off I went on my Train to New York Penn Station, as scheduled.

What lessons do I take from this?  Well, I am taking a look at it, and I want you to, as well, and share your thoughts so we can all learn together.  Certainly many take-aways for me, and I suspect we can all learn from it (sort of like a modern-day Aesop’s Fables).

I will start with undoubtedly the most positive, “always go for it, and know you will make it happen, even against all logical odds” (putting aside the stupidity of what I had done).

I want to hear from all of you.  This blogging is new for me.  You’re now part of the experiment.