THE UNANSWERED QUESTION

                      

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 15^th 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!