Icy streets aren’t our only problems

Hi neighbors. If you are not frozen solid, rejoice. March 20 will arrive eventually. If you didn’t notice, the freezing weather started on the first day of winter. Maybe we can hope it will end on March 20? Or maybe we can hope it will end a little sooner!

It seems most of the global warming lately is in Washington, D.C. As much as people yell about impeaching President Trump and all who are associated with him, no one seems to be worried about who would take his place. Calling President Trump “insane” seems to be the political soup of the day. With the world (and our own Congress) in such chaos now, maybe it’s time for President Trump’s rule. Why is who is president so important?

Here’s a thought, how about we rethink the old notion of “states rights?” Why not give state governors more power and Washington less?

I’ve heard a lot of talk about states pulling out of the union again and I hope people think this through before acting on it. Remember it didn’t turn out so well the last time it was tried. Border states would be in very vulnerable positions without the power of 49 other states to back them.

I don’t know who would want to replace Trump. I don’t know any “sane” person who would want to be president. Isn’t anyone who wants that job just a little insane?

Why does it always have to be a very rich person who runs for office? Are the middle-class and poor no longer in the running? Has America become an “aristocratic” society?

Who knows how things will be in two, five, or 50 years? At the rate things are going, “things” will be really, really bad — or pretty near perfect. Our dreams are not allowed to include mediocre outcomes.

Personally, I think the “doomsday” hype has gotten people to the point of not caring. Our world’s future is like a horror show scenario — do you want to die slowly or quickly. If the global warming doesn’t kill you, world war will do it faster.

People hold these thoughts and give strength to their fears.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see something uplifting on the national and international news now and then? How about headlines showing 100 percent enrollment in schools from pre-school through college — for all children around the world. Wouldn’t a headline declaring bumper food crops in every country globally look good? Or “citizens worldwide celebrate another year of global peace!” Sounds good to me. That’s the kind of world news and national news we need to hear. But I don’t think who is president of the United States influences global news much. Every country seems to have citizens accusing their national leaders of being a little bonkers.

Maybe the answer is less national government power in every country. Wouldn’t it be great if the federal governments of all countries again knew their place? Worldwide, let local people govern locally. Here in America, let state governments govern in each state.

All the federal government is supposed to do is maintain roadways to facilitate interstate transportation; represent all of the states when negotiating international agreements with other countries, and maintain a standing military to defend the states united.

We lost a lot of our state power when the states started taking federal money to run various state programs. This federal money is now figured into the state budgets and schools, businesses and local governments depend upon this federal funding to maintain existing programs. People are dependent on who pays them.

Maybe state governments should reconfigure their own budgets to become less dependent upon federal monies. Maybe more tax money should go to the counties and states and less to the federal government.

But, this is just one opinion and probably doesn’t offer a very viable solution. It takes many opinions and many hands and minds to fix the mess our country and the world has gotten itself in — but I feel it can be done.

Be mindful of what you read; take nothing for granted and don’t be afraid to speak up. Talk to your local and state elected officials! Work closely with them and find out what exactly is in America’s future.

Don’t forget we are in Missouri. When anyone offers a so-called solution don’t hesitate to say “show me.”

Until the next time friends remember when each American family is strong, America is strong.