Editor’s Note: Allan Manings, an Emmy-winning television writer who was a summer resident of Edgartown, died May 12 in Los Angeles at the age of 86. The creator of the hit sitcom One Day At A Time, Mr. Manings also wrote scripts for shows such as Leave It to Beaver and Laugh In. Perhaps less well known was the fact that he also wrote regular humor pieces for the Vineyard Gazette, finding plenty of material in all the hot issues of the day.

Since the election of President Barack Obama the Republican Party has embarked on a singular mission to come to the aid of the American people. The main, and perhaps only, thrust of their action is to rename the Democratic Party as the Democratic-Socialist Party. True the loonier elements of Republicanism, if such distinctions hold, had for a time held out for the Democratic-Fascist Party. However after much wrangling it was decided that Fascist had a decidedly foreign ring to it and Democratic-Socialist won out in order to keep things well within the bounds of Americana.

Some people when stressed turn to yoga to find the peace of mind that will be the hand maiden that gets them through the bedeviling snarls that bind them. Others choose a more earthbound route and find solace in Wild Turkey or other grains and spirits. I choose a road less traveled and seek for answers in the Oxford American Dictionary (paperbound edition).

Recently there have been a number of pieces of legislation on the national and state levels that are concerned with telephonic communication. On the national scene our Congress acceded to the wishes of the administration and allowed that warrantless eavesdropping on citizen’s phone calls was acceptable and further that those who aided in that electronic surveillance could do so with impunity and immunity from prosecution.

The recent decision by the United States Supreme Court that will in essence allow all members of the country to arm themselves “to protect themselves” has been met in some quarters with gloomy portents of a nation that will be scarred by increasing gun fire and the dire results thereof. Others have taken a much more roseate view of the court’s action. Nowhere was the 5-4 pro-gun action met with more whooping and cheering than here on Martha’s Vineyard led by an exultant turkey population.

If I had covered all bets on whether the Tisbury liquor question would wind up in a flat-footed tie, the drinks would certainly be on me. The rare outcome of a 690 to 690 pro and con vote is such as to drive one to drink, unless of course one resides in Tisbury where the question is still moot.