These things about Washington make me crazy:
- “Win, above all, win!” mentality
- Poor prioritization
- Poor time management
- Misaligned loyalties
Full disclosure: I’m a lifetime independent. I value the right to vote for the best candidate, not the best party. And I was a public servant for five years.
I’m embarrassed by our House of Representatives. They voted the speaker out without knowing what comes next. The fact that they didn’t prepare for what comes next is unforgivable, even immature. Despite our overweening pride in our constitution and three fabulous branches of government, we’ve proven ourselves “babies” on the civilization scale. We whine, we are stubborn to a fault, we speak the language of anger, we stopped thinking too long ago.
The desire to win above all other things is an addiction. Winning is not the same as governing, and we desperately need governing. Somehow our representatives have prioritized other things besides governing.
They do not practice time management. Their loyalties are misaligned, raising some pols to the height of king, even one with no agenda and few moral scruples, without a vision for the world, much less our country.
How disappointing.
What is wrong, America? Need another sip of dictator wine? What, you don’t think we’re inching closer to that? Guess what, we are. The time has come to vote with our heads, not our hearts. It’s time we, as a self-ruling body, need to step up, do what must be done, and pray that millennials run for office so we can vote for a new generation. This generation is so done.
Uncomfortable times are coming. Our changing climate will be flooding coastal cities. Immigration is a predictable, global, mass movement of peoples that will deepen the divide between rich and poor, and will require sharing of personal wealth and comfort. We may need to raise taxes to ensure Ukraine’s survival; so be it.
Grow Up. Time to be uncomfortable. Time to get the right things done.
Karen Muriello
Oak Park