No Lobbyist Left Behind

While we are being told always that the independent voter is the crucial piece to any successful campaign and election, we see in Washington two sides negotiating from positions hostage to their peripheral antagonistic bases. There is no plan to solve a problem; there is only maneuvering to force the opponent into repudiating some position that will outrage its already outraged support. The majority watch helplessly as the intense hourly evaluation of "no progress" is dutifully reported. Problems that have been apparent for more than a generation are being ignored as if a wreck was slow motion and could be suddenly reversed on demand.

Years ago Michael Crichton wrote a book connected to the question of global warming and opined that the American political system was dependent upon creating arbitrary crises before anything could be done and what was done usually had a random connection to problem solving. We were "a state of fear."

One of these days we will need a statesman or two for more than theater.