February 14, 2008
by Fred Flanagan
Since, at times, there has been a love-hate relationship with squirrels in Washington, D.C., I find the squirrelly analogy fitting. The term squirrelly applies well to the behavior of some politicians - cunningly reticent and unforthcoming! Yes, I'll make a decision or support the policy if the right person offers me the best deal. Sound familiar? Politics!
During the 1960s, the North Carolina legislature approved a bill to make the squirrel its official state mammal. Representative Basil Barr argued: "The grey squirrel is thrifty. He buries nuts." To which Representative Henry Boshamer replied, "Any animal that buries nuts would be dangerous to this General Assembly." We seem to have a variety of nuts in Washington D.C., and our politicians seem to do a great job of protecting their nuts.
Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C. is the most densely squirrel-populated area in the world. Gee!
President Dwight Eisenhower despised the squirrels that grazed on the White House lawn. President Eisenhower ordered federal officials to trap the nut eating rodents and deport them in order to protect his private golf course. Squirrels were unleashed by angry protestors onto the White House property to irk the anti-squirrel President.
President Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, loved the squirrels that shared the White House lawn. Reagan fed the squirrels with acorns he brought back from Camp David.
A squirrelly behavior seems rampant in Washington D.C. by our Representatives and Senators. I often see our leaders cunningly reticent to make decisions on behalf of the people who elected them. Unforthcoming? Our leaders not telling the truth? I think we have serious issues that are not being taken seriously enough by our (squirrelly) government leaders.
Homeland security is just one of those many issues. We have porous borders being ignored because of economic reasons. Is cheap labor more important than securing our borders? We have a strong agriculture lobby that seems to be more interested in a source for cheap labor than the security of our nation - not to mention that cheap illegal labor drives down wages in America.
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Squirrels protect their borders by marking their borders. It is too bad that won't work for humans. Our politicians could easily protect our southern border by moving their powerful marking contests to the border. I know I wouldn't want to cross it illegally!
Social Security is another serious issue. And what about open government! Come on! Governing behind closed doors certainly qualifies as "cunningly reticent" and "unforthcoming!"
If I didn't need the simple dependability of our Social Security structure, I suppose the gamble of "private accounts" sunk into Wall Street might sound good to me too!
But isn't that kind of like a squirrel storing his or her nuts in some other squirrel's turf and expecting them to be safe?like the other squirrel would somehow not live his own avaricious and aggressive survival nature? Oh Boy.
It's really squirrelly to think short term. Let's borrow some wisdom from our bushy-tailed buddies: better nests (job security); more vigilance (secure our borders); respect for our needy folks at home (no nation building); family first (the American family); work hard in the summer of your life and prepare for a secure winter (Social Security).
Yes, I do think our government is acting Squirrelly. They have been cunningly reticent to make the right decisions on behalf of our citizens. We need both men and women in Congress to step up to the plate and look out for the "American way."
My hope is that our representatives and senators will stop acting squirrelly and do the right thing for America.
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Fred Flanagan [send him email] is the author of "My America - Is Democracy Floundering?" His book is a citizen's view on the current political environment in America. Find it online at http://flanaganunleashed.com/MyAmerica.html.
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