Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Worries of a Farm Father

I am a farmer. I am a father.

These two truths drive my thoughts and actions in ways that reach WAY outside the farm gate. A list of my worries reads like a registry of the politcal news of the day. Health care, debt, regulations, immigration, and on and on.

Is the fact that I am worried about what Washington is worried about a reflection of Washington doing it's job and attending to issues that concern me, or is it a reflection that Washington is behaving in ways that I know will affect my children and my farm by attending to issues of it's choosing? I am of the opinion that the later is the greater truth.

Today, I am worried about a the polarization of the political process. Any leader, Republican or Democratic, that rises up with an idea that gives any merit to opposing opinion seems to be quickly destroyed by their own side. Look at the decline of the Blue Dog Democrats. Listen to the acts on moderate Republicans. The middle ground is not a safe place to be in today's world.

I admit I am part of the problem. I worry that with both political sides constantly raising the stakes in what appears to be an all out attempt to eliminate the other we find ourselves in the middle of a political war. I worry that some event may happen that will cause this political war to jump over to a real one.

Is there no one among us, the 320,000,000 Americans, that can call us as a nation to look at the future with a singular vision and purpose? It is very worrisome to see that at present the answer seems to be, "No!".