Published Thursday, November 12, 2009

All politicians dwell inside pressure cooker

I have observed politics and tried to write about it longer than many people have lived.

It is fascinating and, most of the time, is the best and most interesting and amusing "show" in town, state, nation or world. It is a well-known and undeniable fact something happens to candidates after they take office.

They set out, by their own words, "to be bridge builders," but the bridge collapses under the weight of opposition, and they find themselves swimming upstream in the cold waters of hostility and criticism.

This could be the reason a great president, Harry S. Truman, said: "If you want to have a good friend in Washington, get a dog." I think he also said, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

It is reported that "pressures of the job are getting to President Barack Obama," in office only about 10 months but already feeling abused by criticism as his approval rating goes down. A popular national radio talk show host who describes himself as "God's gift to radio" says he's "praying that Obama will fail." And certainly he is within his right to express his opinion, and his likes and dislikes.

However, when you look at desperate conditions of state, nation and world, it points us to the conclusion that somehow we must learn to disagree without being disagreeable. There hangs over the White House an ominous shadow of a decision about a costly and tragic war that can't seem to be fully and finally won.

In addition to the terrible price paid by the dead and wounded, there are trillions of deficit-creating dollars exhausted by the war. Nations, including ours, may come to realize they can no longer afford to go to battle and provide for needs of their citizens.

I appreciated the strong words of President Ronald Reagan: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear that (Berlin) Wall down," but there was another factor. Economically, Russia could no longer cover the expenses of patrolling, controlling and enforcing the Wall. It may be that our last great hope for state, nation and world is to face the challenge of seeking to get along with each other.