The year 2022 arrived at midnight this past Friday. Historically the country looks at each new year as hope for the future. This year, that hope appears to be a little tarnished. America seems to be in a bit of the doldrums and can’t seem to find its way out.

Politically we are a nation as deeply divided as I have ever seen. We have the Progressives on the left pushing their agenda of big government and taxes for all.

This group truly believes that government is the answer and that we only need to take from the wealthy and give to the populace. The agenda is pure socialism and has never  worked in the long run. Yes, it may make the poor happy for a short period of time, but then somebody has to pay the bills and the money is gone. Inflation soars and things fall apart.

Look at Venezuela for a recent example. The incentive to work fails, and there is no one with the business skills to make an economy work.

The right side of the spectrum is all about making money and screw the little guy by exploiting his labor. It becomes a cult. Power becomes centralized in a few, and the populace will eventually rise up and overtake the government. Look at Franco and Spain for an example.

Republicans speak ill of other Republicans who do not endorse all of Trump’s positions. Democrats are now in the take no hostages model espoused by AOC and her progressive group.

The new year needs to bring back the common sense of two former Illinois politicians, Everett Dirksen and Paul Simon.

Dirksen, a conservative Republican, and Simon, a liberal Democrat. They served at different times in the Senate, but they had much in common in their approaches to government. They each understood that there were differences in opinions and that only by talking with the other side could a consensus be reached.

Gerald Ford and Tip O’Neal were congressman of different parties and persuasions who epitomized cordial and effective negotiations. 

The United States doesn’t need the anger and entitlement vitriol from AOC  and her progressives. In like fashion, the United States doesn’t need the sore loser and vindictiveness of Trump and his followers. Common sense debate and negotiation are the keys to making government decisions.

Any student of American history knows that Dirksen, Simon, Ford and O’Neil got the job done. We had civility in Congress, and nobody was trying to scorch the earth. America needs to get back to respectful debate and compromise. We all have opinions. Some have merit and others fail when examined. America needs to heal itself, lest we allow the current anger to fester and destroy us all.

A few quick observations: Driving home from St. Louis, I saw a billboard as I entered Illinois. The billboard said in effect, Welcome to Illinois, the state with safe abortions. Whether you’re pro-life or pro-choice, that billboard should bother you. For a state to be advertised as a mecca for “safe” abortions is simply troubling.

New York City is now allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections if they have lived in the city for 30 days. Something tells me if I live in London, Paris or Moscow I will not be allowed to vote in their local elections. Why would any city, or state, give those who are not citizens the right to vote? This result of open border strategies will result in the United States no longer having a political identity. When that happens, the nation will fail to exist.

Give the Clinton school system some kudos for its approach to COVID. The District is trying to maintain in-person classes, with the ability to go remote on a class/school basis  when needed. There is some common sense going on and that is appreciated. 

Chicago is another story, but with a much larger student base. Mayor Lightfoot and the teacher’s union have been at each other’s throats for over a week. Fortunately they came to a negotiated agreement on Tuesday night. I am please to see that the negotiations were fruitful but suggest both administration and union look downstate and observe a more peaceful and practical means of doing business.

Stay warm.