The Fires of Political Rage

My part of Florida has been experiencing raging wild fires. They have threatened communities and homes. They have closed down major roads and even portions of I-95. Much of central Florida has been living in a haze of smoke.

This week the rains finally arrived, dousing most of the visible flames. And yet the fires have burned so long that they continue to smolder beneath the surface. If the conditions become right again, it won’t take much to renew the destruction.

A fire of a different sort raged through Pennsylvania this week. It had been smoldering for some time. It occurred in that state’s primary elections. Powerful incumbent politicians were kicked out by the voters. Some had held office for more than twenty years.

These politicians failed to judge the public’s mood, or perhaps they thought they could get away with anything. Discontent over the direction the state was heading created the proper conditions. The event that sparked the fire was a pay raise these ‘public servants’ voted themselves and other government functionaries. Some pay increases were as high as 54%!

How could they be so dumb? How could they be so arrogant?

But we could ask the same questions of our national politicians. Pending immigration legislation could be the spark that creates a fire of political rage in this November’s congressional elections. Those politicians who think the voters want amnesty for illegal aliens could be in for a big surprise. Perhaps in their arrogance they think they can get away with anything.

But there is a fire of discontent smoldering below the surface. Polls indicate that the majority of Americans disagree with the direction the country is taking. Though the economy is reported to be strong, people feel there is something wrong.

Here’s the tinder stoking the fire.

1. Paychecks aren’t going as far as they used to. Energy costs are escalating. Eventually they will raise the cost of everything. That’s inflation.

2. Because of that The Federal Reserve feels forced to raise interest rates. That means those who bought homes with adjustable rate mortgages are being squeezed.

3. With the double digit increases in healthcare costs, employers are being forced to either pass the increases on to their employees, reduce benefits, or cancel coverage altogether.

4. Congress continues to give tax breaks, subsidies and grants to businesses outsourcing American jobs overseas.

There’s no doubt that the fire of discontent is smoldering out here among us. Those politicians who can smell the smoke, and take proper action, just might survive.

Those who don’t smell the smoke, or decide to ignore it, will get burned.

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