Missing answers

Do some of you old-timers remember when Pogo reported to Barnabus Bear that "I have seen the enemy and he is us?" For me, it was one of those awakening moments when you remember where you were and what you were doing. That being at breakfast, in college, and studying the morning comics. I still appreciate the brilliant insight of Pogo.

I recently received a quote that came in from the Czech Republic. Who and why from there I do not know.

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting as inexperienced man like him with the presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."

Well, we are who we are forever and this will not change! When answering a question on leaving the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked by the wife of the mayor of Philadelphia, "So what did you give us, Mr. Franklin?"

"A Republic if you can keep it, Madam."

Of course, we didn't, and he knew we couldn't. The evolution of governmental structure will continue forever. I fear we are in a downward spiral that threatens not only our country, but the whole of western civilization. As the quote infers, those we would wish to blame are just the outward manifestations of our predicament.

So what do we do? When did we go "over the cliff?" Could this have been avoided? Can we reverse it? People who write opinion letters to the editor are expected to have the answers. I apologize, I don't. I suspect many of us over the years have said, "If I were president, I would ..." and were certain in our minds we were correct.

Although much different, I remember before we had children and saw some kid who was misbehaving I would assure my wife it would only take me about 20 seconds realign that kids attitude. Didn't work out that way.

The ride over the cliff is very smooth until you hit bottom. I hopefully assume some of you out there have the answers I am missing.

Stan Dalton

Hays