I’m Leaving Something Behind in D.C.

Sweat dripping off my arms, running down my temples and landing on the treadmill beneath my feet is a great way to end my trip to Washington D.C.

I click on the local news to get an idea of what’s going on today and find myself deeply saddened. The topic of the day is whether Christine O’Donnell of Delaware, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, is worthy of her primary win.

First off let’s get this straight: I don’t care if she wins, loses or draws. I have no ties to the Tea Party and care little of partisan politics unless “disgust” falls under your definition of “cares.”

But who are we to judge? The political pundits pile their pretentious pollution on the people promoting programs that promise to produce a perfectly polished electorate. That’s a lot of pee isn’t it? That’s how I felt as I listened to the so-called experts beat up this candidate. It felt as though someone were relieving himself or herself on me and unless I moved to take action I would walk away wet, not with sweat.

Oh, it wasn’t just her. They also plunged and pounded former President Jimmy Carter for his comments on Senator Ted Kennedy. Carter claims Kennedy blocked Carter’s health care plans back in the day. Should Carter have done that? I don’t know; I’ve got a mortgage to pay and clients to take care of which leaves little time to sit around pontificating Jimmy Carter’s comments.

Why do I bring this all up now? I just spent a week talking to some amazing leaders and former leaders of the U.S. Senate. Senator Thad Cochran, Senator Pete Domenici, Senator John Warner, Senator Daniel Inouye and Senator Bennett Johnston.

I don’t want to sound like some public relations guy, but I’m offering you my personal thoughts. These men are Democrats and Republicans who understand the meaning of working together.

We were talking about “The Gentleman of the Senate,” Senator Mark Hatfield. Hatfield is a man, who in his public service served the public.

But if Mark Hatfield tried to run for office today the same political shows driven by ratings and resources would find something to belittle him and raise their numbers in the process.

The bigger problem is we listen.

We as people in this country must stop this. We have to get involved in the process and not allow the noise of the news and the wannabe’s to drowned out the will of the people. We must stop listening to simply those we agree with and do as these Senators did in their careers, work together.

One day we will wake up, look around and see that the country we once knew is gone. But you can’t blame the news, the government or the latest party fad for destroying it. We can only blame ourselves. We did it. We allowed apathy to win. We quieted our voices or screamed and yelled to gain attention for our point of view and we forgot the value of listening when it comes to relationships.

Here’s a wild idea you will read and probably ignore. Senator Hatfield would have said it much better and been much nicer with his words. But I would say it like this:

Be Quiet and listen, it’s not about you.