Quote of the Day: Washington Has Become an Island

 

Looking for a way out of this crisis, our people have turned to the Federal Government and found it isolated from the mainstream of our nation’s life. Washington, D.C., has become an island. The gap between our citizens and our government has never been so wide. The people are looking for honest answers, not easy answers; clear leadership, not false claims and evasiveness and politics as usual.

What you see too often in Washington and elsewhere around the country is a system of government that seems incapable of action. You see a Congress twisted and pulled in every direction by hundreds of well-financed and powerful special interests.

You see every extreme position defended to the last vote, almost to the last breath by one unyielding group or another. You often see a balanced and a fair approach that demands sacrifice, a little sacrifice from everyone, abandoned like an orphan without support and without friends.

Often you see paralysis and stagnation and drift. You don’t like it, and neither do I. What can we do?

Talk about an eternal truth. This comment was not made yesterday. It was not made in 2016 as Donald J. Trump was running. This was from a speech delivered 41 years ago today. July 15, 1979, in what would come to be known as the Malaise Speech, President James Earl Carter, Jr. defined his presidency in American hearts and minds forever. What did he do? Nothing useful and much that was harmful. Still, in these paragraphs, one can see that he was capable of seeing what was going on around him.

What do you think, Ricochet? Are things the same? Better than they were then as far as politics? Worse? Were you even alive back then?

Published in Group Writing
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 34 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Flicker (View Comment):
    Or cause a panic at one side of DC to make all the people rush to the other and let it tip over into the swamp.

    • #31
  2. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    Or cause a panic at one side of DC to make all the people rush to the other and let it tip over into the swamp.

    One of my favorite scenes.

    • #32
  3. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    Or cause a panic at one side of DC to make all the people rush to the other and let it tip over into the swamp.

    One of my favorite scenes.

    • #33
  4. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Flicker (View Comment):
    Or cause a panic at one side of DC to make all the people rush to the other and let it tip over into the swamp.

    One of my favorite scenes.

    This was the inspiration for my remark.  I still can;t decide to what extent he was being sarcastic, but it certainly took an odd and condescending mind to conceive it.

    • #34
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.