Hillbilly wisdom: can’t trust anyone. The swamp has not been drained but the level of water has definitely been lowered. And the swamp looks bad. There is a lot of slime and objects that have been hidden over the years. When mother nature goes extended periods of time without rain, the ponds get low, and you think the pond will never be useful again. Actually, it is a good time to get the dozier and clean out the trash. Just exercise caution as you skim the slime from the bottom, there is a layer of material, usually clay that is necessary for the pond to hold water. If you rupture that layer, then you have done more harm than good.

The present problem will require careful extraction of the bad while holding the good. As long as the elected members identify with a political party, they will not have the overall best interest of the people as their goal. There should never be any question as to who is leading. Think. Did our present administration’s platform include breaking the law as a means of fixing the problems? Not once did any politician say they would bring the law. Quite the opposite, each elected member swore an oath to support the constitution (LAW). No one voted for a blatant disregard for the rules. Blatant is intentional, it is not oversight. Do not be misdirected by the present attempt to pass the responsibility of high sea murders down. Look at the films, the media, the fake news and make your own decisions. The question is not the escalation of the crimes but the original orders that directly lead to the situation. The problem is not the second strike but the first one.

The solution should be initiated by the true leaders. The leaders that wish to improve the country. Leaders who do the right thing. Party affiliation is not the issue to the problem. Are you the elected representatives going to continue to support criminal enterprises or do your job? Consideration of our role in the world as viewed by others is important but the real consideration is what we think about ourselves. It would be nice if we could hold our heads high and say “Yes, I am an American”. That would be great.