We can all take a big yawn and stretch moment. The tumult and shouting from Tuesday is dying down. The ads are gone (mercifully) and now thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and Christmas. How many shopping days left? Who cares...
The Obama phenomenon was remarkable. They didn't come out and campaign on it, but the allusion was fairly clear: electing Obama means instant change fort he better. It didn't happen, not that it would have. Besides, he began alienating himself from the people who fought for his election almost immediately. Saying that he liked the Patriot Act after all was kind of kooky, don't you think? Maybe the difference is between having the power and only looking at it.
But now, our amazing world of instant gratification swings its piercing gaze to the folks who just won. Nancy P. will take a back seat for a new speaker. I hope she holds on to the gavel like a teenager throwing a fit when you take her cell phone away...
But will we have patience with the newly arrived winners? Probably not. We want results and we want them yesterday. Why? Because we are used to the way the government handles us, not the other way around.
If you owe taxes, the IRS hits you right away. If you're due a refund, you'll have to wait.
If you violated a federal offense, you'll receive a visit from a nice man or lady dressed in business attire very soon. If the government caused you an injury, please have patience and enjoy the red tape.
This of course is perceptional: bureaucracies all run slow unless they're on fire, and even then they need a committee to approve the water discharge. The problem is the average American doesn't understand the workings of our government and the basic rules of civics. Nothing happens quickly, and if it does, you get sour results. Case in point: Obama care. We have to vote for it to see what's in it. Thanks, Nancy.
So my call is for patience, but vigilant patience. We know what we want done, so we need to keep the battleship turning. It is time for the citizen to demonstrate who has the power in this equation.
Be patient, but don't sleep on it. There's an advantage to cooking with a slow simmer...
Chip Grefski
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