With the dawn of April, 2017, spring is
upon us following the mildest winter in several years, now fading into history,
for the New Orleans area. Evidence of spring rises before us with the warm
breezes and blossoming of nature. We welcome April with warm showers to bring
us closer to May flowers. Unfortunately, the change in nature seems to be the
only progress evident. Government deadlock continues to cloud any vision of
improvement the 2016 election promised. A virtual kindergarten of incompetence prevails
among elected officials.
Spend only a few minutes reading
periodicals and newspapers, or listen to radio or television to observe the
level of ineptitude permeating Washington. Soon you will hear about the “unanswered
question” that may be asked and answered at “the end of the day” if at least one
or two government officials could get on the same page.. Tomorrow, repeat the
same routine, and you will hear the same drone from reporters, pundits,
politicians, and the man on the street.
Give this a few moments of serious thought.
What is the “unanswered question?” What is the question? What is the answer?
Nobody knows, but everyone is searching. One of these days they will find the
question. Then, just maybe, they will stumble on the answer to the “unanswered
question” that seems so elusive. It occurs to me that everyone expects the
answer to that question is the fix for every problem facing the nation and the
world. The answer will bring world peace, feed the poor, provide comprehensive health
care, show us which bathroom to use, return the coal miners to work, clear the
nation of turbulent weather, control the price of foreign trade, eliminate
climate change, defund Planned Parenthood, disconnect Russia’s cyberspace connection,
convert Islam to peaceful cohabitation, bring peace of mind to Paul Ryan and
the Republicans in Congress, settle the Supreme Court Justice debate, give the
Trump family a day of rest, reduce the national debt, raise Melania’s neckline
and access to sequins, cutoff Donald’s twitter phone, and build the great wall
so “We can make America Great Again.” It would be wonderful if we could
prescribe a pill for Washington and everything would just go away.
However, keep searching, Washington. You
haven’t asked the right questions, stumbled on the right answers, or found a
solution in a timely manner in 240 years. Why should we expect changes now? Somehow, in spite of you, the politicians, we,
the people, seem to keep level heads, look after each other, and in general,
survive you, THE IVORY TOWER, we pay to support on April 15th
annually. Lately, you have failed us BIGLY by allowing our back yards to be
overrun by problems from outside our national boundaries. You have wasted our
wealth with self-serving decisions that benefit YOU instead of the American
people, and you have diminished respect for America in the eyes of the world. Shame on you, Washington!
My
answer to that “unanswered question” is to build a wall around Washington, DC,
confining all government officials inside without a gate to go in or out. Then,
we can have our guns and Bibles, work in peace without useless government
regulation, do what we want in our own bedrooms, choose our doctor, and arrange for term limits on government elected officials. Maybe after a year or two of confinement living with
each other like the rest of us do without all the perks, government will find the question, work out the answer, and do the ONLY
job required of a central government. Keep the nation safe with rules of law to
bind us together in strength, facilitate a military force, and assure us a peaceful, orderly environment that
allows us to pursue our dreams.
However, don’t hold your breath, America!
